Read the general immigrant investor briefing overview
EB-5 and the current Gold Card framework should be assessed on their separate terms before a Foothills County applicant commits asset-sale proceeds. EB-5 involves qualifying at-risk investment and job requirements. Gold Card uses a gift framework with official processing and eligibility conditions. Neither should be described as payment for a guaranteed immigration outcome.
Identify the money’s legal purpose
For EB-5, review the applicable capital threshold, lawful source and path, project terms and qualifying jobs. For Gold Card, use the current official individual or corporate terms and the sequence for fees, vetting and the gift. A gift is not invested capital expected to generate a return; EB-5 capital also carries risk and no guaranteed return. The EB-5 allocation must meet the filing-date minimum: currently US$1,050,000, or US$800,000 for a qualifying targeted employment area or infrastructure investment, with statutory adjustments starting January 1, 2027. Retain lawful-source and transfer evidence, assess capital at risk and investor management or policy-formulation participation, and substantiate at least ten qualifying full-time jobs per investor. These generally require 35 hours weekly, with indirect jobs possible under applicable regional-center methodology. Capital terms granting investor repayment rights or guaranteed rates of return are excluded; distinguish the enterprise’s sole-discretion buyback exception, which has sustainment and other conditions.
Calculate the proposal person by person
The Gold Card FAQ checked September 7, 2026 describes separate US$15,000 processing fees and US$1 million gifts for each included spouse or eligible unmarried child under 21. Do not compare one principal figure with an entire household’s EB-5 budget. Include project, professional and other official expenses as applicable and obtain suitable financial and tax advice. For the principal, current Gold Card terms are a US$15,000 nonrefundable processing fee and a gift of US$1 million individually or US$2 million through corporate sponsorship. The gift follows successful vetting and official instructions. The family figures apply to corporate sponsorship too, which additionally has 1% annual maintenance and a 5% transfer fee subject to a new background check. Do not allocate proceeds that remain contingent under the sale agreement as though every household payment were already funded.
Keep financial completion separate from residence
Hypothetical example: sale proceeds arrive before a school enrolment deadline. Their availability does not establish petition approval, visa availability or admissibility. Review family ages and the applicable stages; EB-5 also involves later removal of conditions. A transaction calendar should reflect verified immigration progress instead of treating it as an outcome guarantee. Under EB-5, immigrant admission or adjustment approval begins two-year conditional residence; ordinarily submit I-829 during the 90 days before its second anniversary. Submission alone does not remove conditions or entitle the investor to repayment. The Gold Card route retains its applicable EB-1/EB-2 eligibility basis, admissibility and visa-availability limits. Keep those unresolved immigration events distinct from the date the buyer pays the final instalment.
What else is on your mind?
Does an EB-5 immigration review tell me whether an investment is good?Is the Gold Card another name for EB-5?Should I assume one Gold Card payment covers my family?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.