I-1 and EB5 Immigrant Investor Visas Compared

The fifth preference employment based visa (EB5) was created in 1990 as a way for foreign investors to gain United States permanent residency (and eventual citizenship if desired), through an investment in a new or pre-existing American business that sees the creation of at least 10 new full-time jobs for American workers.The I-1 Representatives of Foreign Media Visa is, as its title implies, a visa available to members of foreign media outlets.In this article we will take a closer look at the I-1 Representatives of Foreign Media Visa and the EB5 Immigrant Investor visas to see how their paths to aGreen Card Visa compare and contrast. I-1 Representatives of Foreign Media Visa - You may be eligible for the I-1, Representatives of Foreign Media, nonimmigrant visa, if you:1)       Represent a foreign information media outlet (press, radio, film, or other foreign information media) 2)       Are coming to the United States to engage in this profession 3)       Have a home office in a foreign country Occupations under this category include reporters, film crews, editors and other similar occupations.Any spouse and children may accompany or follow to join an I-1 nonimmigrant.Eligibility Criteria You must demonstrate that you are a representative of foreign media whose activities are essential to the functions of your organization.The consular officer at the U.S.embassy will determine whether an activity is qualifying in order to obtain a nonimmigrant visa.EB5 Immigrant Investor Visa In stark contrast to the I-1 visa, lays the EB5 Immigrant Investor Visa.According to the governments web page, to qualify for the Eb5 Visa Program you must:  1)     Invest or be in the process of investing at least $1,000,000.If your investment is in a designated targeted employment area (A Targeted Employment Area is defined by law as a rural area or an area that has experienced high unemployment of at least 150 percent of the national average) then the minimum investment requirement is $500,000.2)     Benefit the U.S.economy by providing goods or services to U.S.markets.3)     Create full-time employment for at least 10 U.S.workers.This includes U.S.citizens, Green Card holders (lawful permanent residents) and other individuals lawfully authorized to work in the U.S.(however it does not include you (the immigrant), or your spouse, sons or daughters).4)     Be involved in the day-to-day management of the new business or directly manage it through formulating business policy for example as a Limited Partner, corporate officer or board member.We see in this comparison that despite the fact that the I-1 and EB5 immigrant investor visas both rely on certain job based requirements being satisfied; the two are very different in nature and offer disparate paths to a green card visa.