EB-5 Investor Program
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is the federal pathway by which qualifying non-US investors can secure a US Green Card. It is designed for clients who already hold one or more passports and seek US permanent residency for themselves or a family member — typically children entering US universities or business heirs requiring stable US presence. The investment is substantial; the requirements are exacting; the outcome is among the most valuable immigration statuses in the world.
- Investment (TEA)
- $800,000 — Targeted Employment Area
- Investment (Standard)
- $1,050,000 — non-TEA
- Job Creation
- 10 qualifying full-time positions
- Conditional Green Card
- 24–48 months
- Permanent Green Card
- Year 4–5 (I-829)
- Citizenship Eligibility
- 5 years from PR status
When the United States is the destination.
EB-5 exists for a specific client: one for whom the United States — its universities, its capital markets, its operating environment — is the actual goal. The program asks for a meaningful, at-risk investment in a US business that creates US jobs. In exchange, it confers on the investor and their immediate family one of the world's most valuable residency statuses, with a defined path to US citizenship after five years of permanent residency. We work primarily with Regional Center investments and conduct independent diligence on each.
Principal applicant, spouse, and unmarried children under 21 are all eligible for derivative Green Cards on a single petition.
Permanent residency leads to US citizenship after five years (three for spouses of US citizens). Full naturalization rights at that point.
In-state tuition, federal financial aid eligibility, and access to US universities as domestic students for children on derivative Green Cards.
Rural and high-unemployment TEA set-asides under the 2022 EB-5 Reform Act offer faster processing for qualifying investments.
How to qualify.
Investment in a USCIS-designated Regional Center project (typically real estate, hospitality, or infrastructure). Indirect job-creation accounting permitted. The dominant route for our clients due to passive-investor structure.
Direct investment in and management of a US-domiciled operating business. Direct job-creation only. Suited to clients who intend to actively run a US business.
20% of EB-5 visas reserved for rural-area investments; 10% for high-unemployment TEAs. Set-aside categories often offer faster visa availability for clients from oversubscribed countries.
- Verifiable lawful source of investment funds (extensive USCIS scrutiny).
- Investment of $800,000 in a project located in a Targeted Employment Area, or $1,050,000 in a standard-area project.
- Demonstration that the investment will create or preserve at least ten qualifying full-time US jobs.
- Investment must remain at risk throughout the conditional residency period.
- Clean immigration history and admissibility under US law.
How we run this program.
Confidential intake. Independent diligence on candidate Regional Center projects. Source-of-funds preview for USCIS scrutiny.
Investment made and held in escrow. I-526E petition filed with USCIS demonstrating eligibility and project viability.
Petition approved. Consular processing or adjustment of status. Two-year conditional Green Card issued.
I-829 petition filed at month 21–24 to remove conditions. Permanent Green Card issued upon approval. Citizenship eligibility at year five.
Questions worth answering candidly.
How long does EB-5 actually take?+
End-to-end timing depends heavily on country of birth and chosen visa category. For non-backlogged countries using rural or high-unemployment set-asides, the full process from petition to permanent Green Card runs roughly 24 to 48 months. Clients from heavily backlogged countries (historically India, China, and Vietnam) face longer waits in some categories.
Is the investment really at risk?+
Yes — and it must be. USCIS requires the investment to be 'at risk,' meaning subject to potential loss as well as gain. Returns vary by Regional Center; principal repayment at year five to seven is typical but not guaranteed. We diligence project economics independently of any Regional Center.
What if my child is approaching age 21?+
The Child Status Protection Act provides specific protections for children of EB-5 applicants whose Green Cards are pending. Timing the petition relative to the child's age is critical and is one of the early structuring decisions in any family EB-5 engagement.
Can I lose the Green Card after I-829 approval?+
Permanent residency can be lost through extended absence from the United States, certain criminal conduct, or formal abandonment. Maintaining permanent residency requires meaningful US presence — generally treating the United States as your primary home.
Considering United States? Let's talk before you commit.
Thirty minutes with an experienced advisor. We'll tell you, candidly, whether this program is the right fit — and if it isn't, which one is.
You speak directly with an experienced advisor — not an intake associate.