EB-5 Minimum Investment Amount in 2026: TEA vs. Non-TEA Thresholds (and What Changes in 2027)

Index

• EB-5 Investment Thresholds in 2026
• Why Are There Two Different Investment Amounts?
• Targeted Employment Areas (TEAs): the $800,000 Tier
• What Counts as a Targeted Employment Area?
• The Benefits of Investing in a TEA
• Non-TEA Projects: the $1,050,000 Tier
• 2026 Policy Developments That Affect EB-5 Investors
• The 2027 Inflation Adjustment and Key Filing Deadlines
• Sources

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program lets foreign nationals obtain a U.S. green card through investment. The EB-5 minimum investment amount in 2026 is either $1,050,000 for a standard project or $800,000 for a project in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) or a qualifying infrastructure project. These are the same amounts that have applied since the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (RIA), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirms they remain in effect today. What makes 2026 different is timing: a grandfathering deadline on September 30, 2026, and the program's first inflation-based increase, scheduled for January 1, 2027. This guide explains both thresholds, why they differ, the recent policy changes affecting investors, and how the 2027 adjustment is likely to reshape the numbers. (EB-5 is a separate program from the newer Trump Gold Card; for a side-by-side look at both, see our Gold Card vs. EB-5 vs. Platinum comparison.)

EB-5 Investment Thresholds in 2026

The minimum EB-5 investment amounts established by the RIA are:

• $1,050,000 for standard (non-TEA) projects
• $800,000 for TEA and qualifying infrastructure projects

Congress created this two-tier structure in 2022 to replace the former $1,000,000 and $500,000 levels, and it tied future changes to inflation. According to USCIS, these are the amounts an investor must meet today. They have not changed during 2026 and remain in force until the next statutory adjustment.

These thresholds are set by statute, not by individual projects. A project cannot lower them. The only way to qualify at $800,000 is for the project itself to meet the TEA or infrastructure criteria.

Why Are There Two Different Investment Amounts?

The lower $800,000 threshold is meant to encourage investment in areas that need economic development, while the $1.05 million amount applies to all other projects. By law, the reduced amount is an incentive to direct investor capital into TEAs, such as high-unemployment areas or rural communities, and into certain public infrastructure projects. In practice, this allows an EB-5 investor to qualify with a smaller capital contribution by choosing a project in a qualifying TEA or an eligible infrastructure project. The idea is to support development in regions that have fewer resources and less private investment.

Targeted Employment Areas (TEAs): the $800,000 Tier

A Targeted Employment Area is an area that USCIS classifies as either a rural area or a high-unemployment area under statutory criteria. Projects located in a TEA qualify for the reduced $800,000 EB-5 minimum. By lowering the required capital, the program aims to direct funds to the places that need economic growth the most. Many investors choose TEA projects because the upfront investment is lower and because of the immigration-related advantages introduced in 2022.

What Counts as a Targeted Employment Area?

Under USCIS definitions, a project location must meet one of the following conditions to be designated as a TEA:

• Rural area: A location outside any Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and outside the boundary of any city or town with a population of 20,000 or more. For example, a development project in a sparsely populated county far from urban centers can qualify as a rural TEA.
• High-unemployment area: An area where the unemployment rate is at least 150% of the national average, often defined using one or more census tracts. This can include certain distressed neighborhoods in or around cities. For instance, an urban redevelopment project in a census tract with significantly higher-than-average unemployment can qualify as a high-unemployment TEA.

Certain infrastructure projects can also qualify at the $800,000 level under the RIA. These are public infrastructure projects financed in part with EB-5 capital and administered by a government entity, such as roads, bridges, or public facilities. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines what counts as an eligible infrastructure project.

The Benefits of Investing in a TEA

Investing in a TEA offers benefits beyond the lower investment amount. Under the 2022 reforms, a portion of EB-5 visas is reserved each year for investors in TEA projects, which can help with visa backlogs. The current annual set-asides are:

• 20% for rural projects
• 10% for high-unemployment area projects
• 2% for infrastructure projects

TEA-based investors, especially in rural projects, can also qualify for priority processing of their EB-5 petitions. This means their cases may be reviewed more quickly than standard filings. Because of this, some investors are able to qualify with less capital and move through the process on a faster track.

TEA projects are not automatically riskier than non-TEA projects. Many are sound business ventures located near strong markets, such as the suburbs of major cities or growing communities. The TEA label is based on geographic and economic criteria, not on the quality of the investment itself.

To understand the full process and requirements, refer to our EB-5 Visa Guide, which covers 2026 eligibility, the application process, and fees.

Non-TEA Projects: the $1,050,000 Tier

If a project does not qualify as a TEA and is not an eligible infrastructure project, it requires the higher $1.05 million investment. When the business or development is in an area that does not meet the rural or high-unemployment definitions, an EB-5 investor must commit just over one million dollars to qualify for a green card.

These standard, non-TEA investments are common in major metropolitan areas and other economically strong regions. They often include luxury real estate developments, established businesses in prime locations, or other ventures in robust markets. Because these areas already attract capital, the program requires a higher contribution for the same immigration benefit.

Since they do not meet TEA criteria, non-TEA projects do not benefit from reserved visa categories or priority processing. For example, an investor putting $1.05 million into a downtown luxury hotel project will be in the general EB-5 queue, without the set-aside advantages that might apply to a rural hotel project. Even so, for investors who care more about business fundamentals or location than about slightly faster processing, a well-structured non-TEA project can still be a reasonable option. In both TEA and non-TEA scenarios, the immigration benefit is the same. What changes is cost, project location, and potential processing time.

2026 Policy Developments That Affect EB-5 Investors

Two developments in late 2025 and early 2026 have changed the practical landscape for EB-5 applicants, even though the investment amounts themselves are unchanged. Neither affects how much you invest, but both can affect your timeline and your filing strategy.

The 75-Country Immigrant Visa Pause

On January 14, 2026, the U.S. Department of State announced an indefinite pause on immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, effective January 21, 2026, pending a review of public-charge screening. Applicants from affected countries may still file petitions and attend interviews, but no immigrant visas are being issued during the pause. Importantly, the pause applies to consular processing abroad. It does not affect applicants who are already in the United States and eligible to file Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status) concurrently, nor those who already hold conditional permanent residence. For an EB-5 investor from an affected country who is pursuing an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate, this can mean an indefinite delay at the final stage, which makes filing strategy and location (consular processing versus adjustment of status) more important than before.

Enhanced Source-of-Funds and Background Scrutiny

Executive actions in 2025 directed federal agencies to expand vetting across visa programs. In practice, EB-5 petitioners may face closer review of the lawful source of their invested funds during Form I-526 or I-526E adjudication, along with additional background checks at U.S. consulates. None of this changes the investment amount, but it does raise the bar on documentation. Thorough, well-organized source-of-funds evidence matters more than ever, and gaps that might once have been overlooked are more likely to draw a request for evidence.

The 2027 Inflation Adjustment and Key Filing Deadlines

Stability Through 2026

For investors considering EB-5 in 2026, the $800,000 and $1.05 million thresholds are expected to remain the same throughout the year. The RIA ties future increases to inflation on a five-year cycle, and the first adjustment is not scheduled until January 1, 2027. In other words, the current amounts are a known quantity for the rest of 2026.

What the 2027 Adjustment Could Look Like

The RIA requires the minimum investment figures to be updated for inflation using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), with the first adjustment effective January 1, 2027. The standard amount is recalculated first, based on cumulative inflation since the law's enactment, and the TEA minimum is then set at a fixed percentage of that adjusted figure. Based on CPI-U data through early 2026, industry analysts project that the TEA minimum could rise from $800,000 to roughly $900,000 (and possibly as high as about $937,500), and the standard minimum from $1,050,000 to roughly $1.2 million.

These are projections, not final figures. The exact amounts will depend on inflation data later in 2026 and will not be official until USCIS publishes them. The direction, however, is clear: investors should plan for higher thresholds in 2027 rather than assume the current minimums will hold.

Grandfathering and the September 30, 2026 Deadline

The EB-5 regional center program is currently authorized through September 30, 2027. Under the RIA's grandfathering provision, an EB-5 petition (Form I-526 or I-526E) properly filed on or before September 30, 2026 continues to be governed by the rules in place at the time of filing, even if the program later lapses or the minimum amounts increase. In practical terms, filing on or before that date can lock in today's lower investment amounts and current rules. Because USCIS processing of these petitions is generally estimated to take well over a year, investors who are leaning toward EB-5 have a clear reason not to wait.

For 2026, the takeaway is straightforward. EB-5 investors should plan to invest $800,000 or $1.05 million, depending on whether the chosen project qualifies as a TEA or infrastructure project, and these figures are expected to hold through the end of the year. A TEA project allows an investor to qualify at the lower threshold and, in some cases, to benefit from faster processing through reserved visa categories. A non-TEA project requires a higher investment and does not offer those advantages, but may still make sense based on the business model or location. In both paths, the intended outcome is the same: a green card. To confirm eligibility and structure the case correctly, it is usually helpful to work with an experienced EB-5 immigration attorney or advisor.

Contact Us

For a personalized evaluation of your U.S. immigration case, get in touch with our team. We will review your situation thoroughly and recommend the strategy that fits your circumstances best. You can reach Gozel Law Firm by phone at +1 862-799-2200 or by email at info@gozellaw.com.

Sources

1. Green Card for Immigrant Investors, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), updated 2025.
2. EB-5 Immigrant Investor Process, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), 2025.
3. Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part G (Immigrant Investors), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
4. 8 U.S.C. 1153 (INA Section 203(b)(5), Employment-Based Immigrants), Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School.
5. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
6. State Department suspending immigrant visas for 75 countries, citing public assistance concerns, PBS NewsHour, January 14, 2026.
7. EB-5 investment thresholds and TEA risk ahead of 2027, EB5Investors.com, January 2026.