The US State Department recently made it harder for foreigners to secure an investor visa, known as the EB-5 visa.

More specifically, the general minimum investment amount required to obtain an EB-5 visa will rise from $1 million to $1.8 million.

For foreign investors looking to invest in targeted employment areas (TEAs), areas with high unemployment, the minimum investment amount will be $900,000–the previous requirement stood at $500,000.

The EB-5 program was initially created to attract foreign investment in exchange for permanent resident status.

According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the increase in minimum investment requirement accounts for inflation.

The last time minimum investment amounts were changed was in 1990.

On top of those changes, states will no longer have the authority to designate which areas qualify as TEAs.

Now, the Department of Homeland Security will have this power.

According to Thailand attorneys specializing in securing US immigration visas including EB-5 visas, the increased investment requirements won’t significantly lower investor visa applications, due to the worldwide attractiveness of the prospect of securing a US green card.

The changes to the EB-5 visa will take effect on November 21.

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