EB-5 stands for the fifth employment-based preference category. You put capital into a new US commercial enterprise, the enterprise creates jobs, and you receive permanent residence. No employer, degree or language test is involved. The test is the money, where it came from, and the jobs.
The EB-5 in numbers
| Rule | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Standard minimum investment | USD 1,050,000 |
| Targeted employment area (rural or high unemployment) | USD 800,000 |
| Jobs to create or preserve | 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified US workers |
| Visas reserved for rural projects | 20% |
| Visas reserved for high-unemployment areas | 10% |
| Visas reserved for infrastructure projects | 2% |
The amounts come from the USCIS Policy Manual, which applies them to petitions filed on or after 15 March 2022, when the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act took effect. The job rule is on the USCIS EB-5 programme page. EB-5 is not in our scored catalogue, so these figures are USCIS's.
Direct investment or a regional center
There are two ways in. A direct investor puts money into a business they help run and must show the jobs it creates directly. A regional center investor puts money into a project sponsored by a USCIS-approved regional center, where indirect jobs in the wider economy can count.
Many investors choose regional centers because the job test is easier to meet, and because the reserved visas for rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure projects can shorten the wait for applicants from countries with long queues.
The part people underestimate
The investment must be at risk, and you must document the lawful source of every dollar. A clean, traceable paper trail matters as much as the amount.
Check the US routes that need no investment
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Build my workspaceEB-5 against the alternatives
| Visa | Government fee | Processing | Money floor recorded | Permanent residence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States: E-2 Treaty Investor | $460 | 2–6 months | $100,000 | No PR route |
| United States: EB-2 National Interest Waiver | $3,225 | 12–36 months | Not recorded | PR from grant |
| United States: EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Green Card) | $3,835 | 8–24 months | Not recorded | PR from grant |
- E-2 Treaty Investor. Much smaller investment (about $100,000 recorded), 2–6 months, renewable, but no green card and only for treaty nationals.
- EB-2 NIW and EB-1A. Green cards on merit, no investment. See our NIW guide and EB-1A guide.
If the goal is residence with capital rather than the US specifically, compare the golden visa programmes still open in 2026. Several ask for less than the EB-5 targeted-area amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EB-5 visa?
The EB-5 is the US immigrant investor programme. You invest in a new commercial enterprise that creates or preserves 10 permanent full-time jobs for US workers, and in return you, your spouse and your unmarried children under 21 can get green cards.
How much is the EB-5 investment in 2026?
USD 1,050,000 as standard, or USD 800,000 in a targeted employment area, for petitions filed on or after 15 March 2022, per the USCIS Policy Manual.
What is the difference between EB-5 and E-2?
EB-5 is a green card: permanent residence. E-2 is a temporary treaty-investor visa, renewable but with no route to a green card, and it is open only to nationals of treaty countries. Our catalogue records about $100,000 as the E-2 money floor, far below EB-5.
Is there a green card without investing?
Yes, for some profiles. The EB-2 National Interest Waiver and the EB-1A are self-petitioned green cards based on your work, not your money. The NIW carries a $3,225 government fee in our data.
How long until US citizenship?
In our data, US citizenship comes 11 years after arrival on a typical green-card path. For an EB-5 investor the clock starts with the conditional green card.
official sources: E-2 · uscis.gov·EB-2 NIW · uscis.gov·EB-1A · uscis.gov