Is there a technology or patent requirement?

No. EB-5 does not require the investment to be tied to technology or to involve a registered patent. The program focuses on investing in a commercial enterprise that creates or preserves jobs in the United States, not on the innovative nature of the product.

In practice, this opens a broad range of possible sectors. Investors may put capital into areas such as hospitality, retail, manufacturing, services, and many others, without needing a technology product or intellectual property behind the business.

• The central criterion is the capital invested and the economic impact generated.
• What matters is the creation of the minimum number of jobs required by the program.
• The business sector is open, as long as the enterprise is legitimate and eligible.

Since the rules may be updated, it is worth confirming the current requirements with USCIS and evaluating the investment structure with a qualified professional before deciding where to invest.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

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.