EB-5 Immigrant Investor, Step by Step

The investor green card: amounts, job creation, regional centers, set-asides, and the two-step path to a permanent green card.

What EB-5 is

EB-5 gives a green card to investors who put capital into a US business and create jobs. The standard investment is $1,050,000, or $800,000 in a targeted employment area (rural or high-unemployment).

The investment must be at risk and the business must create at least 10 full-time jobs for US workers.

Regional center vs direct investment

Most investors use a regional center: an approved entity that pools investments into larger projects and counts indirect jobs toward the 10-job requirement. Direct investment means your own business, where only direct employees count.

Regional center cases follow a different petition form (I-526E) and depend heavily on the project's quality — due diligence on the project matters as much as the immigration paperwork.

Set-aside visas

The 2022 reform law reserves part of the EB-5 quota: 20% for rural projects, 10% for high-unemployment areas, and 2% for infrastructure. Set-aside categories have their own Visa Bulletin lines and are currently less backlogged than the unreserved line for China and India.

Check the EB-5 lines in the Visa Bulletin archive.
Rural set-aside cases also get faster processing priority under the law.

The two steps: I-526, then I-829

First, the investor petition (I-526 or I-526E) proves the investment, its lawful source, and the job-creation plan. After approval and when a visa is available, you get a conditional green card valid for two years.

Before the two years end, you file Form I-829 to remove conditions, proving the investment was sustained and the jobs were created. Only then does the green card become permanent.

Risks to weigh

EB-5 is an investment with immigration benefits, not a purchase of a visa. Projects can fail, and a failed project can mean both lost capital and a lost case. Source-of-funds documentation is extensive and strictly reviewed.

Because the sums and the stakes are large, independent legal and financial review of any project is standard practice before committing funds.