Can I request a fee waiver for EB-5 if I cannot afford the costs?

The EB-5 is, by nature, an investment-based immigration pathway: it was designed for those who can contribute and sustain the required capital in an enterprise that creates jobs in the United States. For this reason, the logic of fee waivers based on financial hardship, common in some other processes, generally does not apply to this program.

In other words, administrative fees are part of the process costs and are typically charged to all petitioners, since the EB-5 profile itself presupposes financial capacity. That said, fee policies and any possible waivers change over time, so nothing replaces confirmation from the official source.

• The EB-5 presupposes the capacity to invest and sustain the required capital.
• Fee waivers based on financial hardship are not typically part of this program.
• Fee rules and amounts can change and should always be verified at the source.

If budget is a central concern, it may be worth evaluating whether EB-5 is truly the most suitable pathway for your situation, or considering other routes. For current costs and rules, always check the official source (USCIS) and speak with a qualified professional before deciding.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.