Read the general immigrant investor briefing overview
Hypothetical example: a Bécancour owner who has sold his industrial-supply firm can place US$800,000 or more at risk in an EB-5 project or make the Gold Card gift under the official terms. The amounts look comparable; the money's purpose is not. EB-5 capital is an investment that must create ten jobs and may be returned. The Gold Card gift goes to the U.S. government and is not returned. Choose by what each program requires and delivers, not by which cheque is smaller.
EB-5: capital at risk that must produce jobs
Under the 2022 reform law the qualifying investment is US$1,050,000, or US$800,000 in a targeted employment area or infrastructure project, with adjustments scheduled from 2027. The investor must place his own lawfully sourced capital at risk in a new commercial enterprise, count at least ten full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers, and take part in management or policy, which a regional center limited-partner role satisfies. Only capital actually received from the share sale counts; an unpaid earn-out does not. Residence is conditional for two years, with Form I-829 filed in the 90 days before the second anniversary removes conditions if the capital stayed invested and the jobs were created. The capital may be returned later, or may be lost, because the risk is real.
Gold Card: a gift under terms that must be re-verified
The official program page and FAQ, read September 7, 2026, describe a nonrefundable US$15,000 processing fee per applicant, vetting, and then a US$1 million gift to the U.S. government for an individual principal, with the same fee and gift for each joining spouse and child under 21. Corporate sponsorship is US$2 million per employee with maintenance and transfer charges. Successful applicants proceed under EB-1 or EB-2, subject to eligibility and visa availability. No jobs are created, no capital is returned and no economic return is expected. The framework is not a statutory investor category, and its terms may change, so the page must be checked again before any payment.
Decide on requirements, sequence and reversibility
EB-5 suits an owner who wants to keep the possibility of getting capital back, accepts commercial risk, and can document the source of funds through the share sale and any holding company. Gold Card suits a family that prefers a fixed, non-returnable outlay and a process without job counting, and that qualifies under EB-1 or EB-2 on its own merits. Neither is faster because it is more expensive; both end in an immigrant process governed by visa availability. Count family members: EB-5 derivatives ride on the principal's investment, while Gold Card charges a fee and a gift for each person. Keep the share-sale records, tax filings and transfer confirmations, and take no irreversible step until an official source confirms the requirement it satisfies.
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.