WASHINGTON: In a significant development for foreign investors seeking permanent residency in the United States, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has finalized a comprehensive restructuring of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program fee schedule.
The updated fee regulations introduce substantial price spikes across multiple foundational forms, heavily impacting both standalone investors and regional center applicants.
According to the official updates, the fee for Form I-526 (Immigrant Petition by Standalone Investor) is set to jump from $3,675 to $7,615, while the initial filing fee for Form I-526E (Regional Center Investor Petition) will rise from $3,675 to $7,850.
Additionally, the cost for Form I-829—the petition filed by investors to remove conditions on their permanent resident status—will climb from $3,750 to $5,000.
The revisions also target regional center administration and compliance architecture, implementing steep increases. Initial applications for Regional Center Designation (Form I-956) will surge dramatically from $17,795 to $44,115, and project applications (Form I-956F) will go up to $42,675.
Immigration attorneys and legal experts note that the rule also establishes Form I-527, a new specialized form allowing legacy investors to amend pending petitions under specific procedural conditions, set at a filing fee of $10,330.
With the sweeping changes slated to take effect following the regulatory notification period, prospective investors and regional centers are closely reviewing their timelines and financial layouts to manage the escalating overhead costs associated with the U.S. green card process.
