Use the published individual and corporate amounts
The official FAQ checked September 7, 2026 states a nonrefundable US$15,000 DHS processing fee per applicant. After successful vetting, the gift is US$1 million for an individual principal or US$2 million per corporate-sponsored employee. Each eligible joining spouse or unmarried child under 21 has an additional US$15,000 fee and US$1 million gift, including in a corporate application. Additional State Department or medical-examination costs may apply. Prepare a person-by-person schedule identifying the official charge, the prospective payer and the point at which a payment is due. This distinguishes household planning from an unsupported assumption that one sponsor payment covers everyone.
Read the sponsor’s continuing terms
The corporate FAQ describes a 1% annual maintenance fee and a 5% transfer fee including a new DHS background check. It describes using a prior employee’s gift contribution as the basis for sponsoring a new employee without another US$2 million gift. That is not automatic approval for a replacement person. Review the current official procedure and the private employment agreement separately before relying on a sponsor-change assumption. Treat any corporate replacement discussion as a current-procedure question, supported by official instructions and the employer’s own agreement. It should not be reduced to an accounting entry or a promise that a successor will qualify.
Separate payment from the immigration decision
The official sequence involves the processing fee, vetting and a government gift after successful vetting. Successful cases use EB-1 or EB-2, subject to category eligibility, admissibility and visa availability. The gift is not EB-5 capital invested for commercial return. Neither an employer promise nor payment itself establishes permanent residence, work authorization or citizenship. Keep the government payment, the immigration category analysis and any employment commitment in separate columns. That separation makes clear why a payment by the applicant to the U.S. government is not a conventional visa application or an investment for return.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.