The two main channels through which business immigration takes place are the L-1A visa and EB-5 program. You can compare those two side-by-side.
| L-1A | EB-5 |
Financial injections | The immigration service does not impose any explicit requirements on the volume of investments, but given the requirements on the number of employees, we project an investment of 250 thousand dollars as a minimum. | The minimum investment is 900 thousand dollars (in projects specifically approved by the US government). In general, the investment is upwards of 1,800,000 dollars. |
Timeframe to permanent green card | In the case of the acquisition of an established business, obtaining a green card may take several months. In case of opening a new company, the period is extended by a year. | The approval period is about one year. Initially, a temporary green card is issued for a period of two years. After 2 years, the immigration service will require confirmation of the creation (preservation) of 10 jobs. After fulfilling the conditions (which include investment size and new jobs), it may take several years to get a permanent green card. |
Company requirements | A working company outside the United States affiliated with an American company must be present. Affiliation means owning a controlling interest in an American company. There should be at least 8-10 employees in an American company who will be subordinates of a person applying for a green card. | Creation or preservation of 10 jobs in an American company. A minority investment is possible without active participation in management. |
Applicant Requirements | At least 1 year of work in a foreign affiliate company before applying for an L-1A visa. A senior position in an American company. Active involvement in business management. | Declaration of the origin of funds. |