Updated
GL-E-01
Glossary · Citizenship and residency programs
EB-5 Visa - USA, green card through investment
You invest from $800,000 in a US business and create 10 jobs — and receive a green card for yourself and your family. The timeline is 2-3 years. Expensive and slow, but it is a genuine permanent status in the USA.
01 / In 30 seconds
The short answer
- What it is
- Permanent status (a green card) in the US for investing in a business and creating jobs
- Where it applies
- USA
- Cost
- From $800,000 in a targeted area; higher outside it
- Duration
- Usually 2-3 years or more, with a conditional status in between
- Can you prepare
- Yes: choose a reliable project and evidence the source of funds
02 / In plain words
What EB-5 Visa means
EB-5 is a US programme under which a green card is granted for investment. The arrangement is direct: you invest a large sum in a business in the US and create jobs for Americans, and in return you receive permanent status for yourself, your spouse and your children. It is one of the few lawful ways to obtain a green card through money rather than through an employer or relatives.
The conditions are strict on the numbers. The minimum investment is $800,000 if the project is in a targeted employment area (a rural area or one with high unemployment), and higher otherwise. Plus there is a requirement to create at least 10 full-time jobs. The money genuinely works in the economy and is at risk — it is an investment, not a government contribution.
In terms of time, EB-5 is a long road, usually 2-3 years or more to a permanent green card, with an intermediate conditional status. Expensive and not quick, but the result is genuine US permanent residence with the prospect of citizenship. For those who put speed and a smaller budget first, the E-2 visa is often considered as an alternative.
A case from practice
A family invests $800,000 in an approved EB-5 project in a targeted area. The project creates the required 10+ jobs. First the spouses and their children under 21 receive a conditional green card, and about 2 years later, once the jobs have been confirmed, a permanent one. The whole route takes several years.
Why people choose EB-5
- US permanent residence (green card)
- Status for a spouse and children under 21
- Living, working and studying in any state
- A path to US citizenship over time
- Independence from an employer and relatives
- Long-term relocation of the family to the US
03 / What it covers
EB-5 conditions
Investment
- From $800,000 in a targeted area
- Higher outside the area
- The money is genuinely at risk
The economy
- Investment in a US business
- 10+ jobs
- Direct or through a regional center
Who receives it
- Principal investor
- Spouse
- Children under 21
Check
- Source of funds (SoF)
- Lawful capital
- USCIS approval
04 / How it works
How EB-5 works
Choosing the project and structure
Proof of source of funds
Investment and filing the petition
Conditional green card
Permanent green card
05 / Cost and timelines
What EB-5 costs: investment thresholds
01Targeted employment area (TEA)
from $800,000
A rural area or one with high unemployment. Creating 10+ jobs is mandatory.
02Standard project
from $1,050,000
Projects outside a targeted area. The same 10+ jobs.
On top of the investment itself come the project’s administrative fees, legal support and USCIS government fees. The money is invested in a real business and is at risk. We calculate the exact budget and timeline for the specific project and family composition.
Timelines
- Overall timeline
- Usually 2-3 years or more to a permanent green card
- Intermediate status
- A conditional green card for 2 years
- Who approves
- USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services)
- What it depends on
- The project, country of birth (queues), the funds check
06 / Key facts
What you need to know
01
EB-5 leads directly to a permanent status, but it is a long road (2-3 years+)
02
The $800,000 minimum applies only in a targeted area; outside it the threshold is higher
03
Creating at least 10 jobs is a mandatory condition
04The money is genuinely at risk
it is an investment, not a government contribution
05
For speed and a smaller budget it is often compared with the E-2 visa
Common mistakes
- Choosing a project on promised returns alone without checking its reliability
- Underestimating timelines and country-of-birth queues
- Not evidencing the lawful source of the invested funds
- Treating EB-5 as a “contribution” — it is an investment with real risk
- Not comparing it with E-2 when speed and a smaller budget matter more
07 / Expert advice
How to prepare in advance
Before investing, take a sober view of the full budget, timelines and queues, choose a reliable project with a transparent job-creation structure and evidence the lawful source of the invested funds in advance (source of funds). If EB-5 is not optimal in terms of money and time, it makes sense to consider the route through a Grenadian passport and the E-2 visa.
What we do for you. We take a sober look at EB-5 for your situation: the full budget, timelines, project risks and family composition. If it is not optimal in terms of money and time, we show you the route through a Grenadian passport and the E-2 visa — it gets going faster and costs less, although it gives a status of a different nature.
Robert HaasHead of Company Formation
08 / Questions
Frequently asked questions
From $800,000 if the project is in a targeted area (a rural area or one with high unemployment). Outside such areas the threshold is higher. Plus a mandatory condition — creating at least 10 jobs.
EB-5 gives a green card (a permanent status) directly, but it is more expensive and takes years. E-2 is a renewable investor visa that gets going faster and costs less, but it requires a passport from a country with an E-2 treaty — among the Caribbean countries, that is Grenada.
The principal investor, the spouse and children under 21. Children over 21 or married are included separately and under different rules.
EB-5 is an investment with real risk, not a government contribution. Repayment depends on the project’s success, so the project’s reliability matters more than the promised return.
Yes, over time. After several years as a permanent resident and subject to meeting the requirements, you can apply for naturalisation as a US citizen.
Yes. Queues (visa retrogression) apply to some countries, which lengthens the route. We take this into account when planning.
Related terms
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