EB5 Investors Magazine "Top 25 issue" Volume 9 Issue 1 | Page 92

Paving the road from E-2 to an EB-5 visa

How an E-2 visa can be used as a stepping stone for an EB-5 visa and what to consider when reaching out to non-immigrant investors .
By Natalia Polukhtin

The non-immigrant treaty investor visa E-2 is often times perceived as a “ younger sibling ” of the direct EB-5 program . Both E-2 and EB-5 allow for a benefit of a status based on the investment into a qualifying enterprise . Additionally , E-2 was historically viewed as a steppingstone to the green card – at a certain point , an investor ’ s business set up under E-2 may support transition to a permanent resident status through the EB-5 direct program . However , in rapidly transforming EB-5 environment , E-2 treaty investor visa holders may become more attracted to placing their capital with Regional Centers , thus creating a subset of the prospective marketing opportunity for Regional Centers administrators .

Let ’ s examine aspects of the E-2 treaty investor status that make non-immigrant investors attractive candidates for Regional Center offerings .
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