EB 5 Visa Total Cost Breakdown (2026)

The foundation of every EB 5 case is the capital investment itself. Under INA section 203(b)(5), as amended by the EB 5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA) of 2022, two thresholds apply. Targeted Employment Area (TEA) projects: $800,000 minimum. TEA projects are located in rural areas or high unemployment Census tracts meeting the criteria defined at 8 CFR 204.6(e). Most EB 5 investors pursue TEA projects because of both the lower capital requirement and the visa set aside advantages. Non TEA (standard) projects: $1,050,000 minimum. This threshold applies to projects that do not qualify for rural, high unemployment, or infrastructure TEA designation. These amounts represent the minimum investment that must be placed at risk in the new commercial enterprise. USCIS has authority to adjust these figures for inflation every five years under the RIA. As of April 2026, no adjustment has been made since the March 2022 enactment. The investment capital is not a fee; it is deployed into the commercial enterprise and may be returned to the investor after the I 829 is approved and the immigration benefit is secured, depending on the terms of the project's offering documents. Return of capital is never guaranteed.

The EB 5 process involves multiple government filings, each carrying its own fee. All amounts below are current as of April 2026. Form I 526E (Immigrant Petition by Alien Investor): $3,675. This is the primary petition establishing the investor's eligibility. Regional center investors file the I 526E; direct investors file the I 526 (same fee). EB 5 Integrity Fund Fee: $1,000 per investor. This fee was created by the RIA to fund USCIS oversight and auditing of regional centers. It is assessed once at the time of I 526E filing and is separate from the petition filing fee. Premium Processing for I 526E (optional): $2,805. This fee guarantees a USCIS response within 120 business days. The response may be an approval, denial, or Request for Evidence. Not all investors elect premium processing. Form I 485 (Adjustment of Status): $1,140 for applicants age 14 and older. This applies only to investors adjusting status from within the United States. Includes biometrics for most applicants. Derivative family members each pay the same fee. Form DS 260 (Immigrant Visa Application): $325 per applicant, paid to the Department of State. An additional $220 USCIS Immigrant Fee is assessed after visa issuance. This pathway applies to investors processing through a U.S. embassy or consulate. Form I 829 (Petition to Remove Conditions): $3,750. Filed at the end of the two year conditional period to obtain unconditional permanent residence. Form I 765 (Employment Authorization Document): $410. Filed concurrently with or after the I 485 to obtain work authorization during processing. Optional but common for concurrent filers. Form I 131 (Advance Parole / Travel Document): $630. Filed concurrently with or after the I 485 to permit international travel while the I 485 is pending. Total USCIS fees for a single investor using the adjustment of status pathway with premium processing: approximately $13,400 (I 526E: $3,675 + integrity fund: $1,000 + premium: $2,805 + I 485: $1,140 + I 765: $410 + I 131: $630 + I 829: $3,750). Consular processing substitutes the DS 260 fees ($325 + $220 = $545) for the I 485, I 765, and I 131 fees, reducing total USCIS costs somewhat.

EB 5 cases require specialized legal counsel who operates at the intersection of immigration law, securities regulation, and business formation. Attorney fees reflect this specialization. Most experienced EB 5 attorneys charge between $15,000 and $50,000 for full representation from I 526E preparation through I 829 adjudication. The wide range reflects case complexity, geographic market, and the attorney's experience level. Straightforward cases (salaried professional with clean income history, investing in an established regional center project): $15,000 to $25,000. Moderate complexity (business owner with multiple income sources, some foreign currency conversions, investing in a regional center project): $25,000 to $35,000. High complexity (multiple source of funds streams, business sales, real estate liquidations, inheritance from multiple jurisdictions, direct investment structure): $35,000 to $50,000 or more. Some attorneys charge a flat fee covering all stages; others charge separately for the I 526E phase and the I 829 phase. Investors should request a detailed written fee agreement that specifies what is included, what triggers additional charges, and whether RFE responses are covered under the base fee or billed separately. Attorney fees for derivative family members are sometimes included in the base fee and sometimes charged separately ($1,000 to $3,000 per derivative). Clarify this before engaging counsel.

Regional center projects typically assess several fees beyond the investment itself. Administrative fee (also called subscription fee or processing fee): $50,000 to $75,000 is the most common range, though some projects charge as little as $30,000 and others charge $85,000 or more. This fee covers the regional center's operational costs: project management, USCIS compliance, economic impact reporting, and investor servicing. The administrative fee is generally non refundable and is separate from the investment capital. Fund formation and legal costs: Some project structures pass through a portion of legal and accounting costs incurred in creating the investment fund. These costs are typically embedded in the administrative fee or the offering terms rather than billed separately. Investors should carefully review the private placement memorandum (PPM) and subscription agreement to understand all fees assessed by the project. Some projects layer fees in ways that reduce the effective capital deployed toward job creation. The investor's attorney should compare fee structures across projects and flag any arrangements where fees consume a disproportionate share of the investment. Direct investors do not pay regional center administrative fees but bear the cost of business formation, economic impact analysis, and business plan preparation, which can total $20,000 to $50,000 depending on the enterprise.

USCIS requires that all foreign language documents submitted with an I 526E petition be accompanied by certified English translations. For investors whose financial records, tax returns, business licenses, and personal documents are in a language other than English, translation costs can be significant. Certified translation fees vary by language and document complexity. Common ranges are $0.15 to $0.30 per word for standard documents and higher for technical financial or legal documents. A typical I 526E filing includes dozens of pages of foreign language documents. Total translation costs for an I 526E petition typically range from $2,000 to $8,000, depending on the volume of source of funds documentation and the language pair. Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Arabic translations tend toward the higher end due to the volume of financial documentation typically required and the technical nature of the content. Document authentication and apostille services may also be needed for foreign government issued documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, military records). Apostille fees vary by country but generally range from $20 to $100 per document.

All EB 5 applicants and derivative family members must complete a medical examination by a USCIS designated civil surgeon (for adjustment of status applicants) or a panel physician (for consular processing applicants). The examination confirms that the applicant does not have a communicable disease of public health significance and has received required vaccinations. Medical examination fees are set by the individual physician's office, not by USCIS. Typical costs range from $200 to $500 per person. Some physicians charge separately for required blood tests, chest X rays, and vaccinations. Vaccination costs depend on the applicant's existing immunization record. USCIS requires compliance with the CDC vaccination schedule, which includes MMR, Tdap, varicella, influenza, COVID 19, hepatitis B, and other vaccines depending on age. Missing vaccinations may cost $50 to $200 each. For a family of four (principal investor, spouse, and two children), total medical and vaccination costs typically range from $1,000 to $3,000.

The following table summarizes the full cost range for an EB 5 investment, using a TEA project as the baseline. Investment capital (TEA): $800,000. Non TEA: $1,050,000. USCIS filing fees (all stages, single applicant with premium processing): approximately $13,400. Without premium processing: approximately $10,600. Add $1,140 per derivative for I 485, or $545 per derivative for consular processing. Attorney fees: $15,000 to $50,000 depending on complexity. Regional center administrative fee: $30,000 to $85,000, with $50,000 to $75,000 being most common. Translation and document preparation: $2,000 to $8,000. Medical examinations and vaccinations (family of four): $1,000 to $3,000. Travel and interview costs: $500 to $3,000. Tax advisory: $2,000 to $10,000. Total for a TEA investment (excluding relocation): approximately $865,000 to $970,000. Total for a non TEA investment: approximately $1,115,000 to $1,220,000. These figures represent the total financial commitment an investor should anticipate. The investment capital may eventually be returned (depending on project terms and performance), but all fees, costs, and expenses are consumed and non recoverable. Investors should maintain a cash reserve beyond these amounts to cover unexpected expenses, RFE response costs, or processing delays.