Good question! The Eb5 visa has become much more popular in recent years for three reasons:
- The Eb5 visa is a fast-track to permanent residency for the investor AND his/her immediate family, including children under the age of 21.
- The USCIS relaxed the requirements together with an increase in consistency of approving EB5 applications.
- The applicant is not required to be highly involved in the application process and can bypass the green card backlog.
However, EB5 visas are not quite as “famous” due to the amount of money required for investment and the duration of time the investment must be held at risk.
So what happens is people with specialized knowledge and/or an advanced degree who secure employment in the U.S. will opt to take their chances at obtaining an H1-B visa. If granted, they can come and work in the U.S. and if they want to stay will find another avenue to permanent residency.