What is the EB-5 Green Card Program?

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, created by Congress in 1990 and administered by USCIS, allows foreign nationals to obtain US permanent residency (green cards) by investing in American businesses or real estate projects. Unlike employment-based visas, the EB-5 green card is not tied to a specific employer, offering complete independence and freedom to work anywhere in the United States.

Unlike other US green card avenues to citizenship, EB-5 doesn't require employer sponsorship or lengthy visa processes. The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program offers a direct path to permanent residency for foreign investors willing to invest capital in projects that create American jobs. If you're wondering how to get a US green card through investment, this guide explains everything you need to know.

Key EB-5 Benefits

  • Permanent Residency for Your Entire Family — Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 receive green cards alongside you.
  • No Employer Sponsorship — You control your future. Work for any company, start your own business, or retire.
  • In-State Tuition Access — Children qualify for in-state university tuition and federal financial aid.
  • Unrestricted Work Authorization — Live and work anywhere in the United States without geographic limitations.
  • Path to US Citizenship — Green card holders can apply for US citizenship after meeting residency requirements.

EB-5 Investment Requirements

To qualify for an EB-5 green card, you must make a capital investment in a commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs for US workers. The investment amount depends on the project's location:

Targeted Employment Area (TEA): $800,000 (increasing to $930,000 on January 1, 2027)

Non-TEA: $1,050,000
Beyond capital, you must demonstrate that the investment creates 10+ permanent jobs within 2 years, funds are at risk (potential loss), and jobs benefit US workers, not investors.
How to Get a US Green Card Through Investment: The Process

Step 1: Choose Your Investment Project

Select an EB-5 project aligned with your financial goals. Proven projects with active construction reduce risk and accelerate job creation. ARM Investments specializes in Texas real estate projects with operating history and underway construction—not speculative 'paper projects.'

Step 2: Conduct Due Diligence

Review the project's business plan, financial projections, and job creation timeline. Engage with immigration counsel and investment professionals to assess viability.
Step 3: File Your I-526E Petition
Submit Form I-526E (Immigrant Investor Petition) with USCIS, including evidence of capital source, project details, and job creation documentation.

Step 4: Receive Conditional Green Card

Upon approval, you receive a conditional green card valid for 2 years. Your spouse and children receive conditional status simultaneously.

Step 5: Remove Conditions

Near the 2-year mark, file Form I-829 to remove conditions, demonstrating that all job creation requirements were met.

Step 6: Achieve Permanent Residency

Once conditions are removed, you and your family hold unrestricted permanent resident status.
Why Choose Texas EB-5 Projects?
ARM Investments focuses exclusively on Texas real estate and commercial projects. 
Texas offers:  Strong Economic Growth — Texas has a thriving economy with consistent job creation and low unemployment.

Near-Term Construction—Defined Permitting and Delivery Schedules

One of the most common causes of delay in an EB-5 investment is not underwriting—it is execution timing. USCIS may approve an I-526E petition based on a credible business plan and job-creation methodology, but removal of conditions ultimately depends on demonstrating that the required qualifying jobs were actually created. A project that is still pursuing entitlements, financing, or permits when investors subscribe can push every downstream milestone to the right. For the investor, that delay affects not only the investment timeline but potentially the immigration timeline as well.

Direct EB-5 provides a particularly transparent job-creation structure

Qualifying positions are full-time—generally 35 or more hours per week—W-2 positions employed by the job-creating entity, without reliance on economic modeling to credit indirect or induced employment. Standardized QSR and convenience-store formats are well suited to this structure because each operating location requires a defined permanent workforce once opened. Job creation is therefore evidenced through actual payroll and operating records rather than economic projections, with development schedules generally measured in months rather than years.

Church’s Chicken – Manor, TX

Drive-thru restaurant located within a newly developed retail center along the US-290 corridor in Manor, part of the eastern Austin growth market. The project benefits from a developer-delivered shell, substantially reducing the construction scope by eliminating major site work and vertical building construction. ARM can proceed directly into tenant improvements, restaurant equipment installation, and drive-thru improvements, creating one of the shortest paths in the portfolio from capital deployment to store operations.
Estimated permit issuance: Q1 2027
Target opening: Q2 2027
Qualifying jobs at full staffing: 15 FTE

Church’s Chicken – University (Houston)

Ground-up freestanding drive-thru restaurant. Although more capital-intensive and construction-intensive than a second-generation or shell build-out, ARM controls the principal components of the development schedule, including site work, foundation, vertical construction, equipment installation, and certificate of occupancy. This reduces reliance on third-party landlord delivery schedules and provides greater control over the project's critical path.
Estimated permit issuance: Q1 2027
Target opening: Q2 2027
Qualifying jobs at full staffing: 15 FTE

West Belfort – Lone Star Market / Shell (Houston)

Lone Star Market convenience store with Shell-branded fuel located on West Bellfort Avenue in southwest Houston, within a dense and established trade area near the Beltway 8 and US-59 corridors. The operating model requires extended hours and multiple employee shifts, producing a substantial permanent workforce relative to the project's physical footprint. These positions are recurring, year-round operating jobs supported by the ongoing needs of the convenience store and fuel business.
Estimated permit issuance: Q2 2027
Target opening: Q1 2028
Qualifying jobs at full staffing: 25 FTE

Across the three projects, the portfolio is expected to support approximately 55 qualifying full-time positions at stabilized staffing, providing meaningful job-creation capacity relative to the EB-5 requirement.
Timeline and Green Card Processing
EB-5 green card timelines typically range from 2-3 years from initial petition to conditional green card approval. Active projects with underway construction accelerate job verification and approval timelines.
Start Your Journey to a US Green Card Today
How to get a US green card through investment is simpler than you might think. The EB-5 program offers a proven, direct path to permanent residency for your entire family. ARM Investments provides Texas-based EB-5 projects with proven operating history, active construction, and transparent investment structures.

Contact ARM Investments.
Address: 6161 Savoy Drive, #904, Houston, TX 77036

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment or legal advice. Consult with licensed immigration counsel and registered investment professionals before making investment decisions.

Secure your future.

Don’t leave your family’s residency to the uncertainty of future Congressional sessions. By acting now, you aren’t just investing in a project — you are pursuing greater legal certainty around your path to U.S. permanent residency.

Ready to explore a qualified Houston EB-5 project with ARM Investments?

Contact our team for a private briefing