EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
EB-5 Green Card Documentation Assistance
A green card for you, your spouse and your children under 21 — with no employer, no job offer, no labor certification and no language, age or education requirement. The hard part is the paperwork. Our case documentation team specializes in source of funds preparation and full EB-5 filing packages. 23+ years of documentation experience.
The Category Explained
What Is the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Green Card?
EB-5 is the fifth-preference employment-based green card, granted to investors who place qualifying capital into a new commercial enterprise that creates at least ten full-time jobs for U.S. workers. It is the only employment-based green card that does not depend on an employer, a job offer, a degree, English ability or your age. You file Form I-526 or I-526E, receive conditional permanent residence for two years, and then file Form I-829 to remove the conditions. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 are included.
The Core Requirements
The Four Things Every EB-5 Petition Must Establish
All four must hold. The second consumes the overwhelming majority of the documentation effort.
A qualifying investment amount placed into a new commercial enterprise — a reduced threshold applies in targeted employment areas and infrastructure projects
Lawful source of funds, and a documented path showing how the capital travelled from its origin into the enterprise
Capital genuinely at risk in the enterprise, sustained for the required period, with no guaranteed return of the investment
Creation or preservation of at least ten full-time positions for qualifying U.S. workers
Wondering whether your capital can be documented to EB-5 standards? A personalized review will tell you before you commit anything.
Book Free ConsultationThresholds & Set-Asides
EB-5 Investment Amounts and Reserved Visa Categories
Two investment levels, and a set of reserved visa categories introduced by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act.
Targeted Employment Area
A reduced minimum investment applies to projects in a rural area or an area of high unemployment.
Standard Investment
A higher minimum applies where a project sits outside a targeted employment area.
Reserved Visas
A share of annual EB-5 visas is reserved for rural projects, high unemployment areas and infrastructure projects.
Rural Priority
Petitions tied to qualifying rural projects receive priority processing under the current framework.
Eligibility Profiles
Who May Qualify for an EB-5 Green Card?
There is no degree, language, age or work experience requirement. What matters is lawfully sourced capital and a willingness to place it at risk.
Business Owners
Entrepreneurs whose company earnings, dividends or a business sale can be traced and documented.
Corporate Executives
Senior professionals with a long, documented record of salary, bonuses and equity compensation.
Backlogged Green Card Applicants
Professionals facing multi-year waits in EB-2 or EB-3 who want an independent route forward.
Parents of Aging-Out Children
Families acting before a child turns 21, where age-out risk drives the timeline.
F-1 Students & Families
Students seeking status independent of OPT and the annual H1B cap, often funded by a parental gift.
Property & Asset Owners
Investors funding through a documented property sale, with deeds, valuations and transfer records.
Professionals & Physicians
High earners with clean, verifiable income histories across multiple tax years.
Gift or Loan Recipients
Applicants funded by a family gift or a secured loan, where the donor’s own source must also be traced.
The Path
The EB-5 Journey, Stage by Stage
Four government stages sit between the investment and an unconditional green card.
1 · Investor Petition
Form I-526 or I-526E is filed with the source of funds record, the project documentation and the job creation evidence.
2 · Visa or Adjustment
Consular processing abroad, or adjustment of status if you are in the United States. Concurrent filing may be available.
3 · Conditional Residence
You, your spouse and children under 21 receive conditional permanent residence for two years.
4 · Remove Conditions
Form I-829 is filed near the end of the two years, showing the investment was sustained and the jobs were created.
Why NAIS
Why EB-5 Applicants Choose New York Immigration Services
23+ Years of Experience
Over two decades assisting individuals and families with U.S. immigration documentation.
Source of Funds Specialists
The most document-heavy exercise in U.S. immigration, handled as our core competency.
Multi-Country Records
Foreign tax filings, deeds and bank records organized, translated and certified for a U.S. reader.
Independent of Any Project
We do not sell, market or earn commissions on projects, so our documentation work carries no conflict.
Full Lifecycle Support
From the I-526 package through to the I-829 filing two years later, with records kept intact.
Dedicated Case Management
A named point of contact, scheduled check-ins and a shared view of what is outstanding.
Send us an outline of how your capital was earned. We will return a source of funds documentation checklist built around it.
Check Your EB-5 EligibilityHow It Works
Our EB-5 Documentation Process
Five stages, clearly scoped, so you always know what is happening and what comes next.
Eligibility Review
We assess whether your capital can be traced and documented to EB-5 standards.
Documentation Checklist
A written checklist built around how you actually earned and hold the funds.
Source & Path of Funds
Records gathered, translated, certified and assembled into a traceable chain.
Petition Preparation
Forms, exhibit index and the full supporting record assembled in order.
Filing & I-829 Support
Submission guidance now, and the conditions removal package two years later.
Come Prepared
Documents Commonly Required for an EB-5 Petition
Every case differs. Most EB-5 documentation packages draw on some combination of the following.
Certified translations are required for any document not in English. Project-side materials, including the business plan and job creation analysis, come from the enterprise or regional center.
Our Core EB-5 Capability
Source of Funds Documentation & Expert Support
Most EB-5 petitions do not fail on the investment. They fail on the paper trail behind it. A complete source of funds record traces capital from its lawful origin — salary, business profits, a property sale, a gift, a loan — through every account and transfer, all the way into the enterprise, with nothing unexplained in between.
That is the exercise we are built for: multi-year foreign tax filings, deeds and valuations, corporate accounts, currency conversions and certified translations, assembled into one indexed chain a reviewing officer can follow. Where a case calls for supporting analysis, our in-house panel of 350+ professors and industry experts includes business, economics and finance faculty.
We prepare and organize documentation. We do not recommend, market or sell any EB-5 project or regional center, and we do not provide investment, financial, tax or securities advice.
Source of Funds Tracing
Lawful origin established across salary, business earnings, asset sales, gifts and loans.
Path of Funds Documentation
Every transfer, account and currency conversion evidenced so the chain has no gaps.
Translation & Certification
Foreign-language records translated and certified to the standard USCIS expects.
I-829 Record Keeping
Your file is maintained through conditional residence so the conditions removal filing is straightforward.
Not sure your paper trail is complete? A source of funds review identifies the gaps before USCIS does.
Speak With Our TeamWhy It Appeals
Benefits of the EB-5 Green Card
No Employer or Job Offer
No sponsor, no labor certification and no dependence on any company for your status.
Your Whole Family Included
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 are covered by the same petition.
No Degree or Language Test
There is no education, English language, age or prior work experience requirement.
Reserved Visa Categories
Set-aside pools for rural, high unemployment and infrastructure projects sit outside the main queue.
Concurrent Filing
Applicants already in the United States in lawful status may be able to file adjustment of status alongside the investor petition.
Ready to find out where you stand?
A free consultation includes a personalized eligibility review and a source of funds checklist.
Schedule ConsultationSide by Side
Regional Center vs Direct Investment
Two routes to the same green card. They differ mainly in how jobs are counted and how much of the business you run.
| Comparison Point | Regional Center | Direct Investment |
|---|---|---|
| Job creation counted | Direct, indirect and induced jobs, established through economic modelling | Direct W-2 positions in the enterprise only |
| Your role in the business | Typically a limited partner with no day-to-day management | Active involvement in running the enterprise |
| Investor petition form | Form I-526E | Form I-526 |
| Job creation evidence | Supplied largely by the project, with an economic impact report | Built and evidenced by you, through payroll and hiring records |
| Source of funds burden | Identical — your capital must be traced either way | Identical — your capital must be traced either way |
Weighing EB-5 against other routes? See our EB1A page, EB2 NIW page, L-1A page and H1B page.
Answers
EB-5 Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EB-5 visa?
EB-5 is the fifth-preference employment-based green card for immigrant investors. You invest qualifying capital in a new commercial enterprise that creates at least ten full-time U.S. jobs, receive two years of conditional permanent residence, and then apply to remove the conditions.
How much do I need to invest?
There are two levels: a reduced minimum for projects in a targeted employment area or qualifying infrastructure project, and a higher standard minimum elsewhere. The figures are set by statute and adjusted periodically, so confirm the current amounts directly on the USCIS website before committing.
What is a targeted employment area?
A targeted employment area, or TEA, is either a rural area or an area experiencing high unemployment. Projects located in a TEA qualify for the reduced investment minimum. Designation rules and the evidence needed to establish TEA status are set by USCIS and reviewed as part of the petition.
What is the difference between regional center and direct investment?
Regional center investors can count direct, indirect and induced jobs through economic modelling and are usually passive limited partners. Direct investors count only direct positions in their own enterprise and are actively involved in running it. The source of funds burden is identical for both.
What is source of funds and why does it matter?
Source of funds is the documented proof that your investment capital was lawfully earned, plus the traceable path it took into the enterprise. It is the most demanding part of an EB-5 filing and the most common reason petitions receive requests for evidence or are denied.
How many jobs must be created?
At least ten full-time positions for qualifying U.S. workers, generally created or preserved within the required period. Full-time means at least 35 hours per week. Regional center petitions may count indirect and induced jobs; direct investment petitions count only direct employees.
Can my family be included?
Yes. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 are included as derivative applicants on the same petition. Because a child who turns 21 may lose eligibility, families with older teenagers often treat the filing timeline as the governing constraint on the whole decision.
What are the reserved visa categories?
The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act set aside a share of annual EB-5 visas for rural projects, high unemployment areas and qualifying infrastructure projects. These set-aside pools sit separately from the general EB-5 allocation and have generally moved faster, which particularly benefits applicants from countries with long employment-based backlogs.
Can I file for adjustment of status while my petition is pending?
If you are already lawfully present in the United States and a visa number is currently available in your category, you may be able to file Form I-485 concurrently with your investor petition. This depends on visa bulletin availability for your category and country of birth at the time of filing.
How can NAIS assist with my EB-5 application?
We provide petition documentation assistance centered on source and path of funds: tracing lawful origin across salary, business earnings, property sales, gifts and loans, translating and certifying foreign-language records, organizing the full I-526 or I-526E exhibit package, and maintaining your file through to the I-829 filing. We are a documentation services provider, not a law firm, and we do not provide legal, investment, financial, tax or securities advice, and we do not recommend, market or sell any project or regional center.
Important Notice
Compliance Disclaimer
New York Immigration Services (NAIS) provides immigration documentation preparation and administrative support services. We are not a law firm, attorney, or legal representative, and we do not provide legal advice or legal representation. We do not recommend, market or sell any EB-5 project or regional center, and we do not provide investment, financial, tax or securities advice. Any legal or financial services, where applicable, are handled independently by licensed professionals.