Voices of Global Investment Immigration Summit – Episode 63

July 19, 2018

The Global Investment Immigration Summit took place in London on June 21-22, 2018. In this episode, Mona chats with conference attendees about their work with investment firms, immigration law, Regional Centers, and the high net worth industry. Listen in for insight on the value of understanding other countries’ citizenship-by-investment programs and learn how events like this one provide an ideal opportunity to educate investors and immigration professionals on EB-5.

Events like the Global Investment Immigration Summit offer professionals the chance to network and learn about each other’s citizenship-by-investment programs. For immigration lawyers and professionals in the high net worth industry, a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities available helps them advise their clients in choosing the investment program that is in their best interests.

On this episode of EB-5 Investment Voice, Mona has conversations with several attendees of the recent Global Investment Immigration Summit held in London on June 21-22. She discusses both the need for education around the EB-5 program and the benefits of connecting with other citizenship-by-investment professionals.

Mona covers investment in the London Stock Exchange and Tier 1 visas with Tim Sunderland of Valbury Capital and citizenship-by-investment programs in the EU and Caribbean with Konstantin Kaminskiy of Astons. She chats with Legal Solutions UK host Harjap Singh Bhangal about his law practice, the impact of Brexit, and Asian investment in US real estate. Mona meets Tony Hopkins, a representative of the STEP Think Publishing news platform for professionals in the high net worth industry, and covers the “challenge and opportunity” presented by the immense interest in EB-5 with Manuel Ortiz of Civitas Capital. Listen in as Mona and Bill Gresser of EB-5 New York State speak to hubs like London as a stepping stone for people who want to immigrate to the United States and learn about the upcoming AILA & IIUSA joint event in Chicago in October.

Valbury Capital

Tim Sunderland serves as an institutional broker for Valbury Capital, a firm that helps individuals from around the world obtain a Tier 1 Investor visa in the UK.
Rather than sourcing projects, Valbury focuses on direct equity investment in the London Stock Exchange. Tim can be reached by email at tsunderland@valbury.uk.

Astons Investment Immigration Firm

Konstantin Kaminskiy is a director at Astons, a citizenship-by-investment consultancy based in Mayfair in London. Astons got its start as a UK immigration law firm, and they have always focused on investment visas as an expertise.
Astons serves high net worth individuals, mainly from China, Russia and the Middle East. The firm provides a variety of citizenship-by-investment programs in the EU and Caribbean.

Legal Solutions UK

Harjap Singh Bhangal is a well-known solicitor who hosts the show Legal Solutions UK on YouTube. People call in for immigration advice, and he live streams a new episode every Friday.
When it comes to the Asian community, the US is more popular for real estate investment than the UK, where a minimum investment of £2M is required. Asian immigrants to the UK look to do startup businesses instead.
Harjap’s practice is called Global Legal Solutions. He began the firm to help asylum seekers get out of detention centers and quickly learned that people would pursue legal routes to immigration given access to the right information.

STEP Think Publishing

Tony Hopkins works with STEP Think Publishing, a global news platform for practitioners in the high net worth industry. STEP has a membership of 20K professionals in 80 countries who specialize in family inheritance and succession planning.
STEP provides its members with news and views to support them in managing their high net worth clients’ legal and financial requirements. Citizenship-by-investment is a growing area of interest for STEP members and the clients they serve.

Civitas Capital

Manuel Ortiz is the Director of EB-5 Operations for Civitas Capital, a US specialty asset management and financial services firm. Civitas takes an institutional approach to EB-5, and they have a 100% track record with the program.
Despite the two-year minimum wait time involved in EB-5 and issues like retrogression and legislative uncertainty, there continues to be a high level of interest in the program. Events like the Global Investment Immigration Summit provide an opportunity to educate people about the EB-5 program.

EB-5 New York State

Bill Gresser is the president of EB-5 New York State, a Regional Center with a history of success in helping its investors receive their green cards AND full repayment of their investments.
A number of people use the Caribbean and the EU as a stepping stone, with intentions of eventually immigrating to the US. The Global Investment Immigration Summit provides an opportunity for leaders like Bill to have intimate conversations with people about the EB-5 program and how it could work for their family.

Voices of Global Investment Immigration Summit – Episode 63