Investor visa routes in United States of America
Thinking about United States of America as a place to work? Below are the 2 United States of America visa routes that most commonly fit investors, with what each one needs and a link to the official government source. Always confirm the current rules on the primary source before acting.
Also searched as: high-net-worth individual, HNW, wealth migrant, passive-income migrant.
What this means for investors
Of the 2 United States of America routes that commonly fit investors, 0 need a sponsoring employer and 2 do not, 1 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Investors are not usually a licensed profession, so your main gates are securing a qualifying job offer where a route needs a sponsor, and meeting any salary or points threshold, rather than re-credentialing.
The most-used skilled route into United States of America overall is the H-1B Specialty Occupation; it is not specific to investors but is worth understanding as the benchmark route.
Typical figures — EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Salary you must earn
US$1,050,000/yr
EB-5 Direct investment minimum
Verified 15 March 2022 · USCIS — EB-5
How long it takes
18 months – 4.9 years
I-526/I-526E adjudication: 18–60 months typical. Reserved set-asides (rural, high-unemployment, infrastructure) process faster than unreserved categories.
Verified 1 June 2026 · USCIS — Case Processing Times
Time to permanent residence
Arrival on H-1B (3 years) → PERM + I-140 (1-2 years) → I-485 / Green Card (current for most categories, 7-15+ years for India EB-2) → citizenship at PR+5 years.
Leads to Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card), then U.S. citizenship (naturalisation).
Occupation salary-floor answer
Investor salary floor in United States of America
Verified 8 July 2026
Salary floor
US$1,050,000 / year
EB-5 Direct investment minimum
This is the route-level floor from the current source-backed dataset; a more specific occupation, region, age band or employer rule may bind higher.
Compare this occupation across priority destinations · Source datasets: /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/visas
Licensing vs visa timeline
Investor: visa vs licensing timeline in United States of America
Version 2026-07-02
This separates the immigration filing track from the profession, regulator or recognition track. It uses route source data and cost-to-complete evidence; it is indicative and not legal advice.
Visa track
- 1
Confirm route fit
Before relying on an offer
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is the representative route for this profession page. It does not require an employer sponsor and is mapped as leading to settlement.
Source: USCIS — EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program - 23 July 2026
- 2
Check current route figures
Before budgeting
Current source-backed figures on this page include salary floor US$1,050,000/yr, processing 18 months – 4.9 years.
Source: Visa Atlas figure datasets
- 3
Follow the official application pathway
After route fit is clear
Investor files petition demonstrating capital at risk and job creation.
Source: USCIS — EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program - 23 July 2026
Licensing / recognition track
- 1
No separate licence line modelled
After route fit is clear
This profession category is usually driven by offer, salary, qualification and route fit rather than a separate professional-registration clock. Still confirm the official route source before filing.
Source: USCIS — EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program - 23 July 2026
Method: Compares the representative visa track with profession-sensitive recognition, registration or skills-assessment evidence found in the route cost model; it does not create country-specific regulator claims when no source-backed line exists. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/cost-to-complete, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times.
Source basis
This profession page uses United States of America's official immigration portal plus the primary government source for each matched route. The route cards link to full eligibility and source records.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- USCIS — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — E-2 Treaty Investors
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — EB-5
USCIS — EB-5 - verified
Routes that fit investors
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
Permanent residence through investment in a new US commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Conditional 2-year residence leading to unconditional permanent residence.
E-2 Treaty Investor
Non-immigrant treaty investor visa for nationals of countries with a qualifying treaty of commerce and navigation with the US.
No sponsor needed · Non-settlement · Initial up to 2 years at port of entry (5-year visa stamp for many nationalities); renewable indefinitely.
Figures by route
Verified salary floor and processing window per matched route, each primary-sourced. Indicative, not legal advice.
| Route | Salary floor | Processing | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program | US$1,050,000/yr | 18 months – 4.9 years | Yes |
| E-2 Treaty Investor | — | 2 weeks – 4 months | No |
Frequently asked questions
Which visa routes suit investors moving to United States of America?+
United States of America has 2 routes that commonly fit investors: EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, E-2 Treaty Investor. The best fit depends on whether you already have an employer sponsor, your salary, and your qualifications — open any route below for its full eligibility criteria and primary government source.
Do investors need a job offer to move to United States of America?+
Not always. 2 of the 2 matched United States of America routes can be pursued without an employer sponsoring you (such as the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program), while 0 need a sponsoring employer or a confirmed job offer. If you do not yet have an offer, start with the no-sponsor routes.
Can investors settle permanently in United States of America?+
Yes. 1 of the 2 matched routes leads toward settlement or permanent residence, while the others are temporary or transitional. Permanent-residence timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
What salary do investors need in United States of America?+
For investors, the mapped EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program floor is US$1,050,000 / year, effective 15 March 2022 (USCIS — EB-5). This is the route-level floor from the current source-backed dataset; a more specific occupation, region, age band or employer rule may bind higher.
How long does the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program take to process?+
The typical published decision window is 18 months – 4.9 years (USCIS — Case Processing Times, verified 1 June 2026).