USCIS is raising several EB-5 immigrant investor programme fees from November 30, adding thousands of dollars in filing costs for Indian applicants while keeping the required investment amounts unchanged.

US raises costs for EB-5 green card route

The United States is increasing fees for the EB-5 immigrant investor programme, a route used by foreign nationals seeking permanent residency through investment in a US business. The revised fee schedule, finalised by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, will take effect on November 30.

For Indian investors, the change means substantially higher government filing expenses at a time when interest in the EB-5 route has grown quickly. The fee rise does not alter the capital that applicants must place into a qualifying US project, nor does it change the job creation requirement attached to the programme.

Initial petitions will more than double

The largest increases apply to the petitions used to start the EB-5 process. For standalone investors, the Form I-526 filing fee will increase from USD 3,675 to USD 7,615, a rise of USD 3,940. For investors using a USCIS-approved regional centre, the Form I-526E fee will go from USD 3,675 to USD 7,850, an increase of USD 4,175, according to PTI.

Both initial petition types will also include a USD 75 technology fee. Regional-centre investors will additionally have to pay a separate investor integrity fee. The Form I-829 fee, paid when investors seek to remove conditions on permanent resident status, will rise from USD 3,750 to USD 5,000.

A close-up of immigration paperwork, a passport and a pen on a desk
The new EB-5 fee schedule raises filing costs but does not change the programme’s minimum investment thresholds.

What the EB-5 programme requires

Created by the US Congress in 1990, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme allows foreign investors, their spouses and qualifying children to pursue permanent residency if they invest in a US commercial enterprise and create at least 10 full-time jobs for American workers.

The minimum investment remains USD 1.05 million for a qualifying business. The threshold is lower, at USD 800,000, when the investment is made in a Targeted Employment Area or in an eligible infrastructure project. Applicants may invest directly as standalone investors or through a USCIS-approved regional centre.

  • Initial standalone investor fee: USD 3,675 to USD 7,615
  • Initial regional-centre investor fee: USD 3,675 to USD 7,850
  • Form I-829 fee: USD 3,750 to USD 5,000
  • Minimum investment: USD 800,000 for qualifying TEA or infrastructure projects and USD 1.05 million for other qualifying investments
  • Job requirement: at least 10 qualifying full-time jobs
  • Effective date listed for the new fees: November 30, 2026
  • Visa availability: still subject to annual and country-specific limits

Regional centres face larger fee changes

Regional centres themselves will see steeper increases in some categories. The fee for an initial Form I-956 application for regional-centre designation will rise from USD 17,795 to USD 44,115. Form I-956F will increase from USD 17,795 to USD 42,675. However, the annual Form I-956G fee will decrease from USD 3,035 to USD 2,165.

Indian demand has risen sharply

The fee increase comes as more Indian nationals are examining EB-5 as an alternative pathway to permanent residency, especially those facing long waits in other employment-based immigration categories. Data cited by The American Bazaar shows EB-5 filings from India rose from about 75 in fiscal year 2022 to nearly 1,900 in fiscal year 2025, roughly a 25-fold increase over three years.

The programme has also drawn attention from Indians already in the US on temporary visas, including H-1B and F-1 visa holders, who may be considering other routes to a green card. However, higher filing fees do not guarantee faster permanent residency. EB-5 visas remain limited by annual caps and country-specific rules, and demand from India has created availability constraints in the unreserved category.

USCIS links increase to operating costs

USCIS has said it is funded largely by the fees it collects rather than by taxes. The agency says filing fees support application review, background checks, eligibility verification, fraud detection and the running of programme operations.

For travellers and investors, the practical impact is a higher upfront cost to pursue the EB-5 option, while the core issues remain the same: project eligibility, investment risk, job creation and the availability of green cards under US visa limits.