New Interest in Route to US Green Card for Expat Investors

Expat Globe

The United States of America is the dream expat destination for many with many offshore nights spent dreaming of Los Angeles sunsets and the New York City bar scene.

While outside the reach of many there is a route for those seeking that elusive Green Card. The catch is that interested expatriates will need to start or invest in a business creating jobs in a rural or deprived area.

The EB-5 scheme is targeted at expat entrepreneurs and demands an investment of half a million dollars in a business that creates at least 10 jobs in a rural area or where unemployment is below the national average.

Interested expats looking to invest in other areas will have to find double the amount to earn the Green Card.

The scheme is designed to attract foreign direct investment into the still struggling American economy and is expected to be met with more than a little interest from an expat community always hungry for new ways to earn that attractive permanent residency.

The EB-5 scheme fell out of favour after the rules were tightened in the face of abuse by some. However, there has been renewed interest since the financial crisis hit in 2008 particularly from Chinese investors desperate for American permanent residency but less worried about investment returns.

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