USCIS-APPROVED REGIONAL CENTER · VIETNAM
EB-5 Program in Vietnam: Your Path to a U.S. Green Card
The EB-5 program provides Vietnamese citizens and their immediate families with an established, direct route to lawful permanent residency in the United States through a qualifying economic contribution. By allocating capital to a job-creating U.S. commercial enterprise, Vietnamese program participants can secure Green Cards, unlocking long-term living, educational, and business opportunities across the country.
- TEA Capital Threshold $800,000 USD Standard (non-TEA): $1,050,000 USD
- Visa Availability Reserved set-asides Rural and high-unemployment TEA categories bypass the queue
- Family Coverage Direct Green Card Spouse and unmarried children under 21
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EB-5 Visa Requirements for Vietnamese Citizens
Qualifying for an immigrant visa under the EB-5 program requires satisfying clear statutory benchmarks established by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
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Targeted Capital Deployment
Fulfilling the minimum capital threshold of $800,000 USD in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) or qualifying Infrastructure Project ($1,050,000 USD in non-TEA regions).
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Job Creation
Creating or preserving at least 10 permanent, full-time jobs for authorized U.S. workers.
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Lawful Source
Providing an unbroken audit trail proving the legitimate accumulation and transfer of all deployed capital.
Legal Nuances and Consular Processing in Vietnam
While administrative oversight is governed by federal immigration law, consular processing involves specific local procedures. For applicants residing in Vietnam, immigrant visa processing and final interviews are centralized exclusively at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City (the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi handles non-immigrant visas). Navigating local evidentiary requirements and ensuring strict alignment with the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 prevents administrative holdups before final visa issuance.
Specific Documentation Required in Vietnam
Assembling a compliant evidentiary petition requires certified documentation from local authorities:
- Civil & Family Records: Household books (Hộ khẩu or electronic residency verification), civil status certificates, and judicial record cards (Lý lịch tư pháp số 2) issued by the Department of Justice.
- Property & Real Estate Documents: Land Use Rights Certificates (Sổ đỏ / Sổ hồng), notarized property transfer contracts, and official valuation reports.
- Corporate & Banking Papers: Business registration certificates, audited corporate financials, dividend distribution resolutions, and authenticated bank statements.
- Certified Translations: Complete English translations by certified agencies for all Vietnamese-language records.
EB-5 Processing Times and Visa Availability from Vietnam
Strategic timeline planning requires understanding the interplay between USCIS petition reviews and Department of State visa allocations.
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Form I-526E Adjudication Timeline
Form I-526E is the initial petition filed with USCIS to evaluate the participant's capital contribution and the job-creating enterprise. Processing times fluctuate depending on agency caseloads and project category. Participants who allocate capital to designated rural TEAs can take advantage of statutory priority processing, significantly expediting this initial review phase.
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Current Visa Status and Backlogs for Vietnamese Applicants
Historically, Vietnam has experienced high demand in the unreserved EB-5 category, occasionally leading to visa retrogression. However, the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act created reserved visa categories (20% for rural areas, 10% for high-unemployment areas, and 2% for infrastructure). Vietnamese program participants who deploy capital into these reserved set-asides can bypass unreserved backlogs, accessing "Current" visa availability and accelerating their timeline to a conditional Green Card.
Source of Funds and Capital Transfers from Vietnam
Vietnamese applicants assemble the source of funds file on three fronts: documentation that the capital was lawfully accumulated, filings with the General Department of Taxation, and transfers conducted under State Bank of Vietnam rules.
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Justifying Local Wealth for USCIS Compliance
USCIS enforces rigorous standards to verify that all deployed capital derives from legitimate commercial or personal sources. Vietnamese participants must substantiate the historical accumulation of their assets, showing that capital was lawfully generated through:
- Accumulated business profits, corporate dividends, or company ownership equity.
- The sale, mortgage, or refinancing of residential or commercial real estate.
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Tax Filings and Certifications with the General Department of Taxation
Financial transparency is corroborated through records maintained by the General Department of Taxation (GDT) under the Ministry of Finance. Critical documentation includes:
- Personal Income Tax (PIT) finalization receipts and tax payment certificates.
- Audited corporate financial statements and Corporate Income Tax (CIT) payment documentation.
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Regulations by the State Bank of Vietnam for Outward Remittances
Outward international transfers are governed by the foreign exchange regulations of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV). Because Vietnam maintains strict capital controls on foreign currency outflows, program participants must route capital deployments through authorized credit institutions and commercial banks. Working with specialized legal and financial advisors ensures that cross-border remittances strictly adhere to SBV compliance standards and satisfy USCIS anti-money laundering (AML) transparency guidelines.
Profile of a Typical Vietnamese EB-5 Participant
The sections below outline the typical Vietnamese participant: why the family relocation is pursued, and the local economic conditions that frame the decision.
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Primary Motivations for Family Relocation
Vietnamese participants are predominantly successful entrepreneurs, senior executives, and business leaders from economic centers like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang. Their engagement is primarily driven by:
- World-Class Higher Education: Securing in-state tuition rates and unrestricted post-graduation domestic employment authorization for their children at top U.S. universities.
- Generational Security: Providing children under 21 and spouses with permanent lawful status in a safe, transparent environment.
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The Local Economic Context Driving Participation
Despite Vietnam's rapid industrial development and robust GDP growth, expanding private wealth motivates affluent families to diversify their personal and financial footholds globally. Allocating capital to a vetted U.S. commercial enterprise provides a resilient, dollar-denominated financial position, serving as an effective long-term hedge while establishing permanent roots in the United States.
Where your capital goes
Every Open EB5 project sits in a USCIS-approved Targeted Employment Area, structured for compliance and job-creation strength.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum capital requirement for applicants from Vietnam?
$800,000 USD for projects in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) or qualifying infrastructure project, and $1,050,000 USD for standard non-TEA projects.
What documents are required for applicants from Vietnam?
Assembling a compliant evidentiary petition requires certified documentation from local authorities: Civil & Family Records; Property & Real Estate Documents; Corporate & Banking Papers; Certified Translations.
Is there a visa waiting list for citizens of Vietnam?
Historically, Vietnam has experienced high demand in the unreserved EB-5 category, occasionally leading to visa retrogression. However, the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act created reserved visa categories (20% for rural areas, 10% for high-unemployment areas, and 2% for infrastructure). Vietnamese program participants who deploy capital into these reserved set-asides can bypass unreserved backlogs, accessing "Current" visa availability and accelerating their timeline to a conditional Green Card.
Does the EB-5 Green Card cover my family?
Yes. A single qualifying capital contribution covers the principal applicant, their spouse, and all unmarried children under 21 years of age.
Talk to an EB-5 specialist about Vietnam
Book a complimentary 30-minute discovery call. We assess your eligibility, review your source-of-funds structure, and walk you through qualifying TEA projects with independent U.S. immigration counsel.