EB-5 Investment Amounts

The minimum EB-5 investment is $800,000 for projects located in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA), which includes rural areas, high unemployment areas, and infrastructure projects. For projects outside a TEA, the minimum is $1,050,000. These amounts were set by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022.

Yes. The Reform and Integrity Act includes a provision for automatic adjustment of investment minimums based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). The next adjustment is projected for January 1, 2027. Based on current CPI-U trends, the TEA minimum is expected to increase to approximately $900,000. Investors who file Form I-526E before September 30, 2026 qualify for grandfathering and lock in the current amounts.

The EB-5 program requires that capital be placed "at risk" for the purpose of generating a return. This means the investment cannot have a guaranteed repayment, a guaranteed rate of return, or a predetermined exit. The investor must face genuine risk of loss. The capital must be deployed in a job creating commercial enterprise, not held in escrow or a passive account.

The EB-5 investment is not a fee paid to the government. It is a commercial investment in a job creating enterprise, and the capital is intended to be returned to the investor after conditions on permanent residence are removed (typically 5 to 7 years after filing). However, there is no guarantee of repayment. Return of capital depends on the financial performance of the project. Historically, most EB-5 projects have returned investor capital, but losses do occur.

The grandfathering deadline is September 30, 2026. Investors who file Form I-526E before this date lock in the current investment minimums ($800,000 for TEA, $1,050,000 for standard) regardless of any future CPI-U adjustments. After this date, the new higher amounts will apply.