How much US citizenship costs in 2026

7 min read · Published 6 October 2026 · Updated 8 October 2026

A US passport cannot be bought: $800,000 gets a green card, and citizenship comes only after 5 years in the country. All the costs, timelines and what changes from 30 November 2026.

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Key point	2026 figures
Minimum investment	$800,000 per family in a priority project
Investment in other projects	$1,050,000
Investor petition fee	$3,675, from 30 November 2026 $7,850
Jobs	10 per investor
To citizenship	5 years with a green card
Family	spouse and children under 21
Dual citizenship	allowed

Amounts checked: 2026-10-06

US citizenship is not for sale. The immigrant investor programme gives a green card, that is permanent residence, and a passport comes only after 5 years of living in the country with that card.

So the cost of US citizenship is an investment from $800,000 that stays in a project for several years, plus fees, source-of-funds documents and life in America. Below are all the cost items, family amounts, timelines and what happens on refusal.

What the cost is made of

Cost item	Amount	Who pays
EB-5 investment in a targeted area	from $800,000	main applicant
Investment in other projects	$1,050,000	main applicant
Investor petition fee	$3,675, from 30 November 2026 $7,615-7,850	main applicant
Removing conditions on the green card	$3,750, from 30 November 2026 $5,000	main applicant
Regional centre administrative fee	under the project terms	main applicant
Immigrant visa or adjustment of status	at State Department and immigration service rates	each family member
Medical exam and source-of-funds documents	at the doctor's and issuing countries' rates	each family member

The investment must be at risk: the programme forbids guaranteed returns. Immigration service fees are paid on filing and are not refunded.

The hardest part is tracing every dollar from its source to the project: business income, asset sales, an inheritance, a gift from a relative with proof of their income.

The investment starts at $800,000, but the risk is in the source-of-funds papers

The biggest losses in the US investor programme come not from fees but from refusals over the source of funds: if the path of even part of the money breaks, the petition is denied and the fees are not refunded. The second risk is a project without spare jobs. Murblz checks the project and the regional centre, collects source-of-funds documents for every transfer and, with US partners, follows the petition through to the green card.

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How much it costs for a family of 2, 3 and 4

Family	Minimum
Two adults	from $800,000
Two adults and a child	from $800,000
Two adults and two children	from $800,000

One investment covers the investor, spouse and unmarried children under 21. A child's age is in some cases frozen at the filing date, so families with older children should file as early as possible.

We will calculate online the full cost for your family: the contribution, fees for each member and due diligence.

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What the cost does not include

the regional centre administrative fee;
immigrant visas and adjustment of status for each family member;
the medical exam and vaccinations;
US lawyers and project due diligence;
flights to a consulate interview outside Russia;
moving to and living in the US for 5 years before applying for citizenship.

Timeline by step

Step	Time
Choosing the project and source-of-funds documents	1-3 months
Transferring the investment and filing the investor petition	after the transfer
Petition review	from a few months to several years
Immigrant visa and a 2-year conditional green card	after approval
Removing conditions on the green card	90 days before the card expires
Applying for citizenship	5 years after the conditional green card

Of the 5 years before citizenship you must physically spend at least half in the US. At the interview you take an English and civics test.

Is money refunded if you are refused

Immigration service fees are not refunded on refusal. The investment stays in the project: it can usually be returned only after the conditions are met, and repayment depends on the project's success.

If the project has not created 10 jobs per investor by the time conditions are removed, the green card is not made permanent, and the investment remains at risk anyway.

Comparison with neighbouring programmes

Country	Route	Minimum for one	Time	Dual citizenship
Mexico	Naturalisation	from $3,500	5 years of residence, 2 through marriage or a child	renounced on naturalisation
Turkey	Real estate from $400,000	from $408,310	A few months after the purchase, no fixed deadline	allowed
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Government fund contribution	from $260,000	3-6 months	allowed

Mexico and Turkey give a passport faster and cheaper, but they are very different countries. If it has to be America, the alternative to investing is a national interest green card for highly qualified professionals.

What changes from 30 November 2026

Immigration service fees for investor petitions will roughly double: through a regional centre from $3,675 to $7,850, for a direct investment to $7,615, and for removing conditions from $3,750 to $5,000.

The regional centre programme runs until 30 September 2027. Investors who filed before 30 September 2026 are protected by law, while for later filers the outcome depends on Congress extending the programme. The new gold card created by presidential order has not replaced the investor programme and is issued only in isolated cases amid court challenges.

For Russian citizens

Russian citizens take part on general terms but face a closer source-of-funds check, especially if the money moved through several countries. Immigrant visas for Russians are now mostly issued not in Moscow but at US consulates in other countries, so the interview trip is planned in advance.

The US does not require giving up your previous citizenship, and a Russian citizen must notify the Russian interior ministry of a second citizenship within 60 days. A route without investment for professionals is described on the national interest green card.

Documents and where to get them

passports, birth and marriage certificates for all family members;
source and transfer of funds documents: statements, contracts, tax returns, asset sale documents;
a regional centre subscription or a business plan for your own business;
police certificates from countries of residence;
a medical exam by an authorised doctor with the required vaccinations;
immigrant visa forms and photos for each family member.

This topic in other countries

Citizenship cost in other countries:

More about the country:

All programmes and a family calculator - how much citizenship costs in different countries.

FAQ

How much does US citizenship cost in 2026?

Citizenship is not for sale. An investment from $800,000 gives the whole family a green card, and the passport comes after 5 years in the US. The investor petition fee is $3,675, and $7,850 from 30 November 2026.

Can you buy US citizenship?

No. The immigrant investor programme gives permanent residence, and citizenship follows under the general rules after 5 years with a green card.

How much does an investor green card cost for a family of four?

One investment from $800,000 covers the investor, spouse and children under 21. Visas, medical exams and documents are paid for each person separately.

Is the investor programme money returned?

The investment is returnable but at risk: it can usually be returned after the conditions are met, and repayment depends on the project's success. Fees are not refunded.

How many years after a green card can you get US citizenship?

5 years from the date of the conditional green card, of which at least half must be spent in the US.

Can Russian citizens get an investor green card?

Yes, on general terms but with a closer check on the origin of funds. The interview is usually held at a US consulate outside Russia.

Do you have to give up Russian citizenship?

No, the US does not require it. A Russian citizen must notify the Russian interior ministry of a second citizenship within 60 days.

Don’t want to figure this out alone?

We handle the whole process end to end: we check your documents, match a program to your situation and give you honest timelines and costs. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.

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