Accredited investor status. Financial institutions, insurance companies, etc., are considered accredited investors. For an individual to have accredited investor status, he or she needs to have a net worth of at least $1,000,000 or an annual income of at least $200,000 for the past two years.
$800,000 if investing in a targeted employment area (TEA) or in an infrastructure project administered by a government entity. All other projects require a minimum investment of $1,050,000.
Documentation showing your source of funds. Your investment needs to be legally obtained from any of the following sources: salary from employment, dividends from a business, funds from an inheritance, gifts from family or friends, proceeds from the sale of real estate, and other legitimate sources.
Money to pay processing fees, attorney fees, etc. These fees include your administrative fee plus additional processing fees. You should have this money available to you before beginning the process to avoid delays.
A clean record. To be given permanent resident status, you will need to be able to pass a series of routine background checks. These checks will investigate your finances, any political involvement, and your criminal history to ensure eligibility for immigration to the United States. Patience. This is not an immediate process. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) receives thousands of EB-5 petitions annually, and it takes time to review them individually. Generally, receiving conditional permanent resident status takes approximately 18–24 months, and removing the conditions on that status requires another two years. However, investors in rural TEA projects are given priority processing and conditional permanent resident status should be received faster as a result.
