Does the EB-5 accept crowdfunding?

No. The EB-5 is a green card path through investment built on a central premise: the capital invested must come from the petitioner, have a documented lawful source, and remain ‘at risk’ for the period required by the program.

Crowdfunding pools money from many people around a single project. That model conflicts with the logic of the EB-5, which requires tracing and documenting the origin of each individual investor’s funds, something that pooled crowdfunding capital cannot demonstrate.

It is worth distinguishing two roles: the project receiving the investment may draw from different funding sources, but each EB-5 petitioner must prove that their own contribution came from lawful, identifiable funds. That individual proof is what supports the adjudication of the petition.

Because the rules on source of funds and maintenance of the investment are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, it is worth checking the current requirements with USCIS and working with specialized professionals before structuring the investment.

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Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

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As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.