# What is an EB-5 Regional Center?

- Link: https://www.lumlawgroup.com/what-is-an-eb-5-regional-center/
- Published: 2018-03-30T10:59:21-07:00
- Author: Albert J Lum

The difference between investing directly in an EB-5 project and investing through
an EB-5 Regional Center comparable to buying individual stocks and buying a stake
in a fund. An EB-5 Regional Center is an organization approved by [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services](https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/permanent-workers/employment-based-immigration-fifth-preference-eb-5/immigrant-investor-regional-centers)
that creates a fund and attracts investors to invest in the EB-5 project.  Investors
purchase equity stakes in the investment fund, and then the fund either buys equity
in the job-creating entity (the EB-5 project) or loans the job-creating entity money.
The job-creating entity uses the EB-5 investment fund to create jobs (and meet EB-
5 requirements) indirectly.

Regional Centers are the so-called “middle man” between businesses that want to 
create an EB-5 project and investors who want the EB-5 investor visa.

As of March 5, 2018, there are [919 USCIS approved regional centers](https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/permanent-workers/employment-based-immigration-fifth-preference-eb-5/immigrant-investor-regional-centers#table).
Make sure the regional center you are considering is on the registered list before
investing in any advertised EB-5 project.  USCIS also conveniently has a[ list of terminated regional centers](https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/permanent-workers/employment-based-immigration-fifth-preference-eb-5/eb-5-immigrant-investor-process/terminated-regional-centers).