The applicable minimum depends on whether the enterprise is in a targeted employment area or otherwise qualifies for a reduced threshold; standard and reduced amounts differ, and infrastructure, rural and high-unemployment projects are also treated as distinct set-aside categories with their own visa allocations.
Confirm the category before comparing dollar figures
Ask for the project's formal TEA or infrastructure designation documentation rather than relying on marketing language describing it as qualifying. The Choudharys should also confirm that the designation is current, since underlying data and boundaries used for TEA qualification can be updated.
An initial review should answer where the capital originated, how it will be placed into the chosen structure, what evidence supports the employment model, and whether the investor understands conditional residence. Work chronologically from the origin event to the final transfer, and commercially from the project documents to the job-creation plan. Hypothetical example: A diagnostic-imaging clinic owner sells a minority share in her practice and plans to invest the proceeds, but the shareholder agreement limits when the money can be distributed. The sale may be lawful, yet the actual availability and traceable movement of funds must be established before it supports an EB-5 filing. Capital has to be exposed to loss; a guaranteed return or repayment promise raises a separate problem. The review should identify missing records before any irrevocable project commitment.
Before committing, ask whether every source event has a primary record and whether the project’s job model is understood in plain language. If either answer is no, obtain the records or explanation first. Later declarations are less useful than documents created at the time of the transaction.