Darren Silver & Associates, LLP
EB-5 Investor Magazine recently explored the large uptick in interest of H1-B Holders looking at the EB-5 Green Card path. As our law firm is located in California, we do work with many H-1B holders out of Silicon Valley who are looking for either an alternative path or a much faster path to move on to the freedom of permanent residency and away from being tethered to and employer. Since…
Effective March 15, 2022 new EB-5 Rules will be issued with an effect date of 60 days later. Some Key highlights of. the new EB-5 Rules: Investment amounts: The minimum amount for a Target Employment Area (either rural or high-unemployment area) investment is now $800,000; a standard or non-TEA investment is $1,050,000. Grandfathering past investors: The bill maintains eligibility of all pre-enactment investors, as of when they filed their I-526,…
STEM Majors Apply for EB-2 Green Cards U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced updated guidance on adjudicating requests for “National Interest Waivers” regarding job offer and labor certification requirements for certain advanced degree professionals and individuals of exceptional ability. This includes discussing the unique considerations for persons with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and entrepreneurs. Consistent with this Administration’s goal of removing barriers to legal immigration under President Biden’s Executive Order 14012, Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening…
December 2021 Visa Bulletin “Current” for All Direct EB-5 Visa Applicants By AILA’s EB-5 Committee The December 2021 Visa Bulletin was released on November 15. It states that China-mainland born EB-5 direct visa categories have become “current” for December. This is newsworthy because it is the first time all direct EB-5 applicants worldwide are “current” since the EB-5 visa categories became oversubscribed in 2015. It also appears to be the first time…
USCIS Relaunches International Entrepreneur Parole Program On May 10, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is withdrawing a 2018 notice of proposed rule making that proposed to remove the International Entrepreneur (IE) parole program from DHS regulations. The IE parole program provides a temporary immigration pathway for foreign entrepreneurs who have founded companies in the United States attracting venture capital or other…
As a preliminary matter the E-2 visa allows an investor to set up or purchase their own business in the United States. The investors is then authorized to run and manage this business. The E-2 visa is one of the most flexible visas available to foreign Nationals. The E-2 allows for a quick adjudicational at the U.S Consulate and generally will not require a USCIS application. Further, the E-2 investor’s…
In an April 28, 2020 report, Bloomberg reported that over 200,000 H-1B employees in the United State may lose their lawful status by June of this year as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Darren Silver of Darren Silver & Associates, LLP a boutique Business Immigration Law Firm in Los Angeles believes that the Bloomberg numbers may be conservative and that the actual number of H1b employees impacted by…
Individuals who were born in Hong Kong and have a Hong Kong passport maintain advantages over Chinese passport holders when it comes to immigration to the United States. The main advantage is that Hong-Kong is considered a separate “country” or region than Mainland China for U.S. immigration purposes. Additionally, Hong Kong allows dual citizenship, which ensures that those seeking U.S. citizenship will also be able to retain their Hong Kong…
A Social media influencer is typically a person or group that gains popularity and credibility on one or more of the social media outlets. The Influencer through his or her following is able to project Brand loyalty and sales. Brands have marketed products through various Social Media outlets such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. U.S Immigration law has a carved out Visa that is dedicated to those Foreign Nationals that…
While changes to the EB-5 program and H-1B program have caught the attention of the media during the past few months, the E-2 visa has quietly undergone changes in the last few weeks. Furthermore, changes to the immigration landscape have led to new trends in the E-2 arena. Changes Affecting Middle Eastern Investors: As a result of the October 3, 2018 termination of the Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and…
