• Investment must be in a business, not a passive security such as the stock market;
• Invested funds must be the individual’s, but may be a gift from a parent or other person, provided the appropriate gift taxes are paid, if required;
• The business must have been created after November 29, 1990 or the investment must substantially change an older business;
• The amount of investment may be $900,000 in a rural or high unemployment area; and
• Create 10 jobs – no direct job creation is required if the investment is in a “Regional Center”.

The investment may consist of the contribution of various forms of capital, including cash, equipment, inventory, property and other tangible equivalents.  An investment of $1 million is generally the minimum.  However, $900,000 is acceptable if the business is situated in a “targeted” employment area, i.e. a rural area or one that has experienced unemployment of at least 150 per cent of the national average rate, as designated by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.  The EB-5 Visa is currently a popular choice for a lot of international business investors who like the security presented by the United States vs. the uncertainty of their home country. Contact us with questions.

Here is the USCIS webpage for EB-5 Immigrant Investor information.