Enterprise Requirement
There are several factors investors should pay attention to when investing in a new enterprise:
An enterprise is considered “new” if it was established after November 29, 1990. Enterprises established before November 29, 1990, can also be considered new enterprises if they have gone through re-organization or substantial change.

Any for-profit entity of lawful business is considered a commercial enterprise. This does not include non-profit organizations.

The EB-5 program has no requirement for the type of invested enterprise. Corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships are all acceptable. However, the choice of business type is very important for tax and management reasons. For more information about business types, please read below.

Except in a regional center company case, investors are required to participate in the operational management of the invested enterprise; in practice, this can be satisfied by taking a managing position, participating in the decision-making process or being a limited partner in a LLP. In some cases, the participation requirement can be waived.

USCIS excludes corporate and other non-individuals as an investor from the EB-5 category. However, it is perfectly acceptable for multiple investors seeking EB-5 status to join together as long as each investor infuses the requisite amount of capital into an enterprise and each investment creates at least 10 full-time positions.

Business Types
Businesses can take many different forms under U.S. law. There are many different factors that influence a business’s decision to take on a particular form. The organizational structure of a business can affect its success.

There are three types of business entities commonly associated with EB-5 petitions:
1. Corporations
Corporations are the most familiar business structure. A corporation exists as a separate legal entity. This means that when an individual incorporates his/her business in a particular state, the corporation is responsible for its actions, including taxes and debt. Typically under this structure, corporate officers and shareholders cannot be held personally liable for the actions of the corporation. Additionally, ownership of corporate stock may be freely transferred by sale or by gift, subject to certain corporate restrictions. An incorporated business may buy, sell, and hold property under the corporation name and enjoy unlimited life, meaning the business remains unaffected by the death of a director, officer, or shareholder. However, some types of corporations are subject to “double taxation.” This means that profit is first taxed at the corporate level and then again at the personal level. 

2. Limited Liability Companies
A limited liability company (LLC) exists as a separate legal entity. This structure combines some of the limited liability advantages of a corporation with the tax-related benefits of avoiding double taxation associated with a partnership. One of the major advantages of an LLC is that the business can choose how it would like to be taxed—as a corporation or partnership. Additionally, there is no limit to the number of shareholders that can exist in a LLC structure. A LLC can be managed either through “member management,” in which all members of the LLC have a say, or through “manager management,” in which members appoint a manager to operate and direct the business. Many states have implemented “franchise taxes” for LLCs which serve as fees to the company for the limited liability and flexibility they enjoy.

3. Limited Partnership
A limited partnership occurs when two or more individuals join together to form a business by contributing capital, property, labor or skills in exchange for part of the profit or losses of a business. In a limited partnership, there is usually only one general partner and one or more limited partners with limited duties and liabilities. In this structure, the general partner(s) have full management responsibilities and control daily business functions. The limited partner is typically a passive investor. Limited partnerships enjoy the tax benefit of avoiding double taxation on their profit. However, partners are personally liable and not all partners share liability equally. Examples of limited partnerships include large law firms.

Age
USCIS has not defined any age requirements for EB-5 immigrant investors. Age restrictions may be dictated by the state where the enterprise will be located, as some states require people to be of a certain age to enter into certain contracts. However, many EB-5 Regional Center projects welcome investors of all ages.