One way in which you can obtain a green card in order to live and work in the United States is through investing. The Immigration and Naturalization Service, or INS (I-N-S), grants a limit of up to 10,000 (ten thousand) green cards a year to investors. To qualify for an investment-based green card, you must invest a minimum of $1 million (one million dollars) in the creation of a new American business or the expansion of an existing one. The business must employ at least 10 full-time American workers, excluding you, your spouse, and your children. If you make an investment in either a rural area or in an area experiencing high unemployment, the minimum amount of investment you’re required to meet is reduced to $500,000 (five hundred thousand dollars). However, no more than 3,000 (three thousand) out of the 10,000 (ten thousand) investor visas available may be granted annually to individuals investing in rural or high unemployment areas. Rural areas are defined as any location that’s not part of an official metropolitan area or not within the outer boundaries of a city with a population of 20,000 (twenty thousand)or more. State governments will identify the parts of a particular state that are high in unemployment and will notify the INS of which locations qualify. If you choose to invest in order to receive a green card, keep in mind that the entire investment need not be made in cash. The total investment can comprise of certificates of deposits, loans, and notes, as well as the value of equipment and inventory. Borrowed funds may also be included, as long as the loan isn’t secured by business assets, and you’re held personally liable if you default. You may join other investors in creating or expanding a single American business. However, in order for each of you to qualify for a green card, each investor must still invest the minimum qualifying amount and be separately responsible for creating 10 new jobs. If your application for an investor-based visa is approved, you’ll be issued a conditional green card that lasts for two years. When two years have passed, you’ll need to file a request with the INS to remove the condition and extend your residence status. Once the request is made, the INS will investigate to see whether or not you made the investment you proposed, if you hired 10 full-time American workers, and whether or not the business is still operating under your ownership. If any of these conditions aren’t met or if you fail to file for the removal of the condition within the last 90 days of the two-year conditional period, you’ll lose your green card and be subject to deportation proceedings. Conversely, if you satisfy the requirements, the condition on your green card will be removed and you’ll be issued a permanent green card. Your spouse and children will automatically receive their green cards also as long as you provide proof of their family relationship to you.
