- 01What Is EB-5?
- The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program grants U.S. green cards to foreign nationals who invest in a U.S. business that creates at least 10 full-time jobs. Created in 1990 and reformed by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (RIA), it remains one of the few direct paths from investment to permanent residence.
- 02Regional Centers
- Regional centers are USCIS-designated entities that sponsor EB-5 investment projects, typically structured as limited partnerships. They let investors count indirect and induced jobs — not just direct W-2 employees — and manage daily operations, which is why most EB-5 investors use them.
- 03Direct EB-5
- A direct EB-5 investment means investing in — and managing — your own U.S. business, with no regional center involved. It leads to the same green card but requires at least 10 direct, full-time W-2 employees on your payroll.
- 04Investment Requirements
- $800,000 for projects in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) — rural areas or high-unemployment zones — and $1,050,000 elsewhere. The $800K threshold is in effect until January 2027, then adjusts for inflation. Funds must be lawfully sourced and remain "at risk" for the required period.
- 05Job Creation
- Each investment must create at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers. Regional center projects may count direct, indirect, and induced jobs from economic modeling; direct investments count W-2 employees only. Job creation is verified at the I-829 stage.
- 06Source of Funds
- You must prove your capital was lawfully obtained and trace its path to the project. Accepted sources include salary, business profits, real-estate sales, gifts, loans, and inheritance — documented through tax records and bank statements.
- 07The Immigration Process
- The path: invest and file I-526E → (concurrently adjust status if you are in the U.S.) → receive a 2-year conditional green card → file I-829 in the last 90 days → permanent green card. Concurrent filing can also provide work and travel permits while you wait.
- 08Form I-526E
- The initial immigrant petition for regional center investors, proving the investment is committed, the funds are lawful, and the project can create the required jobs. Rural petitions receive priority processing under the RIA.
- 09Form I-829
- Filed in the last 90 days of your conditional residence, the I-829 proves the investment stayed at risk and the jobs were created. Approval removes the conditions and issues a 10-year permanent green card.
- 10Conditional Permanent Residence
- The first stage of your green card — a 2-year conditional status carrying nearly all the rights of a permanent resident. It becomes permanent only through a successful I-829 filing.
- 11Family Members
- One investment covers your immediate family: your spouse and unmarried children under 21 are included in the same petition and receive green cards together — no additional investment required.
- 12Redeployment
- If a project repays capital before your sustainment period ends, the regional center may redeploy the funds into another EB-5-qualifying investment to keep them "at risk." Under the RIA, that period is generally 2 years.