Residency+
Trusted. Committed. Compliant.
What Is Residency+
Residency+ provides our clients with assistance in navigating the complex transition to a new country, understanding the implications, and evaluating the options associated with immigration. With LCR’s network of trusted partners, we aim to connect our clients with partners who will help them achieve their best outcomes in their residency journey.
Working with LCR
LCR’s work with clients around the world has given us the experience to navigate the complexities of moving to a second residency. We believe that our responsibilities extend beyond helping your family get your EB-5 visa and toward helping you achieve a sustainable life in your new home.
Residency+ Introduction
Our Residency+ specialists guide our clients through their residency journey. The goal is to educate our clients about the pillars of changing residency and to help them decide which are their highest priorities. The five core pillars are: professional development, education, health, retirement, and wealth & tax. The areas that fall under each category are as follows.
Residency+ Diagnostic
The purpose of this diagnostic is to help our clients decide which residency strategy best reflects their needs.
Sample questions in the diagnostic:
Professional Development
Do you feel that your current position offers you global mobility?
Education
In your household, is the ability to attend university outside of your home country a need or an aspiration?
Health
Have you or someone in your household had to put off a medical procedure because it is unavailable or is likely to be of poor quality in your home country?
Retirement
Are you considering retiring in a country other than your home country?
Wealth & Tax
Do you currently, or are you planning to, invest abroad directly?
Residency+ Diagnostic Report
Once you complete the diagnostic, LCR will analyze your results to identify your highest-priority pillars. After identifying those pillars, LCR will send your scores as well as a full diagnostic report for you to review before your consultation.
Sample Residency+ Scorecard
Benefits of Choosing a Trusted Partner
This diagnostic will help us to understand which pillars are our clients’ highest priority, allowing us to serve them best.
Residency+ introduction call
LCR will send you a link to the Residency+ Diagnostic
After you complete the diagnostic, the results will be interpreted to identify your high-level priorities then LCR will email you your diagnostic report
LCR will schedule the first consultation to review the results of the diagnostics and will create a residency strategy that is the best fit for you and your family
LCR will introduce you to specific best-of-breed partners to fit your residency needs most closely
Please ask your LCR point of contact about our Residency+ offering.
FAQs
What is the I-829 petition?
The I-829 petition, officially the Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status, is the final step in the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. Investors, typically with their attorneys, file this petition with USCIS to demonstrate that they have met all EB-5 requirements, including maintaining the investment and creating or preserving at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying US workers for at least two years. Upon approval, the investor and their eligible family members (spouse and unmarried children under age 21) have the conditions removed from their two-year conditional Green Cards, granting permanent resident status.
What are the criteria used to evaluate the I-829 petition?
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) evaluates I-829 petitions based on the following key criteria:
1. Creation of at Least 10 Full-Time Jobs
The investor must demonstrate that their investment in the New Commercial Enterprise (NCE) has created or preserved at least 10 full-time jobs (minimum 35 hours per week) for qualifying US workers, excluding the investor and their family. For direct investments, this requires evidence such as payroll records or tax documents. For regional center investments, an economic impact report, typically provided by the regional center to the investor and their attorney, may be used to verify direct, indirect, or induced job creation.
2. Sustained Investment
The investor must prove that the required investment ($1,050,000 or $800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area) has been sustained throughout the two-year conditional residency period and remains “at risk.” This includes providing financial records, business documents, or other evidence showing the investment was maintained and not withdrawn.
3. Compliance with Physical Presence Requirements
The investor must show they have not abandoned US residency. While there is no strict 183-consecutive-days rule, extended absences from the US (typically over six months) may raise concerns about residency intent unless justified, such as with a reentry permit obtained from USCIS prior to departure.
What happens if the project fails before the investor files their I-829 petition?
The EB-5 program requires that the investment remain “at risk” and sustain the creation or preservation of at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying US workers throughout the conditional residency period. If the New Commercial Enterprise (NCE) fails before the investor files their I-829 petition, USCIS may deny the petition if the required jobs are no longer sustained or the investment is not maintained. This could result in the loss of the investment and ineligibility for permanent resident status for the investor and their family. Some regional centers, like LCR, aim to mitigate this risk by structuring projects with job creation “cushions” that exceed the minimum requirement to better ensure compliance even in adverse scenarios.
What are the rights and obligations of a US Green Card holder?
Rights of Permanent Residents
US permanent residents (Green Card holders) enjoy significant rights and privileges:
- Ability to live and work anywhere in the United States without restriction.
- Full protection under federal, state, and local laws.
- Access to world-class higher education and health care.
- Eligibility to apply for US citizenship after meeting residency and other requirements.
Obligations of Permanent Residents
Green Card holders must fulfill specific responsibilities to maintain their status:
- Tax Compliance: File US income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and pay taxes on worldwide income. Residents from countries with US tax treaties may claim credits for foreign taxes paid.
- Selective Service Registration: Male Green Card holders aged 18–25 must register with the US Selective Service System. Registration does not require military service but ensures eligibility for a draft if one is implemented.
- Physical Presence: To avoid abandoning residency, Green Card holders should generally spend significant time in the US. Absences of six months or more (especially over one year) may raise concerns about residency intent. A reentry permit (Form I-131), which the permanent resident must apply for before leaving, is required for absences exceeding one year, valid for up to two years.
- Reentry After Extended Absence: If absent for two or more years, even with a reentry permit, a permanent resident may need Returning Resident Visa (SB-1) to reenter if they wish to retain their permanent resident status. US tax returns must still be filed during absences to maintain status.
- Intent to Reside: Permanent resident status may be considered abandoned if a Green Card holder relocates permanently to another country, demonstrating no intent to reside in the US.
Can I get my green card taken away from me?
A Green Card can be revoked if certain conditions are not met, potentially leading to loss of permanent resident status. The two primary conditions for maintaining a Green Card are:
- Avoid Inadmissibility or Removability: You must not engage in activities that make you removable or inadmissible under US immigration law, such as being convicted of serious crimes (e.g., felonies or crimes involving moral turpitude).
- Maintain US Residency: You must not abandon the US as your permanent residence. This is assessed through physical presence in the US. Absences exceeding six months (especially over one year) may raise concerns about residency intent with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). There is no strict 183-days-of-consecutive-absence rule, but prolonged absences without a reentry permit (Form I-131) may lead to a determination of abandonment. Failure to meet these conditions, including during the EB-5 conditional residency period (e.g., not filing Form I-829 to remove conditions), may result in the revocation of your Green Card and termination of permanent resident status.