Why EB-5 Is the Right Choice for Israeli Citizens Seeking a U.S. Green Card

The United States has long been a popular destination for Israeli citizens seeking higher education, professional growth, and a better overall quality of life. As a leading world economy, the United States provides Israelis with global business and career opportunities and a safe environment to escape regional uncertainties.

Thanks to the strong diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries, it is considerably easier for Israeli citizens to obtain a U.S. Green Card. The strong entrepreneurial spirit of Israelis and the support of a well-established Jewish community in the United States also facilitate their transition to America.

While there are various pathways by which Israeli nationals can migrate to the United States, the EB-5 program stands out as perhaps the most efficient and secure route that offers them a direct path to a Green Card and eventual U.S. citizenship.

In this article, we will explore the advantages of the EB-5 visa over other visa options, explaining why it is the best choice for Israeli citizens looking for alternatives to move to the United States.

Green Card Pathways for Israeli Citizens

Based on their circumstances and eligibility, Israelis have the following options to obtain permanent resident status in the United States:

Diversity Visa Lottery

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is an economical Green Card option available to citizens of countries with low U.S. immigration rates. Israeli citizens are currently eligible to apply in this category, but there is a limited time frame for interested participants to register for the program during each fiscal year. Moreover, available slots for the diversity visa are quite limited, making it an unreliable alternative for pursuing U.S. residency.

Family-Sponsored Immigration

This option is available to eligible Israeli citizens whose close family members are either U.S. citizens or Green Card holders. There are two types of visas in this category:

1. Immediate relative visas are available to the closest family members of U.S. citizens, including spouses, parents, and unmarried children under 21. These visas are not limited by annual quotas and are generally processed quickly.
2. Family preference visas are for siblings, unmarried adult children, married children, and certain other extended family members of U.S. citizens. Israelis who are not U.S. citizens but hold a Green Card can sponsor their spouse and unmarried children under this category.

Due to annual Green Card limits and a high volume of applications, qualifying individuals in this category often face substantial backlogs and long waiting times for visa availability.

Employment-Based Immigration

If they meet the qualification criteria, Israeli citizens can apply for one of the following employment-based Green Cards to live and work in the United States.

EB-1: For priority workers with extraordinary ability in academia, business, or athletics, outstanding professors and researchers, and multinational executives.
EB-2: For professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability.
EB-3: For skilled and unskilled workers and professionals.
EB-4: For special individuals such as religious workers and certain international employees. This category is currently not available for the 2025 fiscal year.

As seen above, these visas are available only to workers in specific employment categories. Also, due to high demand and annual caps on employment-based visas, Green Card waiting times often extend to many years.

EB-5 Visa

The EB-5 visa is the fifth category in employment-based immigrant visas, but unlike other categories, it does not require applicants to have any specific education or skills to qualify. Under this category, foreign investors and their family members (the spouse and unmarried children under 21) can become eligible for a Green Card by making a minimum investment in a U.S. commercial enterprise that creates jobs for American workers.

With a relatively quick and straightforward process, the EB-5 program offers Israeli citizens an attractive alternative to other employment-based or family-based immigration routes.

What Makes EB-5 the Ideal Route to U.S. Permanent Residency

Israeli citizens looking for ways to live and work in the United States often explore one of the previously mentioned Green Card categories or some temporary nonimmigrant visa options, such as the E-2 treaty investor visa, H-1B work visa, and F-1 student visa, to relocate to the U.S. While most immigrant visa categories have strict qualification criteria and involve long waiting periods, nonimmigrant visa options also come with their own set of restrictions concerning work and residency.

In contrast, the EB-5 program does not have any such disadvantages.

Established by Congress in 1990, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program was designed to encourage job creation and capital investment in the U.S. economy by offering Green Cards to foreign investors and their families.

The main qualification criteria for the EB-5 program is that an investor must invest a minimum of $800,000 in a targeted employment area (TEA) or $1,050,000 in a non-TEA project and ensure that the investment creates at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers.

Here are some reasons that make the EB-5 program a better option than other conventional pathways to a U.S. Green Card:

No Requirement of Sponsorship

The key benefit of the EB-5 program for Israelis is that they do not require a U.S. employer or relative to sponsor them, as investors can self‑sponsor their petition. They do not need to secure a job offer or demonstrate exceptional skills or achievements to participate in the program.

Faster Processing

A glance at the latest Visa Bulletin shows that most family-based and employment-based immigrant visa categories have substantial backlogs for all countries, including Israel. The EB-5 category, however, does not have any waiting line for Israeli citizens, meaning they can proceed with their Green Card application as soon as their EB-5 petition is approved.

In fact, by selecting a rural TEA investment, Israeli applicants can get a Green Card in less than a year, as rural investment petitions qualify for priority processing over other EB-5 petitions.

Direct Pathway to U.S. Permanent Residency and Citizenship

Unlike temporary visa options, the EB-5 program grants Israeli investors and their families all the benefits of U.S. permanent residency. Once they obtain a Green Card, they can live, work, and study anywhere in the United States without restrictions. They also get access to top-tier education and world-class health facilities.

Moreover, they become eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship as soon as they complete five years of permanent residency.

Concurrent Filing

For Israeli citizens already in the United States on a temporary visa, EB-5 offers a unique provision called EB-5 concurrent filing, which allows applicants to access Green Card benefits within weeks of applying.

Under concurrent filing, EB-5 investors with a valid nonimmigrant visa are allowed to submit Form I-485 for adjustment of status simultaneously with their EB-5 petition (Form I-526E). Once the I-485 petition is filed, the applicants enter “adjustment pending” status, which means they can continue to stay in the United States regardless of their nonimmigrant visa status.

Filing for adjustment of status also qualifies applicants to apply for an employment authorization document (EAD) and advance parole (AP), which are generally approved within weeks. With work and travel permits, they have complete freedom to work anywhere and travel internationally without any restrictions.

This way, by utilizing the EB-5 concurrent filing provision, Israeli nationals can easily transition from a temporary visa and start enjoying the privileges of a Green Card while their application is still being processed.

Contact EB5AN to Know More About EB-5

Due to its numerous advantages, interest in the EB-5 Green Card is rapidly increasing among Israeli investors. With proper planning and the right investment choice, Israeli nationals can smoothly immigrate to the United States in a very short time.

However, to ensure a hassle-free and successful immigration journey, it is crucial for investors to collaborate with experienced professionals who can assist them at every stage of the EB-5 process.

EB5AN, a leading EB-5 firm, specializes in guiding investors through the EB-5 process and providing them with safe and transparent investment opportunities. We have helped more than 2,300 families from 70+ countries relocate to the United States as lawful permanent residents. Our expert team has over a decade of experience, and we offer our clients first-rate, low-risk EB-5 regional center projects with a 100% USCIS project approval rate to date.

If you’d like to know more about immigration via the EB-5 route, feel free to book a one-on-one call with our team today.