Ways to Invest in
United States of America
Five ways to build your future in the United States.
Only one U.S. pathway — the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program — leads directly to a Green Card through investment. Every other route (E-2, L-1, the International Entrepreneur Rule) lets you own, run, or grow a business in the U.S. but does not hand you permanent residence on its own. Confusing the two is the single most common — and most costly — mistake investors make when planning a move.
The Five Pillars of Canadian Business Immigration
The U.S. runs five distinct investor and business routes, and they are not interchangeable. EB-5 is the only one built to end in a Green Card. E-2 and L-1 let you actively run a business in the U.S. on a renewable visa, with no direct path to permanent residence. The International Entrepreneur Rule is not even a visa — it is a discretionary parole program for start-up founders.
EB-5 Regional Center
$800,000–$1,050,000The most common EB-5 route: invest in a USCIS-approved regional center project (hotels, apartments, infrastructure) with professional management and indirect job creation counted toward the 10-job requirement. Leads directly to a conditional, then permanent, Green Card.
EB-5 Direct Investment
$800,000–$1,050,000Create or purchase your own business — a factory, restaurant chain, tech company, or logistics operation — and directly create the required 10 full-time jobs yourself. Full control over the enterprise, but more hands-on management responsibility.
E-2 Treaty Investor
"Substantial" investment, no fixed minimumFor nationals of E-2 treaty countries who invest in and actively operate a U.S. business. Renewable indefinitely while the business qualifies, but does not directly lead to a Green Card. India does not currently have an E-2 treaty with the U.S.
L-1 New Office
Investment depends on the businessFor owners or managers of a company outside the U.S. who open a U.S. branch or subsidiary and transfer themselves as an executive or manager. Lower initial capital than EB-5 in many cases, and can later support an EB-1C Green Card application.
International Entrepreneur Rule
No fixed investment if supportedNot a visa but a discretionary parole program for start-up founders who show rapid-growth potential backed by qualified U.S. investment or government grants. Grants temporary permission to live and work in the U.S. — not a direct path to permanent residence.
Compare the five pathways at a glance
These are separate USCIS and Department of State categories — not options within one application. Actual thresholds and treaty-country lists change; confirm current status with a licensed U.S. immigration attorney.
| Pathway | Green Card? | Typical investment | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-5 Regional Center | Yes, directly | $800,000–$1,050,000 | Investors who want permanent residence without day-to-day management |
| EB-5 Direct Investment | Yes, directly | $800,000–$1,050,000 | Investors who want full control and are willing to run the business themselves |
| E-2 Treaty Investor | No (temporary, renewable) | Substantial, no fixed minimum | Entrepreneurs from treaty countries who want to own and run a U.S. business |
| L-1 New Office | Not directly | Depends on the business | Existing business owners expanding into the U.S., often ahead of EB-1C |
| Entrepreneur Rule (IER) | No visa; temporary parole | No fixed investment if supported | Start-up founders backed by qualified U.S. investment or grants |
The U.S. has no golden visa or citizenship-by-investment route. EB-5 is the only category built to deliver permanent residence through investment; E-2 and L-1 are temporary, renewable business-operation visas with no direct Green Card path. The International Entrepreneur Rule is not a visa at all — it is a discretionary parole program with no fixed investment requirement from the applicant.
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Your typical journey through a U.S. business route
The exact sequence differs by pathway — E-2 and L-1 applicants never file for a Green Card as part of the process, while EB-5 applicants move through conditional to permanent residence — but most routes share this same eight-step spine.
Select your pathway
Decide between EB-5 (Regional Center or Direct), E-2, L-1, or the International Entrepreneur Rule — based on whether a Green Card is your goal, your net worth, your treaty-country citizenship, and your appetite for actively running a business day to day.
Document the lawful source of your investment
EB-5 requires detailed evidence of the lawful source of funds — salary, business profits, property sales, inheritance, or properly documented gifts. E-2 and L-1 focus more on the business plan and less on tracing every dollar.
Choose a project or structure the business
EB-5 Regional Center investors review the project's financials, job-creation model, exit strategy, and developer history. EB-5 Direct, E-2, and L-1 applicants build a business plan and corporate structure instead.
Invest or capitalize the business
Transfer the required capital and place it "at risk" for EB-5, or inject the substantial investment or working capital that E-2 and L-1 require to show a real, operating business — not simply paper ownership.
Submit the immigrant or nonimmigrant petition to USCIS
File Form I-526E for EB-5, or the relevant nonimmigrant petition for E-2 or L-1. Passport copies, police certificates, corporate documents, and business plans are submitted at this stage.
Get your immigrant visa, adjustment of status, or work visa
EB-5 applicants apply for an immigrant visa abroad or adjust status if already in the U.S. E-2 and L-1 applicants receive a nonimmigrant visa or petition approval that lets them enter and work.
Run the business or maintain the investment
E-2, L-1, and EB-5 Direct investors move to the U.S. and actively run the business. EB-5 Regional Center investors maintain their at-risk investment through professional project management instead.
Convert to a permanent Green Card (EB-5 only)
EB-5 investors receive a conditional Green Card, typically valid for two years, then file to remove conditions by proving the investment stayed compliant and the job-creation targets were met. E-2 and L-1 instead renew their visas or pursue a separate route such as EB-1C.
What these routes offer beyond the paperwork
Family included
A spouse and unmarried children under 21 can typically be included as derivative beneficiaries alongside the principal applicant's EB-5, E-2, or L-1 case.
A clear path to citizenship (EB-5)
Once your conditions are removed and you hold a permanent Green Card, you can apply for U.S. naturalization after meeting the standard residence and physical-presence requirements.
No language test for the Green Card
Unlike many countries' investor programs, EB-5 itself does not require an English or civics test — that requirement only comes later, at the naturalization stage.
Access to the world's largest economy
Green Card and visa holders can live, work, bank, and do business anywhere in the U.S., with access to its capital markets, universities, and consumer base.
Keep this guide handy
Download the full pathway breakdown, comparison table, and step-by-step process as a single branded PDF you can save, print, or share with your advisor.
This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax, or immigration advice. Investment thresholds, government fees, and processing times change; confirm current figures with a licensed U.S. immigration attorney and the Visa Helperz Team before applying.