Destinations
United States
The United States EB-5 programme grants a green card — permanent residence, and a five-year path to one of the world’s strongest passports — for 800,000 USD in a job-creating project in a targeted area. The thing to be clear about: a green card also makes you a US tax resident on your worldwide income, the heaviest tax net here, with an exit tax if you leave, and the capital is genuinely at risk.
Key facts
- From
- $800 000≈ $1 068 000 — estimated total, family of four, fees included
- Processing time
- 24–48 months
- Physical presence
- A green card is a residence you must actually keep: extended absences can be treated as abandonment. Conditions are removed after two years, and naturalisation becomes possible after five years of permanent residence, with substantial physical presence.
Tax at a glance
- Green-card holders are taxed on worldwide income, like citizens
- Federal income tax reaches 37%, plus state taxes in most states
- The US taxes on the basis of citizenship and residence — one of very few countries to do so
- Renouncing later can trigger an expatriation exit tax
- EB-5 leads to citizenship after five years of permanent residence
Frequently asked questions
Does EB-5 give US citizenship?
Not directly. It grants a green card (permanent residence). After two years the conditions are removed, and citizenship becomes possible after five years of permanent residence with substantial physical presence.
How much must I invest?
800,000 USD in a project in a targeted employment area (rural or high-unemployment) or a qualifying infrastructure project, or 1,050,000 USD for a standard project. The project must create at least ten full-time US jobs, and the capital is at genuine risk.
Will the US tax my worldwide income?
Yes. A green card makes you a US tax resident on worldwide income, like a citizen, with federal rates up to 37% plus state taxes, and renouncing later can trigger an exit tax. This is the single most important thing to plan for before applying.