Roger A. Bernstein

04/24/2020

I have published my views on Donald J. Trump's executive order restricting immigration for the next 60 days.

The proclamation specifically excludes:
Lawful permanent residents Physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who perform work essential to combating COVID-19 Individuals applying for a visa to enter the U.S. pursuant to the EB-5 immigrant investor program Spouses of U.S. citizens Children of U.S. citizens under the age of 21 Individuals whose entry would be in the national interest as determined by DHS or DOS Members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their spouses/children.

Existing I-526 and I-829 Petitions are therefore, not impacted.

BREAKING: President Trump’s Executive Order to Temporarily Restrict Certain Immigrant Visa Classifications; Specifically Excludes EB-5.

Among immigrant visa categories not impacted by the proclamation, EB-5 visas are specifically excluded. Congress authorized 10,000 visas annually for foreign investors and their families whose investment creates employment in the United States. Existing I-526 and I-829 Petitions are therefore, not impacted.

03/21/2020

That could be a game-changer in the short term for people considering an .



https://www.bisnow.com/national/news/economy/trump-eyes-big-increase-in-eb-5-visas-to-boost-economy-103498

President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a huge change to the EB-5 program as he works with legislators in attempts to boost the economy.

03/20/2020

In response to the proliferation of the global ( ) pandemic, President Trump has implemented a plethora of policies that further restrict international inbound immigration to the United States.

Click below to learn more:

https://www.saul.com/sites/default/files/EB5_032020.pdf

09/18/2019

Find some of my thoughts about the consequences of the new EB-5 rules in my interview for Globe.

As a result of a new agency rule, potential EB-5 investors will be scurrying to invest in the EB-5 program in rapid fashion, many of whom desire to invest in the South Florida economy and emigrate to South Florida.

03/11/2019

Please find my views on the immediate future of the program in the interview we have just shared.

A proposed rule to modernize the EB-5 investor visa program is facing pushback from attorneys who say it raises applicants' minimum investments too high while neglecting reforms that could be achieved through legislation to relieve crippling backlogs.

02/26/2019

Always a pleasure speaking at the Investment Immigration Summit in .

Our panel was on the future of the EB5 program.

The bottom line is I’m cautiously optimistic.

02/25/2019

I had the pleasure of meeting with Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the Executive Chairman of the Multi Commodities Center, which is the world’s #1 free zone.

Ahmed’s led the charge to make Dubai an elite trade hub for gold, diamonds and other commodities.

01/17/2019

While the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, (USCIS) says it’s still processing applications and interviews scheduled will be held because it is an immigrant fee-funded agency, some USCIS programs, however, will either expire or suspend operations, until they receive appropriated funds or are reauthorized by Congress.

Caribbean and Latin America Daily News

11/21/2018

Here's a comparison between the H-1B and EB-5 visas, the two most widely used legal documents for passage to the US.

Moneycontrol's Neha Alawadhi draws a comparison between the H-1B and EB-5 visas, the two most widely used legal documents for passage to the US

11/13/2018

The Visa Program has produced a dramatic increase in much-needed foreign direct investment in the U.S.

For more information about the EB-5 visa's economic impact, click here: https://iiusa.org/eb5-economicimpactmap/

11/13/2018

South African demand for the EB-5 program is the highest it has ever been, with a 486% increase in the number of petitions filed by South Africans over the past three years.

With the economy entering its first recession since 2009, more and more South Africans are seeking alternate permanent residency in foreign countries.

11/02/2018

China, India, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, and Brazil remain the six largest EB-5 investor markets since FY2015, accounting for more than 90% of the worldwide I-526 filings annually between FY2015 and FY2017.

09/29/2018

Investment and spending associated with the Program supported 207,000 American jobs in FY2014 and FY2015, accounting for 4% of total job growth across all private sectors in U.S. over that two-year period.

09/24/2018

What is the EB-5 Program, what are the benefits, and how can foreign nationals obtain these green card benefits for their families?

What is the EB-5 Program, what are the benefits, and how can foreign nationals obtain these EB-5 green card benefits for their families? The EB-5 Program was created by Congress in 1990 as a way to…

09/20/2018

Western Washington University Center for Economic Business Research (CEBR) published peer-reviewed research that evaluated the EB-5 Program’s economic impact in FY2014 and FY2015. The research found that $11.2 billion in capital investment was generated through Regional Center projects in FY2014 and FY2015, accounting for 2% of the total foreign direct investment (FDI) net inflows to U.S. between 2014 and 2015.

09/19/2018

The EB-5 industry has noticed a massive uptick in the number of investors coming from India. What’s drawing them in?

The EB-5 industry has noticed a massive uptick in the number of EB-5 investors coming from India. What’s drawing them in?

08/31/2018

EB-5 Regional Center Program uses globalization to solve the need for affordable financing for economic development projects throughout the USA. It has produced a dramatic increase in much-needed foreign direct investment in the U.S. Check out the numbers below. is working.

For more information about the EB-5 visa's economic impact, click here: https://iiusa.org/eb5-economicimpactmap/

08/16/2018

At EB-5 for Florida Regional Center, we are supporting the United States economy by offering EB-5 Investor Visa compliant Investment Opportunities in Florida, one project at a time.

07/17/2018

Mainland Chinese and Vietnamese investors who filed their I-526 petitions before August 1, 2014 will be eligible to schedule interviews with Department of State Consular offices and be issued conditional immigration visas to enter the U.S. or apply for adjustment of status if they are already in the U.S.

Last week, U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs released the Visa Bulletin for the month of August 2018 (View PDF). The bulletin revealed a cutoff date of August 1, 2014 for Mainland-China and Vietnam born visa applicants which remained unchanged from the July bulletin. Mainland C...

06/07/2018

Investors in : Join us on June 14th to learn about immigration options for US investors, entrepreneurs and executives. Click below to sign up.

Opções de Imigração para os EUA para Investidores, Empreendedores e Executivos Brasileiros

05/22/2018

The Board of Directors of IIUSA - Invest In the USA has announced the departure of Executive Director, Peter D. Joseph. IIUSA is currently conducting a search to find a replacement. "During this transition period, it is our priority to find the best individual to lead our organization and help deliver the legislative certainty needed to continue to create jobs and grow the economy," said IIUSA Board President Bob Kraft.

05/11/2018

I was honored to speak at the 2018 Expo. Thanks EB5 Investors Magazine for a terrific conference.

04/22/2018

Now that Congress has provided a clean extension until September 30, 2018, there are several issues that need to be addressed and factors that need to be taken into account in connection with the overall EB-5 industry and its viability. Find out more...

Now that Congress has provided a clean extension until September 30, 2018, there are several issues that need to be addressed and factors that need to be taken into account in connection with the overall EB-5 industry and its viability.

04/18/2018

This article answers several frequently asked questions about the EB-5 visa program. How did it start and what are the requirements? How popular is the program and who uses it? What's the economic impact of the program? What’s the government’s view of the program?

Interest is growing in investor visas among certain nationalities. For those with $500,000 to spare it's often a more expedient way to immigrate to the United States.

04/09/2018

Get the latest about the looming oversubscription of Vietnamese applicants...

The U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs Visa Bulletin for the month of April 2018 (View PDF) reveals a cutoff date of July 22, 2014 for Mainland-China born visa applicants which remained unchanged from the March bulletin. Special Note on Vietnam: Continued heavy applicant demand ...

04/03/2018

Earlier this month, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a report on processing time. The report concluded the “USCIS has unclear website information and unrealistic time goals for adjudicating green card applications”. Read more...

Earlier this month, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a report by the DHS Inspector General on Green Card processing time. The report concluded the "USCIS has unclear website information and unrealistic time goals for adjudicating green card application". USCIS has an expres...

03/31/2018

Previously overshadowed by the more popular skilled immigrant H-1B visa, the is now slowly catching up in popularity among students and skilled migrants thanks to the new restrictions increasingly imposed the visa.

In the US, there is a visa programme that makes foreigners eligible for permanent residence if they invest in a for-profit American enterprise and plan to create 10 full-time jobs for qualified US workers. Established in

03/26/2018

Update: The EB-5 Program has been extended through September.

Congressional leaders released a $1.3 trillion dollar Omnibus Appropriation with language extending the program through the end of this fiscal year.

The extension does not introduce any new requirements into the EB-5 Program. This clean, straight extension of the EB-5 Program will give lawmakers and the Department of Homeland Security additional time to make substantive changes to the program.

03/22/2018

Will the Reform Act get a clean extension through the end of the fiscal year?

Or will it get thrown into an omnibus bill that includes funding for border security, opioid abuse programs, and supposedly deals on DACA immigrants?

We'll find out soon. Stay tuned.

Everyone suspects it will get renewed for rest of fiscal year.

03/22/2018

A Regional Center is an organization that has been approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and oversees investments within specific geographic regions in the USA.

Instead of investing directly into the EB-5 project, the regional center sets up an investment fund for the benefit of the EB-5 investors. Investors purchase equity stakes in the investment fund. Then, the fund either purchases equity in the job-creating entity or loans the job-creating entity money. The job creating entity then uses the investment from the fund in the project to create jobs indirectly.

Regional center investments are popular because they do not require the investor to set up and run the business themselves. Regional centers help EB-5 investors and project developers because they lessen the difficulty of meeting qualifying job creation requirements under the EB-5 program rules.

03/17/2018

What will happen if the reform bill passes?

There appears to be significant momentum from the Republican contingent in the Senate and the House to pass an EB-5 reform bill entitled, "The EB5 Immigrant Investor Visa and Regional Center Reform Act" (the "Draft Bill") in a bid to attach the Draft Bill to the Omnibus on or before March 22nd. As o...

03/15/2018

The visa is gaining popularity as an alternative to the embattled H-1B visa, which is the most popular US visa category. Here's why.

The United States Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 to enable high net worth foreign investors to obtain a US visa for themselves and their immediate family.

03/07/2018

By all accounts, the program has had a positive impact on the U.S. economy. But what lies ahead for the program?

What Lies Ahead for the EB-5 Foreign Investor Program?

03/07/2018

The newest EB-5 Economic Impact Report is here. Western Washington University details the $45 billion economic impact of the program - spurring economic growth and creating jobs.

Hart Hodges and James McCafferty from Western Washington University’s Center for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) have released a new study detailing the $45 billion economic impact of the federal government’s EB-5 Immigration program, designed to encourage investment by qualified foreign i...

03/06/2018

I'm very pleased to announce that our regional center, EB5 for Florida Regional Center, has received approval to extend our geographic boundary into Central Florida.

With this expansion, we are now approved to sponsor new projects in cities like and .

Developers in these areas, looking for funding, are now welcome to contact us and present their projects to our team.

03/03/2018

The Visa Program could be a good alternative for Indians wishing to migrate to the US, especially at a time when H1-B Visa rules are being tightened.

Indians are fifth largest investors in the programme: US official

02/28/2018

For EB-5 investors, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services requires documentation that links the invested funds to the investor and shows the funds were in the investor’s name, control or possession. However, moving large sums out of a country for an investment is a challenging process because of the foreign currency restrictions imposed by the investor’s home country. Learn more...

The EB-5 program was implemented in 1990 as a program to provide legal permanent residence status to investors who invest $500000 or $1 million (depending on the geographical area) in a business that creates employment for 10 full-time U.S. citizen or permanent resident employees.

02/23/2018

What will happen to the Program during these ensuing six weeks and thereafter? The short answer is: it is not entirely clear.

Congress recently passed and President Trump signed a comprehensive two-year defense spending budget agreement for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 to prevent an extended federal government shutdown. The le

02/18/2018

Reauthorized repeatedly since its inception in 1990, the program is under consideration again. The program works. It meets every positive criteria the administration has laid out for immigration reform. Reauthorizing and expanding the EB-5 visa program must be part and parcel of any DACA legislation or other immigration-focused legislation.

Every once in a while -- some would say in a long, long while -- the federal government comes up with a good idea. For my Baby Boomer generation, many would say the Apollo Space Program merits such cl

02/15/2018

Here's why Congress should expand the Visa Program...

If President Trump is serious about wanting to shape immigration policy to be part of his plan to make American great again, there is at least one category of immigrant he should urge Congress to expand — the EB-5 visa program. EB-5 address...