Select Highlights of the Interview with Lorrie from the Philippines
EB-5 Investor in the EB5AN Hyatt Fort Lauderdale Urban EB-5 Project
I decided to come to the U.S. to pursue a master’s program in 2015. I was a student on an F-1 visa. After a few years of being here, I decided that I wanted to stay longer because I really liked the freedom and the opportunities available to me here.
Full Interview with Lorrie from the Philippines
EB-5 Investor in the EB5AN Hyatt Fort Lauderdale Urban EB-5 Project
Transcript of the Interview with Lorrie from Philippines
Why I Made an EB-5 Investment
Lorrie, thank you for taking some time out of your day to join us today and share your EB-5 experience with potential investors. Can you tell us a little bit about your background and your experience and what led you to come to the United States?
Hi, my name is Lorrie Rojas. I’m from Cebu City, Philippines. I decided to come to the U.S. to pursue a master’s program in 2015. I was a student on an F-1 visa. After a few years of being here, I decided that I wanted to stay longer because I really liked the freedom and the opportunities available to me here. I liked living in the U.S., and I knew I wanted to stay here permanently.
My Criteria for Choosing an EB-5 Immigration Attorney
And what did you really like about being in the U.S. that made you want to stay permanently?
I like the culture, I like the food, I like the freedom, the flexibility. I like the lifestyle here, so I want to stay here permanently.
Choosing a Project Developer with A Successful Track Record
Great. And you were here for a few years as a student before you pursued EB-5, so were there other visa options before you decided on EB-5?
I did. I actually considered the H-1B visa, but it’s very limiting. So when I heard about EB-5, I really liked the flexibility and that it offers a clear [immigration] path.
Working with the EB5AN Team
At that point, you had done some research, and you knew you wanted to make an EB-5 investment. What was your experience working with and trying to hire an experienced EB-5 immigration attorney to help you with your application?
I went online and did my research. I actually interviewed five to six different attorneys. I talked to some lawyers in big law firms and some in smaller law firms, and I finally decided on Anahita George because she was very professional and responsive.
She works really fast, and she was available nights and weekends. I was able to message her on WhatsApp also. So communication with Anahita was very easy. So, as soon as the rules changed to allow me to apply for a work and travel permit, she got all that submitted for me right away, so she was really on top of it. I got my I-526 approved without a single question [a request for evidence] from USCIS.
Summary: Lorrie’s Advice for EB-5 Investors
Got it, got it. Okay. So that’s good to hear. For other investors who may be considering one attorney over another… For someone, with respect to picking an attorney, what are the most important things that you think someone should know when they hire someone to help with their EB-5?
Someone who is very knowledgeable and has extensive experience, especially with… Make sure it’s also someone you like, because you’ll be working with them for multiple years.
Got it, got it. Okay. The project and the regional center. What made you decide to work with Kolter as the developer?
The most important thing for me when picking a project is the quality and the track record of the developer. Kolter has a perfect track record over more than 20 years and has not had a single failed project or a loan that hasn’t been repaid. So, I’m very happy that I went with Kolter because this project was a hotel that opened right in the middle of COVID, and given Kolter’s financial strength, they were able to make it through a very difficult economic period.
At the time that you decided to invest back in November 2019, what were some of the differences between this project and some of the other projects that you were considering, and what made you pick this one?
I looked at other projects that were promising a slightly faster repayment of funds, but it was obvious that the developers that they use had less experience and culture. I didn’t feel my money would be safe there. So looking back again, I’m so happy with my decision because a lot of other similar projects had major problems because of COVID.
As part of your diligence process, did you get a chance to visit the project and see it in person?
Yes, I did. I went to the site to see the project. I went there with Mike. He toured me [around] and he answered a lot of my questions.
