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By: Rahul Soni
7月14日(周二)美国总统特朗普最新签署一项行政命令,宣布美国取消香港特别行政区的特殊地位,不再把香港和中国大陆区分开来。从美国移民法角度来看,香港出生的居民和持香港特区护照的居民,之后在移民签证配额和非移民签证有效期方面,会与中国大陆居民享有同等待遇。该行政命令是为了反制同样是7月14日出台的港区国家安全法,后者旨在进一步加强对香港的管辖。
对EB-5投资移民签证流程的影响
根据行政命令,在香港出生的美国永居申请人将计入(或者“占用”)中国大陆区的移民签证配额。从实操层面而言,目前中国大陆居民在申请大多数类别的美国绿卡(包括EB-5)时,会遭遇漫长的签证申请排期,今后香港申请人也将面临同样情况。当前美国国务院公布信息表明,中国大陆出生的EB-5投资移民申请人从I-526申请提交到申请受理大约要经历五年的排期。然而,取决于纳入配额的EB-5投资移民香港申请人数量,中国申请人签证排期有可能会进一步延长。
2020年3月31日,美国移民局(USCIS)将EB-5投资移民签证申请的审批顺序调整为根据排期(签证)情况进行审批。有签证配额的国家将被优先审批I-526申请。根据该审批规则,申请I-526的投资者如果来自中国(现包含香港)等存在签证排期的国家/地区,将面临更为漫长的申请时间,根据政府公布的签证受理时间,最长达到5年。
随着香港申请人被取消了特殊的签证有效期和使用规则,美国移民局最近还修改了EB-5审批规则,最终会延长香港投资人的临时绿卡(有条件的永居身份)申请。在目前法律下,已经提交和在办的EB-5案子是可免于追溯,还是需要遵循新行政命令规定,这一点尚不明确。
香港投资人的实际考量点
希望通过EB-5投资移民项目获取美国绿卡的香港申请人,要经历更漫长的等待期(至少5年的签证排期),EB-5投资计划的可行性也会随之极大降低。部分香港投资人可通过交叉使用申请配额(“Cross-Charge”,即配偶来自非排期国家,那么可以使用非排期国家的签证配额),免于漫长的签证排期并避免延误。然而,对于无法避免签证排期的香港投资人而言,需要比预期更早地开始办理EB-5投资移民申请。对许多EB-5投资人来说,选择美国投资移民,只是为了未成年子女的美国绿卡,确保他们在上大学时拿到美国永居身份。由于签证排期,作为EB-5附属申请人的子女有可能会在获得签证配额之前超龄(即年龄超过21+I-526受理时间之和)。因此,尽可能在子女较为年幼的时候开始EB-5申请,才能确保作为附属申请人的子女获得签证配额,从而最终为整个家庭的移民提供保证。
有待公布进一步指导意见
美国国务院和国土安全部有望在未来数周内,针对上述行政命令颁布进一步的指导意见。如果您对此有任何问题,请联系Rahul Soni([email protected])。
本文发布于2020年7月21日,相关情况常有变化。如果您希望了解全球出入境及移民领域的最新进展,请访问我们的新冠疫情专题网站,订阅我们的客户通知并关注我们的领英网站。
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