On Oct. 30, 2018, USCIS issued an update to the USCIS Policy Manual clarifying the types of agreements that constitute an impermissible debt arrangement. USCIS revised Part G, Volume 6,
Continue Reading USCIS Updates Policy Manual Regarding Impermissible Debt Arrangements

The Department of State (DOS) has noticed for public comment an Information Collection Review – Electronic Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration  that would require immigrants coming to the
Continue Reading DOS Proposes Rule Requiring Review of Social Media for U.S. Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Visa Applicants

Today, President Trump joined Senator David Perdue (R-GA) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) announcing the introduction of a bill titled “Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy Act,” known also as the “RAISE Act.”  The president praised the work of the senators and in a statement added, “We want a merit-based system. One that protects workers, our workers, our taxpayers, and one that protects our economy. We want it merit-based.”

Highlights from the bill are included below:

  • Eliminates the diversity visa program.
  • Sets the maximum number of refugee admissions to 50,000 per fiscal year.
  • Worldwide level of family sponsored immigrants is 88,000. The number of humanitarian paroles, if the individual has not departed or has not adjusted status, will be counted against that number.
  • A new classification is created for the alien parents of adult U.S. citizens for admission for five years, but will not be able to receive public benefits or work authorization.
  • A person cannot naturalize if the person who executed an affidavit of support failed to reimburse the Federal Government for all mean-tested public benefits received by the person during the 5-year period.
  • Annual and quadrennial reports will be required to monitor the progress and numbers.
  • The creation of an immigration points system to replace the employment-based immigrant visa categories.
  • Effective date will be the first day of the first fiscal year that begins after the date of enactment.  Those exempt are those who have been granted admission prior to enactment, but he or she will need to enter within one year of enactment.

Continue Reading President Trump Endorses New Bill Addressing ‘Green Card’ Immigration

On July 11, 2017 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is temporarily delaying the effective date of the International Entrepreneur Final Rule (the IE Final Rule). The
Continue Reading Effective Date of Final Rule on Parole for Startup Entrepreneurs Delayed to March 14, 2018

EB5Investors Magazine has profiled five attorneys from Greenberg Traurig, LLP in its list of the “Top 25 Immigration Attorneys in the EB-5 Industry.” Kate Kalmykov, Laura Reiff, Bruce Rosetto, Jennifer
Continue Reading Five Greenberg Traurig Attorneys Included in EB5Investors Magazine’s ‘Top 25 EB-5 Attorneys’ List

2015 年12月2日,国会参议院和众议院关于改革EB-5计划和延期该计划至2019年9月30日的讨论草案修改稿,再次在参、众两院有限议员团组中传阅。讨论草案的主要条款,将会对EB-5计划作出更改,其内容概要如下:

创造就业的算法:允许90%的非直接就业工作,这意味着10%的工作必须是直接就业工作。创造就业实体和新商业体的雇员可以视为直接就业工作。讨论草案包括一项条款,规定经济分析局(BEA)必须认可创造就业算法。草案还包括关于迁移就业,公开销售的债券,以及早先法案中没有包括的建筑就业条款。值得注意的是,如果付诸生效,租户占用就业在特定情况下可以允许,但是需要经济上和统计上有效的算法支持。另外一方面,如果生效,有一条款明确禁止外国投资人资金购买市政债券或其它债券。此外,少于24个月全职建筑就业工作的时间可以汇总来满足创造就业要求。

目标就业区(TEA):目标就业区定义如下:1)优先投资区域;2)农村区域;3)特殊投资区域;4)军用基地关闭转移区域;或5)不在城市统计区内的人口普查地带或邻接地带区域,其贫困率至少为20%或者中位家庭收入不超过该州中位家庭收入的80%。

2,000个签证名额用于投资农村区域的投资移民,2,000个签证名额用于优先投资区的投资移民(相关定义如下)。每个财政年度末,每个类别未用的签证名额,在下一个年度只可用于同一类别,但是,第二个财政年度后,如果名额仍然未用完,则剩余名额可被其它类别使用。国土安全部有目标就业区确定权,不受联邦或州政府或非政府实体的约束。

相关定义:

优先投资区:在城市统计区内的人口普查地带或邻接地带区域,并且1)失业率至少是全国平均水平的150%,可以包括毗邻符合失业率要求地带的任何人口普查带;2)贫困率至少为20%;或者3)中位家庭收入不超过该州中位家庭收入或该城市统计区中位家庭收入的80%,以两者中较高者为准。

特别投资区:人口普查地带或不超过12个邻接地带区域,其1)失业率至少是全国平均水平的150%;并且不可以包括含有特别土地使用带的或覆盖水体的人口普查地带,除非投资项目实际位于该普查地带内。

EB-5品质基金:讨论草案中有一项规定,要求根据区域中心规模收取费用 – 区域中心缴纳$25,000年费,除非区域中心投资人数低于20人,此情况下,年费$10,000。此外,区域中心需要为每个投资人额外付费$1,000。

投资额增加:讨论草案条款将非目标就业区(TEA)最低投资额调高到1,000,000,将目标就业区(TEA)、制造业、基础建设或军用基地关闭转移区域(BRAC)的最低投资额调高到$800,000。最低投资额根据通胀指数每5年或每年调整。

生效日期:讨论草案包括生效日期的具体规定。创造就业、资金来源、目标就业区,以及最低投资额的规定将于法案实施日即时生效。草案中其它条款或者于法案实施日生效,或者最迟于法案实施日90天后生效。规定也适用于投资人I-829取消绿卡条件申请,如果其I-526申请在法案实施日之前提交。换句话说,即使I-829申请在法案生效后提交,只要其I-526申请在法案实施日之前提交,创造就业、资金来源、目标就业区,以及最低投资额的改变,不予适用。

此讨论草案对2015年11月初传阅的第一版草案中的措辞有所修改。鉴于投资移民计划目前延期至2015年12月11日,此讨论草案可能会被纳入全面预算法案中,在到期日前通过。投资移民计划也可能被延期,从而国会有更多时间解决仍有争议的细节。
Continue Reading EB-5计划到期日进入倒计时:国会山酝酿EB-5立法草案修改稿

Greenberg Traurig presented to potential investors in Vietnam in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on the EB-5 program last week.  Kate Kalmykov was in attendance as a guest speaker to discuss the Hot Topics in EB-5 for Vietnamese investors, providing the audience with the most current information on the proposed EB-5 legislation, potential increases in the TEA investment amount and how retrogression for Chinese based applicants impacts third country nationals.  Hundreds of investors attended the events, illustrative of the growing interest in the Vietnamese market.

Kate Kalmykov presents Hot Issues in EB-5 Processing for Vietnamese Investors.
Kate Kalmykov presents Hot Issues in EB-5 Processing for Vietnamese Investors.

Continue Reading Greenberg Traurig Presents in Vietnam on EB-5