EB-5 Special: How The 2022 Program Changes Impacted Application Volume, Processing, and Stakeholders
In this special feature, Varvara Latyntseva details how the EB-5 program changed last year and the effects on applications and stakeholders.
Nearly 100,000 investors have obtained residence permits in the United States via the EB-5 program over the last decade, injecting close to US$40 billion into employment-creating projects.
Application and approval volumes have declined in recent years, owing to uncertainty about the future of the regional center program, minimum investment requirements, and excessive processing times for applications from nationals of certain countries.
Program Type | Golden Visa Program |
Time to citizenship | 5 years or more |
Time to permanent residency | 2 years |
Minimum investment | US$ 800,000 |
Physical presence requirement | No more than 180 days' consecutive absence |
Application processing time | 1-2 years (but much longer for countries in "retrogression") |
Citizenship grants visa-free travel to | 185 destinations, including Schengen countries |
Contribution types available | Business Investment |
General program requirements
There are two investment routes:
$800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA). This is typically a rural area which has a high rate of unemployment. The investment must be made in a government-approved program (Regional Centers).
$1.05 million outside a TEA. The applicant can invest in another company/enterprise of their choice or create a new company. The investment must show it has created at least 10 jobs, either directly or indirectly. The indirect jobs may be through a third party supply chain.
$3,675 per applicant administration fee. Dependents may be added to the application which can include a spouse, children under 21 and unmarried.
Program benefits
Requirements to qualify for citizenship
The initial conditional Green Card is issued for 2 years. After completed the 2 year period, the applicants may apply for an unconditional Green Card if they meet the criteria for the business. i.e. the investment has been retained and the employment criteria are being adhered to, if applicable.
After 5 years of physical presence (183 days per annum) on the Green Card (first conditional and then unconditional), the applicant may apply for citizenship through naturalization. Effectively, it will take a minimum of 5 years to become a citizen through the EB-5 program.
Prospective citizens must also pass a US Civics test, in English. If an applicant passes, he will swear an oath of allegiance to the United States of America.
Legislation upon which this program is based:
ALIENS AND NATIONALITY ACT CHAPTER 12: 1153: Allocation of immigrant visas (5) Employment creation
See more statistics on this program, and dozens of others, in the IMI Data Center.
. | Name | Expert based in | Areas of expertise | Program you'd like help with | Service language(s) | Get Started |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adriano Vieira | 🇵🇹 Lisbon | Portugal Golden Visa Portugal D7 Visa Portugal HQA Visa | English, Spanish, French, Portuguese | |||
Alex Ingrim | 🇮🇹 Florence | Residence and Citizenship by Investment, International Tax and Wealth Planning | Greece Golden Visa Italy Elective Residency Visa Italy Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Spain Non-Lucrative Visa United States EB-5 | English | ||
André Gonçalves | 🇦🇪 Dubai | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Portuguese | ||
Ariane Real | 🇵🇹 Lisbon | Portugal Golden Visa Portugal D7 Visa Portugal HQA Visa | English, Spanish, Portuguese | |||
Calvin Mazlumyan | 🇺🇸 Los Angeles | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Canada Startup Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Italy Investor Visa Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Philippines Special Investor Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Singapore Entrepass Spain Golden Visa Thailand Elite Residence Program Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States E2 Visa United States EB-5 Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, French, Spanish, Turkish | |||
Christina Georgaki | 🇬🇷 Thessaloniki | Greece Golden Visa; Greece FIP | English, Greek | |||
David Lesperance | 🇵🇱 Gdynia | Citizenship by Descent, Residence and Citizenship by Investment, US Expatriation, International Tax and Wealth Planning, Family Office Advisory | Antigua & Barbuda CIP, Dominica CIP, Grenada CIP, Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence Cayman Islands Investor Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Greece Golden Visa Latvia Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Panama Qualified Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Austria Independent Means Visa Gibraltar Category 2 HNWI Residence Greece FIP Visa Ireland Independent Means (Stamp 0) Italy Elective Residency Visa Jersey High Value Residency Portugal D7 Visa Canada Startup Visa Panama Business Investor Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa Hungarian Citizenship by Descent Irish Citizenship by Descent Italian Citizenship by Descent Latvian Citizenship by Descent Polish Citizenship by Descent | English | ||
Ekaterina Mavrenkova | 🇨🇭 Zürich | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cayman Islands Investor Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa United States EB-5 | English, Russian | |||
Elena Ruda | 🇦🇹 Vienna | Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity Antigua & Barbuda CIP Austria Independent Means Visa Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Italy Investor Visa Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Spain Golden Visa Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa United States EB-5 Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Russian, German | |||
Eric G. Major | 🇬🇧 London | Citizenship by Descent, Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Anguilla Permanent Residency Program Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cayman Islands Investor Visa Colombia Investor Visas M and R Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Germany Self-Employment Visa Guernsey Investor & Entrepreneur Residency United States EB-5 | English, French | ||
Geoffrey DuBoulay | 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Saint Lucia CIP | English | ||
George Ganey | 🇺🇸 Washington DC | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | United States EB-5 United States E2 Visa | English, Spanish, Catalan | ||
Güvenç Ketenci | 🇹🇷 Istanbul | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP, Dominica CIP, Grenada CIP, Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cyprus Golden Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States EB-5 United States E2 UAE Golden Visa Austria Independent Means Visa Monaco Carte de Séjour Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Turkish | ||
Hakan Cortelek | 🇹🇷 Istanbul | Citizenship by Descent, Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cayman Islands Investor Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa United States EB-5 | English, Turkish | ||
Hannah Ma | 🇸🇬 Singapore | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Australia BIIP Investor Streams Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Malaysia M2H Visa Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal D7 Visa Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Singapore Entrepass South Korea Investor Visa Spain Golden Visa Spain Non-Lucrative Visa Thailand Elite Residence Program Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States E2 Visa United States EB-5 Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Chinese | ||
Imad Elbitar | 🇹🇷 Istanbul | Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity Antigua & Barbuda CIP Austria Independent Means Visa Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Italy Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Nicaragua Investor PR Nicaragua Pensionado and Rentista Visas Panama Business Investor Visa Panama Qualified Investor Visa Panama Rentista Retirado Visa Paraguay Permanent Residency Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Spain Golden Visa Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa United States EB-5 Uruguay Independent Means Visa Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Arabic, German | |||
Jasmin Lopez | 🇲🇽 Mexico City | Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity Antigua & Barbuda CIP Austria Independent Means Visa Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Italy Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Nicaragua Investor PR Nicaragua Pensionado and Rentista Visas Panama Business Investor Visa Panama Qualified Investor Visa Panama Rentista Retirado Visa Paraguay Permanent Residency Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Spain Golden Visa Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa United States EB-5 Uruguay Independent Means Visa Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Spanish | |||
Kemal Nicholson | 🇦🇪 Dubai | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa | English | |||
Kevin Hosam | 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Anguilla Permanent Residency Program Australia BIIP Investor Streams Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence Barbados SERP Program Bermuda Economic Investment Certificate (EIC) Program Cayman Islands Investor Visa Colombia Investor Visas M and R Greece Golden Visa Latvia Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Philippines Special Investor Residence Permit Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Barbados Welcome Stamp Paraguay Permanent Residency Program Uruguay Independent Means Visa Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity Cambodia My 2nd Home Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Malaysia M2H Visa Monaco Carte de Séjour Panama Business Investor Visa Panama Qualified Investor Visa Panama Rentista Retirado Visa Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English | ||
Laszlo Kiss | 🇲🇹 Malta | Antigua & Barbuda CIP, Dominica CIP, Grenada CIP, Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cyprus Golden Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States EB-5 United States E2 UAE Golden Visa Austria Independent Means Visa Monaco Carte de Séjour Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Hungarian | |||
Matías Apparcel | 🇨🇱 Santiago | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Portugal Golden Visa Portugal D7 Visa Portugal HQA Visa | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese | ||
Melvin Warshaw | 🇺🇸 Boston | Residence and Citizenship by Investment, International Tax and Wealth Planning, US Expatriation | United States EB-5 United States E2 | English | ||
Mona Shah | 🇺🇸 New York | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Grenada CIP Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Turkey CIP UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States EB-5 | English | ||
Natalie Fridlender | 🇻🇳 Saigon (HCMC) | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cayman Islands Investor Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Russia Golden Visa | English, Russian | ||
Nicolas Salerno | 🇵🇹 Lisbon | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Monaco Carte de Séjour Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa United States EB-5 | English, French, Spanish | ||
Paul Williams | 🇬🇧 London | Antigua & Barbuda CIP, Dominica CIP, Grenada CIP, Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Cyprus Golden Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States EB-5 Spain Golden Visa Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP Canada Startup Visa | English | |||
Peter Dunn | 🇿🇦 Johannesburg | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English | ||
Philippe May | 🇸🇬 Singapore | Citizenship by Descent, Residence and Citizenship by Investment, International Tax and Wealth Planning | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Anguilla Permanent Residency Program Australia BIIP Investor Streams Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence Barbados SERP Program Bermuda Economic Investment Certificate (EIC) Program Cayman Islands Investor Visa Colombia Investor Visas M and R Greece Golden Visa Latvia Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Philippines Special Investor Residence Permit Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Barbados Welcome Stamp Paraguay Permanent Residency Program Uruguay Independent Means Visa Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity Cambodia My 2nd Home Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Malaysia M2H Visa Monaco Carte de Séjour Panama Business Investor Visa Panama Qualified Investor Visa Panama Rentista Retirado Visa Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, German, Chinese | ||
Rogelio Caceres | 🇺🇸 Miami | Bahamas Economic PR Canada Startup Visa Cayman Islands Investor Visa Costa Rica Investor Visa Czech Citizenship by Descent Hungary Citizenship by Descent Ireland Citizenship by Descent Italy Citizenship by Descent Latvia Citizenship by Descent Panama Qualified Investor Visa Poland Citizenship by Descent Portugal D7 Visa Singapore Entrepass Slovak Citizenship by Descent Spain Golden Visa Spain Non-Lucrative Visa UAE Golden Visa UAE Golden Visa United States E2 Visa United States EB-5 | English, Spanish | |||
Sam Bayat | 🇦🇪 Dubai | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cayman Islands Investor Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Canada Startup Visa United States EB-5 | English, French, Farsi | ||
Slava Apel | 🇨🇦 Toronto | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Canada Startup Visa | English, Russian, Romanian | ||
Troy Neel | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English | ||
Vito Magagnino | 🇨🇭 Zürich | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Austria Independent Means Visa Germany Self-Employment Visa Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP UAE Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States EB-5 Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, German, Italian | ||
Zaid Aldayriyeh | 🇦🇪 Dubai | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Spain Golden Visa Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa United States EB-5 Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Arabic | ||
Name | Expert based in | Areas of expertise | Program you'd like help with | Service language(s) |
As the hub for investment migration professionals, IMI is regularly in touch with program specialists in every corner of the globe.
Tell us a little about your situation and what you need so that we may put you in touch with the right advisors.
In this special feature, Varvara Latyntseva details how the EB-5 program changed last year and the effects on applications and stakeholders.
USCIS last week shocked the EB5 market by saying all regional centers will need redesignation. That’s not the case, say congressional leaders.
All Regional Center designations are now defunct and all entities seeking to recruit RC-based investors must file for designation again.
While the regional center program has been reauthorized, individual RCs need authorizations of their own through I-924s, Brian Ostar prompts.
“It’ll take a long time for this new program to be stable,” says Matt Galati. “I don’t know if that gets done before 2027, frankly.”
The EB-5 Reform will bring minimum investment levels to $800,000 and $1,050,000 and grandfather in existing regional center investors.
Programs that offer citizenship within months in exchange for investments or donations, with minor/no physical presence requirements.
Programs that offer citizenship in exchange for investments following a 1-2 year period, with minor/no physical presence requirements.
Bulgaria Investor Program (discontinued)
Malta MEIN
Programs that offer residence permits within months in exchange for passive investments, with limited physical presence requirements.
Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity
Anguilla Permanent Residency Program
Australia BIIP Investor Streams
Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence
Barbados SERP Program
Bermuda Economic Investment Certificate (EIC) Program
Brazil Investor Visa (VIPER)
Cambodia My 2nd Home
Cayman Islands Investor Visa
Colombia Investor Visas M and R
Costa Rica Investor Visa
Curaçao Investor Permit Program
Cyprus Golden Visa
Georgia Investor Visas
Greece Golden Visa
Guernsey Investor & Entrepreneur Residency
Ireland Immigrant Investor Program (discontinued)
Italy Investor Visa
Latvia Investor Visa
Luxembourg Investor Visa
Malaysia M2H Visa
Malta Permanent Residence Program
Mauritius Permanent Residency Program
Monaco Carte de Séjour
Netherlands Investor Visa
New Zealand Investor Visa
Nicaragua Investor Permanent Residency Program
Panama Qualified Investor Visa
Philippines Special Investor Residence Permit
Portugal Golden Visa
Russia Investor Visa
South Korea Investor Visa
Spain Golden Visa
Taiwan Golden Visa (APRC Plum Blossom Card)
Thailand Elite Residence Program
UAE Golden Visa
UK Investor Visa (discontinued)
United States EB-5
Programs that offer residence permits within months to those who can demonstrate income or personal wealth above a certain level, usually requiring that the holder not take up employment locally.
Argentina Rentista and Pensionado Residency
Austria Independent Means Visa
Barbados Welcome Stamp
Gibraltar Category 2 HNWI Residence
Greece FIP Visa
Indonesia Retirement Visa (KITAS)
Ireland Independent Means (Stamp 0)
Italy Elective Residency Visa
Jersey High Value Residency
Mexico Legal Residency Visa
Nicaragua Pensionado and Rentista Visas
Panama Rentista Retirado Visa
Paraguay Permanent Residency Program
Portugal D7 Visa
Spain Non-Lucrative Visa
Uruguay Independent Means Visa
Programs that offer residence permits within months to those who physically relocate to start and/or run a business. Startup and entrepreneur visas fall under this category.
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