Global Investment Voice

The EB-5 program is experiencing a period of great change. Where can you go for clarification around the new regulations and forthcoming cutoff dates? Today, Mona and Mark sit down with Bernard Wolfsdorf to give us a preview of the upcoming AILA & IIUSA EB-5 Industry Forum. They discuss the key issues that will be covered at the conference, including Final Action Date predictions, the increase...

First and foremost, EB-5 is a business, and investors are contractually obligated to keep their money in a project for the long term. Today, Mona and Mark sit down with Patrick Hogan to explain why an EB-5 investor must be both committed to the investment AND at-risk of losing money on the project. Listen in for insight around the long wait times in the China market, the value of vetting a Regiona...

The ‘agent culture’ in India causes a lot of confusion as unqualified agents spread misinformation about the immigration process. In this episode, Mona and Rebecca sit down with Harjap Bhangal to take on the role of Indian EB-5 Mythbusters, sharing the truth about processing times and the risk involved in investing in a project. Listen in to understand why so many Indian immigrants choose the US a...

As the EB-5 investor pool continues to shrink, more and more direct pooled projects make their way into the market. In this epsidoe, Mona and Mark sit down with Kelly Freis to discuss the benefits of investing in a direct project and International Growth Capital’s preference for small manufacturing businesses. Listen in for insight on the type of investor who is drawn to direct pooled manufacturin...

Mona and Rebecca cover many of the benefits, questions, and unique concerns of transitioning from an H-1B to EB-5. If you have questions about investment immigration, please reach out to Mona Shah & Associates. Phone: 212-233-7473 Email: info@mshahlaw.com To discover the show notes on this episode as well as other topics, information, and resources; please head over to http://www. MShahLaw.com...

The Global Investment Immigration Summit took place in London on June 21-22, 2018. In this episode, Mona chats with conference attendees about their work with investment firms, immigration law, Regional Centers, and the high net worth industry. Listen in for insight on the value of understanding other countries’ citizenship-by-investment programs and learn how events like this one provide an ideal...

The Global Investment Immigration Summit is taking place in London on June 21-22, 2018. Today, Mona, Rebecca and Mark sit down with conference coordinators Nigel Coyne and Sam Hussain of BLS Media to discuss the summit, explaining how they go about vetting exhibitors and promoting the event on a global scale. Listen in for insight on the appeal of EB-5 for Brits seeking a second citizenship and le...

In the aftermath of Charlie Oppenheim’s recent keynote at the IIUSA’s EB-5 Advocacy Conference in DC, many questions have surfaced around retrogression, backlog and cross-chargeability. Today, Mona, Mark and Rebecca explain the distinction between the terms retrogression and backlog and review the countries that are likely to face a backlog by Summer 2019. They discuss when and how to apply cross-...

Lobby groups have spent the last several years working to pass a long-term EB-5 reform and reauthorization package. Today, Mark and Mona are joined by Hunter Bates and Hans Rickhoff of Akin Group to discuss the EB-5 lobbying groups active on Capitol Hill. They cover key congressional players in the space, the challenge of reaching a consensus between urban and rural interests, and the impact of th...

In the last five years, the SEC seems to have made EB-5 a major priority. Today, Mark and Mona are joined by leading SEC defense attorney Edward Gartenberg to explain how the EB-5 program falls under SEC jurisdiction. They cover proceeds and broker-dealer violations, the issuer exemption, and the potential consequences of breaking securities laws—regardless of your intentions. If you have question...

When EB5 Capital was founded in 2007, it was among the first of the Regional Centers. Today, Mark and Mona are joined by Brian Ostar, Senior VP and Director of Global Operations, to discuss how the Regional Center space has changed over the years. They cover the two major categories of Regional Center, the impact of retrogression in China, and the underlying cause of the current discrepancy in int...

Mona and Mark are joined by the living legend himself... Ira Kurzban! Ira talks about why he doesn't like the current EB5 proposal, how it could be better, and the work he is doing with Immigrant's List. Visit http://www. ImmigrantsList.org/ to learn more. If you have questions about investment immigration, please reach out to Mona Shah & Associates. Phone: 212-233-7473 Email: info@m...

USCIS is changing EB-5 regulations in the very near future, and a dramatic shift in the industry is inevitable. Today, Mark and Mona are joined by Julia Park, Managing Director of AAEB5, to discuss the increased interest in EB-5 leading up to the likely policy changes. They cover the minimum investment increase and its consequences as well as the pros and cons of the two types of Regional Centers....

If you have questions about investment immigration, please reach out to Mona Shah & Associates. Phone: 212-233-7473 Email: info@mshahlaw.com To discover the show notes on this episode as well as other topics, information, and resources; please head over to http://www. MShahLaw.com/Podcasts

In addition to a green card, EB-5 investors want their capital back as quickly as possible. Today, Mark and Mona are joined by Devin Williams, President of EB-5 GLOBAL, to explain how to identify projects with an alignment of financial incentives that benefit both the developer and the EB-5 investor. They cover the differences between debt and equity projects, the risk of high debt, and the value...

EB-5 is arguably the most complicated immigration case to prepare, so it is in your best interest to hire an attorney who understands the nuances of the program. Today, Mark and Mona are joined by David Hirson, one of EB-5 Investors Magazine’s Top 25 Attorneys of 2017, to discuss the differences between Regional Centers and direct investment. They cover the factors to consider in deciding between...

With cross-training at the Immigrant Investor Program Office, a new level of detail is necessary in writing business plans for EB-5. Today, Mark and Mona are joined by Suzanne Lazicki of Lucid Professional Writing to discuss common adjudicator complaints around credibility and consistency. They also cover the current EB-5 standstill, the Visa Bulletin, and Suzanne’s well-researched blog. If you ha...

Of the CBI countries, those located in the Caribbean Islands remain popular because they offer easy passport access, and Antigua and Barbuda is no exception. Today, Mark, Mona and Rebecca are joined by Charmaine Quinland-Donovan to discuss the advantages of the country’s citizenship program and the three different investment options. They cover the quick turnaround time from filing to approval, th...

With issues around retrogression in the EB-5 program, aspiring investors are looking for alternative strategies. Today Dr. Christofer Ashby joins Mark, Mona and Rebecca to discuss the E-2 program in Grenada as a stepping stone to the US EB-5. If you have questions about investment immigration, please reach out to Mona Shah & Associates. Phone: 212-233-7473 Email: info@mshahlaw.com To discover...

Updates from the USCIS Investor Program Office and Stakeholder’s Engagement. If you have questions about investment immigration, please reach out to Mona Shah & Associates. Phone: 212-233-7473 Email: info@mshahlaw.com To discover the show notes on this episode as well as other topics, information, and resources; please head over to http://www. MShahLaw.com/Podcasts

The complex program that is EB-5 can confound investors, lawyers, and developers alike. Osvaldo ‘Ozzie’ Torres, a sought-after EB-5 expert, joins Mark and Mona to discuss the INs and OUTs of administrative fees for EB-5 funds. If you have questions about investment immigration, please reach out to Mona Shah & Associates. Phone: 212-233-7473 Email: info@mshahlaw.com To discover the show notes o...

Immigration Attorney Bernard Wolfsdorf joins Mona and Mark to sift through what those proposed changes mean. They address the probable increase of minimum investment, the proposed reforms around set-asides, and the possibility of concurrent filing. They also explore the current climate around immigration in the US and to assess what the proposed changes to EB-5 might look like in practice. If you...

Mona, Rebecca, and Mark are joined by Peter Joseph, Executive Director of IIUSA, for a status report regarding the progress toward a long-term legislative solution for the program. They explore the role of IIUSA and its influence on Congress, the worst-case scenario imposed by the DHS’s proposed regulations, and the work that has been done in moving toward compromise. If you have questions about i...

Mona and Mark delve into the topic of cryptocurrency with Des Landen of CrypBrokers, exploring how BitCoin might be employed to tackle the challenge of transferring funds for EB-5. If you have questions about investment immigration, please reach out to Mona Shah & Associates. Phone: 212-233-7473 Email: info@mshahlaw.com To discover the show notes on this episode as well as other topics, inform...

Mona and Mark are joined by Manuel Ortiz of Civitas and discuss how Latin America investors look at EB5 projects differently than other markets. If you have questions about investment immigration, please reach out to Mona Shah & Associates. Phone: 212-233-7473 Email: info@mshahlaw.com To discover the show notes on this episode as well as other topics, information, and resources; please head ov...