John Yao
Investor Profile
by EB5 Investors Magazine Staff
EB5 Investors Magazine: When did you decide to
immigrate to the United States? What is the your main
motivation for becoming a permanent resident?
Mr. Yao: Ever since the first time I visited the United States
in 1997, I have always been fond of this country, especially
the Southern California area. Our family used to spend a few
weeks on summer vacation in the United States at some of my
business suppliers’ homes. Largely as a result of my influence,
my daughter likes Americans and their lifestyle, so she is also
open to the idea of living permanently in United States.
It took me a long time to make up my mind, although I started to consider immigration and to compare different countries’
programs in about 2002. I was very interested in emigrating
to United States because it is well-known for establishing democracy and a mature market economy. However, back then
I was very doubtful about the EB-5 program. I did not begin
preparing my application until 2007 - four years after I flew
down to Guangzhou to attend an EB-5 promotional seminar
that I had read about in a newspaper. The seminar was hosted
by a migration agency. They confirmed my qualifications for
applying for the EB-5 visa, but I still felt uncomfortable doing it.
EB5 Investors Magazine: What made you so
doubtful about the program at that time?
Mr. Yao: Well, I asked a lot of questions and the agent failed
to explain some of the details about the investment. I was
concerned about the at-risk nature of EB-5 investments, and
that the investors cannot be guaranteed a green card or financial
return. The warnings sounded pretty scary to me back then.
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EB5 Investors Magazine: So what happened during the
four years of holding off before you took this route?
Mr. Yao: After my Guangzhou trip, I did not feel it was time
to actually make it happen, and that feeling did not change until 2007. In 2006, I sent my daughter to study abroad in a high
school in Australia, which is why Australia was then my first
choice. Another reason is because they have lower requirements
and risks. The largest agency in Australia thought my success
rate was 100 percent, so I started filing the application and got
the approval notice a half year later. The counselor interview
went well, yet they denied my visa 30 days after. Although my
source of funds report is clear and comprehensive, they had
doubts about my business in the United States and my motivation for immigration.
EB5 Investors Magazine: Could you briefly describe
your professional background and business?
Mr. Yao: My major is in electronic engineering. In 1985,
I started my career in high-tech manufacturing equipment
industry as a marketing agent for European and American
clients. In 1995, I launched my own company, which specialized in providing marketing services in Mainland China to the
U.S. suppliers. Because of my business, I made friends with a
lot of Americans.
EB5 INVESTORS MAGAZINE