Starting November 30, 2026, USCIS is raising fees in the EB-5 immigrant investor program. A standalone investor petition (Form I-526) rises from $3,675 to $7,615, a regional center petition (I-526E) to $7,850, and the I-829 petition to remove conditions from $3,750 to $5,000. The postmark date decides which fee applies.
The new fees come from a final rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, published in the Federal Register on September 30, 2026 (91 FR 61940). The rule takes effect on November 30, 2026. Any EB-5 application, petition or request postmarked on or after that date must include the new fee.
What the EB-5 program is
EB-5 is the fifth preference category of employment-based green cards. A foreign national invests in a U.S. business, either directly or through a regional center, and uses that investment to seek permanent residence. The first step is an investor petition (I-526 or I-526E). After receiving a conditional green card, the investor files Form I-829 to remove the conditions.
New fees for investors
- I-526 (standalone investor): $7,615, up from $3,675 (includes a $75 technology fee).
- I-526E (regional center investor), initial filing: $7,850, up from $3,675 (includes the technology fee).
- I-526E amendment: $7,775.
- I-527, a new form to amend a legacy I-526 petition: $10,330.
- I-829 (removal of conditions): $5,000, up from $3,750.
- EB-5 Integrity Fund fee paid with Form I-526E: $1,100, up from $1,000.
Regional centers pay more, with a few exceptions
An initial Form I-956 for regional center designation will cost $44,115 (previously $17,795), and Form I-956F for a specific investment project $42,675. A few fees go down: an I-956 amendment drops to $9,835 from $17,795, and the I-956G annual statement to $2,165 from $3,035. The annual regional center Integrity Fund fee rises 10 percent, to $22,000, or $11,000 for centers with 20 or fewer investors.
Why the increase
DHS set the fees to recover the cost of running the program under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022. The agency estimates about 16,600 EB-5 filings a year and a weighted average increase of about 70.7 percent, or roughly $2,946 per filing. The 10 percent rise in Integrity Fund fees reflects inflation as measured by the CPI-U.
What changed from the proposal
DHS published the proposed rule on October 23, 2025 (90 FR 48516). In the final version, the technology fee is $75 instead of the proposed $95. The basis for the Integrity Fund increase also changed: the proposal used 8.25 percent, based on inflation data for 2022–2024, while the final rule uses 10 percent, based on 2022–2025.
What it means in practice
- The postmark matters. Filings mailed before November 30, 2026, are subject to the current fees.
- Check the amount before mailing. Once the rule is in effect, a filing must carry the new fee. Confirm the current amount on the USCIS form page right before sending.
- Fees, not investment amounts. The rule changes government filing fees. It does not change the minimum investment amounts.
Source: DHS/USCIS final rule “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment-Based Immigrant Visa, Fifth Preference (EB-5) Fee Rule,” Federal Register, September 30, 2026, 91 FR 61940 (federalregister.gov).
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