EB-5 Process for Students
For young people, the dream of studying in the United States often comes with the bigger goal of building a long-term future. The lack of employer willingness to sponsor F-1 students for long-term visas presents unique challenges for those seeking US immigration. At LCR, we serve as your trusted immigration management consultants, guiding and coordinating every step of the EB-5 investor visa process in partnership with experienced US immigration attorneys and USCIS-approved project partners. We work hand in hand with you throughout your entire journey to a US Green Card.Â
Why Students Choose EB-5
They can secure work permits and international travel permits within 6 months by adjusting status in the US.
They gain freedom from the H-1B lottery and visa renewals.
They enjoy benefits like improved admission rates to US colleges, in-state tuition when applicable, and expanded career opportunities.
Parents and siblings under 21 can be included in the same application.
Your Journey with Us
Why Students Choose
EB-5
They can secure work permits and international travel permits within 6 months by adjusting status in the US
They gain freedom from the H-1B lottery and visa renewals.Â
They enjoy benefits like improved admission rates to US colleges, in-state tuition when applicable, and expanded career opportunities.Â
Parents and siblings under 21 can be included in the same application.Â
Your Journey with Us
Application & Documentation CoordinationÂ
We work with you and your US immigration attorney to ensure all required documentation, such as the I-526E petition, is prepared and filed smoothly. Â
The End of Visa AnxietyÂ
For students already in the US on an F-1 visa, we guide you through the critical step of concurrently filing for Adjustment of Status (AOS) while you wait for your EB-5 application to be approved. This allows you to secure a work permit and a travel permit in as little as 6 months, giving you immediate freedom and flexibility.Â
Continue Your Studies without Disruption
While your EB-5 petition is in process, you receive work and travel permits by adjusting your status, allowing you to focus on your academic journey and professional goals.
Conditional Green Card
Typically, within 12–24 months of filing, you receive a two-year conditional permanent residency.
Permanent Green Card & Path to Citizenship
In the 90 days before your two-year conditional Green Card expires, we work with your attorney to file the I-829 petition.
Application & Documentation CoordinationÂ
We work with you and your US immigration attorney to ensure all required documentation, such as the I-526E petition, is prepared and filed smoothly. Â
The End of Visa AnxietyÂ
For students already in the US on an F-1 visa, we guide you through the critical step of concurrently filing for Adjustment of Status (AOS). This allows you to secure a work permit and a travel permit in as little as 6 months, giving you immediate freedom and flexibility.Â
Continue Your Studies Without Disruption
While your EB-5 petition is in process, you receive work and travel permits by adjusting status, allowing you to focus on your academic journey and professional goals.
Conditional Green Card
Typically, within 12–24 months of filing, you receive a two-year conditional permanent residency.
Permanent Green Card & Path to Citizenship
In the 90 days before your two-year conditional Green Card expires, we work with your attorney to file the I-829 petition.
EB-5 for Students: from F-1 to EB-5
FAQs
- Yes, an EB-5 investment can be made in any legitimate for-profit commercial enterprise operating in the United States, as long as it can credibly demonstrate the creation of at least 10 new full-time jobs held for a period of 2 years from the time of investment, and all other EB-5 program requirements are met.
- There are important differences in rules and benefits between making a Direct Investment and investing through a Regional Center. Direct investments require direct job creation within the enterprise, while Regional Center projects can count direct, indirect, and induced jobs.
- The timeline for a Direct Investment varies widely depending on factors such as the specific business, project complexity, and USCIS processing times. Because of these variables, it is strongly recommended to consult with an experienced immigrati
The required 10 jobs can be created any time from the start of the project up until the principal applicant files their I-829 petition. Additionally, jobs created even before the applicant’s I-526 filing are credited toward the EB-5 job creation requirements.
- The TEA (Targeted Employment Area) designation needs to be valid at the time the investor files their I-526 petition. For example, if an investor filed their petition in 2024 when the project qualified as a TEA, USCIS will consider the 2024 TEA designation applicable to that petition.
- If the project loses its TEA designation in a subsequent year, such as 2025, due to regulatory changes or other reasons, new filings made in 2025 should not use that project as a TEA. However, petitions filed in 2024 remain protected under the TEA designation in place at that time, provided the required jobs are created or will be created during the investment period.
- TEA designations are renewed annually, not monthly or weekly. Once issued, a TEA designation remains valid for a full year until the figures are revised for the following year.
- In summary, the TEA status must be valid and legal at the time of filing the I-526 petition. It is not necessary for the TEA designation to remain valid throughout the entire 5–7 year investment and petition approval period.
- About 30 days before the loan maturity date, LCR obtains confirmation from the borrower regarding the amount of capital they will be returning.
- Using the loan’s filing and drawdown dates, LCR creates a queue list to allocate the returned capital on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis.
- Based on this queue, LCR’s CSG team prepares the redemption and return of capital paperwork along with bank confirmation and verification documents, which are then sent to each client.
- Once the funds are received in escrow, typically within 30 days, clients can expect to be repaid—assuming all paperwork has been completed properly.
- LCR’s role is to ensure that all redemptions comply with US laws and contractual obligations, managing the process on the US side for compliance and accuracy.
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