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To be eligible for U.S. naturalization, an applicant must generally hold a green card (conditional or permanent) for five years (or three years if married to a U.S. citizen), maintain continuous residence in the United States, and be physically present for at least 30 months out of five years (or 18 months out of three years). Long trips abroad—especially those lasting over six months—can disrupt eligibility. Applicants must also live in the state where they apply for at least three months and continue residing in the U.S. until naturalization is completed.

Under the EB-5 program, the capital at risk requirement means that an investor’s funds must be fully committed to a new commercial enterprise and exposed to the possibility of gain or loss, with no guarantees of repayment or fixed returns. The investment cannot be held in cash, secured by collateral, or structured as a risk-free loan to the investor. USCIS requires the capital to be genuinely deployed in job-creating activities, demonstrating that the investor is participating in a real business investment rather than preserving capital with assured protection.

The direct EB-5 option allows an investor to obtain U.S. permanent residency by investing directly in and actively managing a new or existing U.S. business, rather than investing through a regional center. The investor must place the required capital into the business, create at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers, and typically play a policy-making or managerial role in the enterprise. Unlike regional center projects, only direct, W-2 jobs count toward the job-creation requirement, making this option better suited for hands-on investors who want direct control over their business and employment outcomes.