US Green Card costs to rise: New EB-5 visa fees for Indians from November 30

Indian investors seeking a US Green Card through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program will face a steep increase in application fees from November 30, 2026, with charges for some petitions more than doubling. The revised fee structure announced by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will raise the filing fee for regional-centre investors by 114% and that for standalone investors by 107%.

The changes will affect applicants across nationalities, including Indians seeking permanent residency in the United States through investment. The minimum investment requirement under the programme, however, will remain unchanged. The revised fees will apply to applications and petitions postmarked on or after November 30, according to the final rule published in the Federal Register.

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US EB-5 visa fees: Old vs new charges

Based on the exchange rate of $1 = ₹94.39 on October 21, 2026, the revised government fees will translate into higher costs for Indian applicants. The rupee amounts below are approximate and may vary with exchange rates and bank charges.

Source: US Department of Homeland Security's final rule. INR conversions are based on the exchange rate provided for October 21, 2026.

For regional-centre investors, the combined cost of the initial Form I-526E petition and the Integrity Fund fee will increase from $4,675 to $8,950. This represents a rise of approximately ₹4.04 lakh at the stated exchange rate.

Standalone investors filing Form I-526 will see the fee rise from $3,675 to $7,615, an increase of approximately ₹3.72 lakh. Meanwhile, the fee for Form I-829, which is used to remove conditions on permanent resident status, will increase from $3,750 to $5,000.

What is the US EB-5 visa programme?

The EB-5 programme allows eligible foreign investors and their qualifying family members to seek US permanent residency by investing in a qualifying American commercial enterprise and creating at least 10 full-time jobs for eligible US workers.

The minimum investment is currently $800,000 (approximately ₹7.55 crore) for qualifying projects in targeted employment areas or eligible infrastructure projects. For other qualifying investments, the minimum is $1.05 million, or approximately ₹9.91 crore.

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These investment thresholds are separate from government filing fees, legal expenses and other project-related costs. The November fee revision does not change the minimum investment requirements.

Why are EB-5 visa fees increasing?

The US Department of Homeland Security said the revised fee structure is intended to recover the costs of administering the EB-5 programme, support application processing and improve programme oversight. The expenses include compliance checks, audits, site visits and technology improvements.

The revised schedule also includes an increase in the EB-5 Integrity Fund fee for regional-centre investors, from $1,000 to $1,100. This charge is separate from the main petition fee.