TOP IMMIGRATION AT TORNEYS
EDWARD BESHARA
BESHARA GLOBAL MIGRATION LAW FIRM
Edward Beshara, managing
pa r tn e r of B e s ha r a G l o bal
Migration Law Firm in Orlando,
F l o r ida , has c o m mi t te d to
p re pa r i n g a p p rova b l e U.S .
business and family visas for
37 years. He has been practicing EB-5 for the past 29 years
for investors and EB-5 projects. The firm also provides
solutions for the E-2 investment visas, L-1 intra-company
visas, as well as citizenship and visa programs of other
countries. Beshara is a member of AILA, IIUSA, and IMC
and a former adjunct professor at the University of Florida
Law School. He has been named Top 25 EB-5 Immigration
Attorneys for the past several years. He is a recipient of
IIUSA’s Economic Advancement "Innovator Award" for
2019.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
EB-5 MODERNIZATION CHANGES THAT
TOOK EFFECT IN 2019 WITH THE
INCREASED INVESTMENT AMOUNTS?
The new EB-5 regulations, which took effect Nov. 21, 2019,
had an immediate devastating effect on the EB-5 industry.
The new investment amounts changed dramatically from
$500,000 to $900,000 if the investment is in a rural area or
TEA (Target Employment Area), or alternatively, $1.8 million.
Also, the new EB-5 regulations changed the definition of
what geographical areas for the project location will be
considered TEAs. On this basis, an estimated 90% of all
urban projects that previously (before Nov. 21, 2019)
qualified as TEAs will not qualify today.
However, there are still EB-5 regional centers with EB-5
projects that qualify for the TEA standards and will require a
$900,000 personal investment.
WHAT NEW TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY?
The residency-by-investment laws are here to stay. Advising
EB-5 regional center clients and projects on how to be
competitive and predictable globally is offered by our law
firm.
The clients may decide first to enter the U.S. within a few
months with a non-immigrant visa, such as E-2 or L-1, and
while they are present in the U.S., file their EB-5 petition and
wait for the long process before the approval of their
conditional permanent residency.
Every new factual situation for a foreign national requires
strategy planning and approvable solutions by an
experienced law firm
DILLON R. COLUCCI
GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP
Dillon R . Colucci prac tices
and handles a variety of U.S.
immigration mat ters and
helps individuals, families,
professionals, skilled workers,
i nves to r s , a n d b usi n es ses
live, work, invest, and do business in the United States.
Colucci focuses on EB-5 immigrant investor matters.
He regularly works with developers across a variety of
industries, as well as private equity funds on developing
new projects that qualify for EB-5 investments. This
includes the creation of new regional centers and having
projects adopted by existing regional centers or through
pooled individual EB-5 petitions. Colucci also counsels
foreign nationals on obtaining permanent residency
through direct or regional center EB -5 investments.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
EB-5 MODERNIZATION CHANGES THAT
TOOK EFFECT IN 2019 WITH THE
INCREASED INVESTMENT AMOUNTS?
I believe increased investment amounts were inevitable, and
it will take the market time to adjust to the higher threshold.
During this adjustment period, the demand for U.S.
immigration via the EB-5 program will be reduced. However,
in time, demand will rise again and be commensurate with the
U.S.’ position as one of the world’s top destinations for
permanent immigration.
WHAT NEW TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY?
With the increased investment amounts, we are seeing more
sophisticated applicants expressing interest in the EB-5
Program. As investors become or are more sophisticated,
prior tactics to encourage investments and market
investments will need to change to reflect a different
investor pool.
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