Regional Center vs Direct EB-5
TL;DR
Regional Center investors pool capital into pre-vetted projects ($800K). Direct EB-5 means you operate your own business and create 10 jobs yourself ($1.05M).
Over 95% of EB-5 investors choose the Regional Center route. The economic, immigration, and time-cost differences are substantial.
- •Regional Center: Pool capital with other investors in an SEC-regulated project. Job creation calculated via indirect economic models (RIMS II). $800K rural / $800K urban / $1.05M baseline.
- •Direct EB-5: You found and operate the business yourself. Must create 10 W-2 employees within 2 years. Day-to-day operational responsibility. $1.05M baseline ($800K if in a TEA).
- •Risk profile: Regional Center diversifies execution risk across a team of operators. Direct EB-5 concentrates risk in your own ability to run the business.
- •Timeline: Regional Center investors are typically passive (limited partners). Direct EB-5 investors are W-2 active managers.
Direct EB-5 makes sense for experienced operators with US business plans. For everyone else, Regional Center is the dominant choice.
Beyond is a Regional Center sponsor with our own approved project (Beyond Paradise 1) — meaning no third-party fees, direct accountability, and aligned incentives.
Related
Rural TEA vs Urban TEA vs Direct EB-5
Rural TEA = $800K + 20% visa set-aside + priority processing. Urban TEA = $800K + 10% set-aside. Direct EB-5 = $1.05M, no Regional Center.
I-956F project approval — why it matters for you
I-956F is USCIS's pre-vetting of the EB-5 project itself. Filing I-526E against an already-approved I-956F means much faster individual adjudication.
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