USA30 September, 20262 min read
USCIS Finalizes EB-5 Fee Increases, Raising I-526, I-526E, I-829 Costs From November 30
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Final rule increases EB-5 fees, including I-526 and I-829 filings. Introduces Form I-527, adds technology fee, and raises Integrity Fund charges.
New EB-5 fee schedule
US Citizenship and Immigration Services finalized a rule that increases EB-5 immigrant investor programme fees, with the new fee structure set to come into effect on November 30. USCIS set the Form I-526 fee for independent investors to rise from $3,675 to $7,615 and set the Form I-526E fee for regional-centre investors to rise from $3,675 to $7,850.
“The filing fee for Form I-526, used by standalone investors, will rise from USD 3,675 to USD 7,615.”
USCIS also added a $75 technology fee to initial I-526 and I-526E applications and set the Form I-829 fee to remove conditions on permanent residency to rise from $3,750 to $5,000. USCIS set the regional-centre designation fee for Form I-956 to jump from $17,795 to $44,115 and set the fee for approval of an investment project under Form I-956F to rise from $17,795 to $42,675.
USCIS says fees fund operations
USCIS said in a press release that the agency is largely funded by the fees it charges, rather than taxes. USCIS said, "This means the cost of reviewing applications, conducting background checks, verifying eligibility, detecting fraud, and maintaining programme operations must be paid by those who use the immigration system," as the rule takes effect on November 30.
USCIS also said the fee update would recover costs of operating the EB-5 program and fund oversight measures like audits and site visits. USCIS said the EB-5 program has experienced rapid growth since Congress passed a 2022 reauthorization of the regional center program, which accounts for most investments.
What changes for investors
USCIS created a new Form I-527 for certain investors seeking to amend older Form I-526 petitions, and the new filing will cost $10,330. USCIS said the rule becomes effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register on September 30, 2026, and all EB-5 filings submitted on or after that date must include the new fees.
USCIS estimated that the fee changes will affect more than 16,000 annual EB-5 filings and increase average EB-5 filing costs by approximately 70.7%. USCIS said the increases are necessary to support adjudications, compliance reviews, fraud prevention initiatives, audits, site visits, and technology modernization efforts.