The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, explained simply — before any project pitch.
Last updated: August 2026Reviewed by: EB5SETU Editorial TeamScheduled review: February 2027
EB-5 is an employment-based immigrant investor program administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It allows a qualifying investor to seek a U.S. green card by making a capital investment that creates American jobs.
- A qualifying investor may seek permanent residence for themselves, their spouse, and their eligible unmarried children under 21.
- The investment must be placed “at risk” — it cannot be structured to guarantee return of capital.
- The investment must support the creation of at least 10 qualifying full-time U.S. jobs per investor.
- Immigration approval, processing time, investment return, and repayment are not guaranteed.
Most EB-5 investors today invest through a USCIS-designated Regional Center, which pools capital from multiple investors and can count direct, indirect, and induced job creation toward the requirement. See How EB-5 Regional Centers Work for detail.
For current minimum investment amounts, see EB-5 Investment Amounts. For the full petition-to-green-card timeline, see The EB-5 Process.
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This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, immigration, tax, or investment advice. It does not describe the terms of any specific offering. EB-5 law, USCIS policy, and Visa Bulletin availability change over time — confirm current requirements with USCIS, the U.S. Department of State, and your own independent immigration, securities, and tax advisors before making any decision.