EB-5 Visa: Green Card by Investment

The minimum investment is $800,000 USD when invested in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA), or $1,050,000 USD for standard investments outside a TEA. These amounts were set by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and adjust every 5 years.

A TEA is an area designated by USCIS as rural or with high unemployment (at least 150% of the national average). Investing in a TEA reduces the required amount from $1,050,000 to $800,000 USD. TEA-based projects are the most common option for EB-5 investors.

The complete process from filing the I-526E to obtaining a permanent Green Card takes between 3 and 5 years for most nationals, though it can be faster for investors from countries without visa backlog. Conditional residency is obtained first, and the condition is removed 2 years later via the I-829 form.

Yes. The EB-5 visa includes the principal investor, their spouse, and all unmarried children under 21. All obtain Green Cards and can live, work, and study in the United States without restrictions.

Yes, once the I-829 form is approved and the conditional residency is removed (approximately 5–7 years after the initial investment), the investor can recover their capital based on the project terms. However, EB-5 is an "at-risk" investment — there is no guarantee of capital return.

No. Unlike other immigration visas, EB-5 does not require English proficiency or a specific educational level. The main requirement is demonstrating the lawful source of funds and maintaining the investment for the required period.

USCIS requires detailed documentation of the lawful origin of every dollar invested. This may include tax returns, asset sale contracts, bank records, property deeds, employment contracts, documented inheritances, and any other documents that trace the funds from their origin to the investment.

The investment must create at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers (citizens, permanent residents, or others authorized to work). In Regional Center projects, direct, indirect, and induced jobs can be counted.

A Regional Center is an entity designated by USCIS that manages EB-5 projects in a specific geographic region. Investing through a Regional Center allows counting indirect jobs toward the 10-job requirement, which makes it easier to meet that criterion in large projects like hotels or real estate developments.

If the project fails to create the 10 required jobs, the I-829 petition can be denied and conditional residency will not convert to permanent. That's why it's critical to choose a well-structured project with a Regional Center with a solid track record. As an attorney, we help evaluate project viability before investing.