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Good news for EB-5 investors! The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed major updates that could make the EB-5 process smoother and more affordable.
Lower EB-5 Filing Fees DHS plans to reduce filing fees for most EB-5 forms. The change lets the Immigrant Investor Program Office (IPO) keep its own fee revenue instead of funding other USCIS programs—helping streamline operations and potentially speed up processing. New & Updated Forms
All regional centers—new or previously approved—must pay integrity fees, with only a small inflation adjustment proposed. DHS is also refining how “investors” are defined for fee calculations. Key Dates Public comments are open until December 22, 2025, and final fee changes will take effect 60 days after publication. What It Means for You Lower fees and increased IPO staffing could mean faster, more efficient EB-5 processing ahead. With strong demand in rural and high-unemployment areas, now is a great time to prepare your EB-5 strategy. Call Our Office Today Thinking about an EB-5 investment or green card application? Contact our office for a free consultation — our experienced EB-5 attorneys will guide you through the process and help you take advantage of the new opportunities. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a new interim final rule that ends automatic extensions of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) starting October 30, 2025.
What’s Changing
DHS says the change strengthens screening and vetting before extending work authorization. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated: “Working in the U.S. is a privilege, not a right. This rule ensures proper vetting before extending employment authorization.” What You Should Do
Need Help? Our office can assist with EAD renewals, ensuring timely, compliant filings under the new DHS policy. Avoid costly lapses — contact us today to file early and stay work-authorized. Resource U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued new guidance clarifying how the $100,000 H-1B fee, imposed under the Presidential Proclamation of September 19, 2025 titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers”, will apply. This policy represents one of the most significant cost changes in employment-based immigration to date. Who Must Pay
Who Is Exempt
Payment Rules Employers must pay the fee before filing the petition. Proof of payment via pay.gov must be included with the filing. Petitions that fall under the proclamation but are submitted without payment or exception proof will be denied. Exception Requests Limited exceptions may be granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) only if all of the following are demonstrated:
Key Takeaways
Litigation and What to Watch The proclamation is already subject to legal challenge:
Resource USCIS has rolled out the new “2025 Naturalization Civics Test” for applicants who file Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025.
Under the previous version (often referred to as the 2008 version), applicants were asked up to 10 oral questions selected from a 100-question pool and needed to correctly answer 6 to pass. Under the new 2025 version:
For applications filed before October 20, 2025, the applicant will take the older 2008 version. Resource As of September 6, 2025, the Department of State has updated its instructions for all nonimmigrant visas (NIV) applicants scheduling visa interview appointments at U.S. Embassies and Consulates.
These instructions are: 1) NIV applicants should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence. This suspends Third Country National processing. 2) NIV applicants from the following countries must apply at the designated locations unless residence elsewhere: NATIONAL OF ----- DESIGNATED LOCATION(S) Afghanistan ----- Islamabad Belarus ----- Vilnius, Warsaw Chad ----- Yaoundé Cuba ----- Georgetown Haiti ----- Nassau Iran ----- Dubai Libya ----- Tunis Niger ----- Ouagadougou Russia ----- Astana, Warsaw Somalia ----- Nairobi South Sudan ----- Nairobi Sudan ----- Cairo Syria ----- Amman Ukraine ----- Krakow, Warsaw Venezuela ----- Bogota Yemen ----- Riyadh Zimbabwe ---- Johannesburg https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/adjudicating-nonimmigrant-visa-applicants-in-their-country-of-residence-sep-6-2025.html Great news! USCIS now allows you to pay your fees directly using electronic debit. You will need a U.S. bank account for this option. To do this, just complete and sign Form G-1650 (Authorization for ACH Transactions) and submit it with your application or petition. Until October 28, 2025, USCIS will still accept checks, money orders, credit cards (Form G-1450), and bank debits (Form G-1650).
This new payment option is part of an effort to speed up processing and reduce issues with lost or fraudulent payments. After that, only credit card and bank debit payments will be accepted. A few things to keep in mind:
For more info, visit: uscis.gov https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/uscis-to-modernize-fee-payments-with-electronic-funds |
AuthorGilani Law Firm Archives
October 2025
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