Investor Visas for the USA: E-2, EB-5, Gold Card and More (2026)

Money alone does not buy US residence. Each investor route has its own legal test:

• E-2 and E-1 require citizenship of a country with a qualifying treaty with the US, and you must actively run the business.
• EB-5 requires an at-risk investment that creates at least 10 full-time jobs for US workers.
• Gold Card requires a large gift, strict vetting, and admissibility, and it uses existing green card categories.

Buying a house, holding US stocks, or making a passive investment does not qualify for any of them on its own.

For a detailed side-by-side, read E-2 vs EB-5 vs Gold Card.

The E-2 is often the fastest way for a business owner to move. Key points:

• Nationality. You and the business must be at least 50% owned by nationals of an E-2 treaty country. The State Department publishes the treaty list; some large countries, such as India, China, and Brazil, are not on it.
• Investment. There is no fixed minimum. The amount must be "substantial" compared with the cost of the business, already committed and at risk, and the business must be more than "marginal" (it must do more than support your family).
• Stay. Admission is for up to 2 years at a time, and you can renew as long as the business qualifies. Visa validity depends on your country.
• Family. Your spouse can work, and children under 21 can study.

The E-2 does not lead to a green card on its own, and you must intend to leave when your status ends. Many E-2 holders later use EB-5, EB-1C, or family routes.

The EB-5 gives a green card to investors and their spouse and children under 21. As of September 2026:

• Minimum investment: $1,050,000, or $800,000 in a targeted employment area (rural or high-unemployment) or infrastructure project. An inflation increase is due January 1, 2027.
• Jobs: at least 10 full-time jobs per investor.
• Two ways to invest: directly in your own business (Form I-526), or through a USCIS-designated regional center (Form I-526E), where jobs created indirectly can count.
• Conditional status: you first get a 2-year conditional green card and later file Form I-829 to remove conditions.
• Visa set-asides: some visas are reserved for rural, high-unemployment, and infrastructure projects, which can help investors from backlogged countries.

The September 30, 2026 deadline. The regional center program is authorized until September 30, 2027. Regional center petitions filed on or before September 30, 2026 keep "grandfathering" protection if the program later lapses; petitions filed after that date do not. See the EB-5 grandfathering status page.

The Gold Card, created by executive order in September 2025, treats a $1 million gift to the US government ($2 million if a company pays) as evidence for an EB-1 or EB-2 green card. You register at trumpcard.gov, file Form I-140G with a $15,000 non-refundable fee per person, and pay the gift only after vetting.

As of April 2026, 1 petition had been approved out of 338 requests. The fee is lost if you are refused. The Gold Card uses existing EB-1 and EB-2 visa numbers, so people born in India and China can still face Visa Bulletin waits. A "Platinum Card" has been proposed but would need Congress.

• Gold Card launched and is accepting applications.
• EB-5 grandfathering ends September 30, 2026.
• Immigrant visa interviews abroad have been frozen since August 25, 2026, which delays EB-5 and Gold Card investors who would get their green card at a consulate.
• Travel ban. Nationals of the 19 full-ban countries cannot get E visas, and immigrant visas are suspended for all listed countries.
• Adjustment of status memo. E-2 and L-1 holders planning to switch to a green card inside the US should read about the May 2026 USCIS memo on our adjustment of status page.

See the USA Status Now page for updates.

Investor immigration attracts fraud. Before you invest:

• Verify any regional center on the USCIS list, and ask for audited financials and the offering documents.
• Keep a clear paper trail for the lawful source of every dollar, including gifts and loans.
• Use an immigration lawyer who does not take commissions from the project, and a separate securities or business lawyer if needed.
• Ignore anyone who sells "guaranteed" green cards or Gold Cards. Only trumpcard.gov and uscis.gov accept Gold Card applications.

See scam protection and compare investor routes in Canada and Mexico.