There is an enduring myth in EB-5 that direct investment projects are reserved exclusively for single
investor owner/operators looking to open a business in the United States and earn a green card, while
larger multi-investor EB-5 projects incorporating the “loan model” are the domain of regional centers.
Like most myths, there is some truth to these assertions; regional centers do almost exclusively
sponsor projects incorporating the loan model, and partly because of this additional investor security,
regional centers have received the largest portion of EB-5 investment dollars. However, as there is
nothing in the regulations preventing direct investment projects from subscribing multiple investors,
direct investment projects are now combining their I-526 processing time advantage with the loan
model to bring an end to the investor monopoly held by regional centers.
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E B 5 I n v esto rs M ag a z i n e