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We assess regional centres, developers, capital structures and repayment records against written criteria, recommend only projects that pass, and give clients a summary of our review.
US investment immigration
US EB-5 Investor Immigration
Obtain US green cards through a qualifying investment — the main applicant, spouse and unmarried children under 21 all become US permanent residents.
Reviewed by Oscar Yip · Updated October 2026
Programme overview
EB-5 is the fifth US employment-based immigrant visa category. Investors place capital through a USCIS-approved regional centre into a qualifying commercial project that creates at least 10 full-time US jobs. Once approved, the family receives two-year conditional green cards and later applies to remove the conditions and become permanent green card holders. There are no education, language, age or management-experience requirements.
Not sure this programme is the best fit?
Dedicated professional team · Mandarin, Cantonese and English · Reply within one working day
InvestmentFrom USD 800,000
Key benefitGreen cards for the whole family — live, work and study anywhere in the US
FamilySpouse and unmarried children under 21 can be included
BackgroundNo education, English, age or management-experience requirements
Summary
US EB-5 requires an investment of USD 800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) project, or USD 1,050,000 in other projects, creating at least 10 full-time US jobs. The main applicant, spouse and unmarried children under 21 receive two-year conditional green cards, then file I-829 to convert them to permanent green cards. Rural TEA projects have 20% of visas set aside and receive priority processing.
Key benefits of EB-5
- Green cards for the whole familyOne I-526E petition covers the investor, spouse and unmarried children under 21 — no separate investment for each member.
- No education, English or age requirementsNo degree, language test or business background needed; regional centre investors take part simply as limited partners.
- Set-aside categories currently have no queueOctober 2026 Visa Bulletin: rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure categories are current for every country of birth, including mainland China.
- Priority processing for rural projectsThe law requires USCIS to prioritise rural project petitions, and 20% of EB-5 visas are reserved for rural investments.
- Apply for the green card from inside the USEligible applicants in the US can file I-526E and I-485 together, and apply for work and travel permits while waiting.
- Live and work anywhere in the USGreen card holders can live in any state and take any lawful job — no need to live where the project is.
- Children's ages protected under CSPAThe time the I-526E is pending is deducted from a child's age, helping children close to 21 keep their eligibility.
- Resident benefits for children's educationEligible for US federal student aid, and usually in-state tuition at state universities once state residency rules are met.
- Apply for citizenship after five yearsConditional years count towards the five (once conditions are removed); green-card-holding children under 18 living with a naturalising parent in the US become citizens automatically.
Go deeper on EB-5
Visit usa-eb5.comOur dedicated EB-5 practice site, usa-eb5.com, sets out how we review projects, a source-of-funds document checklist, and tools to check visa availability and child age-out, in Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, English and Vietnamese.
Why Global Immigrate for EB-5
- families approved
- 100+
- approval rate
- 100%
- offering this programme since
- 2018
Honest about risk
Investment immigration means taking investment risk. We explain each project’s worst case and exit terms clearly, and never promise a “guaranteed return of capital”.
A dedicated professional team
Our team works in Mandarin, Cantonese and English. Wherever you are, a dedicated consultant handles your documents, source of funds and interview preparation from start to finish.
Planning beyond immigration
GI Group’s teams can handle pre-immigration tax, asset allocation, your children’s education and overseas property at the same time, so the arrangements never conflict.
Our project standards
We only recommend EB-5 projects that meet the standards below. Project details and full investment documents are provided to eligible investors during consultation.
| Criterion | Our standard | Common in the market |
|---|---|---|
| Regional centre track record | Past projects fully repaid, with verifiable records | Promoted on age or size, with no repayment record |
| Capital structure | EB-5 capital secured or given priority repayment, with other funding confirmed in place | EB-5 capital ranked lower, or other funding not yet secured |
| Job creation | Calculated by an independent economist on conservative assumptions, with a healthy job buffer | Job numbers only just above the minimum |
| Developer strength | Financial statements, past projects and construction progress reviewed | Relies only on the project’s marketing material |
| Investment category | TEA category recommended after assessing place of birth, timeline and family needs | Only one category or one project offered |
| Disclosure | A review summary and complete project documents provided | Only a marketing presentation provided |
EB-5 investments carry risk, and no project can guarantee the return of capital.
Requirements
Applicants must meet all of the following:
- A qualifying investment: USD 800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) project, or USD 1,050,000 in other projects
- Proof of the lawful source of the investment funds and the full transfer path
- The project must create at least 10 full-time jobs per investor
- The investment must be maintained and remain at risk for at least two years
- Admissibility: no serious criminal record and a satisfactory medical examination
- Participation in the business: investing through a regional centre as a limited partner is sufficient
Our three guarantees
Full service-fee refund if refused
Guaranteed in your service agreement: if your application is refused, we refund the service fees you have paid in full — or you can switch to another suitable programme at no extra charge.
No extra charge for further documents or resubmission
If the authorities request further documents, or an application must be resubmitted, we handle it at no additional service fee.
Handled by professionals, fee fixed at signing
Every application is prepared and reviewed by our professional immigration team. Your service fee is fixed when you sign, with no additional charges afterwards.
Service fees exclude investment amounts, government fees and third-party costs. Refusals caused by false or incomplete information, or by the applicant not cooperating as required, are not eligible for a refund. Full terms are set out in the service agreement.
How your place of birth affects your application
- Born in Taiwan
- Not affected by the mainland China backlog, so any TEA category can be chosen. Rural projects also receive priority processing; high-unemployment projects offer more choice and more flexibility on city.
- Born in mainland China
- The visa backlog matters. Waits are generally shorter in the rural TEA category; see the monthly Visa Bulletin.
- Born in Hong Kong
- Charged to “All Chargeability Areas” (rest of the world), not the mainland China backlog, so any TEA category can be chosen.
EB-5 backlogs are based on place of birth, not nationality.
Key dates
- (passed)
- Grandfather-clause deadline: regional centre petitions filed on or before this date continue to be processed even if the programme later lapses; whether petitions filed after it continue to be processed depends on Congress reauthorising the regional centre programme before 30 September 2027.
- Investment thresholds adjusted for inflation, then every five years.
- Current regional centre authorisation ends; Congress must pass legislation to extend it.
Investment categories compared
| Category | Minimum investment | Visas set aside | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rural TEA | USD 800,000 | 20% | Priority processing |
| High-unemployment TEA | USD 800,000 | 10% | Mostly in cities |
| Infrastructure | USD 800,000 | 2% | Government-related projects |
| Standard project | USD 1,050,000 | — | General visa backlog |
Subject to the latest USCIS announcements.
Free EB-5 brochure
Covers the requirements, process and timeline, a fee overview and FAQs. Leave your details and we’ll send it to you.
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If you can’t see it, please check your spam folder. A consultant may also contact you to answer any questions about the programme.
Application process
- Assessment and project selection4–8 weeksWe choose the TEA category and a vetted project based on your place of birth, your children’s ages and your family’s goals.
- Source of funds and investment3–6 monthsPrepare the source-of-funds evidence, make the investment and sign the investment documents.
- File I-526EDepends on project typeFile the investor petition; eligible applicants in the US can file I-485 at the same time. Once approved, the family receives two-year conditional green cards.
- I-829 removal of conditionsAfter two years of conditional residenceShow the investment was sustained and the jobs created, and receive ten-year permanent green cards.
Pathway to PR and citizenship
- Conditional green cardAfter I-526E approval: rural projects get priority processing by law, but since March 2026 the project’s I-956F must be decided first, so timing depends on USCIS; about 2–3 years for others
You, your spouse and unmarried children under 21 receive two-year conditional green cards.
While on the conditional green cardThe US must be your main home, and a trip of over 6 months may be questioned; the investment must remain at risk for at least two years and create at least 10 full-time jobs, with I-829 filed in the 90 days before the conditional card expires
- Permanent green cardFile I-829 in the 90 days before the conditional card expires
Once the investment and jobs are proven, the conditions are removed and you receive a ten-year green card.
Keeping permanent statusThe US must be your permanent home; a trip of over 6 months may be questioned, and over 1 year is generally treated as abandoning the green card unless you hold a re-entry permit (up to 2 years)
- US citizenshipAfter 5 years as a green card holder
Apply to become a US citizen and get a US passport; you must pass the English and civics tests. The naturalisation oath includes renouncing allegiance to your former country; whether you keep your current nationality depends on that country’s own law (for example, the PRC does not recognise dual nationality).
Residence for citizenshipAt least 30 months physically in the US within the 5 years, with continuous residence; a single trip of over 6 months can break continuity, and you must live in your state for 3 months before applying
General information only; requirements follow each country’s latest rules and can vary with your circumstances.
Planning your children’s education
- Attend public schools as residents, and pay in-state university tuition under each state’s rules
- Apply to university as a domestic student, not competing for international places
- Work in the US straight after graduating, with no work-visa lottery
Ages 8–12The ideal time to start — children adapt to US schooling from primary or middle school.
Ages 13–16The key window — aim to have green cards before high school or university.
Ages 17–20Start as soon as possible and plan the timeline around the CSPA age freeze.
EB-5 covers unmarried children under 21.
How we vet
EB-5 projects
The biggest risk in EB-5 comes from the project itself. We only recommend regional centres and projects that pass the review below.
Regional centre track record and past repayments
Capital structure, security and exit terms
Job-creation calculations and economic report
Developer finances and construction progress
EB-5 client stories
Client storyA Taipei doctors’ family uses EB-5 to plan their children’s education
Dr Lin’s EB-5 experience. Both parents are doctors with stable careers, and wanted their children to finish secondary school in the US and enter university as domestic students.
Read the full storyClient storyPreparing job evidence for I-829 and a permanent green cardMr Cheung’s EB-5 experience. His conditional green card was nearing two years, and he wanted to move smoothly to a ten-year permanent green card.
Read the full storyClient storyHow a Hong Kong business owner proved decades of accumulated fundsMr Wong’s EB-5 experience. Their daughter hoped to study in the US, and the family wanted another status option for the future.
Read the full storyCompared with other options: United States
See the United States overview| Programme | Investment | Status | Typical timeline | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US EB-5 Investor ImmigrationThis programme | USD 800,000 (TEA) / USD 1,050,000 | Green card | I-526E: rural projects prioritised by law, timing depends on USCIS; others about 24–36 months | Families with funds who want to immigrate without education or employment requirements |
| US EB-1A Extraordinary Ability | No investment; no employer needed | Green card | I-140 premium processing (15 working days); green card depends on backlog | People with international or national acclaim in their field |
| US EB-2 NIW National Interest Waiver | No investment; no employer needed | Green card | I-140 premium processing (45 working days); green card depends on backlog | Researchers, doctors and professionals with a master’s degree |
| US EB-2 Advanced Degree / Exceptional Ability | No investment; US employer sponsorship | Green card | Labour certification, then the visa backlog | Highly qualified people already hired by a US employer |
| US EB-3 Skilled Worker | No investment; US employer sponsorship | Green card | Labour certification, then the visa backlog | Professionals with a bachelor’s degree or two years’ relevant experience |
| US EB-3 Unskilled Worker | No investment; US employer sponsorship | Green card | Labour certification; backlog generally longer | People without formal qualifications willing to take a specified job |
EB-5 FAQ
What does 30 September 2026 mean for applicants?
This deadline has now passed. Under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, regional centre petitions filed on or before 30 September 2026 are protected by a grandfather clause: USCIS must continue processing them even if the regional centre programme later lapses. Petitions filed after that date do not have this protection; whether they continue to be processed depends on Congress reauthorising the regional centre programme before 30 September 2027.
Will the investment amount rise in 2027?
Yes. The law adjusts the investment thresholds for inflation from 1 January 2027 and every five years after that. The new amounts will be announced by USCIS; petitions filed before then use the current amounts.
Will the regional centre programme expire?
The regional centre programme is currently authorised until 30 September 2027, after which Congress must pass legislation to extend it. It has been extended many times before, but the timing and terms are not guaranteed.
What does “capital at risk” mean?
USCIS requires the investment to carry genuine risk of gain or loss, so projects cannot guarantee the return of capital or a fixed return. That makes the project’s financial position and exit plan the most important factors when choosing one.
What is the difference between a regional centre and a direct investment?
With a regional centre, a USCIS-approved centre manages the project and indirect and induced jobs count towards the 10-job requirement; investors simply participate as limited partners. A direct investment means owning and managing the business yourself, and the jobs must be direct employees. Most Asia-Pacific families choose the regional centre route.
My child is nearly 21 — is it too late?
The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) can freeze a child’s age while the petition is processed, but it depends on your individual timeline. The tighter the timing, the more important it is to choose a category with a shorter backlog and to file early.
What documents prove the source of funds?
You must show the lawful source of the investment and how it was transferred — for example salary, business income, property sales, gifts or loans. Your consultant will give you a checklist for your situation.
When is the investment returned?
Usually once the project meets its repayment conditions, around the time the investor completes I-829, according to the exit terms in the project documents — typically several years in total. Timing depends on the project and is not guaranteed.
Are there residence requirements after receiving the green card?
Green card holders must make the US their main residence; long absences can affect status. If you need to be away for a long period, you can apply for a re-entry permit in advance.
When can I apply for US citizenship?
Generally after five years as a permanent resident with at least 30 months physically in the US; the two conditional years count towards this.
What are the risks of an EB-5 investment?
The investment must be at risk, and projects can be delayed or fail to repay on time. That is why we independently vet the regional centre and project before recommending it.
Sources
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