Four routes into the United States, and who each one suits

There is no single route into the United States. There are four, and they differ on three counts: who sponsors you, what it costs, and who controls the pace of the file. Pick the wrong one and the money goes out while the case sits still for years.

Rural EB-5

The minimum is USD 800,000, the same as any project in a targeted employment area. What differs is the visa queue. The 2022 Reform and Integrity Act set aside 20% of annual EB-5 visas for rural projects and 10% for high-unemployment areas. Neither set-aside has retrogressed for Vietnam, while standard EB-5 is backlogged.

Two further points matter. Rural I-526E petitions get priority processing. And an applicant already lawfully in the United States can file to adjust status concurrently, which shortens things considerably for families with a child already studying there.

EB-5 outside the set-asides

Same structure, same requirement to create ten full-time jobs, but USD 1,050,000 if the project sits outside a TEA — and no reserved visa pool to move you along. This is the route for someone who has found the project they want and accepts waiting on the Visa Bulletin.

Two dates are worth watching this year: 30 September 2026, tied to the RIA grandfathering provision, and 1 January 2027, when USCIS is expected to adjust the investment amounts for inflation. Any new figure takes effect only once announced.

For anyone looking at EB-5 for the first time, this is usually the version presented first, so the question to ask straight away is whether the project sits inside or outside a TEA. The gap between the two thresholds is USD 250,000, and the gap in waiting time is wider still.

EB-3: lighter on capital, heavier on time

EB-3 is employment-based, with a US company sponsoring the worker, and it includes the unskilled category. No investment is required. In exchange, you do not control the pace: PERM and I-140 usually take one and a half to three years, and the visa queue for Vietnamese applicants adds several more.

The real exposure is the sponsor. If the employer withdraws support or the role stops being genuine, the case is hit directly. When someone promises approval, stop there — USCIS adjudicates every petition on its own merits.

L-1A into EB-1C, for business owners

This route is for people already running a company in Vietnam. Open a subsidiary or branch in the United States, move across on an L-1A, and once the US entity has traded genuinely for at least a year, file EB-1C for the green card.

There is no statutory investment figure, but the US company needs enough working capital to be real. The threshold condition is a year of managerial or executive work at the Vietnamese company within the past three, and a proper ownership relationship between the two entities. A US company that exists only on paper cannot take this road — USCIS looks at premises, staff and revenue.

Who each route suits

These four are not competing offers. They serve four different situations, and it is the family's situation that should decide.

• Capital in hand, a child approaching university, wanting speed: rural EB-5.
• Capital in hand but committed to a project outside a TEA: standard EB-5, with patience for the queue.
• A skilled worker with limited capital and time to spare: EB-3.
• An owner whose Vietnamese company is trading well: L-1A into EB-1C.

Whichever route, the slowest stage is proving the lawful source of funds. Start gathering those documents before choosing a project.

The full picture of all four routes, with conditions and timelines, sits on our US immigration page. If the family's real target is a US passport rather than a green card, read the naturalisation requirements before committing.

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The information in this article is for reference at the time of writing. It is not legal advice and no outcome is promised — immigration policy, tax rules and market conditions can change. For an assessment based on your family's specific circumstances, please request a consultation with the VNIS Investment team.