EB-5 Investment Amount Explained: $800K vs $1,050K

The $800K vs $1,050K distinction matters because it changes investor economics by $250K and routes investors toward different project types. Understanding what qualifies as Rural or Urban TEA is the gating decision.

• •Rural TEA — $800K — project located in an area outside any Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) AND with population under 20,000. 20% of EB-5 visas reserved for this category. Highest USCIS priority.
• •Urban High-Unemployment TEA — $800K — project located in an area with unemployment 150%+ of the national average. 10% of EB-5 visas reserved.
• •Infrastructure TEA — $800K — federally-administered infrastructure projects. 2% reserved. Rare in practice.
• •Non-TEA / Direct EB-5 — $1,050K — projects outside any TEA designation. No reserved visa allocation. Stuck in the legacy backlog for India and China.
• •Inflation adjustment: every 5 years per RIA. Next scheduled January 2027 — likely a modest upward adjustment.
• •Locking the amount: the investment amount is locked at the date of I-526E filing. Filing in 2026 at $800K locks that amount even if the 2027 adjustment raises future minimums.

The $250K saving from Rural/Urban TEA is real and significant — but the bigger economic value is the reserved visa set-aside, which collapses multi-year backlogs for India and China.