Permanent residency (green card)
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
A green card for investors who put at least $800,000-$1,050,000 at risk in a new US commercial enterprise that creates 10+ full-time jobs.
EB-5 grants permanent residency to investors (and their spouse and unmarried children under 21) who invest the required minimum capital in a new commercial enterprise and create or preserve at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying US workers.
Category
Permanent residency (green card)
Best for
Well-capitalized founders or investors able to place $800K+ at risk in a new US business that will create at least 10 jobs.
Eligibility
- Minimum investment of $800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA, including qualifying infrastructure projects) or $1,050,000 elsewhere (2026 figures, adjusted for inflation every 5 years).
- Capital must be genuinely at risk in a new commercial enterprise, not a guaranteed-return arrangement.
- Must create or preserve at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying US workers within the required timeframe.
- Can invest directly in your own startup, or through a USCIS-designated Regional Center that pools EB-5 capital into larger projects.
Benefits
- Leads directly to a green card for the investor plus spouse and unmarried children under 21.
- No advanced degree, extraordinary-ability record, or employer sponsor required — the qualifying facts are the investment and the jobs it creates.
- Investing directly in your own company (rather than a Regional Center project) is a real option for well-funded founders.
Tradeoffs to know
- The capital requirement is out of reach for most early-stage founders — this pathway is really for well-capitalized investor-founders.
- Conditional permanent residence must be confirmed roughly 2 years later by proving the investment and job-creation requirements were actually met.
- Regional Center EB-5 projects carry real due-diligence risk — vet sponsors carefully; direct investment in your own startup avoids that specific risk but concentrates all the capital risk on you.
How to apply
File Form I-526 (or I-526E for a Regional Center investment) with evidence of the qualifying investment and business plan, then adjust status or complete consular processing once approved.
Immigration law changes frequently and eligibility is highly fact-specific. This is a starting-point reference, not legal advice — talk to a qualified immigration attorney before choosing or relying on any pathway here.