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FRENCH RIVER · PLANNING GUIDE

Compare a borrowing plan with an employer-funded government gift

USAvisa field guide · 2 minute readReviewed 7 September 2026

Read the general immigrant investor briefing overview

THE SHORT ANSWER

A French River applicant may consider borrowed funds for EB-5 and a corporate Gold Card commitment. Identify whose money is involved, what must be repaid and which immigration conditions remain before treating either proposal as fully funded.

01

Read the EB-5 financing and enterprise obligations together

Explain the lender, lawful source, genuine loan conditions and path into capital the investor actually controls and commits at risk. Apply the relevant good-faith and noncircumvention requirements without assuming every loan qualifies or fails. Current capital is US$1,050,000 generally or US$800,000 for a qualifying targeted employment area or infrastructure project, with statutory adjustments from January 1, 2027 based on petition filing date. At least ten qualifying full-time jobs per investor and managerial or policy participation remain necessary. A personal loan maturity does not entitle the investor to demand project repayment; contractual investor repayment rights and guaranteed rates of return can exclude capital from qualification.

02

Identify the corporate Gold Card commitment precisely

The official terms require US$15,000 nonrefundable processing per person and, following successful vetting and instructions, US$2 million per corporate-sponsored employee principal or US$1 million for an individual principal. Each eligible included spouse or unmarried child under 21 adds US$1 million and US$15,000, including corporate cases. Initial family inclusion is recommended. Corporate terms add 1% annual maintenance and 5% transfer with a new background check; a replacement employee is not automatically approved. Confirm the actual company and employee covered by the promise. EB-1 or EB-2 eligibility, admissibility and visa availability still govern.

03

Separate financial deadlines from immigration outcomes

A government gift is not commercial equity or a guaranteed return, and neither route guarantees citizenship. An approved investor petition is not residence or current work authorization. Conditional residence begins on immigrant admission or adjustment approval. EB-5 generally requires I-829 in the 90 days before conditional residence’s second anniversary; filing does not itself remove conditions or compel a distribution. The statutory enterprise-discretion buyback exception requires petition withdrawal unless sustainment and the other requirements have been fulfilled. Keep the applicant’s loan obligations and any employer repayment agreement visible without letting them dictate immigration or project milestones.

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