Future returns do not replace the qualifying contribution required under the applicable rules.
Budget the investment without netting uncertain proceeds
The general current levels are US$1,050,000 or US$800,000 for qualifying TEA or infrastructure cases, subject to the January 1, 2027 statutory adjustment and actual filing date. Keep fees and living reserves distinct from capital, and do not treat an estimated exit value as money already contributed.
Use gross qualifying capital, not anticipated proceeds, when checking the filing threshold. An eligible targeted-area or infrastructure case generally calls for US$800,000; other EB-5 filings generally require US$1,050,000, with the governing amount verified on the actual filing date. A forecast return cannot be netted against either figure. Trace every transfer from a lawful source through intermediary accounts to the enterprise, and retain separate budgets for filing charges, professional advice, administration and family living needs. Ten full-time positions for qualifying US workers remain required. The investor uses Form I-526 for a direct venture or Form I-526E for a regional-center investment, then faces two-year conditional residence and Form I-829. Check current agency fee schedules instead of treating project estimates as official costs.
Hypothetical example: A Bégin cold-storage entrepreneur considers a direct project and expects an early equipment rebate. He funds the full applicable capital amount without subtracting that possible rebate, records each bank movement and separately models job payroll. His budget also isolates government charges from construction expenses. If the rebate later arrives, it cannot retroactively replace capital that was missing when Form I-526 was filed.