EB-5 Investor Green Card (2026): Minimum Investment, Costs, Timeline & How It Works
EB-5 investor green card 2026: the $800K vs $1.05M investment thresholds, regional center vs direct, job-creation rules, timeline, and EB-5 vs EB-1A compared.
📋 Informational · Not legal advice
EB-5 involves securities, source-of-funds, and immigration law. MBO Immigration LLC is a document preparation service — we are not a law firm and we are not investment advisors. Work with a licensed immigration attorney and qualified financial/securities counsel before investing.
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor green card is the most direct path for people who have capital and want U.S. permanent residence — for themselves, their spouse, and their unmarried children under 21 — without needing an employer or family sponsor. You invest in a U.S. business that creates jobs, and in return you get a green card.
In 2026, after the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act reshaped the program, here’s exactly how it works, what it costs, and how it compares to the other “money” green card, EB-1A.
How EB-5 works in plain terms
- You invest qualifying capital in a new commercial enterprise in the U.S.
- The investment creates at least 10 full-time U.S. jobs.
- You file Form I-526E (the investor petition) to prove the investment and the lawful source of your funds.
- You get a 2-year conditional green card (via I-485 if in the U.S., or a consular immigrant visa abroad).
- About 2 years later you file Form I-829 to remove the conditions and get the permanent green card.
The whole thing rests on two pillars USCIS scrutinizes heavily: the money is yours and lawfully earned, and the jobs are real.
The two investment thresholds (2026)
| Investment type | Minimum amount |
|---|---|
| Targeted Employment Area (TEA) — rural or high-unemployment | $800,000 |
| Non-TEA — anywhere else | $1,050,000 |
These figures come from the 2022 Reform Act and are set to adjust periodically for inflation, so confirm the current number before you file. Most investors structure into a TEA to qualify at the lower $800K threshold.
The job-creation rule
Your investment must create or preserve at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers, generally within about two years.
- Direct EB-5: you count actual W-2 employees of your own business.
- Regional center EB-5: you can count direct, indirect, and induced jobs using a USCIS-accepted economic model.
This job-counting difference is the main reason most passive investors go through a regional center.
Regional center vs direct investment
Direct investment
- You actively own and run the business.
- You must document 10 direct W-2 jobs.
- More control, more risk, more hands-on work.
- Good for entrepreneurs who actually want to operate a U.S. company.
Regional center
- You invest in a pre-approved project (often large real estate or development) run by professional managers.
- You can count indirect jobs, making the 10-job requirement far easier.
- Largely passive — you’re an investor, not an operator.
- The choice for most high-net-worth applicants who want residency, not a second job.
There are also set-aside visa categories (rural, high-unemployment, infrastructure) created by the 2022 Act that reserve visas and can move faster — often the most attractive lane in 2026.
Source of funds: the part people underestimate
USCIS demands a clean, fully documented trail showing your investment capital was earned lawfully. This can include:
- Business income, salary, or dividends (with tax returns).
- Sale of property or a business (with contracts and proof of payment).
- Gifts or inheritance (with documentation of the giver’s lawful source).
- Loans secured by your own assets.
This documentation — much of it foreign-language — is often the most labor-intensive part of an EB-5 case, and where preparation quality makes or breaks the petition.
Realistic timeline (2026)
- I-526E processing: currently often 2-4 years, though set-aside categories (rural/high-unemployment/infrastructure) can be meaningfully faster.
- Country backlog: minimal for most countries; China and India add years.
- Conditional green card → I-829: file to remove conditions ~2 years after the conditional card.
EB-5 is a commitment of both capital and patience — but it asks nothing of your résumé.
What it costs (beyond the investment)
- The investment: $800,000 or $1,050,000 (at risk — this is an investment, not a fee).
- Regional center administrative/subscription fees: often $50,000-$70,000+.
- USCIS filing fees: I-526E, then I-485 or consular fees, then I-829.
- Attorney fees: typically $20,000-$50,000+ across the full process given the complexity.
EB-5 vs EB-1A: the two “money” green cards compared
| EB-5 | EB-1A | |
|---|---|---|
| What you need | $800K-$1.05M + lawful source | Top-of-field achievement record |
| Employer needed? | No | No |
| Main cost | The investment itself | Attorney fees only |
| Best for | Capital, no elite résumé | Elite professionals, founders, doctors |
| Speed | Slower (I-526E processing) | Often faster (premium I-140) |
If you have an elite professional record, EB-1A is dramatically cheaper and often faster. If you have capital but no extraordinary-ability case, EB-5 is the clean path. Read our EB-1A Extraordinary Ability guide to compare.
Where MBO Immigration fits in
EB-5 is attorney- and advisor-led, but the document and translation workload is enormous — and that’s where we support you, alongside licensed partner attorneys:
- Certified translations of foreign financial records, tax returns, property deeds, and source-of-funds evidence.
- Organizing and indexing the source-of-funds binder so the legal team files a clean petition.
- I-485 packet prep for you and your family once you reach the green card stage — forms, civil documents, I-693 medical coordination.
- One bilingual point of contact to keep the paperwork moving.
Related reading
- EB-1A Extraordinary Ability Green Card (2026)
- EB-2 NIW National Interest Waiver Explained
- EB-2 Visa Complete 2026 Guide
- EB-2 / NIW Document Support
Legal notice: MBO Immigration LLC is a document preparation service, not a law firm and not an investment advisor. This article is educational only.
Frequently asked questions
What is the EB-5 investor green card? +
EB-5 is the U.S. green card you get by investing in a U.S. business that creates jobs. You invest a qualifying amount (either $800,000 in a targeted area or $1,050,000 elsewhere), the investment creates at least 10 full-time U.S. jobs, and you and your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can become permanent residents. It's the path for people who have capital but don't want to rely on an employer or family sponsor.
What is the minimum EB-5 investment in 2026? +
There are two thresholds. If you invest in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) — a rural area or one with high unemployment — the minimum is $800,000. If you invest anywhere else, the minimum is $1,050,000. These amounts were set by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and are scheduled to adjust for inflation periodically, so confirm the current figure before filing.
How does EB-5 create a green card — what are the job rules? +
Your investment must create or preserve at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers within about two years. In a direct investment you typically count W-2 employees of your own business. Through a regional center, you can count direct, indirect, and induced jobs using an economic model, which is why most passive investors go the regional center route.
Regional center vs direct EB-5 — what's the difference? +
Direct EB-5 means you actively run your own business and create the jobs yourself — more control, more work, and you must document 10 W-2 jobs directly. Regional center EB-5 means you invest in a pre-approved project (often real estate or development) managed by others; you can count indirect jobs and it's largely passive. Most high-net-worth investors who want passivity choose a regional center.
How long does EB-5 take in 2026? +
Timeline depends heavily on your country of birth. For most countries EB-5 is current and the main wait is I-526E processing (often 2-4 years currently, though set-aside categories for rural/high-unemployment/infrastructure can be faster). China and India have visa backlogs that add years. After the conditional green card, you file I-829 to remove conditions about 2 years later.
EB-5 vs EB-1A — which should a wealthy applicant choose? +
EB-1A costs far less (attorney fees, not an $800K+ investment) but requires you to be at the top of your field. EB-5 requires no special achievement — just qualifying capital and lawful source of funds — but ties up $800K-$1.05M. If you have an elite professional record, EB-1A is cheaper and often faster. If you have capital but no extraordinary-ability case, EB-5 is the cleaner path.