Investors who meet the requirements of the EB-5 (employment-based, fifth preference) investor visa are given permanent resident status. The applicant's spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 may also be granted a Green Card with this visa.

The visa, which is handled by the Immigrant Investor Programme Office (IPO) of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), was initially launched in 1990 to support economic growth by increasing employment and luring international investment.

You can file for an EB-5 visa by making one of these types of investments:

A Targeted Employment Area (TEA) with at least 800,000 USD in investment
Investing in a government-approved programme in a rural area or a region with a high unemployment rate.

Outside of a TEA, a direct investment of at least 1.05 million USD
You may open your own business in the US or make an investment in one that is already there, but you must ensure that it conforms with USCIS rules.

To be granted an EB-5 visa, two fundamental requirements must be satisfied. The candidate must:

• Invest in a U.S. company: The investment must satisfy the minimal criteria as established by 8 CFR 204.6.
• Plan to maintain or add at least 10 full-time positions that can be filled by Americans.

The documents you must provide includes,

• A valid passport and other identity documents.
• Proof of any ongoing civil or criminal cases brought against you by a court in the USA or abroad in the last 15 years (if applicable).
• Proof in writing that you have contributed to or are currently investing in a new business that was founded after 1990
• Purchased a new, for-profit business that was founded before 1990 but was reorganised to become a new business.
• Invested in a new, for-profit business that was started before 1990, but your investment increased the business's net value or workforce by at least 40%.
• Evidence that at least 10 new full-time jobs have resulted from your investment
• You must provide proof that you want to keep the new hires for at least two years.

Once you have got all the required documents in order, you may go on with the application process.

Visa Processing Time
The EB-5 visa application procedure normally takes 13 months from the time your application is submitted to the USCIS. Given that this is an average, your processing time may vary based on your particular situation.

How to Apply
Here are the necessary steps to applying for an EB-5 visa in the United States:

• Prepare the appropriate investment amount as well as the essential company plans, financial records, and source of funding documentation.
• Send Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Investor, and the necessary paperwork to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). 
• Once Form I-526 is accepted, submit Form I-485 to request conditional permanent residency if you are already in the country or through consular processing if you are not.
• You must submit Form I-829 within the 90 days prior to the conclusion of your two-year conditional residency to demonstrate that you've complied with the investment and job creation requirements.

Duration
You will be granted "conditional residency" when you initially acquire a Green Card through EB-5 Investment. This indicates that you have two years to live, work, and study in the US while holding a valid Green Card. You can't leave the country for longer than a year without losing your residency.

You can apply for "unconditional/permanent residency," also known as a 10-year Green Card that you can renew constantly, after two years with a "conditional residency" Green Card.

Fees
You and any other candidates must pay $3,675 USD for the actual EB-5 Visa application. Of course, in addition to the money you spend on any additional administrative work, such as the cost of a medical test and the processing of Form DS-260, etc.

Is it possible to extend the two-year conditional permanent residency period?
It is not possible to prolong the two-year conditional term. After two years, the investor can submit Form I-829 to request the conditions on their green card be lifted by proving that the requirements for investment and job creation have been satisfied.

Can I Get American Citizenship With an EB-5 Visa?
Yes, if you receive an EB-5 visa, you can apply to become an American citizen. After five years of holding "unconditional residency" (the 10-year Green Card) status, you are eligible to seek for citizenship. Before submitting an application for citizenship, you must have lived in the US for a minimum of seven years.