The price of a U.S. green card through investment is about to rise. From November 30, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will apply a new fee schedule that more than doubles the cost of filing key EB-5 petitions. Indian applicants, who make up a growing share of the program's demand, will want to plan around it.
The New Numbers
- Form I-526 (standalone investors): rises from $3,675 to $7,615, an increase of 107%.
- Form I-526E (filed through an approved regional center): rises to $7,850, an increase of 114%.
- Technology fee: a new $75 charge applies to initial petitions.
- Form I-829 (removal of conditions): rises from $3,750 to $5,000.
- Form I-485 and DS-260: unchanged.
USCIS estimates that the rule touches more than 16,000 filings a year and lifts average EB-5 filing costs by about 70.7%.
Why USCIS Says the Increase Is Needed
The rule implements the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, which directed USCIS to study what the program costs to run and to set fees that recover those costs. The agency is funded mainly by the fees it collects rather than by tax revenue, and it argues that the expense of adjudication, background checks and fraud detection should be borne by those who use the system.
The path to this rule was uneven. USCIS raised EB-5 fees in 2024, but a federal court stayed the increase in November 2025 because the agency had not completed a program-specific fee study. That left investors with a "fee holiday" of roughly 12.5 months. DHS later proposed a $9,625 fee for the main petition, but the final figure of $7,615 reflects additional workload analysis and public comments. According to EB5Investors.com, because the correct procedure was followed this time, the industry broadly expects the fees to survive any future court challenge.
Heavier Costs for Regional Centers, and a New Form
Regional centers face the steepest increases:
- Form I-956 (regional center designation): from $17,795 to $44,115, the largest single jump in the rule.
- Form I-956F (project approval): $42,675.
- Annual Integrity Fund payment (centers with 20 or fewer investors): from $10,000 to $11,000, with a 10% penalty for late payment.
Investors also get a new filing. Form I-527, priced at $10,330, allows older investors to protect their eligibility if a regional center is terminated or a project fails. It is open only to those whose petitions were filed before the 2022 law. Commenters criticized the fee as punitive, and USCIS set it roughly $2,000 above its initial proposal, saying it expects very few filings.
What Indian Investors Should Consider
India TV News reports a marked rise in Indian demand for EB-5 in recent years. Still, government fees are a small part of the overall expense. Investors must commit $800,000 in a targeted employment area or infrastructure project, or $1.05 million elsewhere, and the investment must create at least 10 full-time jobs. Business Standard points out that the USCIS fee is just one component of total cost, and that choosing between the regional-center and standalone routes can influence timelines.
The queue may matter more than the fee. The October 2026 Visa Bulletin gives India's unreserved EB-5 category a final action date of December 1, 2023 and a filing date of May 1, 2024. Someone with a later priority date will wait no matter what the petition costs.
Two Deadlines to Keep Apart
- November 30, 2026: any application, petition or request postmarked on or after this date must include the new fees. Filing earlier locks in the current schedule.
- January 1, 2027: minimum investment amounts face an automatic inflation adjustment. The targeted-employment-area threshold is expected to move from $800,000 to an estimated $940,000 or more.
Once in effect, the new fees should remain until the next mandatory two-year fee study, expected around late 2028.
More broadly, the EB-5 program is authorized through September 30, 2027, and USCIS expects Congress to extend it again. The administration has also said its proposed "gold card" would not replace EB-5.
The Bottom Line
For most Indian investors, the fee hike is an added cost rather than a reason to abandon the plan. The larger decisions are the choice of project, the position in the queue and the January 1 investment threshold. If you have a case in progress, speak with an immigration attorney before the November 30 cutoff.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the EB-5 program?
It allows foreign investors and their immediate family to apply for a green card by investing in a U.S. commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs.
2. When do the new fees take effect?
November 30, 2026, under the Federal Register rule.
3. What will Forms I-526 and I-526E cost?
$7,615 for I-526 and $7,850 for an initial I-526E, up from $3,675 each, plus a $75 technology fee on initial petitions.
4. Can I pay the old fee by filing earlier?
Yes. The new schedule applies to filings postmarked on or after November 30, so earlier filings fall under the current fees.
5. Do the I-485 and DS-260 fees change?
No. The rule does not raise the fee for either form.
6. What is Form I-527?
A new form, priced at $10,330, that lets older investors preserve eligibility if a regional center is terminated or a project collapses.
7. Is the minimum investment rising too?
Not on November 30. A separate inflation adjustment is scheduled for January 1, 2027, with the targeted-employment-area minimum estimated at $940,000 or more.
8. Why did USCIS raise the fees?
It says fees must cover the cost of reviewing applications, background checks and fraud detection, and the rule also implements the 2022 EB-5 reform law.
9. Will the increase lengthen waiting times for Indian investors?
No. Waiting times are driven by the monthly Visa Bulletin, not by filing fees.
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