United States of America · investor · Leads to settlement

EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program

By Sam Parks · Last reviewed: 1 August 2026

Permanent residence through investment in a new US commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residencyConditional 2-year residence leading to unconditional permanent residence.

Processing time: I-526E/I-526: varies widely by set-aside category (rural set-aside typically faster).
Government fees: I-526/I-526E USD 3,675 (plus the USD 1,000 EB-5 Integrity Fund fee); I-829 USD 3,750 — a federal court vacated the higher April-2024 fees (USD 11,160 / USD 9,525) and USCIS reverted to these amounts on 14 November 2025; a new fee rule is pending, so confirm before filing. Plus regional-center or direct-project fees set privately.
Typical duration: Conditional 2-year residence leading to unconditional permanent residence.
Sponsorship required: No
Leads to permanent residency: Yes

Reviewed 1 August 2026U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ↗

In short

As of 1 August 2026, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program for United States of America is an unsponsored United States immigration route. Sources: official United States of America government pages, reviewed 10 September 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/us/eb-5#answer

What is the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program in United States of America?

EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is an unsponsored United States route. Indicative government fees are I-526/I-526E USD 3,675 (plus the USD 1,000 EB-5 Integrity Fund fee); I-829 USD 3,750 — a federal court vacated the higher April-2024 fees (USD 11,160 / USD 9,525) and USCIS reverted to these amounts on 14 November 2025; a new fee rule is pending, so confirm before filing. Plus regional-center or direct-project fees set privately; indicative processing time is I-526E/I-526: varies widely by set-aside category (rural set-aside typically faster); typical duration is Conditional 2-year residence leading to unconditional permanent residence. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on 22 June 2026.

Overview

The EB-5 immigrant investor program grants conditional permanent residence for qualifying investment in a new US commercial enterprise. The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 set the standard minimum investment at USD 1,050,000, reduced to USD 800,000 for Targeted Employment Areas (TEAs) and infrastructure projects. Set-aside visa categories (rural, high-unemployment, infrastructure) provide faster pathways for qualifying regional-center projects.

Guidance by nationality

Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

✓Minimum qualifying investment of USD 1,050,000, or USD 800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area or infrastructure project.U.S. Department of State ↗
✓Investment into a new commercial enterprise (formed or restructured post 29 November 1990).U.S. Department of Homeland Security (8 CFR, via U.S. Government Publishing Office) ↗
✓Creation of at least 10 full-time US jobs (directly, or indirectly if invested through a regional center).U.S. Department of Homeland Security (8 CFR, via U.S. Government Publishing Office) ↗

Common blockers

!Insufficient documentation of lawful source and path of funds.U.S. Department of Homeland Security (8 CFR, via U.S. Government Publishing Office) ↗
!Investment loaned on non-arm’s-length terms or not truly at risk.

Typical evidence

·Bank statements, tax returns, and loan documents tracing source of funds.U.S. Department of Homeland Security (8 CFR, via U.S. Government Publishing Office) ↗
·Business plan compliant with Matter of Ho for direct cases.
·Private-placement memorandum and escrow agreements for regional-center cases.U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ↗

Application pathway

Select project and file I-526E (regional-center) or I-526 (direct)
Investor files petition demonstrating capital at risk and job creation.
Obtain conditional permanent residence
Adjust status or consular process once priority date is current.
File I-829 within 90 days before conditional residence expires
Demonstrate job creation and sustained investment.
Receive unconditional permanent residence
Pathway to naturalisation follows.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.

Official EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program instructions Build my moving plan for this route Moving to United States

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in United States. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

ApplyApplicant
File EB-5 investor petition ↗
Investors use Form I-526 or I-526E to request EB-5 immigrant investor classification.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · verified 22 June 2026

Fees and processing time

Indicative government fees: I-526/I-526E USD 3,675 (plus the USD 1,000 EB-5 Integrity Fund fee); I-829 USD 3,750 — a federal court vacated the higher April-2024 fees (USD 11,160 / USD 9,525) and USCIS reverted to these amounts on 14 November 2025; a new fee rule is pending, so confirm before filing. Plus regional-center or direct-project fees set privately.. The issuing authority does not publish a central processing time for this route, so plan against comparable cases. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.

Processing time detail
Current decision windows from the issuing authority.

Matches these professions

Entrepreneur Investor

Also explored by

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Compare United States of America with

Related routes

E-2 Treaty Investor
Non-immigrant treaty investor visa for nationals of countries with a qualifying treaty of commerce and navigation with the US.

Frequently asked questions

What changed with the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA)?+

RIA, signed March 2022, re-authorised the regional-center program, increased oversight, set new minimum investment levels (USD 800,000 TEA / USD 1,050,000 standard), introduced set-aside visa categories (20% rural, 10% high-unemployment, 2% infrastructure), and added integrity measures for regional centers.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in United States

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Last checked: 22 June 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

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