EB-5 Green Card Fees Are Going Up on November 30: What Investors Need to Know

Applying for a green card through the EB-5 investor program is about to get pricier.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a final rule adjusting EB-5 fees on September 30, 2026.

The new fees take effect on November 30, 2026.

The Quick Rundown

Here's what to know:

• Filings postmarked on or after November 30 must include the new fees.
• Filings postmarked before that date follow the old fee schedule.
• DHS expects about 16,600 EB-5 filings a year to be affected.

Why Is This Happening?

USCIS is funded mostly by fees rather than by Congress, and DHS says the changes will help cover the cost of running the EB-5 program.

The rule also responds to a federal court decision that struck down an earlier EB-5 fee hike and restored the lower fees.

How Much Will It Cost?

Across the nine forms covered, DHS estimates an average increase of about 70.7%, or roughly $2,946 per filing.

The actual jump depends on which form you file.

Fees for Individual Investors

• Form I-526 (standalone investors): The fee rises from $3,675 to $7,615.
• Form I-526E (regional center investors, initial filing): The fee rises from $3,675 to $7,850.
• I-526E amendment: The fee is $7,775, with no technology fee.
• Form I-829 (removing conditions on permanent residence): The fee rises from $3,750 to $5,000.

Initial I-526 and I-526E petitions also carry a new $75 technology fee.

That $75 is already included in the I-526 and I-526E amounts above, and it supports upgrades to USCIS systems used for EB-5 filings.

The Integrity Fund Fee

Regional center investors must also pay a separate EB-5 Integrity Fund fee, which rises from $1,000 to $1,100.

That brings the government cost of an initial regional center petition to $8,950 ($7,850 plus $1,100).

A New Form for Some Legacy Investors

The rule creates Form I-527, an amendment to the older Form I-526.

The filing fee is $10,330.

It is meant for certain investors who filed before the 2022 EB-5 reform law and need to amend their petitions after a regional center is terminated or an entity is debarred.

USCIS says an I-527 filing doesn't count as a new petition, so investors may keep their original priority date.

It is not a general replacement for Form I-526, and USCIS expects only about 20 filings a year.

What Regional Centers Will Pay

Regional centers will pay higher annual Integrity Fund fees.

• More than 20 investors: $22,000, up from $20,000.
• 20 or fewer investors: $11,000, up from $10,000.
• Initial designation (Form I-956): $44,115, up from $17,795.
• Annual statement (Form I-956G): The fee goes down, from $3,035 to $2,165.

Watch the Payment Deadlines

Paying the Integrity Fund fee between November 1 and 30 brings a 10% penalty.

Paying between December 1 and 30 raises the penalty to 20%.

Centers that haven't paid by December 30 risk losing their designation.

Does the Investment Amount Change?

No, this fee rule doesn't change the minimum investment requirements.

Investors still need $1.05 million, or $800,000 in a targeted employment area or infrastructure project, and must create at least 10 full-time jobs.

Separate News: The November Visa Bulletin

The State Department's November Visa Bulletin is a separate matter from the EB-5 fee rule.

It shows movement in several green card categories.

• EB-2 (most countries): The final action date moved ahead three months, to April 1, 2025.
• EB-3 (most countries): The date moved ahead one month, to June 15, 2024.
• India: EB-3 advanced by 21 days, while EB-2 didn't move.
• China: EB-3 advanced by 14 days, while EB-2 held steady.
• Family categories (F1, F2B, F3): Most countries advanced by a full year.
• EB-5: Unreserved dates stayed the same, and the rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure categories stayed current.

Immigration attorney Nandini Nair described the bulletin as a "mixed picture," noting that filing an application isn't the same as getting a green card.

Another attorney, Gnanamookan Krishnan Senthurjothi, said Indian applicants saw only limited progress.

The Bottom Line

If you're planning an EB-5 filing, the postmark date matters.

Talk to an immigration attorney to confirm which fee schedule applies to your case.

References

1. Rahman, B. (October 28, 2026). Green card update: new fees and application changes coming in November. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/green-card-update-new-fees-and-application-changes-coming-november-12629879
2. Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (September 30, 2026). USCIS finalizes EB-5 fee rule effective Nov. 30. https://www.bal.com/immigration-news/united-states-uscis-finalizes-eb-5-fee-rule-effective-nov-30/
3. Fragomen (September 29, 2026). USCIS Final Rule Increases EB-5 Fees Effective November 30. https://www.fragomen.com/insights/uscis-final-rule-increases-eb-5-fees-effective-november-30.html
4. Business Today (September 30, 2026). Want a US Green Card via EB-5? Fees are set to rise sharply from November 30 — check the new costs. https://businesstoday.in/nri/visa/story/want-a-us-green-card-via-eb-5-fees-are-set-to-rise-sharply-from-november-30-check-the-new-costs-558693-2026-09-30
5. EIG Law (date not shown). USCIS Finalizes Major EB-5 Fee Increases and New Form I-527. https://eiglaw.com/uscis-finalizes-major-eb-5-fee-increases-and-new-form-i-527/
6. Upstox (date not shown). US EB-5 visa fee hike: What Indian investors seeking Green Cards need to know. https://upstox.com/news/business-news/latest-updates/us-eb-5-visa-fee-hike-what-indian-investors-seeking-green-cards-need-to-know/article-201097/
7. Indian Eagle (date not shown). US EB-5 Visa Fees 2026. https://www.indianeagle.com/traveldiary/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/24701
8. EB5 Visa Investments (date not shown). New EB-5 Fees Take Effect November 30, 2026: What Investors Should Know. https://eb5visainvestments.com/?p=206034
9. U.S. DHS/USCIS, final rule (Federal Register public inspection copy, as linked by Newsweek). https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-20016.pdf