Read the general immigrant investor briefing overview
A Tantramar applicant comparing routes should ask what each document actually proves: the EB-5 employment relationship or the Gold Card payment required at the current stage.
Reconcile the employment and investment facts
EB-5 needs ten qualifying full-time jobs for each investor under the relevant method; contractor invoices are not automatically direct payroll evidence. The usual capital levels are US$1,050,000, or US$800,000 for qualifying TEA or infrastructure investments, with statutory adjustment beginning January 1, 2027. Lawful funding origin and path, investment risk and management or policy-making participation remain essential.
Read the programme’s own direction
For Gold Card, the nonrefundable processing charge is US$15,000 for each person. Following vetting, the instructed gift is US$1 million for an individual principal or USUS$2 million per corporately sponsored employee; each eligible spouse or unmarried child under 21 adds US$1 million and the processing charge. A private invoice is not automatically the official direction, and EB-1/EB-2 eligibility, admissibility and available visas still matter. Corporate terms include 1% annual maintenance and 5% transfer with a new background check; a transfer does not automatically approve a replacement employee. The additional family gift and processing charges also apply to corporate cases.
Track the later immigration decisions
An investor petition does not itself make the applicant a resident. The usual EB-5 I-829 window opens 90 days before the second conditional-residence anniversary; filing is not automatic removal or a repayment instruction. Gold Card does not create business equity or guarantee citizenship. Keep actual notices separate from budgets and commercial projections.
What else is on your mind?
Does an EB-5 immigration review tell me whether an investment is good?Is the Gold Card another name for EB-5?Should I assume one Gold Card payment covers my family?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.