Foreign investors seeking U.S. permanent residency through the EB-5 immigrant investor program will face significantly higher application fees starting Nov. 30, 2026, under a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule.
The changes, implemented by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), will affect new investor applications, certain petitions filed by existing investors, and regional centers that participate in the program. The revised fee schedule raises the cost of several applications and introduces a new form for certain investors who need to amend older petitions.
The EB-5 program allows eligible foreign nationals to pursue a green card by investing in a qualifying U.S. business or project that creates at least 10 full-time jobs. The minimum investment is generally $1.05 million, or $800,000 for qualifying projects in targeted employment areas or eligible infrastructure projects.
The higher fees come as the Trump administration continues to reshape legal immigration policies. For EB-5 applicants, the increased charges add to the substantial financial commitment already required to qualify for permanent residency.
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DHS estimates that the revised fee schedule will affect approximately 16,600 EB-5 filings annually. Across nine existing forms covered by the rule, the weighted average fee will increase by about 70.7%, or approximately $2,946 per filing. The actual increase will depend on the application being submitted.
One of the biggest changes affects Form I-526, which standalone investors use to petition for immigrant status. Its filing fee will rise from $3,675 to $7,615, including a new $75 technology fee. According to the federal rule, the technology charge will help fund improvements to USCIS systems used to process, review and archive EB-5 applications.
Investors applying through a regional center will also pay more. The initial filing fee for Form I-526E will increase to $7,850, including the technology fee. Applicants must also pay a separate EB-5 Integrity Fund fee, which will rise from $1,000 to $1,100. Amending Form I-526E will cost $7,775, although the technology fee will not apply to those amendments.
The cost of removing conditions on permanent residency will also increase. Form I-829, which eligible investors use to request the removal of conditions on their green cards, will cost $5,000, up from $3,750. Investors may generally include eligible spouses and children in the petition, although some family members may need to file separately depending on their circumstances.
The new rule also establishes Form I-527, with a filing fee of $10,330. The form is intended for certain investors who filed Form I-526 before the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and need to amend their petitions to maintain eligibility after a regional center is terminated or a new commercial enterprise or job-creating entity is debarred. It is not a general replacement for Form I-526.
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Regional centers, which play a role in managing EB-5 investment projects, will also face higher annual fees. Centers with more than 20 qualifying investors will pay $22,000 annually, up from $20,000. Those with 20 or fewer qualifying investors will pay $11,000, compared with the previous $10,000.
DHS says the Integrity Fund supports program oversight, including audits, site visits and investigations into potential fraud. The rule also introduces penalties for late payments. Regional centers that pay between November 1 and November 30 will face a 10% penalty, while payments made between December 1 and December 30 will incur a 20% penalty. Centers that fail to pay the required fee and any applicable penalty by December 30 risk losing their designation.
Other charges for regional centers are increasing as well. An initial Form I-956 application for regional center designation will cost $44,115, while Form I-956F, used to request approval of an investment offering, will cost $42,675.
The new fees apply to applications, petitions and requests postmarked on or after Nov. 30, 2026. Filings postmarked before that date will remain subject to the fee schedule in effect when they are sent.