How to Find a Proven EB-5 Consultant

By Andrew Bartlett and Steve Parnell
The EB-5 immigrant investor visa is an increasingly popular choice for families seeking to obtain permanent residency in the USA without the complications associated with many of the alternative visas. It requires applicants to invest $500,000 in a regional center program of their choice from the hundred or more so far approved for this purpose by the US government.

Choosing a consultant to guide you through the different EB-5 regional center programs can be an important first stage for would-be EB-5 immigrant investors. Unfortunately it is all too easy to make a potentially dangerous and costly mistake and end up with a consultant who is really acting as an agent, motivated by the size of the commission payment received from a regional center, or just as dangerous, one who has very limited experience.

Among the Key points you need to consider when choosing a proven EB5 consultant include -

* Is the consultant truly independent or are they associated with or working for a particular regional center, acting more as an agent of that center, rather than providing impartial and independent advice?
* Do they charge you a fee? In-depth advice is available without costing you a fee.
* Have the Consultants actually visited the proven centers? Visiting means an in-depth look and review of the center not just attending a conducted tour and arranging a photo opportunity. It is vital to you that you are given the whole picture rather than the highlights.
* Are the Consultants doubling up as the Immigration Attorneys who are advising you? If so there may be a conflict of interest and an ethical dimension which has been the subject of much discussion at recent legal forums. Leading specialist EB-5 immigration Attorneys have advised that while Attorneys working with clients on the EB-5 visa should obviously provide advice on immigration law, they should not necessarily be giving advice on the relative merits of the investments of the various regional center programs.
* How many actual EB5 immigrants have they advised? Is it a substantial number, say over 150 and most importantly are these investors from different countries? What is their success and failure rate?
* Which centers have these consultants recommended, and why?
* What is the range of information they provide? - It is all very well knowing who the directors of the regional centers are, what is the track record of the regional centers, and how many EB-5 visa applicants they have attracted but all these facts miss far more important points that are critical in these difficult economic times.
* What are the really important differences between equity and loan based programs? What exactly does this mean for you?
* What is their knowledge on economic employment methodology, this is critical as regional center programs must achieve ten jobs per investor and certain programs have better formulas than others in measuring this.
* Do they have links to the leading independent EB-5 immigration attorneys, economic forecasters regarding the employment forecasts, international chartered accountants and business attorneys?

The choice of an EB5 consultant is an important first step on the path to successfully obtaining the most appropriate regional center program that will lead not only to a successful visa application but the return of your $500,000. It is important to be given all the necessary information prior to making such an important decision.