Is one of these two investment based routes more advisable then the other?

A: The vast majority of investment based cases that are filed with USCIS each year are $500,000 "regional investment center" cases. There has been much written about this trend and the general consensus correlates this to a couple of factors. One such factor is rather obvious as the investment amount is far lower. Perhaps a more determinative factor however is that the $500,000 "regional investment center" cases seem to be more streamlined as the business in which these funds are invested have already been screened and approved by USCIS, thereby receiving the "regional investment center" designation.

The result of investing into such a pre-approved business model is that the process of removing the conditions from an applicant's green card after two years is often far simpler. The reason for this is that after two years, you as a green card applicant do not have to show that the regional investment center has directly created at least 10 jobs for each investment they have received, but instead, the regulations permit one to merely show that at least 10 jobs have been indirectly created from the use of such funds.

This brings us to another very important point. When considering the $500,000 regional investment center route one needs to diligently consider various USCIS approved investment centers, reviewing data regarding job creation as well as a number of other factors. Apart from just the immigration implications of this data, it is also important to have this information to discuss with financial and business advisers.

If on the other hand an applicant is searching for specific investment returns that approved investment centers may or may not be able to provide, or if an applicant is determined to set up and invest their own new commercial enterprise for personal or business reasons, then the $1 million direct investment route might best suit such needs.

Each individual is different and accordingly advice on which path to take differs from one investor to another although it can be stated with confidence that investing into an already approved USCIS investment center is often more streamlined and saddled with fewer potential delays and legal impediments to conditional permanent residency.