US to Raise EB-5 Visa Fees to as Much as $7,850 Starting Nov 30

Foreign investors seeking U.S. Green Cards through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program will face significantly higher application fees under a finalized fee schedule announced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with the new charges set to take effect on November 30, 2026. Under the updated framework, standalone investors filing Form I-526 will see fees more than double, rising from $3,675 to $7,615. Those using the regional-centre route via Form I-526E will face an increase from $3,675 to $7,850. Additional costs, including a $75 technology fee and mandatory contributions to the EB-5 Integrity Fund, will push total initial filing expenses even higher. The fee to file Form I-829 for the removal of conditions on permanent resident status will climb from $3,750 to $5,000. USCIS said the adjustments are intended to ensure that application charges fully cover the administrative costs of running the program, while allowing the agency to meet statutory processing-time targets and strengthen fraud-detection measures. The EB-5 program, established by Congress in 1990, offers foreign investors and their immediate families a path to a Green Card in exchange for investing capital in U.S. commercial enterprises and creating at least ten full-time jobs for American workers. Baseline investment thresholds remain unchanged at $800,000 for targeted employment areas and infrastructure projects, and $1.05 million for standard investments. USCIS operates primarily on collected fees rather than taxpayer appropriations, making applicant charges central to funding background checks, compliance audits, and program operations. The agency confirmed that petitions postmarked before the November 30 effective date will remain subject to the current fee structure, shielding pending applications from the retroactive impact of the final rule.