EB-5 Fee Increase 2024: USCIS Officially Raises Filing Fees From April 1

February 1, 2024 · EB-5 · 4 min read

USCIS has announced plans to adjust filing fees for U.S. immigration programs, including the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program.

USCIS has announced plans to adjust filing fees for U.S. immigration programs, including the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program.

According to USCIS, the new fee schedule, expected to take effect on April 1, 2024, will substantially raise EB-5 filing fees, including those for Form I-526 and Form I-526E (Immigrant Petition by Standalone Investor and Immigrant Petition by Regional Center Investor) and Form I-829 (Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status).

The EB-5 fee increase 2024 at a glance:

• The filing fee for Form I-526 and Form I-526E will be US$11,160, a 204% increase over the current US$3,675.
• The Form I-829 filing fee will be US$9,525, a 148% increase over the current US$3,835.

Explaining the increase, USCIS said its current fees do not cover the agency’s full operating costs, including payroll, mandated pay raises, additional staffing, and other essential investments. The new fees are therefore needed to sustain USCIS operations, which in turn should help the agency improve adjudication, shorten processing times, and reduce its backlog of pending cases.

The increases are not limited to EB-5: fees for other U.S. immigrant visa categories are rising as well. In a statement, USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou noted that this was the agency’s first fee increase in more than 7 years, intended “to better meet the needs of our agency, enabling us to provide more timely decisions to those we serve.” The previous increase took effect in December 2016, with an average increase of 21%.

The EB-5 fee increase is steep and sudden, but it is considered reasonable after a 7-year gap and is expected to help shorten processing times further, something EB-5 investors have been hoping for.

If you are considering a U.S. green card through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, contact IMM Group or leave your details below. Our experienced advisors will provide detailed guidance and help assess your case’s likelihood of success. We are committed to keeping your personal data confidential and will use the information you provide only to advise on your family’s case.

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