Processing and compiling of documents for EB-5 green cards are accessible with some basic requirements. The EB-5 was established to promote the United States economy by providing access to immigrants with specific requirements.

There are some stringent requirements for the direct-investment method. For starters, the applicant must invest or be in the process of investing at least $1.8 million in a company created after 1990. This investment must benefit the country’s economy and provide 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers. The applicant must also possess a policy-making role in the business.

Regional Centers Program

EB-5 visa applicants also have the option to invest in EB-5 Regional Centers. These Centers administer EB-5 projects. Immigrant investors may prefer this option for a bunch of reasons.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) designates different private and government agencies as regional centers, which can be an intermediary in the investment process.

If the applicant is unfamiliar with running a business, this choice would be the better option because the investor will not have to set up the EB-5 projects independently.

Notedly, the 10 jobs for U.S. workers can be created directly or indirectly, so it is a little more flexible because you do not directly need to employ 10 people.

Required Investment Amount and TEAs

To obtain an EB-5 status, applicants are required to invest either $500,000 or $1 million capital amount into a U.S. commercial enterprise. This investment can take many forms. The EB-5 investment can be made in cash, inventory, equipment, secured indebtedness, tangible property, or cash equivalents. However, investment capital cannot be borrowed.

Also, if the investment is made in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA), the required investment is decreased from $1 million to $500,000. A TEA can either be a rural area or an area with at least 150 percent of the national unemployment rate at the EB-5 investment time. Rural areas can also be geographic regions that are outside of what the U.S. Office of Management and Budget has designated as metropolitan statistical areas.