| Investment Amount (USD) | No minimum.
Any amount sufficient to buy or create a business | No minimum.
Any amount sufficient to buy or create a business | $800,000 at TEA* zone
$1,050,000 outside TEA | $800,000 at TEA* zone
$1,050,000 outside TEA |
| Gifted Investment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Borrowed Investment (Loan) | Yes (certain rules apply) | Yes (certain rules apply) | Yes (certain rules apply) | Yes (certain rules apply) |
| Investment Location | Any | Any | TEA (Targeted Employment Areas) or outside TEA | TEA (Targeted Employment Areas) or outside TEA |
| Job Creation Requirements | Not required. However, investor must
follow the Business Plan closely | Yes. Investor must follow the Business Plan closely | 10 direct or indirect jobs | 10 direct jobs (more difficult to make direct jobs |
| Investor’s Role | Investor has the option to hire a manager. Otherwise must be involved in day to day operations | Management/ Executive/ Key Employee | No active role requirement | Investor has the option to hire a manager.
Otherwise must be involved in day to day operations |
| Option to purchase an existing company | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes, must add 10 full-time jobs |
| Investor’s Overseas Employment Required | Prefer to have similar business as with E-2 entity | Yes, 1 year out of the last 3-years | No | Prefer to have managerial experience (option to hire a manager) |
| Country (Passport Specific) | Yes. Must be from a Treaty Country | Any (if foreign business is in certain countries like Iran there are restrictions) | All countries qualify | All countries qualify |
| Required to have company outside United States | No | Yes | No | No |
| Timeline** | Usually 2-4 months | 4-6 months.
Expedited, 15 business days is available | Avg. 2-Years
Nationality Specific | Avg. 2-Years
Nationality Specific |
| U.S. Green Card (LPR) | May convert to EB-5
only if investment grows.
May also qualify under EB-1C (consult U.S. lawyer) | Managers & Directors may qualify for LPR after 1-yr of entry under EB-1C (consult U.S. lawyer) | Yes, upon entry | Yes, upon entry |
| Fast Track | Yes, if change status in US;
No if filing from abroad
| Yes (optional) for USCIS approval, followed by regular Consular processing (if abroad) | No | No |
| 1st Visa Issuance | 2-years (most nationals) | Depends on the type of L-1
(consult U.S. lawyer)
| Starts with 2-years conditional LPR | Starts with 2-years conditional LPR |
| Maximum Length | Renewable as long as the business is running.
Children over 21 do not qualify for renewal
| 5- 7 years (consult U.S. lawyer).
Children over 21 do not qualify for renewal | Permanent, upon approved I-829 | Permanent, upon approved I-829 |
| Who is considered Investor’s Family (Derivative) | Spouse & Unmarried Children under 21 | Spouse & Unmarried Children under 21 | Spouse & Unmarried Children under 21 | Spouse & Unmarried Children under 21 |
| Can Your Derivative work? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can Your Derivative Attend School/University? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Employment for investor | Immediately upon entry | Immediately upon entry | Immediately upon entry | Immediately upon entry |
