the United States Golden Visa 2026: cost, routes & residency
The EB-5 investor green card — a direct route to US permanent residency.
The US EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program grants a green card for a job-creating investment: $800,000 in a targeted employment area or $1.05 million elsewhere, each creating at least ten US jobs. Unlike most golden visas it leads to permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship — but it also brings US worldwide taxation.
How the the United States Golden Visa works
$800,000 in a targeted employment area (rural or high-unemployment) or $1.05 million elsewhere, invested through a regional centre or a direct enterprise, and creating at least ten full-time US jobs. The programme was overhauled by the 2022 Reform and Integrity Act.
Stay requirement and what it leads to
EB-5 gives a conditional green card, then permanent residency once conditions are removed, and citizenship after five years — but it also makes you subject to US green-card residency and presence rules.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum investment | From $800,000 (targeted area) |
| Main route | EB-5 job-creating investment |
| Minimum stay | Green-card presence rules |
| Leads to | Green card → citizenship |
| Where | US green card |
Where it fits in a borderless plan
Weigh it carefully against US citizenship-based taxation: a green card already makes you a US tax resident on worldwide income. A golden visa is a residency, not a passport. Pair it with a deliberate plan for where you are actually tax-resident and a self-custody plan for your Bitcoin. Compare every programme in our golden-visa guide, or go for a passport via investment or ancestry.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the the United States Golden Visa cost?
The minimum investment is From $800,000 (targeted area). EB-5 job-creating investment is the main route. Programmes change often, so confirm current thresholds before applying.
Does the the United States Golden Visa lead to citizenship?
It leads to green card → citizenship. A golden visa grants residency; a passport is a separate, longer process — see our golden-visa guide and the dual-citizenship guide.
What's the minimum stay for the the United States Golden Visa?
Green-card presence rules. Low-presence requirements are part of the appeal of most golden visas, but rules vary and change — verify the current position.
Official sources
Rules change — always confirm the current position with the primary authority:
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