Polaris EB-5 Regional Centers

The EB-5 visa program is a US immigration pathway created in 1990. You invest the required minimum in an approved US project, the project creates at least 10 full-time jobs per investor, and you may obtain a Green Card for yourself, your spouse, and unmarried children under 21. The program is administered by USCIS.

The process runs in four main stages. First, you select a project and invest the required capital (typically into an escrow account). Second, your regional center files Form I-526E with USCIS. Third, after approval, you either file Form I-485 to adjust status or go through consular processing for a two-year conditional Green Card. Fourth, you file Form I-829 to remove conditions and become a full permanent resident.

A regional center is a USCIS-designated entity authorized to pool capital from foreign investors into approved US projects. Investing through a regional center lets you count direct, indirect, and induced jobs toward the 10-job requirement, which makes the requirement more achievable than direct investment. Most EB-5 investors choose the regional center route. USCIS designation is not a federal endorsement of any project.

The minimum investment is $800,000 for projects in a Targeted Employment Area, or $1,050,000 for standard projects. Beyond that, plan for roughly $20,000–$30,000 in additional costs: government filing fees (across I-526E, I-485, and I-829), legal fees, and regional center administration fees. We disclose all costs in writing before you commit.

For many H-1B holders, regional center projects in a Targeted Employment Area at the $800,000 minimum are the most practical option. They allow direct, indirect, and induced job counting and a more passive investor role, and rural/high-unemployment set-aside categories can offer faster processing. If you're in the US, you may be able to file Form I-485 to adjust status while your H-1B remains active.

The program includes structural protections — escrow arrangements, USCIS oversight, and audited reporting requirements under the 2022 Reform and Integrity Act. However, EB-5 capital must remain legally "at risk," so no investment can guarantee a return of capital or an immigration outcome. Risk depends heavily on project selection and regional center compliance, which is why due diligence matters.

Timelines vary by project type and country of birth. As of 2026, USCIS published processing ranges for Form I-526E run roughly 11.5 to 61 months, depending on category, with regional center averages around 29–30 months; rural projects with priority processing are generally the fastest track. After I-526E approval, add time for I-485 or consular processing, then two years in conditional status before filing I-829. The full journey commonly runs several years. Your family is included from day one.

Under the 2022 Reform and Integrity Act, an investor who files Form I-526E on or before September 30, 2026, receives "grandfathering" protection: their petition continues to be adjudicated even if the Regional Center Program lapses or isn’t reauthorized after September 30, 2027. Investors who file after September 30, 2026, don’t have this protection. Grandfathering doesn’t guarantee approval or eliminate visa backlogs — it protects a pending case from future program lapses. The program has lapsed before, which is why timing matters.

Yes. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 are included in your application and receive Green Cards on the same timeline as you. Children who turn 21 before approval may "age out," though the Child Status Protection Act offers some protection. We help you plan around this when relevant.

Regional center projects count direct, indirect, and induced jobs, making the 10-job requirement easier to meet than direct investment does. If a project genuinely fails to create the required jobs, your status at the I-829 stage could be affected. This is why project selection, conservative job projections, and regular reporting matter — we focus on realistic job-creation math, not inflated promises.

Yes, and many do. EB-5 is one of the cleaner paths for H-1B holders to pursue permanent residency without employer sponsorship. If you're in the US, you may be able to file Form I-485 to adjust status while your H-1B is active. For Indian and Chinese nationals in the EB-2 or EB-3 backlogs, EB-5's set-aside categories can offer a faster route.

A TEA is a location USCIS classifies as either rural or high-unemployment (at least 150% of the national average). Projects in a TEA qualify for the lower $800,000 minimum and may benefit from reserved visa categories with faster processing. Most regional center projects today are structured in TEAs.

No. Once you hold a conditional Green Card, you can live anywhere in the United States. Your investment can be in one state while you settle in another. The regional center handles project management.

Fill out the contact form. Our team responds within 24 hours, usually faster. We schedule a 30-minute consultation to understand your situation and explain whether the EB-5 program is a fit. No sales pitch, no pressure.