IN THIS GUIDE · Test the corporate budget one applicant at a time
Separate the principal amounts in the official terms
As checked September 7, 2026, the processing fee is US$15,000 per person and nonrefundable. The principal gift is US$1,000,000 for an individual proposal or US$2,000,000 for a corporately sponsored employee. Confirm the actual framework before using either figure; a corporate proposal is not an individual case merely paid from a business account. Budgeting should identify the person making the payment, the processing fee, the stated gift amount and any proposed family inclusion. Do not treat a corporate payment as if it removes the employee’s personal classification, admissibility or visa-availability requirements. The official material current on the payment date controls over promotional summaries.
Add eligible family members to the actual budget
Hypothetical example: a sponsor budgets for two employees but overlooks their families. Each eligible joining spouse or unmarried child under 21 adds a US$15,000 processing fee and US$1,000,000 gift under the official terms, including corporate cases. Identify every proposed person and review individual eligibility rather than treating an employee’s figure as a household package. Family planning requires a person-by-person list with relationship and age evidence. A sponsor cannot assume that a household’s shared plans establish every individual’s inclusion. The decision to include someone initially should be made with the applicable official terms in hand, not postponed until after funds have been committed.
Read the continuing corporate conditions
The official corporate terms also describe 1% annual maintenance and a 5% transfer charge, including a new background check, under their governing conditions. Do not infer an automatic right to transfer or reuse sponsorship from a fee percentage. Confirm the actual instructions, conditions and any additional charges for the proposal. Corporate terms may contain continuing obligations or transfer conditions, but an employer should not convert those terms into assumed mobility rights. Read the actual conditions before promising a later replacement, reassignment or reuse. A new person may need separate vetting and eligibility analysis even where a fee schedule discusses a transfer.
Keep gift, vetting and residence distinct
The gift follows successful vetting and official instructions; willingness to pay does not bypass eligibility or admissibility. Unlike EB-5 capital, the gift is not an enterprise asset offered with a commercial return. A planned payment, completed form or corporate decision does not itself authorize U.S. work or residence. Keep the gift payment record, vetting outcome and immigrant-case documents in distinct folders. The gift has no ordinary commercial return and is not EB-5 capital at risk. A payment does not itself give work permission, waive admissibility, or guarantee that an EB-1 or EB-2 case is available or approvable.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.