Clarify the family funding arrangement
Hypothetical example: a parent offers to cover an adult child’s application costs but expects reimbursement later. Identify whether the arrangement is a gift, loan or another commitment and what has actually been authorized. Do not assume the family description settles the official program’s requirements or the applicant’s obligations. Before sending funds, recheck the live official framework and the case-specific payment directions. Document any family funding with its actual payer, recipient, repayment terms, and authority to transfer money. The program's terminology for a government gift does not transform a private loan into a gift. The useful decision is whether the applicant can make the required payment on the official terms and accurately explain how the funds became available. Do not let an informal family understanding conflict with bank or loan records.
Verify the current official process
Check the applicable arrangement, charges and payment instructions through official channels. A government gift is not an EB-5 investment and does not promise a financial return. Payment does not produce automatic residence or citizenship, and financial support does not remove the applicant’s individual eligibility inquiry. Use the official program materials current at the time of action and preserve the version reviewed. Verify where payment is directed, what stage permits it, and which fee is nonrefundable. A payment to a private intermediary or commercial project is not the gift payment described by the program. The review should avoid treating a press report, consultant summary, or payment request as official authorization.
Plan the household on its actual applicants
Identify who will apply and whether any spouse or eligible child would be included under the official terms. Each included person has separate requirements and costs. The payer’s relationship to the principal does not automatically place the payer in the residence application or guarantee a common timetable. Assess each household member as an actual proposed applicant, not as an assumed benefit of the payer's relationship. Check eligibility, documentary needs, and timing separately. A child aging or a change in marital status can affect a household plan even when funds are available. The decision is whether to include a family member in the initial process under current terms or pursue a separate path with its own record.
Use the current individual, corporate and family amounts
As published on September 7, 2026, the official FAQ required a nonrefundable US$15,000 DHS processing fee for every applicant. After vetting succeeds, an individual principal provides a US$1 million gift, while a corporate sponsor provides US$2 million for each sponsored employee. An eligible accompanying spouse or unmarried child younger than 21 incurs a separate US$15,000 fee and US$1 million gift, including under corporate sponsorship. The corporate option also carries annual maintenance equal to 1% and a 5% transfer charge that includes another DHS background check. Transferring the benefit of a corporate gift to a replacement employee does not approve that employee automatically. State Department visa charges and medical-examination expenses can be additional; confirm the live instructions for the specific case. Record official charges separately from private legal, medical, document, travel, and funding costs. Corporate sponsorship terms should not be generalized to an individual applicant, and an individual payment should not be described as a corporate investment. Verify the exact amount and sequence before money moves. No private reimbursement promise alters the recipient or legal character of a payment directed to the U.S. government.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.