EB‑5 Visa: requirements, costs and obtaining process

The EB‑5 Investor Visa Program was created in 1990 to allow foreign investors to become legal permanent residents of the US. Simply put, investing in a US business can secure your Green Card. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS, runs the EB‑5 Visa Program.

How to obtain EB‑5 Investor Visa in the US

Investors can either make an EB‑5 direct investment in a specific business that creates 10 local jobs or work with an approved Regional Center. This licensed body pools funds from EB‑5 participants to invest and create jobs on their behalf.

Once you file the EB‑5 visa application, the immigration process runs alongside the investment one. The Regional Сentre approves applications if investors fulfil investments and create jobs. The project’s success does not influence issuing of the Green Card but still matters in case of investment return.

How to get a US immigrant visa as an investor and move a step closer to a Green Card

Benefits. The EB‑5 Immigrant Investor Program leads to permanent residency status — a Green Card allowing investors and their family members to live, work, and study in the US.

An investor who meets all the EB‑5 visa requirements successfully has a clear pathway to becoming a US citizen.

Other benefits of an EB‑5 investment visa are the following:

• participation of individuals from any country;

• the USA is one of the most desirable business and lifestyle destinations worldwide;

• an efficient route to gaining a Green Card — permanent residency;

• ability to include a spouse and unmarried children under 21;

• no requirements of experience or specific language proficiency;

• citizenship is possible after five years of residence with a Green Card.

Pitfalls are connected with the risks of denial and losing money if the project fails. But these two parts are separated. You can receive a visa even if you don’t get back the money from the investment project and vice versa.

Disadvantages of participation in the EB‑5 Program:

• the EB‑5 investment amount is significant and requires either an $800,000 or $1,050,000 investment, depending on the region;

• tricky or impossible participation of individuals under US sanctions;

• difficulties with researching business and projects in the US when faced with possible cultural and legal differences.

Any person over 18 without criminal records and having legal income can apply for the EB‑5 investment visa, regardless of nationality. The US immigration law does not contain any specific country as an exemption.

At the same time, the USCIS office can exercise complete discretion in processing immigration papers. It may influence EB‑5 processing time for individuals from certain countries considering US sanctions.

Spouses and unmarried children under 21 can participate in the EB‑5 Program together with investors.

The EB‑5 visa investor must meet physical presence requirements during the 2-year conditional residency period and is not permitted to spend more than one year outside the US.

To meet the EB‑5 eligibility criteria, the applicants must make a qualifying investment in a US business and create employment for US workers.

There are two investment options to choose from to meet the EB‑5 visa requirements:

• $800,000 into a rural area or an area with high unemployment — target employment area project;

• $1,050,000 into a non-targeted employment area project.

The money must stay invested for the next 5—7 years after the successful candidates have been issued a conditional Green Card.

The main source of EB‑5 funding could be home and company equity, property sales, profit distribution, accumulation of income, salary and bonuses.

Further contributions in case of joining the family members are not required. The administrative fee and immigration stamp duty are also the same for single investors or applying with a family.

EB‑5 visa costs for the family are the following:

• $800,000+ or $1,050,000+ — the minimum investment amount;

• $70,000 — an administrative fee;

• $1,000 — a registration fee;

• $3,675 — a legal fee for submitting an I‑526E petition for the EB‑5 visa, per family;

• $1,225 — an application fee for a Conditional Green Card per person over 14;

• $750 or $1,140 — an application fee for a Conditional Green Card per person under 14;

• $3,750 — a legal fee for submitting an I‑829, per family;

• $560+ — health insurance per person.

Investors pay immigration lawyer legal fees, depending on the individual case.

Individual cost calculation for the EB-5 visa to the USA

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In addition to the usual personal and financial papers, the requisite documentation includes medical reports, vaccination records, certified police clearance certificates, and any court records the applicant may have.

The project documentation for regional centres must include the following:

1. Evidence that the participant has invested in a designated regional centre according to the approved regional centre business plan.

2. Evidence, if applicable, that the business has been established in a targeted employment area.

3. Evidence that investors’ investment in the regional centre will create at least 10 direct or indirect full-time jobs.

Personal and financial documentation is accepted if it contains the following records:

1. Copy of passports of investors and family members.

2. Birth, marriage and divorce certificates.

3. Evidence that the investor has invested or is in the process of investing $1,050,000 or $800,000.

4. Certified copies of any judgement, pending governmental civil or criminal actions, or private civil actions against the petitioner from any court in or outside the U.S. within the past 15 years.

5. Proof of Business Ownership.

6. Copy of any business licences.

7. Business and personal tax returns for the last 7 years.

8. Bank statements for the last 7 years.

9. Evidence of other sources of capital.

10. Financial Statements for each business.

11. Evidence that the investment funds were obtained through lawful means.

Applications for the EB‑5 Program must be made through the prescribed forms and be accompanied by the appropriate fees and documents. On average, applicants receive their initial Conditional Green Cards in 3—4 years.

The filing for the Conditional Green Card to be converted into a regular Green Card is done two years later.

Vladlena Baranova,

Head of Legal & AML Compliance Department, CAMS, IMCM

The first step toward the EB-5 visa timeline is to file a petition form I-526 for direct investors or I-526E for Regional Centers investors. The process duration varies from one country to another due to the applicant’s country of birth. The total term for obtaining the conditional Green Card is about 5—6 years.

To reduce the EB‑5 processing time, our lawyers ensure applicants follow regulations and submit documents correctly. The Immigrant Invest lawyers provide you with valuable advice during this process and assist in making sure everything is up to standard.

Furthermore, when you complete 21 months after receiving the Green Card, you become eligible to file the I‑829 form. It is a petition to remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status, which takes about 2—3 years to complete. If the petition is approved, you will get your permanent Green Card.

Some countries in the Middle East, Europe and the Caribbean have citizenship investment routes with the opportunity to travel, live and work in the US. For example, investors with Turkey passports get B‑1/B‑2 Visitor Visas and E‑2 Business Visas to the US.

Malta citizens travel to the US without a visa. Foreigners get Malta passports by naturalisation for exceptional services by direct investment. First, investors apply for Malta residency and maintain their status for 1 or 3 years. Only after that they submit documents for a passport.

Foreigners couldn’t choose among investment options. Each investor followed the same participation rules and fulfilled three mandatory investment conditions:

1. Contribute to The National Development and Social Fund — €600,000 or 750,000.

2. Donate to a non-governmental organisation — €10,000.

3. Buy or rent residential real estate for 5 years — €700,000 for purchase, or €16,000 per year if renting a property.

Individual cost calculation for Maltese citizenship

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Grenada citizens qualify for an E‑2 visa to the USA, allowing them to live and work there. Applicants establish or buy a business in the United States.

The minimum investment amount isn’t set, but at least $100,000 is usually required. Most foreigners can apply only for an EB‑5 visa, which requires at least $800,000 of business investment.

To acquire Grenada citizenship, investors choose one of two available investment options:

1. Non-refundable contribution to the National Transformation Fund — $150,000+ for a single applicant or $200,000+ for a family.

2. Government-approved real estate purchase — $220,000. The investment can be returned in 5 years.

Under the Grenada Citizenship Program, requirements for investors don’t include language proficiency tests, history exams or visiting the country. The procedure of obtaining a passport is entirely remote and takes quite a short time.

Individual cost calculation for Grenada citizenship

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1. The EB‑5 Immigrant Investor Program allows qualified investors to obtain permanent residency in the US by investing in projects that create at least 10 full-time jobs.

2. Investors can apply through EB‑5 direct investment or approved regional centres.

3. The EB‑5 Program doesn’t contain a direct pass to US citizenship but gives a real opportunity to apply for an American passport in 5 years with permanent residency status.

4. EB‑5 applicants can include a spouse and unmarried children under 21.

5. The EB‑5 investment can be returned in 5—7 years. But there is no guarantee that the project will be successful and that investors will get the money back.

Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent for government programs in the European Union and the Caribbean.

Practical Guide

Practical Guide

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