By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A company known as Atlantic American Partners (AAP) has commenced helping potential applicants for the United States EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program in Nigeria.

This visa programme is a convenient way to assist potential investors in Nigeria to secure a hassle-free immigration process to live, work, and attend school in the United States, while also getting a reasonable return on their initial investment.

The EB-5 visa creates opportunity for foreign investors to invest in the United States and become legal permanent residents in the ‘God’s own country’ with a green card, along with several other benefits including the ability to travel to one’s homeland from the United States without a visa, ability to sponsor family members for a green card after becoming a citizen, access to low or no cost- high-quality primary and secondary public education; and thereafter public or private colleges and universities for participants and their children (21 years old and under, unmarried) at the same cost as US citizens.

Down the road, if the applicant desires, he can apply for US Citizenship and sponsor other family members to move to and live in America.

During a business meeting to attract investors from Nigeria, Managing Director of Atlantic American Partners, Mr Daniel Ryan, explained in great detail the EB-5 investor visa program, along with its remarkable benefits.

He stated that “the EB-5 visa was introduced in 1990 by the United States Congress and has since enabled a large number of families to live the American dream by granting them permanent residency through investments made in ‘trophy’ new commercial real estate investments such as luxury hotels, luxury rental apartments/flats, and most recently; high-quality student rental housing at American Universities.

“The EB-5 program requires each EB-5 investor to invest $500,000 in the United States with projects that Atlantic American Partners oversees as ‘trustee’ that will yield at least 10 permanent jobs, per applicant, for United States citizens.”

Mr Ryan also said it was important to note that “dual citizenship” between USA and Nigeria is available, adding another tangible benefit to invest in this program.

AAP partners with the highest quality property developers in the US. Annually, AAP reviews over 300 investment request submittals from high-quality property developers, and chooses only 3-4 per year, due to strict underwriting criteria and conservative financial strategic investing.

According to Mr Ryan, acquiring the green card under the EB-5 investment program is a two-part process, with the first step referred to as the “I-526” which is taking about 18-24 months at present for approval; after the $500,000 investment has been made, along with a $45,000 administrative fee payable to AAP which covers the cost to provide audited financial statements and all administrative needs for the investor throughout the entire EB-5 process, including quarterly newsletter updates. In addition, AAP will assist the applicant in hiring a top-notch international immigration EB-5 law firm, based in USA, that is familiar with African culture and provides excellent legal consultation and processing of the actual USCIS application documentation.

The immigration attorney will assist in filing the paperwork in this first step in the process, referred to as the “I-526”.

He said, “Following approval, a conditional green card is then issued, which provides the full benefits of an actual green card, pending in due time the job creation requirement is proven. After 21 months from I-526 approval, the investor with the guidance by AAP and the immigration attorney can file for the second part of the application process referred to as the ‘1-829’. Once the 1-829 application is approved, the conditional green card would then be converted into a permanent green card.”

Atlantic American Partners works for investors by engaging and investing in projects that will ensure job creation, thus enhancing the opportunity of permanent residency. AAP also offers investors an array of solutions to ensure a profitable and successful investment portfolio including a diversified fund model which enables an investor to own an equal share in a fund invested in multiple projects; not just one commercial real estate investment project, as many of AAP’s competitors provide, lowering the investment risk.

This unique model by Atlantic American Partners not only diversifies investment risk; but also precludes the loss of capital, which in turn helps investors get their money back with profit made through capital gains, along with a 2 percent annual interest rate paid to the applicant each year (equal to $10,00 per year), when the diversified properties held in each “fund” are liquidated (sold).

AAP is unique in the EB-5 investor visa industry by including a “sunset” clause in the investment document agreements that state it has the right to sell the assets no later than 6 years after the project has begun. This is another advantage to investing with Atlantic American Partners.

Atlantic American Partners is part of a 45-year old investment banking firm (www.ceaworldwide.com) that had been involved more than $40 billion in equity and debt transactions in a variety of industries and fields in over 100 countries around the world.

It commenced operations in Africa in early 2018 and has recorded tremendous success in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana; with numerous applications exceeding projection before coming to Nigeria.

To date, Atlantic American Partners has helped over 600 families with their EB-5 immigration process, completed successfully 29 projects, invested more than $300 million, and has a 100 percent approval rate on applicant I-526 and I-829 project immigration approvals.