EB-5 Visa Program: Regional Centers, Immigration Law and USCIS
Back RegistrationThis is an all-day, (8:30 am to 5 pm), comprehensive workshop. Considerable time will be devoted to back and forth and the seating is limited to the first 50 registrants to give participants ample opportunity to have their critical questions answered.
MCLE Credits Available For Many States.
Session 1: The EB-5 Basics - Eligibility Criteria and Petition Process


In this session we will discuss the basics of EB-5 practice. We will start with a discussion of basic eligibility for an I-526 petition, how investments might be structured, whether projects can be pre-approved, and legal source of funds requirements. The program will conclude with an overview of the petition process from top to bottom, including the basics of preparing an I-829 petition.
The EB-5 Basics - Eligibility Criteria and Petition Process
- Basic Eligibility for the I-526 Petition
- Overview of EB-5 Criteria
- Significance of the Immigrant Investor Pilot Program - Regional Centers
- Structuring the Investment: Selection of Business Model
- Exemplar petitions: Can projects be "pre-approved"?
- Lawful source of funds requirements
- Source documentation and tracing
- Tax and licensing compliance
- Currency control restrictions
- Current trends and challenges
- Overview of the Petition Process
- Sequence and timing
- Current processing times
- Construction Jobs
- Child Status Protection Act
- Preparing for the I-829: Basic requirements and overview of the I-829 petition
Session 2: Building the Foundation - TEAs, Regional Centers, and Economic Studies


Session Two deals with TEA’s, Regional Centers, and economic studies. The program will begin with a brief discussion on Targeted Employment Areas (TEA’s), including commentary on current developments and recent changes. The bulk of the panel will focus on Regional Centers and the R.C. designation process. This will be a comprehensive discussion that covers statutory definition, government agency guidance, and even Regional Center applications and amendments in the I-924 process. The final portion of the panel will deal with the economist’s role in the EB-5 context.
Building the Foundation - TEAs, Regional Centers, and Economic Studies
- Targeted Employment Areas (TEA
- Purpose and definition
- Current developments/challenges
- Regional Centers and Regional Center Designation Process
- o Purpose and definition
- "Direct" vs. "Indirect" jobs
- Mayorkas letter
- Business plans (Evolving USCIS requirements)
- Regional Center Applications and Amendments (I-924 decision boards, processing times and premium processing, "material change", current development/challenges)
- Oversight and I-924A
- An Economist's View
- The role of the economist
- Overview of regional economics and input-output modeling
- Working within USCIS parameters (NAICS codes, regional center boundaries, what a TEA should look like, which "jobs" count)
- Current challenges
Lunch


Lunch presentation by Daren Di Nicola. escrow service provider NES Financial.
Session 3: Hot Topics and Current Developments


The third session will deal with current developments and hot-button issues in the EB-5 community. We are fortunate to have a speaker joining us from the Office of the USCIS Ombudsman, who will share his insight on the direction of the EB-5 program. The panel will discuss the proliferation of Regional Centers in the last few years as well as the importance of and best practices for conducting due diligence of Regional Centers and EB-5 projects. The final part of the panel will be devoted to topics that are gaining increasing relevance for attorneys in this area – I-829 adjudications and material change; bridge financing; Regional Center adjudication delays; and, Pilot Program Sunset.
Hot Topics and Current Developments
- Perspective on the EB-5 program from the USCIS Ombudsman
- Growth of Regional Centers
- Due diligence: Regional Centers and EB-5 projects
- Regional Center Leasing and Hosting Arrangements
- Hot Topics
- I-829 Adjudications and "Material Change"
- Bridge Financing
- Regional Center adjudication delays
- Pilot Program Sunset
- Trending issues with USCIS
Session 4: EB-5 and Investments Through a Broader Lens


The final session will contextualize immigration practice within the larger field of the Eb-5 program and foreign direct investment in general. The two parts of this panel are securities law and ethics. The securities law speakers will speak on EB-5 projects as securities, investor qualifications issues, securities law exemptions, and disclosure requirements, among other things. The ethics speaks will advise on avoiding and managing potential conflicts of interest, best practices for navigating this field, finder’s fees, and a note on considerations when it comes to professional liability insurance.
EB-5 and Investments Through a Broader Lens
- Securities law issues
- EB-5 Projects as securities
- Investor Qualifications
- Reg. D and Reg. S Exemptions
- Disclosure Requirements
- Broker-Dealer
- Right of Rescission
- Ethics and Risk Management
- Knowing when to co-counsel and when to use experts
- Avoiding and managing conflicts of interest
- Advising clients about investments - is it smart?
- Finder's fees
- Professional liability insurance considerations
Q&A with The Experts


Questions will be asked to these experts regarding issues present in the EB-5 program and with USCIS policy.
Overseas Funding Welcome Fireworks at Disney World (Private Event)


IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, a mesmerizing fireworks, laser and water show featuring a rousing soundtrack, plays nightly for Guests of all ages in the World Showcase area in Epcot theme park.
Seen atop the World Showcase Lagoon, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is a spectacular 14-minute, live pyrotechnic show that brings together the past, present and future of our planet and its colorful nations.
Featuring breathtaking fireworks, brilliant bursts of fire, laserlight effects, dramatic fountain barges, a stirring musical score and the world's first spherical video display system—the 350,000-pound Earth Globe—IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is an inspirational nighttime spectacular bursting with surprises for the entire family.
The Story of lllumiNations
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot tells the story of our planet in 3 unforgettable acts.
- Act 1: Chaos — Bear witness to the explosion at the dawn of time that brings about the creation of Earth, where you are invited to observe the Inferno Barge, a liquid-propane mechanism launching balls of fire 60 feet into the air.
- Act 2: Order — Behold the glowing Earth Globe as it glides peacefully to the center of the lagoon, illuminated with—and celebrating—the famous faces and achievements of our time.
- Act 3: Meaning — During this final act, the Earth Globe blossoms to reveal a torch and the glow of a thousand fireworks and laserlights that fill the night sky in a shimmering kaleidoscope of color and sound, propelling us into the future.
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth can be viewed anywhere throughout the World Showcase that offers a clear view of the World Showcase Lagoon.
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Michael Gibson
- USAdvisors.org is the source for news, projects and information about EB-5 Regional Centers and their investment projects.
- Associated With:
- USAdvisors.org
- Practice Areas:
- EB-5 Project Research, Due Diligence & Analysis, Financial Analysis, Mathematical Financial Analysis, FINRA Registered Investment Advisor
- Languages:
- English, French, Spanish
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Boyd Campbell
- Boyd F Campbell LLC has provided immigration law services in Montgomery, Alabama, since 1988. The firm advises its clients concerning E-2 visa investments and trade and has increasingly been involved with the EB-5 Program during the past four...
- Associated With:
- Boyd F Campbell LLC
- Practice Areas:
- Immigration, Nationality and Consular Law, Experienced EB-5 Attorney, EB-5 Regional Center Application Submission Provider
- Languages:
- English
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Robert P. Gaffney
- Associated With:
- Law Offices of Robert P. Gaffney
- Practice Areas:
- Immigration, Nationality and Consular Law, Experienced EB-5 Attorney, EB-5 Regional Center Application Submission Provider
- Languages:
- English, Chinese (Mandarin)
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Kate Kalmykov
- Associated With:
- Greenberg Traurig, LLP
- Practice Areas:
- Immigration, Nationality and Consular Law, Experienced EB-5 Attorney, EB-5 Regional Center Application Submission Provider, EB-1 Immigration Expert
- Languages:
- English, Russian
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Laura Danielson
- At Fredrikson & Byron, we’ve built a reputation as the firm “where law and business meet” by bringing business acumen and entrepreneurial thinking to our work with clients, and by operating as business advisors and strategic partners...
- Associated With:
- Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
- Practice Areas:
- Immigration, Nationality and Consular Law
- Languages:
- English
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Michael G. Homeier
- Homeier & Law, P.C. is a law firm devoted exclusively to corporate and business transactional law, including securities. Homeier & Law, P.C. represents a broad variety of clients, both domestically and internationally, from established and...
- Associated With:
- Homeier & Law, P.C.
- Practice Areas:
- Banking, Business/Corporate, Closely Held Business, Corporate Governance & Compliance, Mergers & Acquisitions, Non-Profit, Real Estate, Securities & Corporate Finance, Experienced EB-5 Attorney, EB-5 Regional Center Application Submission Provider
- Languages:
- English
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Ed Beshara
- Associated With:
- Beshara P.A. & Live2U Migration Seminars
- Practice Areas:
- Immigration, Nationality and Consular Law, Experienced EB-5 Attorney, EB-5 Regional Center Application Submission Provider, EB-1 Immigration Expert
- Languages:
- English
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Cletus M. Weber
- Associated With:
- Peng & Weber
- Practice Areas:
- Immigration, Nationality and Consular Law
- Languages:
- English
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Jeff Carr
- EPR is an applied economics firm with extenisve experience in EB-5 program. Our firm has completed more than 50 EB-5 program assignments, including: (1) economic and job creation imapct assessment analyses for EB-5 projects and the designation of new...
- Associated With:
- Economic & Policy Resources, Inc.
- Practice Areas:
- Economist
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Dave Souders
- Associated With:
- Todd Associates
- Practice Areas:
- Insurance
- Languages:
- English
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Susan Pilcher
- Associated With:
- Carroll Scribner, P.C.
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Ed Carroll
- About the Firm
- Associated With:
- Carroll Scribner, P.C.
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Steven Anapoell
- Associated With:
- Greenberg Traurig
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K. David Andersson
- Associated With:
- Cascadia
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Senior Advisor
Frederick Troncone
- Associated With:
- Department of Homeland Security Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Ombundsman's Office
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Daren Di Nicola
- Associated With:
- NES Financial
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USAdvisors.org
- USAdvisors.org is the source for news, projects and information about EB-5 Regional Centers and their investment projects. We are analysts, economists, accountants, statisticians and mathematicians that produce EB-5 Regional Center project comparative...
- Practice Areas:
- EB-5 Project Research, Due Diligence & Analysis
- Languages:
- English, Spanish
- Web site:
- www.eb5info.com
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Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
- At Fredrikson & Byron, we’ve built a reputation as the firm “where law and business meet” by bringing business acumen and entrepreneurial thinking to our work with clients, and by operating as business advisors and strategic partners as well as legal...
- Practice Areas:
- Immigration
- Languages:
- English
- Web site:
- http://www.fredlaw.com/index2.htm
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Economic & Policy Resources, Inc.
- Applied economics firm providing: (1) quality economic/job creation impact analysis for EB-5 regional center and EB-5 project applications, and (2) EB-5 compliant business plans.
- Practice Areas:
- Business Plan Development, Economist
- Languages:
- English, Spanish, Russian
- Web site:
- http://www.eb5economics.com/
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Homeier & Law, P.C.
- Homeier & Law, P.C. is a law firm devoted exclusively to corporate and business transactional law, including securities. Homeier & Law, P.C. represents a broad variety of clients, both domestically and internationally, from established and publicly traded...
- Practice Areas:
- Business/Corporate, Securities & Corporate Finance
- Languages:
- English
- Web site:
- http://www.homeierlaw.com/
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Beshara P.A.
- Practice Areas:
- EB-5 Regional Center Application Submission Provider, Experienced EB-5 Attorney, Immigration
- Languages:
- English
- Web site:
- www.besharapa.com
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NES Financial
- Web site:
- www.nesf.com
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Todd Associates, Inc.
- Practice Areas:
- EB-5 Project Research, Due Diligence & Analysis, Insurance
- Languages:
- English
- Web site:
- www.toddassociates.com
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LCG Capital Advisors
- Practice Areas:
- Financial Analysis, Investment Broker, Securities & Corporate Finance, FINRA Registered Broker Dealer
- Languages:
- English, Spanish
- Web site:
- http://www.lcgcapital.com/
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Greenberg Traurig, LLP
- Greenberg Traurig, LLP is an international, full-service law firm with approximately 1800 attorneys serving clients from 34 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In the U.S., the firm has more offices than any other...
- Practice Areas:
- EB-5 Regional Center Application Submission Provider, Experienced EB-5 Attorney, Immigration
- Languages:
- English, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Chinese (Mandarin)
- Web site:
- www.gtlaw.com
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Peng & Weber, PLLC
- Practice Areas:
- Immigration
- Languages:
- English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin)
- Web site:
- www.greencardlawyers.com
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Carroll & Scribner, P.C.
- Web site:
- www.cslaw.us
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Fowler White Boggs
- In retaining legal counsel, each client looks for the attorney who has the credentials, resources, credibility and, above all else, the experience to represent them. That experience—in the law, in handling a matter, and in representing the...
- Web site:
- www.fowlerwhite.com
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Cascadia Cross-border Law
- The experienced attorneys at Cascadia Cross-Border Law will guide you through myriad business immigration complexities to determine the best solution for you, your business, and your team. A consultation with one of our experts will save considerable time,...
- Web site:
- www.cascadiaimmigrationlaw.com
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Law Offices of Robert P. Gaffney
- With nearly 20 years of experience in the EB5 field, Robert "Bob" Gaffney, has developed significant expertise and a strong practice focus representing alien entrepreneurs under the EB-5 visa program, and in counselling businesses seeking to...
- Web site:
- www.usvisanet.com