Overview
EB-5 Regional Center investment is the most popular EB-5 path — investors invest in USCIS- designated Regional Center projects that pool capital and use indirect/induced job creation calculations (more flexible than direct W-2 jobs). Investment is generally passive. The 2022 EB- 5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA) created visa set-asides for rural ($800K, 20% of visas), high- unemployment urban ($800K, 10% of visas), and infrastructure projects, offering processing priority.Eligibility Requirements
Minimum investment: $800,000 (TEA — most regional center projects qualify) or $1,050,000 (non-TEA); investment in USCIS-designated Regional Center; lawful source of funds; the Regional Center project must demonstrate job creation through economic methodology; and investor must be ‘at risk’ (no guaranteed returns).
Application Process
Step 1: Identify and conduct due diligence on Regional Center project. Step 2: Make investment per project subscription agreement. Step 3: File Form I-526E. Step 4: Upon approval, conditional green card via I-485 (concurrent filing now allowed) or DS-260. Step 5: I-829 to remove conditions after 2 years.
Required Documentation
Required: investment in approved Regional Center project; subscription agreement and project documents; comprehensive source of funds documentation; project business plan and economic analysis (typically prepared by Regional Center); and investor’s lawful source of funds.
Government Filing Fees
I-526E filing fee $11,160; RIA Integrity Fee $1,000; I-485 fee; I-829 fee; Regional Center administration fee (typically $50,000–$70,000, project-dependent); legal fees.Processing Timeline
Rural set-aside projects currently averaging less than 6 months I-526E processing; urban set- aside projects faster than unreserved; unreserved category significantly longer; I-829 24–48+ months. Important: petitions filed by September 30, 2026, are grandfathered under current rules.
Why Choose Our Firm
We represent EB-5 investors evaluating Regional Center projects, conducting source of funds tracing across complex international fact patterns (real estate sales, business income, inheritance, gifts, loans), and managing the complete EB-5 process from project selection through I-829 conditional removal. Our practice includes Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Latin American investors.
