When you want to immigrate to the United States there are several ways to do so. You can apply for a green card and go through miles of red tape and years of waiting or you can go through the process for an EB-5 Visa and complete the process of permanent residency with much less trouble.

An EB-5 (employment based immigration program) visa is intended to benefit both the immigrant and the United States by stimulating the economy and giving the immigrant a secure place to park his or her money and possibly increase their initial investment. The financial requirement has been reduced from $1 million to $500,000. The funds must be invested with one of scores of Regional Centers throughout the country that will invest it in enterprises that create at least ten jobs in high unemployment areas.

There are several reasons why an EB-5 visa would be the best choice rather than the traditional process of immigration. As an applicant, once you choose a regional center and make your investment you are allowed to come to the United States and live. While you are waiting for permanent residency you can open your own business or go to work for someone else. You can do this anywhere in the fifty states regardless of which regional center you chose for investment.

With an EB-5 visa you can bring your spouse and children to the country with you rather than leaving them behind to apply for their own individual visas. This means that while you are waiting for permanent residency your children can take advantage of the free public schools, or you can pay for private schooling if you prefer. Your college aged children can go to colleges and universities at the rates charged to residents instead of guests, a significant savings over the course of their education.

You can also sponsor relatives so that they can get visas to enter the country. Many EB-5 applicants start their own business and employ their family members. You have someone you can trust implicitly to help run your business or open branches in different areas of the same city or even in other states. By the time your permanent residency is established you could conceivably have your own small empire in a business of your choice, supporting your family members and providing jobs for people in your community.

Another advantage of an EB-5 visa is that you can travel anywhere you wish at any time. You can return to your original country for a visit or go anywhere within the United States, Canada, or Central America if you want to stay on the continent. You don’t need permission to leave or re-enter the country or any special visas to travel. You are free to go anywhere at any time with no questions asked as long as you abide by the laws of the United States.