EB5 Investors Magazine English Edition Volume 6, Issue 2 | Page 30

TOP IMMIGRATION AT TORNEYS BELMA DEMIROVIC CHINCHOY EB-5 PLUS IMMIGRATION LAW | ATTORNEY Belma Demirovic Chinchoy par tners with investors and companies to guide them in successful par ticipation in the EB-5 program. Believing in individualized approach, Chinchoy’s EB-5 practice is founded on an in-depth, high- contact relationship with clients. Her comprehensive knowledge of immigration law and years of working on complex RFEs allow her to develop a winning strategy for clients, easily foreseeing potential issues and effectively yielding the law to clients’ circumstances.Chinchoy is a frequent speaker and professional trainer on EB-5 topics and has ser ved as a mentor to numerous at torneys learning the EB-5 practice. She is licensed in California. WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY? On the project side, it is clear one size no longer fits all. Current USCIS adjudicators are paying more attention to structure of projects and they question cookie-cutter, bare- bones applications. Increased litigation indicates that regulators are better skilled in evaluating EB-5 projects and noticing problematic structures. On the investor side, source and path of funds RFEs also show us that USCIS seeks more details and questions all path of funds involving intermediaries. Unlike before, however, we now have many EB-5 petitions with SOF that are based on well-documented U.S. tax and wage records. (Perhaps this will speed up processing times?!) WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY? EB-5 chose me more so than I chose it! However, I stayed because I thrive in the multi-disciplinary nature of an EB-5 practice. I revel in the details of each EB-5 petition, from pouring over financial documents in order to develop the simplest yet legally sound source/path of funds strategy to meticulously editing a regional center business plan. I enjoy collaborating with and guiding the work of professionals engaged in structuring an EB-5 project. My passion for the law and common business sense come together in an EB-5 practice and allow me to effectively guide my clients toward successful petitions. MARK DAVIES DAVIES & ASSOCIATES LLC | CHAIRMAN A graduate and Salzburg fe llow of the U nive rsi t y of P e n n s y l va n ia L aw S c h o o l , Mark Davies is a dual- licensed law yer in the U.K . and U.S., with admission pending in Grenada. Davies is chairman of Davies & Associates LLC. He was recognized for his service as chairman of the board of directors of Lawyers Without Borders by the Bush administration. His experience in distressed real estate finance with one of the world’s five largest law firms, coupled with his extensive experience of investment visas, has made him the counsel of choice to many EB-5 investors, regional centers and developers around the world. WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY? We are seeing explosive demand for an EB-5 filing coupled with an E-2 visa through citizenship of Grenada. This is one of the many solutions we offer our clients, especially in 30 EB5 INVESTORS M AGAZINE India, who are facing looming retrogression delays. Davies & Associates has established presence across India and Grenada, as well as a team dedicated to E-2 filings and a pending Grenadian law license. We entered the Indian market because we foresaw India becoming a leader in EB-5 visas. We are now the first to market with a comprehensive Grenada/E-2 offering as a cure to the future retrogression delays. WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY? As an immigrant to the United States myself, I understand the highs and the lows of applying for multiple U.S. visas, as well as a green card and citizenship. I wanted to help others in order to make that process as seamless as possible for them. I was particularly drawn to the EB-5 visa because it blends my two passions of immigration law and distressed real estate finance law. My experience with distressed real estate finance law assists us in identifying legal issues with the way some EB-5 projects are structured.