*There is no direct relationship between the national EB-5 program and the Midwest China Hub project at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

        How is the St. Louis Region Involved in the EB-5 Program?

       *There is no involvement to date. A not for profit corporation known as Gateway to the Midwest Investment Center has applied to become an EB-5 regional center.

        Are there any EB-5 projects in the St. Louis Region?

       *Currently there are no investors lined up for Gateway to the Midwest Investment Center and it has not undertaken any marketing activities. Gateway to the Midwest Investment Center did not apply to USCIS for project pre-approval (i.e. has no qualified investments at this time) although it is actively searching for qualified high-quality project investments within the tri-county area at this time.

        What is EB-5?

      * The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Pilot Program (IIPP) was established by U.S. Congress in 1993 and is overseen by the U.S. Citizen & Immigration Service (USCIS). This program allows a foreign national to obtain permanent residency status by investing a minimum of $500,000 or $1,000,000 in a new commercial enterprise in the U.S. that creates or saves 10 U.S. jobs. Currently there are 10,000 EB-5 visas available each year.

        What is Gateway to the Midwest Investment Center?

       *The Gateway to the Midwest Investment Center was formed in September 2010 and has a current application pending with U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service (USCIS) for approval as anEB-5 Regional Center covering St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County.

      *Gateway to the Midwest Investment Center was formed as a not-for-profit corporation with an economic development mission. The mission is to increase investment, permanent employment, and economic development within the St. Louis region.

      Who qualifies for an EB-5 investor visa?

     *That program is available to foreign investors who invest a minimum of $500,000 in a qualified project that creates 10 US jobs. It is only AFTER those local jobs are created that the investor can apply for permanent residency in the United States.

    *That visa then becomes available to the investor or a member of his or her immediate family. It can never be used for any person outside of the family. These visa applications are rigorously investigated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) before a visa is issued.

   Is there any connection to the Midwest-China Hub Project?

   *There is no connection. The China Cargo Hub is a new international cargo route from Shanghai, China to St. Louis, Missouri run by China Cargo Airline.

   *The St. Louis region has not received approval for its application to become an EB-5 regional center; therefore no projects are eligible for this program.

    Why was the Gateway to the Midwest Investment Center created?

  *The purpose is to bring new investment to the St. Louis region in order to create meaningful jobs.

 * During times of tight credit markets, foreign investment provides a new source of funds for important projects. The EB-5 visa program holds immense potential for the St. Louis region, both in terms of investment and measurable job creation.