Keep the Gold Card gift and processing fees separate from EB-5 investment capital, project costs, and commercial risk. They represent different kinds of financial arrangements and should not be presented as two prices for the identical outcome.
Be clear about what each payment is actually for
The official Gold Card processing fee is described as nonrefundable; confirm the complete current terms for whichever individual or corporate proposal actually applies. Ask specifically about additional charges for family members and the resulting household total. Obtain independent financial and tax advice, since a gift under this framework is not structured to produce an investment return, and neither this framework nor EB-5 carries an approval guarantee.
Anyone comparing the two should hold that difference in front of them throughout, because a great deal of loose commentary describes the payment as an investment and some of it goes further and describes the arrangement as something the government provides. Fraud around large immigration payments tends to imitate real steps and add urgency, so a delay of a day to confirm costs nothing while acting immediately can cost a great deal.