The checked standard is US$1,050,000, or US$800,000 for a qualifying targeted employment area or infrastructure case.
Label the date and exclusions
Statutory adjustments begin January 1, 2027, so verify the filing-date amount. Separate actual project and professional charges from qualifying capital rather than assume every invoice component counts.
Label every budget line as qualifying capital, government charge, professional expense, project administration, tax, travel, or reserve. For September 2026, the general capital figure is US$1,050,000; the lower US$800,000 tier applies only when an infrastructure project or targeted employment area qualifies. Flag the January 1, 2027 adjustment and verify the filing-date figure. Check government charges through the official fee schedule. Capital must remain at risk and follow a lawful source-and-path trail; the project needs ten qualifying full-time U.S. jobs plus management or policy participation. Form I-526E serves regional-center investors, while direct investors file Form I-526. Two-year conditional residence and Form I-829, which must be filed within the 90-day period immediately preceding its second anniversary, also require planning. The common mistake is assuming project fees count toward the statutory investment.
Hypothetical example: an Orford prefabricated-cabin manufacturer considers a direct U.S. production facility. Its owner's worksheet should separate factory capital from entity setup, advisers, travel, and filing charges, then test whether the invested amount and ten direct full-time positions satisfy EB-5. Sale proceeds used for funding need a complete bank path. Because this is a direct investment, I-526—not I-526E—would ordinarily be the petition. The investor's spouse and unmarried children younger than 21 may derive, but their expenses neither increase qualifying capital nor replace I-829 planning.