The application process can be fairly complicated and sometimes confusing, as there are various steps and preparations required before applying to the EB5 Visa Program. This article will describe the process foreign investors should follow in applying for an EB5 Investor Visa.

The first step in applying for an EB5 Investor Visa is to thoroughly research all available investment options. There is a minimum investment requirement of one million US dollars ($1M), although this amount can be reduced to half a million US dollars ($500K) if the investment is made in an area of high unemployment. Additionally, to be considered for this Immigrant Investor Visa, the investment must create ten permanent new jobs as either a direct or indirect result of the investment.

If you are choosing to make your investment through a government certified regional center, then you should research the area of the country in which your chosen regional center is located; doing this will allow you to compare the regional center investment you are considering to alternative investment opportunities in the area, which will offer you insight into the market value and expected returns of similar investment opportunities.

Once you have settled on a business plan or regional center that you would like to use, the next step in in the process is to complete Form I-526. In order to complete this form and continue with the application process, you will need to present documentation which can prove that you a) have access to the investment capital, b) that it was obtained legally, and c) that your investment will create a minimum of at least ten new jobs.

The third step in applying to the Eb5 Visa Program is to complete form I-485, which is the form required to alter your status to that of a United States resident. This can be completed regardless of whether you are currently residing in the United States, and it is at this stage that you will be asked to prove your agreed sum of investment capital. Successful applicants are then granted a temporary green card visa with a variety conditions and restrictions placed upon it.

The final step in obtaining a green card via the EB5 Visa Program (besides running the business) is to complete form I-829 in order to remove the conditional status placed on your green card. This form can be submitted after an individual has spent 21 months in the United States. You must be able to prove that you have maintained your investment for a period of two years, and you must have documented evidence to support that the investment has resulted in the creation of ten permanent full-time jobs. Assuming all conditions have been met, you will then be granted a full Green Card Visa and will be allowed to live in the United States as a legal and permanent resident. If accepted, you may also apply for family members to obtain a green card as well, which will allow for your whole family to live and work in the United States.