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USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme: Cost, Requirements & Processing Time (2026)

The short version

USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme requires a minimum investment of €736,000 (capital transfer route), with residency in ~17–120 months and a path to citizenship in 5 years.

Investment routes compared

Route type	Amount (EUR)	Notes	Primary?
Capital transfer	€736,000USD 800,000	Target Employment Area (TEA) investment — rural or high-unemployment areas. Must create/preserve 10 full-time US jobs.	Most common
Capital transfer	€967,000USD 1,050,000	Non-TEA investment with same 10-job requirement.

At a glance

€736,000 minimum qualifying investment
~17–120 months expected end-to-end processing
5 years of residence citizenship timeline
No Schengen access travel rights
~183 days/yr physical-presence requirement

Physical presence: US green card holders must establish US residence; absences over 6 months risk abandonment of residency.

Official program source · Source: US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) · Last verified Apr 15, 2026 · Verify current rules with an authorized immigration adviser or the destination's consulate before applying.

Next review 2026-08-15.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum investment for the USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme?

The minimum qualifying investment is €736,000. ~€736K (USD 800,000) Target Employment Area (TEA) investment; USD 1,050,000 non-TEA. Qualifying routes: Capital transfer (€736,000); Capital transfer (€967,000) Most applicants use the Capital transfer route (€736,000).

How long does the USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme take to process?

Expected end-to-end processing is ~17–120 months. Rural-TEA unreserved: ~17 months to conditional green card. China-mainland applicants: 5-10 years backlog for unreserved visas; rural/high-unemployment/infrastructure set-asides bypass backlog.

Can I get citizenship through the USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme, and when?

Citizenship is available after 5 years of legal residence. Green card to US citizenship requires 5 years (4 if married to US citizen), English + civics test. Citizenship via investment is a 7-10 year total for China-origin applicants under unreserved category.

What is the physical-presence requirement for the USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme?

US green card holders must establish US residence; absences over 6 months risk abandonment of residency.

Are my spouse and children included in the USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme?

Spouse, minor children can be included.

Does the USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme grant Schengen access?

No. USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme does not by itself grant Schengen-area travel rights.

Is the USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme currently open to new applicants?

The programme is currently open.

Who regulates the USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme?

USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme is administered by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The canonical source is https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/permanent-workers/eb-5-immigrant-investor-program. Facts last verified 2026-04-15; next review 2026-08-15.

Route type

Amount (EUR)

Notes

Primary?

Capital transfer

€736,000USD 800,000

Target Employment Area (TEA) investment — rural or high-unemployment areas. Must create/preserve 10 full-time US jobs.

Most common