The EB-5, Green Card through investment, was created to promote investments in businesses and to create and preserve jobs in the U.S. You can become a lawful permanent resident by establishing a new commercial enterprise and provide full-time employment to at least ten U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or other immigrants with employment authorization.
Under section 203(b)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. § 1153(b)(5), 10,000 immigrant visas per year are available to qualified individuals seeking permanent resident status on the basis of their engagement in a new commercial enterprise.
Of these 10,000 visas, 5,000 are set aside for those who apply under a pilot program involving a CIS-designated “Regional Center.” A “Regional Center” is an entity, organization or agency that has been approved as such by the Service; focuses on a specific geographic area within the United States; and, seeks to promote economic growth through increased export sales, improved regional productivity, creation of new jobs, and increased domestic capital investment.
Who is Eligible?
Permanent resident status based on EB-5 eligibility is available to investors, either alone or coming with their spouse and unmarried children. Eligible aliens are those who have invested — or are actively in the process of investing — the required amount of capital into a new commercial enterprise that they have established. They must further demonstrate that this investment will benefit the United States economy and create the requisite number of full-time jobs for qualified persons within the United States.