新年快乐 - Happy New Year - What Expected in China for EB-5 Regional Centers in 2011

We wish everyone happy new year!  January is a busy month for many EB-5 regional centers that are looking to recruit Chinese investors.  A dozen EB-5 executives and developers are on the way to Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chongqing, and other major Chinese markets. What are we going to expect in the Chinese marketplace this exciting 2011?  More promises? More "Insured" projects? "More third-party "Guarantee"? "Full $500K refundable upon I-829 denial" ?With almost 200 Regional Center applications pending approval with USCIS, we are going to see a lot projects floating around in the market this year. Certainly more warnings will be issued by the Chinese exit-entry regulators. Book mark this blog, we will keep you posted!!

US Insurance Executive Explains EB-5 Insurance Protection to Chinese.  More Promises?

If you are developing a new EB-5 regional center or/and EB-5 projects, contact us today, let us help you better position yourself in the marketplace in China, Korea, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and other Asian countries..

2010, a Fruitful Year for Artisan Business Group and EB-5 Clients

ABG invites Migration Agency CEOs to attend CA Governor Schwarzenegge Breakfast Meeting in Shanghai 

Governor Schwarzenegger was in Shanghai

2010 has been a fantastic year for the team of Artisan Business Group and our EB-5 clients. Many EB-5 regional centers, EB-5 project sponsors, immigration law firms and EB-5 consulting firms have utilized our EB-5 China market entry expertise and EB-5 China Marketing and Field Support Center services for their China efforts. Our field staff in China have provided professional supports to clients in real estate and investment exhibitions and road shows.

ABG China managing partner Melody Chen has personally taken many EB-5 regional center clients and immigration attorneys to meet with licensed migration agencies around China. We are very proud that we have been able to secure various marketing contracts with Chinese migration agencies for our Regional Center clients which resulted thousands of job creation commitments.  We are very excited to report that some of our client projects are the best selling projects in Chinese market.  Our team wants to extend appreciations to all EB-5 Regional Center clients and many pending Regional Centers around the country, especially to Los Angeles Regional Center (American Dream Fund), Idaho State Regional Center, Cleveland International Fund, Florida Gold Coast Regional Center, East Bay Regional Center, California Energy Investment Center, Northern California Regional Center, the State of Vermont Regional Center, Florida Palm Coast Regional Center, Twin Development Regional Center, etc., and our partners in China, Korea, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and other regions in Asia, we look forward to working with many more good projects in the year of 2011.

In 2010, we have also successfully hosted two EB-5 investors procurement seminars in Chicago, and we will continue to take the educational workshops to New York City, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Orlando, San Francisco, Chicago and possible other cities. For more information about our EB-5 services and programs and how we can help you develop EB-5 regional center projects in 2011, please contact Brian Su or log on http://www.ArtisanBusinessGroup.com.

ABG Director Melody Chen with Idaho Governor Otter in Beijing

Melody Chen with EB-5 RC Clients and Chinese Migration Executive

CEO Brian Su visits EB-5 Project in Idaho

Report from China: Shanghai Exit-Entry Services Association Issues Warning to Members

On December 27, 2010, Shanghai Exit-Entry Services Association issued a warning notice to all association members that the association will prohibit members to participate in any un-authorized exit-entry industry competition or award events organized by un-authorized entities and organizations.  The association has received numerous complaints that a newspaper publisher was hosting a so called "The Most Trustworthy Exit-Entry Service Agency 2011 Award" event.  Two association members Shanghai Exit-Entry Services Center Co. Ltd., and Shanghai Qiaowai Exit-Entry Co. participated in the competition without filing notice to the Exit-Entry Administration and the Association and have violated membership rules.  The illegal activity has caused damages to the reputation of the city's exit-entry industry. The Exit-Entry Administration of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau is conducting investigations to further punish parties involved in the Award.

For more information about the Chinese migration industry and regulations, contact us today.

Happy Holiday!

Happy Holiday to all Blog Readers!  We are taking two days off! We will be back with more news from China.

Reports from China: Chinese migration brokers establish national alliance

(Source: EB-5 China Market Council)

After several months planning since summer, a national exit-entry service associations alliance "The National Alliance for Exit-Entry Service Associations" is finally established in Beijing. The alliance members include major exit-entry service associations in Beijing, Chongqing, Wuhan, Liaoning Province, Sichuan Province, Shandong Province, Guangdong Province， Zhenjiang, and Fujian Province.  For more information about the Chinese migration industry, contact us today.

北京因私出入境中介机构协会
湖北武汉出入境行业协会
重庆自费出国（境）中介行业协会
辽宁省因私出入境中介机构行业协会
四川省出入境中介行业协会
山东省因私出入境中介行业协会
广东因私出入境服务行业协会
福建省因私出入境中介行业协会
浙江出入境协会

Report from China: City of Chongqing Cleans up Local Exit-Entry Market

Chongqing Migration Broker Meeting

(Source: EB-5 China Market Council)
On December 23, 2010, officials from Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau Exit-Entry Office, the Bureau of Industry and Commerce, the Bureau of Education and other five government agencies, along with representatives from 20 local migration agencies, held a special meeting to call upon exit-entry service providers to clean up the marketplace. Municipal Public Security Bureau Assistant Commissioner Yang Jian pointed out that this cleaning up motion's goal is to set the standards for foreign immigration intermediary business.  Ms. Yang stated that "in 2011 the Public Security Bureau will closely monitor illegal intermediary activities, and will certainly investigate any violations and abuse."  The mission for special action is: first, protects the general consumer's benefit; second, protects the legitimate migration service provider's benefit and interest.

Ms. Su Peixi, the head of the Bureau of Industry and Commerce warned the local migration industry not step on the red line.  The Bureau has received numerous complaints from consumers about illegal activities involving foreign immigration services. Ms. Su stated that  “the majority operators want to obey the law and regulations, do not step on the red line.”

President Wang Yu of the Chongqing Exit-Entry Service Association indicated that "Chongqing's exit-entry industry, although has competitions, but is simultaneously as a whole, hoped that the association will set the code of conducts to improve overall industry image, create a good market atmosphere, and provide professional and honest services to the consumer."  He also called upon members to report any illegal activities of unlicensed migration elements.

Chongqing is the largest city with a population of 30 million in southwestern China and one of the five direct administrative cities under the supervision of the Central Government. 

Report from China: Beijing Police Crack Down on Unlicensed EB-5 Immigration Intermediary Operations

(Source: EB-5 China Market Council) 
Beijing police officers and officials from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce Administration raided two unlicensed EB-5 immigration consulting firms in downtown CDB on December 21, 2010.  Beijing has 77 legitimate and licensed immigration agencies, however due to US EB-5 program and other foreign immigration business boom in last two years, many unlicensed immigration intermediary firms are operating without required licenses.  They have not only disrupted the market order, but also seriously damaged the interests of both consumers and legitimate migration industry, illegal activities have been the focus of the police' recent crackdown on such activities.
 

Unlicensed illegal intermediary usually charges low fees and promises quick results. They are not registered with the local exit/entry authorities, some individuals open the shell companies and place tempting advertisements on the Internet to defraud consumers. Typical illegal shops appear to operate as "consulting firms" or "international investment firms" headed by Chinese and Western individuals, many rent luxury office spaces in five star hotels in order to cover up their illegal activities.

Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau Exit-Entry Administration Department stated that unlicensed immigration intermediary has seriously disrupted the market order and seriously damaged the interests of prospective clients and the industry, the police will crack down on illegal intermediary businesses and activities, and welcomed the public to report any such illegal practices and operations. According to Beijing Exit/Entry Services Association that Chinese immigrants top destinations include Canada, the United States, Australia, Singapore and the United Kingdom. 

There are over 500 licensed and bonded immigration agencies around China.  For more information about Chinese migration industry and government regulations, contact us today.

USAdvisors.org Starts China TV Filming Tour January 2011

 Florida based EB-5 due diligence expert Mr. Michael Gibson of USAdvisors.org has formed a  new partnership between his firm, which provides due diligence services to EB-5 investors, and China Stock TV, a division of the FuDong Cultural Dissemination Company, LTD that broadcasts news to an audience of 140 million Chinese investors, will bring information on EB-5 regional center investment initiatives to viewers across China. As the current format through which potential Chinese investors receive information about regional center projects involves individual seminars sponsored by regional centers, this partnership provides a new way for interested foreign nationals to obtain information. Mr. Gibson and his TV crew will be touring 12 cities to interview EB-5 regional center principals, sponsors, immigration attorneys, and EB-5 experts throughout the country, the crew's first stop will be Houston, Texas on January 18, 2011. Mr. Gibson and Mr. Su will be meeting in Las Vegas February 18, 2011. For more information about USAdvisors.org China TV Filming Tour, log on http://eb5info.com/eb5-events.

Report from China: Chicagoland Foreign Investment Group Regional Center Promotes Woodale Assisted Living Project

Chicagoland Foreign Investment Group Regional Center is promoting Woodale assisted living EB-5 project to Chinese investors. The project is developed and managed by Randall Residence LLC. Based on the information provided by its Chinese migration agent, the development is the only EB-5 project to be supervised and monitored by an independent third party ARACO/Investment Banker (headed by Robert Abboud in Barrington Hills, Illinois. For more information about EB-5 program, contact us today.

Altantic Yards Report Blog Analyzes Reuters Report on NYCRC Project

(Source: Norm Oder, Atlantic Yards Report) A major investigation of the EB-5 immigration visa program by Reuters, Special report: Overselling the American dream overseas, turns up numerous reasons for skepticism and an admission by a principal of the New York City Regional Center (NYCRC) that potential investors have been lied to about the Brooklyn Arena and Infrastructure project.

Astonishingly, however, the NYCRC's George Olsen gets away with blaming immigration brokers in foreign lands--in this case, Korea, not China--rather than acknowledging, or being forced to acknowledge, that the same statements have been made, in documents and on video, by the NYCRC itself. (See its entire analysis at http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2010/12/in-reuters-investigation-of-eb-5.html)

Artisan Business Group Executive Visits Florida and New York

Artisan Business Group executive will be visiting new EB-5 project in Florida early January and conducting two EB-5 seminars in New York City late January 2011. For more information about EB-5 program, contact us today.

EB-5 News Blog has a New Domain Name: EB5NewsBlog.org

Our EB-5 News Blog has a new domain name - EB5NewsBlog.org.  Based on leading web information provider Alexa, this blog has a three-month global Alexa traffic rank of 897,227. The site's visitors view 1.2 unique pages each day on average. Alexa estimates that 94% of visitors to Eb5news.blogspot.com come from the US, where it has attained a traffic rank of 104,876, and visitors to the site spend about five minutes per visit to the site and 54 seconds per pageview.  The blog is operated by Artisan Business Group, Inc. an EB-5 consultancy based in Springfield, Illinois.

Korean Peninsula Tension Sent in More EB-5 Inquires

Recent tension between two Koreas has not only caused the concerns on a possible all-out wall in the Peninsula, but also sent more South Koreans to inquire ways out of the troubled region. Based on our interviews with US based Korean immigration attorneys, they have been receiving growing number of inquires from Korean investors about EB-5 Visa program. South Korea has been a major market for EB-5 program. (photo source/credit: Washington Times)

Business partners hope to import jobs, investments into Elkhart County

(Source: eTruth.com)
A Chicago-based businessman and his Elkhart County-based partner hope to create jobs and spur economic development here via international investment, most notably from China. Christopher Graff, who's originally from Elkhart County but now based out of Chicago, estimates the initiative has a 60 percent to 70 percent probability of yielding positive results -- foreign investment dollars. He and his local partner, Aaron Zou, hope to tap a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services program that encourages international investment by granting legal U.S. residency to the qualifying foreign participants. Of course, his and Zou's newly formed venture, Indiana Gateway Fund, is a for-profit operation.

Similarly, the deep-pocketed investors they hope to lure to Elkhart County would be looking for a return on their investment, not to mention U.S. residency. Still, one Elkhart County backer, County Commissioner Mike Yoder, sees the initiative as another means of bringing jobs, capital and new industry to the hard-hit zone. The USCIS' EB-5 visa program has lured millions of dollars in investment to the East Coast, the West Coast and even the Dakotas, he said. Some may have "philisophical issues" with the notion of granting U.S. residency to foreigners in return for investing here, a minimum of $500,000, according to program guidelines, Yoder says. But it's a long-standing program that has drawn plenty of foreign investment income to the United States. "There is money, foreign investment money, that's looking for a home in the United States," Yoder said. Though a private venture, county commissioners on Monday agreed to provide IGF with $10,000. The funds are to help defray the firm's costs as it wrangles with the USCIS to get the requisite designation extending the reach of the EB-5 program from Chicago to Elkhart County. The push for EB-5 status here stands a solid chance of success, Graff said, and he hopes for a formal answer from the feds in January. Eight other adjoining counties, both in Indiana and Michigan, would also be included in the new EB-5 zone, though Elkhart County is the chief focus of the initiative.

FOCUSING ON CHINA

Assuming a green light from the feds, the initial push would be for investment income from China, specifically the Jinhua area of Zhejiang province in the eastern part of the country. Commissioner Terry Rodino traveled with Zou to the zone earlier this year to investigate investment opportunities, according to Graff, and Zou, a Chinese-American, has strong ties there. Secondarily, the businessmen would potentially seek out investors from the Middle East and Europe, Graff said. Graff already has five leads he's pursuing, though he wouldn't provide particulars. Whatever the case, the individual projects he envisions would necessitate plenty of backing, perhaps $5 million to $10 million each from as many as 10 to 20 individual investors. According to terms of the EB-5 program, each $500,000 investment would have to generate 10 new jobs. Alternatively, the funds -- which must come from legitimate sources -- could be invested in a "distressed" firm to help save existing jobs.

USCIS Approves New EB-5 Center in Maryland

Maryland Center for Foreign Investment, LLC

Geographic Scope: Counties of Baltimore City, Baltimore, Carroll, Hartford, Anne Arundel, Prince George’s and Howard in the State of Maryland

Industries: Commercial Real Estate Development; Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
CEO: John Chang

USCIS Stakeholder Meeting

The USCIS Office of Public Engagement has posted an agenda for tomorrow’s teleconference as well as the executive summary of the October 14, 2010 meeting.

Wailian Hosts Invest in America (Guangzhou) Summit 2011

For more information about the upcoming Summit in Guangzhou hosted by Wailian Overseas Consulting Group, please register your name on a free mailing list to receive further information and notices, the event is open to all EB-5 regional centers, immigration attorneys, real estate developers and brokers, CPAs, commercial investment opportunities, M&A, IPO consulting firms, etc. You can find registration page at http://eb5summit.eventbrite.com

City of Guangzhou, China

Night Cruise

Guangzhou Train Station

Baiyun Int'l Airport

Shishi Cathedral

Historical Buildings

Investing in the US through EB-5 Program

The U.S. Department of Citizenship & Immigration Services sets aside 10,000 visas nationwide each year through the EB-5 foreign investment program. The limit has never been reached.
Fiscal Year 2008 (Oct. 1, 2007-Sept. 30, 2008)
Total visas issued: 996
No. 1: South Korea, 545
No. 2: China, 290
Fiscal Year 2009 (Oct. 1, 2008-Sept. 30, 2009)
Total visas issued: 2,800
No. 1: China, 1,778
No. 2: South Korea, 559
Fiscal Year 2010 (Oct. 1, 2009-Sept. 30, 2010)
Total visas issued: 1,349
No. 1: China, 768
No. 2: Korea, 293
Source: U.S. Department of Citizenship & Immigration Services, Dept. of Homeland Security

Report from China: Invest U.S. Regional Center Promotes Wyoming EB-5 Real Estate Project in Beijing

Beijing migration broker hosted the first promotional seminar for Invest U.S. Regional Center at 2:30 pm December 10, 2010, in Beijing. Invest USA Regional Center executives Larry Liang, Ben Doud, Tony Markev and Charles Edwards attended the event that was promoting office and retail real estate project in Wyoming.  For more information about EB-5 regional center program, contact us today.

McAdam & McCarthy Attorneys at Law and Artisan Business Group announce Las Vegas EB-5 Conference

McAdam & McCarthy Attorneys at Law announce EB-5 One Day Seminar: Regional Center Development, Management and Project Creation in Last Vegas. The event on February 19, 2011, will feature major EB-5 experts, attorney, and guest speakers from the EB-5 industry, for registration, please log on http://eb-5conference.eventbrite.com.

Artisan Business Group, Inc., will host EB-5 One Day Seminar:  Regional Centers Promotion and Investors Procurement on February 20, 2011. The event will feature Mr. Brian Su, Mr. Yongjin Li, and other experts as well as migration brokers from China. For details and online registration, please log on http://eb5.eventbrite.com.

The two day EB-5 conference will take place at Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas.

Artisan Business Group Announces VIP Guests for 2011 Las Vegas EB-5 Seminar

Artisan Business Group announces VIP Guests for EB-5 Regional Centers Promotion and Investors Procurement Seminar in Las Vegas February 20, 2011. For more information about the event and speakers, as well as online registration, log on http://eb5.eventbrite.com

VIP Guests (Tentative):
Ms. Hong Yu, US Project Manager
Wailian Overseas Consulting Group (China)
 
Ms. Yu is the US Project Manager for Wailian Overseas Consulting Group headquartered in Shanghai, with over 20 offices around China and the U.S.  Mr. Yu is responsible for selecting reliable EB-5 projects for the company.  Wailian is one of the largest EB-5 migration consulting firms in China and is to be hosting "Invest in the U.S.A.(Guangzhou) Summit 2011" in March 29-20, 2011.  The company has successfully served over 800 Chinese investors over the years.

Mr. John Jiang, US Managing Director
Henry Global Group USA  

Mr. Jiang is the U.S. Managing Director for Henry Global Group USA. Henry Global Group is one of the largest Chinese migration service providers, with 50 offices in China and North America. Mr. Jiang is responsible for selecting EB-5 projects for the company.

Dr. Winner Xing, CEO/President
Worldway Immigration (China) 

Dr. Xing is the CEO of Worldway Immigration, a HK registered immigration consulting firm with offices around China. The firm is highly experienced in EB-5 marketing and consulting.  Worldway is the winner of EB-5 News Blog EB-5 Chinese Broker of the Year 2010.

Ms. Melody Chen, Asia/Pacific Managing Director
Artisan Business Group, Inc.

Ms. Melody Chen is the managing director of Artisan Business Group Asia/Pacific Office. She is highly experienced with EB-5 marketing, she has extensive working relationship with licensed migration companies around China.

Conference Venue: Stratosphere Hotel, Las Vegas

 

Report from China: NYCRC Executives Visit Shanghai

 As part of its 2nd roadshow in China, NYCRC executives Gregg Hayden, Paul Levinsohn, Ms. Liu Wu and Robert Tarulli stop by in Shanghai. One on one investor consultation will be available after the promotional seminar in New Jinjiang Hotel at 1:30 pm Saturday December 11, 2010. For more information about EB-5 program, contact us today.
 

Artisan Business Group Plans EB-5 Workshops in Orlando and San Francisco

Following two successful EB-5 Investors Procurement Seminars in Chicago, Artisan Business Group, Inc., is introducing two EB-5 seminars in New York City (http://eb5fund.eventbrite.com) January 25, 2011, and in Las Vegas (http://eb5.eventbrite.com) February 20, 2011. Three new EB-5 seminar are under planning in Atlanta, Orlando and San Francisco in 2011. For more information about our EB-5 events, contact us today.

News from China: YK America Regional Center Promotes Delano Marketplace EB-5 Project

YK America Regional Center is co-hosting an EB-5 seminar with a Beijing migration broker to promote Delano Marketplace project to Chinese investors at 2:00 pm December 15, 2010.  YK America CEO Howard Ting and Mr. Stephen Atchley, city council member of Pomona, California will be attending. For more information about EB-5 projects, contact us today.

Law Offices of Siegel Wang & Associates Hosting EB-5 Workshop in Flushing, New York City

Law Offices of Siegel Wang & Associates, LLP, is hosting an EB-5 Workshop 1:00 - 4:00 pm December 5, 2010, in Flushing, New York City. Speakers from Florida Regional Center and Exclusive Visas are answering questions about EB-5 program. For more information about EB-5 regional center program, contact us today.

Registration Opens for New York City EB-5 Investors Seminar

Artisan Business Group, Inc., is now open to take online registration for an EB-5 seminar January 20, 2011. In addition to great speakers such as Brian Su, Kevin Wright, Lu Sun, Walter Huang, Julia Park, two VIP guests from China are tentatively planning to attend the seminar, they are Mr. Jason Li, CEO of MasLink Group, and Ms. Gillian Shuang, Managing Director of PKF Beijing. MasLink is a licensed and bonded EB-5 broker in China, and PKF Beijing is one of the main agencies that verifies EB-5 investors fund. For online registration, log on http://eb5fund.eventbrite.com - limited space available, hurry up to book your seating today.

Report from China: South Dakota Regional Center Promotes Buffalo Ridge Power Plant Project

South Dakota Regional Center executive Joop Bollen, legal adviser James Park, regional marketing director Joe Jin along with Chinese migration brokers are promoting the SDRC's latest Buffalo Ridge Power Plant Project.  The roadshow is scheduled in following cities in December.

December 11,  2:30 pm Beijing 北京：12月11日 下午2点半 北京香格里拉嘉里中心大酒店3层武汉厅

December 18, 2:30 pm  Shenzhen 深圳：12月18日 下午2点半 圣廷苑酒店3层四季厅

December 19, Qingdao 青岛：12月19日 下午2点半 海尔洲际酒店 1层银河5号厅。

For more information about the regional center seminars, contact us today.

 

Report from China: NYCRC Executives Visit Wenzhou, China

New York Regional Center executives will be attending a promotional event in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province on December 12, 2010. The EB-5 promotional seminar is to be hosted by local migration agency and introduces NETS project to prospective investors in Wenzhou, one of the most prosperous cities in Chinese east coastal region. For more information about EB-5 regional center program, contact us today.

EB-5 Migration Broker of the Year - Worldway Internaitonal Development Ltd. (HK)

EB-5 News Blog is glad to announce the recipient of EB-5 Migration Broker of the Year: Worldway International Development Limited.  The Chinese licensed migration consulting firm was established in Hong Kong in 1998; it is engaged in EB-5 immigration consulting services and provides professional services through its Chinese mainland offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Shenzhen, and Macao.  Worldway is highly experienced in advising its Chinese prospective clients on EB-5 program and Regional Center projects.  The firm is headed by Dr. Winner Xing; and it is currently promoting Idaho State Regional Center and South Dakota Regional Center projects.  For more information about the company, log on http://www.worldwayhk.com