Questions & Answers

How much of my wealth do I need to prove for an EB-5 visa?

Currently, I have a $2 million total net worth. I have some cash in the bank and I have several properties. If I invest $500,000 for an EB-5 visa, do I only have to prove the source of funds for the $500,000, or do I have to prove it for all of my wealth?

Answers

• James Yang

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on June 10, 2016

  For immigration purposes, EB-5 investors only need to establish the lawful source for the EB-5 investment capital amount, which is $500,000 for investments made into projects situated in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA). However, for securities purchase purposes, an investor may need to establish that he/she has net assets or net income exceeding certain thresholds to be deemed an accredited investor. Investors should communicate with the offering projects or securities counsel to better understand this requirement.

• Charles Foster

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 24, 2016

  Yes, you only need to prove the source of funds for the $500,000, not for your entire wealth.

• Barbara Suri

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  You will need to show the source of funds for the $500,000 that you invest in the United States.

• John J Downey

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  You need to prove the source of the $500,000 and you may list your other assets to show that you are an "accredited investor" for SEC purposes.

• A Olusanjo Omoniyi

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  While there may be a few questions about your total net worth, the only question that will likely matter is the $500,000 you put on the table for the EB-5 filing. However, be on guard that the question of whether your total net worth itself came from legal source(s) would affect how the EB-5 fund is perceived. So, expect questions on both issues.

• Michael A Harris, Esq

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  You should not have to prove how you earned all of your wealth. The focus should be on the source and path of funds for your EB-5 investment.

• Abhinav Lohia

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  If you invest through a regional center, you need to prove it for the investment and administrative fee. However, we have had a case where they asked for proof of the entire net worth.

• Vaughan de Kirby

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  The only source of funds evidence required will be your $500,000 investment. However, if you are executing documents in the United States with a registered broker dealer, you will need to provide evidence of your income and/or net worth.

• Bernard P Wolfsdorf

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  You only have to prove the lawful source of funds for the actual investment, not for all of your assets. They may want to see the total picture however, and you may need to show income, or assets over $1 million to qualify as an accredited investor.

• Ian E Scott

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  You only have to prove the source of funds for the investment amount, but you should also explain where the regional center admin fee came from.

• Raymond Lahoud

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  You must provide evidence of the amount invested.

• Jinhee Wilde

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  You need to show that you are worth $2 million in net assets as a basis for showing that you are an eligible EB-5 investor. However, you need to only show the legal source tracking for the $500,000 investment and $50,000 or so of syndication fee if you are investing with the regional centers.

• Julia Roussinova

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  USCIS requires that you prove the lawful source of funds for the investment amount of $500,000.

• Salvatore Picataggio

  Immigration Attorney

  Answered on May 23, 2016

  Regional center-sponsored projects usually require accredited investors, which need a net worth of $1 million USD. You only have to prove the source of the investment funds (the $500,000).