EB-5 Guide
What Does EB-5 Cost, and How Long Does It Take?
A 2026 Cost & Timeline Guide
Two questions come up in every EB-5 consultation: how much does it really cost, and how long will it take? Here is the full 2026 picture - investment versus total cost, the USCIS filing fees (and the litigation that changed them), and current processing-time ranges.
By Austin Kim, J.D. · August 12, 2026
Key Facts
Investment — $800,000 for a targeted employment area (TEA), rural, or infrastructure project; $1,050,000 for a standard project. This is at-risk capital, not a fee. Added costs — regional center administrative fee (commonly $50,000–$100,000), legal fees (commonly $15,000–$30,000), USCIS filing fees, and smaller escrow and translation costs. All-in — roughly $880,000–$985,000 for a TEA case; roughly $1,180,000–$1,235,000 for a standard case. Time — the I-526E petition alone has reported 2026 processing ranges of about 11–61 months depending on project category; total timelines commonly run two to four years or more.
The two numbers people confuse: investment vs. total cost
The first thing to separate is the investment from the total cost. The headline figure — $800,000 or $1,050,000 — is capital you invest into a qualifying U.S. business. It is required to remain at risk, and depending on the project it may be returned after your conditions are removed — but it is not a fee, it is not guaranteed, and it can be lost if the project fails.
The total cost is that investment plus the fees around it: what you pay a regional center to administer the project, what you pay an immigration attorney, what USCIS charges to file, and a handful of smaller items. Those fees are non-refundable. When someone asks “how much does EB-5 cost,” the honest answer is: the investment you might get back, plus roughly $80,000–$135,000 in fees you will not.
Full EB-5 cost breakdown (2026)
| Item | Typical 2026 amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Investment (TEA / rural / infrastructure) | $800,000 | At-risk capital; potentially returned, not guaranteed |
| Investment (standard project) | $1,050,000 | At-risk capital; potentially returned, not guaranteed |
| Regional center administrative fee | $50,000–$100,000 | Non-refundable; often quoted around $60,000–$80,000 |
| Immigration legal fees | $15,000–$30,000 | Typically covers I-526E through I-829 |
| USCIS Form I-526E filing fee | $3,675 + $1,000 | Filing fee plus the EB-5 Integrity Fund fee (see note below) |
| Green card step | $1,440 (+$85) or $325/person | I-485 adjustment of status (plus biometrics where applicable), or DS-260 immigrant visa if consular |
| USCIS Form I-829 filing fee | $3,750 | To remove conditions after the 2-year conditional green card |
| Escrow, wire & document costs | $1,500–$5,000 | Escrow/wire handling plus certified translations of source-of-funds records |
Fee amounts are typical ranges for planning only. Regional center and legal fees vary by project and firm; government fees change. Confirm current figures before you file.
A note on the USCIS filing fees — why they have bounced around
The EB-5 government filing fees have been unusually unsettled, and it is worth understanding why so you are not misquoted a number. The 2024 USCIS fee rule sharply raised EB-5 fees — the I-526E petition fee went from $3,675 to $11,160, and the I-829 fee from $3,750 to $9,525. A federal court then stayed the EB-5 increases, finding that the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 did not permit USCIS to raise EB-5 program fees that way. As a result, the fees reverted: the I-526E is $3,675 plus the separate $1,000 EB-5 Integrity Fund fee, and the I-829 is $3,750.
Because these fees have been litigated and further adjustments have been proposed, the single most reliable step is to check the official USCIS fee schedule at the moment you file rather than relying on any figure — including this one — quoted in advance.
How long does EB-5 take? Processing times in 2026
EB-5 is a multi-stage process, and the first stage — the I-526E petition — is where most of the wait sits. In 2026, reported USCIS processing ranges for the I-526E span roughly 11 to 61 months, and the single biggest factor is which project category you choose.
| Stage | Reported 2026 range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I-526E — rural set-aside | ~11–37 months | Receives USCIS priority processing; generally the fastest category |
| I-526E — high-unemployment (HUA) | ~17–52 months | Middle of the range |
| I-526E — unreserved / standard | ~30–61 months | Generally the slowest category |
| Immigrant visa (DS-260) or adjustment of status (I-485) | Months to 1+ year | Consular processing abroad, or I-485 if in the U.S.; concurrent filing may be possible |
| Conditional green card | 2 years | Investment must stay at risk and jobs must be created |
| I-829 — remove conditions | Filed in the 90 days before the 2-year mark | Leads to the permanent 10-year green card |
These ranges move as USCIS updates its data, so treat them as a planning snapshot and verify current figures on the USCIS processing-times page. Two structural points hold regardless of the exact months: rural set-aside projects are moving fastest because Congress gave them priority processing and set aside visas for them, and a petition filed against a project whose regional center exemplar (Form I-956F) is already approved can be adjudicated faster because USCIS has already reviewed the business plan and job-creation model.
What Korean investors should factor into the timeline
Two things specific to Korean investors affect how the timeline actually plays out. First, source-of-funds preparation usually adds three to six months before filing — USCIS requires you to document the lawful source and path of every invested dollar, which for Korean funds means assembling Korean-language records (real estate contracts and registry extracts, severance and retirement payouts, business and tax filings, gift or inheritance documentation) with certified translations. Second, visa backlogs can extend the wait for applicants born in heavily oversubscribed countries; for most Korea-born investors the EB-5 categories have generally been current, which is part of why EB-5 remains attractive from Korea.
One more planning point: the EB-5 minimum investment is scheduled to adjust for inflation on January 1, 2027. Because the amount that applies is the one in effect when you file, the cost side of this analysis can change for cases filed after that date.
Is EB-5 worth the cost and time for you?
For investors who have the capital, want U.S. permanent residency for the whole family, and do not have an employer or close relative to sponsor them, EB-5 is often the most direct path — and the investment, unlike the fees, is capital rather than a sunk cost. For investors whose capital position is closer to the low-to-mid six figures, the E-2 Treaty Investor visa may be a better fit; our E-2 vs EB-5 comparison walks through the trade-offs. The right answer depends on your capital, your timeline, and your goals — which is exactly what a consultation is for.
H&H Law is an immigration-only firm that has processed 2,000+ EB-5 petitions and advises Korean investors in Korean and English, from project selection and source-of-funds documentation through I-526E filing and I-829. A consultation costs you nothing and gives you a realistic cost and timeline for your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want a realistic EB-5 cost and timeline for your situation?
Attorney Austin Kim has processed 2,000+ EB-5 petitions and consults in Korean and English. Book a free consultation to get a straight answer on cost, category, and how long your case is likely to take.
General Information Only — Not Legal Advice. This article is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Investment minimums are as enacted in the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022; filing fees and processing times change and have been subject to litigation — confirm the figures that apply to your case with USCIS at the time of filing. Fee and cost ranges are planning estimates only. Reading this content does not create an attorney-client relationship with H&H Law.