US Doubles Down on EB-5 Fees for Immigrant Investors
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has finalized a new fee rule for the EB-5 immigrant investor programme, which will see fees increase by as much as 114% from November 30. The new rules affect both regional-centre investors and standalone EB-5 investors, with initial Form I-526E petitions rising to $7,850 from $3,675.
The changes are intended to recover the cost of administering the programme, support statutory processing-time goals and strengthen programme integrity, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The fee hike will not affect the minimum investment threshold for EB-5 projects, which remains at $800,000 or $1.05 million depending on the project location.
Immigration experts say Indian professionals on H-1B visas are increasingly looking at EB-5 as an alternative route to permanent residency due to employment uncertainty and lengthy backlogs in employment-based categories.