A Guide to the EB-5 Visa Program
Make Your American Dream a Reality

Take a look at the criteria for the EB-5 program and see if it’s the right match for you. 

• You are able to invest the required minimum amount (starting at $800,000 + syndication fees, depending on the location of the project)
• Your investment through American Life finances a development project in the United States that will create a minimum of 10 full-time jobs per investor for U.S. workers
• You are able to demonstrate that your investment funds come from a lawful source
• You have a willingness to place capital at risk with the goal of generating a return

Work — EB-5 permanent residents are allowed to work for any company in the U.S. In some states you can only obtain professional licenses (engineering, real estate agents, etc.) if you have a U.S. green card or are a U.S. citizen.

Business — EB-5 permanent residents can start their own business anywhere in the U.S.

Travel — EB-5 green card holders can travel anywhere within the U.S. and leave and enter the country freely as permanent residents.

Legal rights — EB-5 permanent residents’ legal rights are protected under U.S. law, except the right to vote, which is available after you become a U.S. citizen.

Family members — EB-5 permanent residents can sponsor a spouse and unmarried children (under age 21) included in the same green card petition.

Education — EB-5 permanent residents generally enjoy in-state or resident tuition at all public universities and colleges. Typically, this rate is two to four times less expensive than the rate foreign students have to pay.

Home — EB-5 permanent residents will find it easier to be approved for a home mortgage and/or to obtain lower interest rates.

Retirement — EB-5 permanent residents enjoy the same Social Security benefits as a U.S. citizen after they have worked in the U.S. for ten years.

Citizenship — EB-5 permanent residents are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship and have a U.S. passport. You can also keep your permanent green card forever if you choose not to become a U.S. citizen as long as you maintain U.S. residency.

The total cost of the EB-5 process includes the minimum investment amount of $800,000 for projects located in designated Targeted Employment Areas (TEAs), i.e., rural areas or infrastructure projects, or $1,050,000 if located elsewhere.

In addition to the capital investment and any syndication fees, applicants should budget for legal fees, administration fees, and a USCIS filing fee–the combined total of which can sometimes exceed $100K.

The EB-5 visa program provides a path for eligible immigrant investors to become lawful permanent residents–informally known as “green card” holders. In that sense, the EB-5 visa is a “green card.”

The EB-5 visa acts as a permanent green card allowing the recipient to stay in the U.S. indefinitely. However, once you obtain your EB-5 visa, it is generally advisable that you do not leave the U.S. for any continuous period longer than six months. You may also lose your permanent residency status if you are found guilty of a crime or do not file U.S. tax returns. 

The EB-5 investment program allocates 10,000 visas per year for investors and their family members. There is also a quota or cap per country that can affect the timing of the issuance of your EB-5 visa.