At a Glance
EB-5 — the numbers that matter
Investment Amount
$800,000 for a Targeted Employment Area (TEA), rural, or infrastructure project — $1,050,000 for standard, non-TEA projects.
Job Creation
Creation of at least 10 full-time jobs (direct, indirect or induced, depending on investment type) for qualifying U.S. workers.
Family Included
Full residency and work rights for the investor, spouse, and children under 21 at the time of filing — the whole immediate family, on one investment.
Time-sensitive: EB-5 investment thresholds are scheduled to rise on 1 January 2027 (projected to roughly $900,000 TEA / $1.2 million standard). Petitions filed on or before 30 September 2026 are grandfathered at today’s lower amounts — $800,000 TEA / $1,050,000 standard — even if the program later changes.
Why Consider EB-5
A fundamentally different timeline than the F1 → H1B route
Without EB-5: F1 Visa → OPT EAD → H1B Visa → EB-2/EB-3 Green Card application → Green Card. Total time: 25–30 years, and dependent throughout on employer sponsorship and the H1B lottery.
With EB-5: F1 Visa → OPT EAD → H1B (or filed independently) → EB-5 + Adjustment of Status → EAD in 3–6 months → conditional Green Card, typically within 1–2 years for TEA rural projects.
Current I-526E approval rates for reserved (rural/high-unemployment/infrastructure) categories exceed 97%, with rural TEA approvals averaging around 9 months — among the fastest and most predictable routes to a U.S. Green Card available today.
Reserved Visa Categories
Set-aside visas that reduce competition and speed up processing
Rural — 20% Set-Aside
Located outside any Metropolitan Statistical Area, in a town of fewer than 20,000 residents. The fastest-processing, most accessible reserved category.
High Unemployment — 10% Set-Aside
Areas with unemployment at least 150% of the national average.
Infrastructure — 2% Set-Aside
Qualifying infrastructure projects, also eligible for the reduced $800,000 threshold.
Already in the US? Concurrent Filing Matters
If you’re already in the US on an F1 or H1B visa, EB-5 allows Concurrent Adjustment of Status — filing for your Green Card while remaining in the country, with an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) typically issued within 3–6 months. No quotas apply to the EAD itself, it covers the whole family, and once filed, you cannot be asked to leave the US while the case is pending — practically a Green Card equivalent well before the conditional Green Card itself arrives.
Who Should Consider It
Families already invested in a US future
Children on F1 Visas
Undergraduate or postgraduate students currently studying in the US.
Planning F1 in 2–3 Years
Families preparing for US undergraduate or postgraduate study.
On OPT or H1B
Post-study or work-visa holders wanting certainty beyond the H1B lottery.
Returned After Visa Setbacks
Those who had to leave due to visa issues or layoffs but still aim to settle in the US.
Acceptable Sources of Funds
Capital must be lawfully sourced and fully documented
Salary and bonus compensation • Home equity line of credit on property in the US or other markets • Bank loans leveraging marketable securities • Gifts from family, friends or employers • Profits from the sale of a business, house, securities or other assets.