U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will raise the main EB-5 investor visa application fee from $3,675 to $7,615, effective November 30, 2026.

The increase, published Tuesday in the Federal Register, lifts EB-5 fees by roughly 70 percent on average. It will apply to an estimated 16,600 applicants each year, under the new Department of Homeland Security rule.

What is changing for EB-5 applicants?

The new $7,615 fee replaces the current $3,675 fee on the main EB-5 petition. DHS had originally proposed a steeper $9,625 fee. USCIS said the lower figure reflects updated workload assumptions and public comments on the earlier draft.

USCIS funds its operations almost entirely through user fees rather than tax revenue.

"The cost of reviewing applications, conducting background checks, verifying eligibility, detecting fraud, and maintaining program operations must be paid by those who use the immigration system," USCIS wrote in its announcement.

What happens when an EB-5 project collapses?

USCIS will introduce Form I-527, priced at $10,330, for older investors who need to preserve visa eligibility after a regional center is terminated or a project fails.

The form applies only to investors who entered EB-5 before the 2022 EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act. Filing it lets them keep their place in the green card queue.

DHS acknowledged that investors can lose their immigration pathway through no fault of their own, such as mismanagement by a project sponsor. The 2022 law created the option to switch projects.

USCIS expects relatively few I-527 filings. The final $10,330 fee runs about $2,000 above the agency's original plan, despite commenters calling it punitive.

Who qualifies for EB-5 today?

The EB-5 visa, created in 1990, offers a green card path to foreign investors who meet the following thresholds:

• Invest $1.05 million in a qualifying U.S. business, or $800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area or infrastructure project
• Create at least 10 full-time jobs through that investment
• Bring spouse and qualifying children into the eventual permanent residency application

How do regional centers fit in?

Many EB-5 applicants invest through regional centers, USCIS-approved organizations that pool funds from multiple investors into larger developments such as hotels, mixed-use real estate, and infrastructure.

Fraud concerns around regional centers drove much of the 2022 reform law. That legislation added mandatory audits, site visits, and annual integrity fees.

Where does the EB-5 stand politically?

The Trump administration has tightened legal immigration elsewhere, including asylum and refugee processing. The DHS rule, though, frames EB-5 in a notably favorable tone.

The plan frames EB-5 as promoting "economic growth through job creation and capital investment." It also accepted public comments describing investors as "helping to build America's future by adding jobs and contributing capital."

Last year, President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick unveiled a separate "gold card" investor visa. Both officials said the gold card would sit alongside, not replace, EB-5.

What is the timeline?

The new fee schedule takes effect November 30, 2026. The broader EB-5 program is authorized through September 30, 2027. USCIS expects Congress to extend authorization again.

Applicants and regional center sponsors should consult the Federal Register notice and USCIS.gov for the full fee schedule before submitting any petition.