EB-5 Investment-Based Green Card
You may invest $1.8 million or $900,000 to a new or existing business for an EB-5 green card
The EB-5 investor green card allows a foreign national to invest $900,000 to $1.8 million in a business enterprise in order to apply for U.S. conditional residency. New investments in non-rural, non-targeted employment areas (TEA) require the investment to be at least $1 million and to create 10 direct jobs. The foreign investor must also oversee the development of the enterprise.
Investments in rural areas or areas of high unemployment require foreign nationals to invest $900,000.00, create 10 indirect jobs, and the investor does not have to be involved in overseeing the business.
EB-5 process
The foreign investor has to put the entire amount at risk. Once the petition is approved, the foreign national will be granted conditional residency for two years.
EB-5 regional centers
A regional center is an approved investment enterprise that has met the criteria set out by the USCIS to accept foreign investments in order to apply for U.S. permanent residency. Regional centers are advantageous to many investors since: 1) it only requires a $900,000 investment; 2) it does not require the investor to oversee the day-to-day operations; and 3) it does not need to show a creation of ten jobs.
Other Investment Visas
Other temporary, short-term investment-based visas that do not allow for permanent residency include the E-1 treaty trader visa, and the E-2 treaty investor visa.