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By: Rahul Soni
7月14日(週二)美國總統特朗普最新簽署一項行政命令 ,宣布美國取消香港特別行政區的特殊地位,不再把香港和中國大陸區分開來。從美國移民法角度來看,香港出生的居民和持香港特區護照的居民,之後在移民簽證配額和非移民簽證有效期方面,會與中國大陸居民享有同等待遇。該行政命令是為了反制同樣是7月14日出臺的港區國家安全法,後者旨在進一步加強對香港的管轄。
對EB-5投資移民簽證流程的影響
根據行政命令,在香港出生的美國永居申請人將計入(或者"佔用")中國大陸區的移民簽證配額。從實操層面而言,目前中國大陸居民在申請大多數類別的美國綠卡(包括EB-5)時,會遭遇漫長的簽證申請排期,今後香港申請人也將面臨同樣情況。當前美國國務院公佈資訊表明,中國大陸出生的EB-5投資移民申請人從I-526申請提交到申請受理大約要經歷五年的排期。然而,取決於納入配額的EB-5投資移民香港申請人數量,中國申請人簽證排期有可能會進一步延長。
2020年3月31日,美國移民局(USCIS)將EB-5投資移民簽證申請的審批順序調整為根據排期(簽證)情況進行審批。有簽證配額的國家將被優先審批I-526申請。根據該審批規則,申請I-526的投資者如果來自中國(現包含香港)等存在簽證排期的國家/地區,將面臨更為漫長的申請時間,根據政府公佈的簽證受理時間,最長達到5年。
隨著香港申請人被取消了特殊的簽證有效期和使用規則,美國移民局最近還修改了EB-5審批規則,最終會延長香港投資人的臨時綠卡(有條件的永居身份)申請。在目前法律下,已經提交和在辦的EB-5案子是可免於追溯,還是需要遵循新行政命令規定,這一點尚不明確。
香港投資人的實際考量點
希望通過EB-5投資移民專案獲取美國綠卡的香港申請人,要經歷更漫長的等待期(至少5年的簽證排期),EB-5投資計劃的可行性也會隨之極大降低。部分香港投資人可通過交叉使用申請配額("Cross-Charge",即配偶來自非排期國家,那麼可以使用非排期國家的簽證配額),免於漫長的簽證排期並避免延誤。然而,對於無法避免簽證排期的香港投資人而言,需要比預期更早地開始辦理EB-5投資移民申請。對許多EB-5投資人來說,選擇美國投資移民,只是為了未成年子女的美國綠卡,確保他們在上大學時拿到美國永居身份。由於簽證排期,作為EB-5附屬申請人的子女有可能會在獲得簽證配額之前超齡(即年齡超過21+I-526受理時間之和)。因此,盡可能在子女較為年幼的時候開始EB-5申請,才能確保作為附屬申請人的子女獲得簽證配額,從而最終為整個家庭的移民提供保證。
有待公佈進一步指導意見。
美國國務院和國土安全部有望在未來數周內,針對上述行政命令頒布進一步的指導意見。如果您對此有任何問題,請聯繫Rahul Soni([email protected])。
本文發佈於2020年7月21日,相關情況常有變化。 如果您希望瞭解全球出入境及移民領域的最新進展,請造訪我們的新冠疫情專題網站,訂閱我們的客戶通知並關注我們的領英網站。
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