Testimony of a successful migratory adjustment: the transition from an F1 study visa to applying for the Green Card in 3 months
One of the most complex procedures in relation to immigration to the United States is going from a temporary immigration status to a permanent one, which has become a real problem for holders of study and work visas, among others. Here’s a successful and exceptionally fast case led by BAI Capital.
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is one of the most used methods by investors to obtain the Green Card. But currently, it is also an object of interest for holders of different types of temporary visas in the US.
This is because, being temporary, they have an expiration date in which the bearer loses their status and must return to their country of origin. Without the possibility of exercising what they have learned, in the case of students with F-1 visas, or of continuing their careers in the United States, in the case of workers with H-1B visas.
The US is known for having the best universities in the world and, thanks to globalization, more and more international students are interested in traveling to this country to study there.
Learn about the story of Julio Larenas, who in just 3 months managed to adjust his immigration status from a non-immigrant visa (F-1) to become permanent residence in the United States, all due to the EB-5 Program and BAI Capital.
Story of a successful migration process
Although Julio’s adventure in the United States started with an academic objective, to strengthen his knowledge in professional matters, he recognizes that it is a country that seduces immigrants from not so developed countries,
Why did you decide to seek an opportunity to live permanently in the United States?
Initially, everything started as a different project, which mutated and became converted. I was more interested in continuing to develop my professional career and to do so thinking about an MBA (Master in Business Administration).
So I first came with the pure intention of doing a master’s degree and then returning to my normal daily life in my country and with my family. So we got here and after about 6, 7 months… obviously this place is not difficult. You fall in love, he invites you. That’s when the idea entered our heads that we really like this place, what would happen if we invested, and we began to investigate the subject, where we finally found this EB-5 Program with BAI Capital and it was the one that at the end of the day we postulate.
What was it like to go from a temporary visa to the permanent residence offered by the EB-5 Program? How long did it take approximately?
When we made the decision, the new law had just been published three days ago (Reform and Integrity Law), in which now in the EB-5 Program if you were under any legal immigration or non-immigration status within the American territory, They gave you something called advance parole, that is, they have not yet approved your Green Card from the beginning, because they have to see your eligibility, study your funds and all that, but since they are offering that benefit that if you already live here, you acquire the privilege of the Green Card immediately – that is called advance parole – and it gives you all the benefits of the Green Card without being a Green Card yet.
And that is the role that came out extremely quickly for us. Think that our application started in September more or less, we all did the background study, everything was sent on December 8 and we received the work permit on March 15. 100 days. We ourselves were surprised. There was no history either because since the law had just changed, we were one of the first historical applicants to enter with this new privilege and it was a surprise for everyone. For the legal team it was a surprise, for everyone, because really with this new privilege it is extremely fast.
How did you find out that BAI Capital offered the possibility of adjusting your immigration status with the EB-5 Program?
When we start looking we find out about all the visas and at the end of the day everyone ends up going back to the EB-5. So what you think about now is how do I do EB-5. And when you start doing EB-5, a lot of companies appear that do it, and we began to find many that did this, but the truth is that the cost-benefit was very unbalanced. They shared very little of the profit in most companies.
And with BAI we find the best balance in which we understand that this is not a charity, that is, obviously it is a business, it is an investment raising with profitability and also who is raising the budget, which are you as BAI, have to earn money, but BAI is the only one that offers a balance in which it allows both the owner of the money to have a return – to ensure its value over time – and also obtain the benefit of the Green Card.
And then from there we obviously began to delve deeper into BAI, there we also began to understand the history and trajectory that it has on EB-5 projects, we also understood about the reputation that it has that is impeccable, of all the projects accepted, all managed accordingly. In such a personalized way, I would really highlight the level of personalization, the level of conviction for giving you a full understanding of the process, because it is key. If you do not have an understanding of the process, you really do not dare, it is a lot of money.
Now, if you have an understanding, it is a lot of money, invested above what the market gives, and also in a super safe way because it is regulated by the regional centers managed by the USCIS, which at the end of the day is the federal government of the States. United States and that the federal government is not going to allow them to defraud investors to tarnish their name. If this is a capital collection for the fiscal coffers. So I think that everywhere gives you that confidence.
If, moreover, you find a business partner, a partner like BAI that gives you personalized service, that shares the benefits with you and that, in addition to everything, is reliable, gives you clarity, tells you how your money is used, tells you each of the phases, tells you the times, provides you with information or recommendations on 3 or 4 different lawyers that they would recommend… then everything is much faster and safer.
What advice would you give to people who are looking for options to adjust their immigration status to a permanent one?
I definitely recommend the BAI project, the one that is now Archer Place, which I understand is still raising capital and has other phases ahead, so it is a project that I went to see myself, it is a great location, besides everything it is a project that is centralized in a geographical location in the United States that is an economically underdeveloped area, for this reason it is also an area called TEA (Targeted Employment Area), so they also require less investment.
