What is the difference between a direct EB-5 investment and a regional center investment?

EB-5 investors can pursue either a direct (standalone) investment or invest through a regional center. With a direct investment, you file Form I-526 and generally must show the enterprise directly created the required 10 full-time jobs, often with you more closely involved in the business.

With a regional center investment, you file Form I-526E and invest in a project sponsored by a USCIS-designated regional center. A key advantage is that regional center cases can count qualifying indirect and induced jobs, which can make the job-creation requirement easier to satisfy for passive investors. Each route has different risk, control, and evidentiary considerations to weigh carefully.