Hong Kong
Taiwan
VietnamShort answer: EB-5 requires investment capital to be lawfully obtained (including compliant gift or loan structures) and traceable from origin to the project account. Common sources include salary and business profits, sale of property or equity, corporate dividends, gifts from close family, and loans secured by owned assets. Paths can be combined, but every tranche must be explainable and match bank records—avoid large unexplained deposits.
Common sources and document directions
| Source | What usually needs support |
|---|---|
| Salary / bonus | Employment contracts, tax filings, payslips, deposit trails |
| Property / share sale | Sale contracts, transfer records, receipt proof, loan payoff if any |
| Company profit / dividends | Financials, shareholder resolutions, dividend deposits, tax documents |
| Gift | Donor’s own source of funds, gift deed, both parties’ bank trails |
| Loan | Loan agreement, collateral title, disbursement trail, EB-5 loan-rule fit |
What adjudication focuses on
Officers care whether the money is lawful, actually invested, and still at risk. Cash-heavy cultures, cross-border transfers, FX conversions and nominee accounts raise the explanation burden. Building a fund map early (amount, date, account, matching contract) reduces I-526E RFEs. Rural or TEA set-asides affect the number category only—they do not lower source-of-funds standards.
Higher-risk patterns
Unexplained cash deposits, circular transfers without underlying deals, third-party transit accounts without agreements, or “borrowing a name” for unclear funds are high risk. Gifts are not automatically safe: the donor must also show lawful funds. Loans that effectively eliminate investor risk may conflict with the at-risk requirement—structure review by counsel is essential.
See US EB-5.
Global Immigrate’s recommendation
- List a source-of-funds table before choosing a filing target date.
- Keep bank memos and FX slips for every cross-border transfer.
- Put gifts and loans in writing—no oral side deals.
- Do not use unexplained bridge money just to catch a set-aside window.
Data current as of November 2026. General information only; not legal or financial advice. Document needs vary by case.