QUICK FACTS

Country: United States of America
Capital city: Washington D.C.
Population: 328,239,523 (1 July 2019)
GDP in current prices: USD $21.439 trillion (2019)
GDP real growth: 2.9% (2018)
Area: 9,833,520 km² (land 9,531,905 km²)
Government: Federal presidential constitutional republic
President: Joe Biden
Vice President: Kamala Harris
Currency: United States Dollar ($) (USD)
HDI: 15th (2018)
Ease of doing business index: 6th (2020)
Time Zones: Eastern Standard Time Zone (EST) GMT -5 / Central Standard Time Zone (CST) GMT -6 / Mountain Standard Time Zone (MST) GMT -7 / Pacific Standard Time Zone (PST) GMT -8 /(All zones switch to Daylight Saving Time from March to November)
Dialling code: 1

The United States of America (USA), also commonly known simply as the US, is primarily a country within the continent of North America. The area known as the contiguous United States, which consists of 48 of the 50 states plus the federal district of Columbia, has a total area of 8,081,867 km² and is bordered to the north by Canada, to the south by Mexico and by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The 49th state, Alaska, is situated to the northeast of Canada and is the largest state by area, while the 50th state, Hawaii, is a group of islands located in the Pacific Ocean within the continent of Oceania.

The District of Columbia is more commonly referred to as Washington D.C. and is the capital of the United States, named after the country’s first president George Washington, one of the country’s Founding Fathers and president from 1789 to 1787. The Constitution of the original thirteen states – created and presented during September 1787, ratified on 21 June 1788 and effective from 4 March 1789 – allowed for a federal district to be created along the Potomac River on the East Coast between the states of Maryland and Virginia that would be under the direct jurisdiction of the US Congress.

In total, the US is the fourth largest country by total area and the third most populous country in the world after China and India, with over 327 million people from various ethnic backgrounds. There is no official national language as such, but English is spoken as a first language at home by around 79% of the population aged 5+, compared with Spanish by 13% and Chinese dialects by 1%. Alaska and Hawaii also recognise their native languages, while French is widely used in Louisiana.

Economy and trade

The US has been the largest economy in the world for several decades, growing by about 4% each year since 1999 on average (an average of 2.0% in real growth). In 2018, the nominal GDP exceeded USD $20 trillion, of which Services accounted for an estimated 80%, Industry 19% and Agriculture just under 1%. However, comparing GDP based on purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, the US ranks second behind China, having been overtaken in 2014. On a GDP per capita basis, the US currently ranks 8th highest according to IMF 2018 figures (USD $62,606).

The country is rich in natural resources and is one of the world’s producers of oil and natural gas. It is also one of the world’s largest industrial manufacturing markets. In this regard, the US has attracted immigrants from all over the globe and continues to attract skilled workers. Its biggest trading partners are China (15.7% of 2018 imports and exports), Mexico (14.7%), Canada (14.5%), Japan (5.2%), Germany (4.4%), South Korea (3.1%) and the UK (3.0%).

The USA has been at the forefront of scientific research and technological development since the start of the last century and is home to many of the
top global companies, particularly within the financial and IT sectors. The US also ranked first last year for the breadth and quality of its universities and higher education facilities, attracting international students particularly from Asia.

US investment immigration programmes; Thinking of living the American Dream?

Here is a brief history and understanding of the U.S. EB5 programme. The United States has one of the world’s most famous residency-by-venture programs. People who partake in the EB-5 program need to invest between $900,000 or $1.8 million in qualified activities creating a minimum of 10 new job positions that are qualified for U.S. workers. Investors will then be able to attain permanent residency and citizenship in the U.S. once the necessary requirements from that investor have been approved. During 2008 and then up to 2015, the EB-5 program generated over $20,000,000 in FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) that in-turn created more than 700,000 jobs in the U.S. that did not cost the American taxpayers.

Here are some investment routes.

EB5 Visa Program

What is EB-5? The EB-5 Visa program was acquainted in 1990 to enhance the U.S. economy by encouraging foreign direct investment from non-American Passport holder in order to create jobs.  The EB5 visa is a green card, giving foreign investors the opportunity to become legal U.S. residents. Every year the US allocates 10,000 EB5 Visas to non-American Passport holders.

It is granted to foreign investors who put a lot of cash in a business, regional centre in the United States that creates jobs as part of the investment.   

There are two options for EB5 Investment: Direct Investment or Regional Centre Investment to find out the difference email info@blsmedia.co.uk   

The EB-5 program doesn’t present citizenship legitimately, however following five years as a green-card holder, it’s conceivable to apply for and American Passport. Time spent as a contingent perpetual occupant tallies towards the five-year holding up period, and the cycle is generally direct as long as financial specialists communicate in English, have kept up a physical presence in the U.S., and can finish a fundamental assessment on U.S. history and culture.

EB-5 Visa requirements

In certain areas called “targeted employment areas”, the minimum investment is $800,000 investment in a USCIS-Approved project. In all other areas, the minimum required investment is $1.8 million. The investment does not have to be all in cash; other assets may be taken into account, including debts, stock, or hardware. The funds must also be shown to come from lawful sources.

How to apply for an EB-5 Visa

Applicants for the EB-5 Visa must first identify a suitable project, either independently or in most cases through a registered broker-dealer or in partnership with a regional center established to pool EB-5 investments to fund large-scale projects. The investment must then be transferred, often into an escrow account, whereupon the investor or their agent can file an I-526 petition to begin their formal application process. The I-526 filing can be complex, and requires both proof that the applicant’s funds were legally acquired and transferred to the EB-5 project, and a detailed description of the funded project, including a business plan showing that enough jobs are likely to be created through the EB-5 investment.

There is often a lengthy delay for I-526 processing; it is not uncommon for processing to last over two to three years.

A successful I-526 petition grants the investor the conditional right to reside in the U.S., subject to consular processing for applicants outside the US, or a successful I-485 petition for applicants already in the US on non-immigrant visas. Consular wait-times vary considerably from country to country but can take six months of longer.

After consular processing or adjustment of status, applicants receive a conditional green card that can be converted to a permanent green card after two years via an I-829 petition. As part of the I-829 filing, investors must show they have successfully created the requisite number of jobs and sustained their investment continuously since beginning the process.

For EB-5 investors seeking citizenship, naturalisation paperwork can be filed 90 days before the fifth anniversary of the issuance of their conditional green card. The citizenship application requires no further investment but does require that the investor show fluency in English and pass a simple civics exam. Once the I-829 petition is approved, the naturalisation process can be finalised.

Mobility

A green card doesn’t provide mobility benefits, other than the right to reside in the United States, and residents who take lengthy trips outside the US risk being deemed to have abandoned their US residency and forfeited their green card. For investors who gain citizenship, a US passport is one of the strongest in the world, providing visa-free travel to 176 countries.

Benefits of the EB5 Investor Visa

• The EB5 approval process generally speaking is faster than other green cards.
• USCIS has made changes to the requirements and are granting more EB5 applications than in previous years.
• You and your family have the freedom to live, work, and retire anywhere in the United States.
• You may apply for American Passport after holding permanent residency for at least five years.
• You do not have to have a job offer prior to applying like other Visa US visa types.
• Not required to disclose all your financial details.
• The applicant does not have to be heavily involved in the petition process.

Frequent questions when applying for an EB5 Visa

Q1. What is my return on investment?
Q2. How many days in a year do I have to live in the US?
Q3. Can my family members and children get the permanent residency?
Q4. What is the age limit?
Q5. Can I apply without an Immigration attorney?
Q6. What is this “Targeted Employment Area”
Q7. What are the requirements?
Q8. How long is the process
Q9. What are the risk?
Q10. Is my investment secured and guaranteed?

To get the answers to the above questions please email: sam@blsmedia.co.uk
or info@blsmedia.co.uk

E-2 Treaty Investor Visa

The E-2 Treaty Investor Visa allows a an investor, spouse and children to move to the United States for the purposes of owning and operating a business.

Only citizens of certain countries are eligible. If you are not from an eligible country, please email info@blsmedia.co.uk on how you can be an obtain an E-2 Visa via third country citizenship such as Grenada, Turkey and Montenegro.

List of E-2 Treaty Countries. If your country is not on the list, contact us and we can still help.

Albania
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belgium
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of Congo
Denmark
Egypt
Estonia
Ethiopia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Grenada
Honduras
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Liberia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Philippines
Poland
Republic of Congo
Romania
Serbia
Senegal
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Togo
Trinidad & Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom

Benefits of the E-2 Treaty Investor Visa

*         Low investment expectations
*         Ability to travel freely to and from the United States
*         Your spouse can work in the US
*         Invest in your own business or buy a franchise businesses
*         Fast processing times
*         Tax benefits

Alternatively you can apply for an L1, B-1, B-2E1, EB1C, EB-3, H-1B. Email info@blsmedia.co.uk for more information.

US as a country: 

For many of the world’s people, the United States remains top of destination wish list. The United States is a vast country, with vibrant cities, sprawling agricultural belts, Diversity and resurgent post-industrial areas where new arrivals can find affordable homes or attractive investment opportunities. American higher education and healthcare are top notch, the economy is strong and diversified, and the country remains welcoming to investors who hope to secure their own piece of the American dream.

Latest News: EB5 Regional Centre has lapsed and only option is EB5 Direct