Taxation Without Representation

I've been representing foreign investors in the U.S. for 18 years.  So have many of my colleagues.  So why is it that the notion of "tax planning" is such a conundrum for most immigration attorneys?  The truth is that we, as immigration counsel, are "programmed&quo...

Jose E. Latour Oct 21, 2009

To “L” in a Handbasket

A formidable number of weak L-1A visas were filed in Venezuela in the past decade, and it is small wonder the U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa team in Caracas casts a wary eye upon Intracompany Visa applications involving:a new U.S. enterprise with low job creation numbersa comparatively small Venezuelan pare...

Jose E. Latour Oct 20, 2009

TEA Time in the Florida Keys

No, I’m not talking “tee time” at Ocean Reef (or “tea time” at Ocean Reef, for that matter.)  I’m referring to the EB-5 Investor Visa definition for TEA: “targeted employment areas”.  A “TEA” refers either a geographical area which has an unemployment rate of at least 150% of the national ...

Jose E. Latour Oct 13, 2009

EB-5: It’s About Job Creation, Stupid

Our immigration seminar in Venezuela went off without a hitch and we met some great folks.  Despite Venezuela’s political complications, it was interesting to see that whatever one’s leanings, the same pragmatism seems to permeate the private sector of what is still a thriving petro-dollar econ...

Jose E. Latour Oct 12, 2009

EB-5 Regional Center Forum Debuts

Yesterday, Bernstein Osberg-Braun and De Moraes' first EB-5 Immigrant Investment Forum went off without a hitch in our Miami headquarters.  In addition to some pretty stellar performances by Karen Caco (of counsel to the firm and one of the country's most experienced EB-5 at...

Jose E. Latour Oct 07, 2009

All Abuzz About Regional Centers

The momentum is palpable: Roger and I are spending the better part of our days dealing with three sets of inquiries:1- U.S. Developers and Project Managers considering an EB-5 structure to finance their projects with foreign capital;2- Attorneys and Investment Advisors with foreign clients who are i...

Jose E. Latour Sep 30, 2009