Despite the benefits of being a set-aside category, the thing that bothers me the most about investing in a rural EB-5 project is the location. I understand the whole point of building a project in a rural area with high unemployment is to motivate the economy. However, an urban project gives me more security because I expect more chances for the project to work because of the large population nearby. And maybe costs are less in an urban setting because of access to resources in a city compared with the country. What other pros and cons about an urban project should I look into?
Answers
Bernard P Wolfsdorf
Find an EB-5 Visa Lawyer: Immigration AttorneyIf you Indian or Chinese, rural gets twice the quota and also priority processing. Based on the number of cases filed, already, if you can concurrently file and get a 5-year EAD, it’s not so bad but if waiting to consular process, then rural choice is better.
Peter Zhang
Find an EB-5 Visa Lawyer: Immigration AttorneyConsider whether retrogression could impact you, especially if you’re applying for adjustment of status in the U.S., where it may be less of an issue. For urban real estate projects, assess their financing sources, development stage, developer experience, potential conflicts of interest, terms between NCE and JCE, and the expertise of the regional center and legal team. In summary, risks can be divided into immigration risk, tied to the project's construction/development, and financial risk, related to the project's ability to execute its exit strategy.
Lynne Feldman
Find an EB-5 Visa Lawyer: Immigration AttorneyMore to consider than urban vs. rural as the details of the project matter much more.
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