What Is the Golden Visa Program?
The Golden Visa program — formally the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program in the United States — allows foreign nationals to obtain permanent residency (a "green card") in exchange for a qualifying investment in a U.S. business that creates jobs.
EB-5 investment requirements
- Standard investment: $1,050,000 in a new commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs.
- Targeted Employment Area (TEA) investment: $800,000 in a TEA — a rural area or area with high unemployment — with the same 10-job requirement.
Regional centers: Most EB-5 investors participate through USCIS-designated regional centers — pooled investment programs that allow investors to count indirect and induced job creation toward the 10-job requirement, rather than requiring direct hire.
Process: The EB-5 process involves filing a petition (Form I-526), waiting for an immigrant visa to become available (which can take years depending on the investor's country of birth), completing the consular or adjustment of status process, and then receiving conditional permanent residency. The conditions are removed after two years upon demonstration that the investment requirements have been maintained.
Important distinction: The EB-5 program is not a real estate investment program — the investment must be in a job-creating business, not in passive real estate. Real estate development projects can qualify as EB-5 investments if structured properly, but the investment must fund job creation rather than simply purchasing property.