Check your Form I-526E for errors before you file
Petitions for EB-5 immigrant classification based on an investment made through a designated regional center and an approved project. A single blank field or wrong-edition page gets the whole package returned, and since 07/10/2026 an invalid signature can be denied outright — and the $3,675 paper filing fee is generally non-refundable. Here is exactly what to verify on your completed I-526E before it goes to USCIS.
How do I check my I-526E for errors?
Two ways: work through the checklist below yourself — edition, signatures, blank fields, dates, and the known problems for I-526E — or upload your completed form to FormGuard and get an automated line-by-line review in about a minute. Your risk level and the number of issues found are shown free; $39 unlocks the full report, and you pay only if you choose it. (A scanned PDF longer than 3 pages skips the free preview and goes straight to the paid report.) Your form image is never stored.
1. Confirm you have the current edition
USCIS accepts only the current edition of I-526E — filing a superseded version is an automatic rejection. The current edition is dated 01/20/25; the date is printed at the bottom of every page. All pages must come from the same edition. Download a fresh copy from uscis.gov right before you file.
2. Verify every signature block
Unsigned or wrongly-signed forms are rejected — or, under the signature rule effective July 10, 2026, denied outright with the filing fee kept and no chance to fix it. A typed name, a cursive or script font, a stamp, or a digital e-signature (such as DocuSign) is not a valid signature on a paper filing; only a handwritten ink signature — or a scan, photocopy, or fax of one — is accepted. An electronic signature counts only when it is captured through a USCIS online account during online filing. I-526E has 4 signature blocks to check:
The form itself prints "sign in ink" next to this signature line. Sign and date in ink. A stamped or typewritten name is not acceptable. Under the 07/10/2026 signature rule an invalid signature can be DENIED (filing fee kept, no opportunity to cure), not merely rejected: a typed name, a cursive or script font, and digital/e-signature software output (e.g., DocuSign) are all invalid on a paper filing. Only a handwritten ink signature — or a scan, photocopy, or fax of one — counts. An electronic signature is valid only when it is captured through a USCIS online account during online filing.
The interpreter completes their contact information and certification, then signs and dates.
Anyone who prepared the petition completes Part 11 and signs and dates it.
Each separate sheet must carry the applicant’s name and A-Number (if any), reference the page, Part and Item Number it answers, and be signed and dated.
3. Make sure no required section is incomplete
Leaving required fields blank (instead of writing “N/A” or “None”) is one of USCIS's most common rejection reasons. On I-526E, pay special attention to:
- Part 1, Items —: Petition type — select ONE box. This is the whole of Part 1, and it determines how the rest of the petition is read
- Part 2, Items —: Information about you: name, address, date and country of birth, citizenship, A-Number and USCIS Online Account Number if any, and your immigration history
- Part 3, Items —: Your spouse and every child — including any who are NOT immigrating with you
- Part 4, Items —: Your regional center AND the specific project application your investment is tied to — both are required, and the project must be one the regional center actually filed
- Part 5, Items —: Your investment: the amount, the date, its source, and the evidence that the capital was lawfully obtained and is at risk
- Part 6, Items 1 – 3: How you will seek permanent residence: immigrant visa processing abroad or adjustment of status in the U.S., with the corresponding address
- Part 7, Items —: Bona fides of persons involved with the regional center program — each question answered, with any required explanation in Part 12
- Part 8, Items —: Foreign involvement in the regional center program — each question answered, with any required explanation in Part 12
4. Check every date — format and consistency
Dates must be written mm/dd/yyyy and must agree with your supporting documents and any other forms in the package. The date fields that most often cause problems on I-526E:
- Part 5 — the date of investment — It fixes which EB-5 rules and minimum amount apply, and must agree with the transfer records in the evidence.
- The filing date against October 1, 2022 — An INITIAL I-526E filed on or after that date owes the separate EB-5 Integrity Fund fee; an amendment request does not.
- Part 2 — immigration history date ranges — Entries, departures and status periods must be consistent with each other and with the record.
5. Re-check the known I-526E filing problems
From USCIS's own instructions and guidance, these are the specific problems to rule out on I-526E. Some get a filing rejected at intake; others surface later as a Request for Evidence or a denial:
- The separate EB-5 Integrity Fund fee missing from an initial Form I-526E filed on or after October 1, 2022
- Not signed, or signed with anything other than ink — USCIS states it will reject any unsigned form, and Part 9 prints "sign in ink" (a typed, script-font, stamped, or digital/e-signature is invalid where an ink signature is required; as of 07/10/2026 this is a denial with the fee kept, not merely a rejection)
- Wrong base fee — the I-526E fee depends on the postmark date: $3,675 before November 30, 2026; on or after it, $7,850 for an initial petition and $7,775 for an amendment (DHS EB-5 fee rule, 91 FR 61940)
- Filed for a standalone investment with no regional center (Form I-526 is the right form)
- Part 4 filed without identifying both the regional center and its project application
- A "Yes" in Part 7 or Part 8 that the form requires you to explain, with Part 12 left blank
- Foreign-language document submitted without a complete certified English translation
See a real error on your I-526E — free
Upload your completed I-526E and it is reviewed against these exact requirements — edition, signatures, blank fields, dates, consistency — in about a minute. You see your risk level and the issue count free. $39, one time, unlocks the full report with every issue and how to fix it, and you pay only if you choose it. Your form image is never stored.
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Related
Form I-526E error check — frequently asked questions
How do I check my Form I-526E for errors before filing?
Work through the checklist on this page: confirm you have the current 01/20/25 edition, verify every signature block is signed and dated by the right person, make sure no required field is blank (write "N/A" or "None" instead), check every date is in mm/dd/yyyy format and consistent across your documents, and re-read the known problems below. Or upload your completed I-526E to FormGuard and get an automated line-by-line error report in about a minute for $39.
What problems most often hold up a Form I-526E filing?
The separate EB-5 Integrity Fund fee missing from an initial Form I-526E filed on or after October 1, 2022; Not signed, or signed with anything other than ink — USCIS states it will reject any unsigned form, and Part 9 prints "sign in ink" (a typed, script-font, stamped, or digital/e-signature is invalid where an ink signature is required; as of 07/10/2026 this is a denial with the fee kept, not merely a rejection); Wrong base fee — the I-526E fee depends on the postmark date: $3,675 before November 30, 2026; on or after it, $7,850 for an initial petition and $7,775 for an amendment (DHS EB-5 fee rule, 91 FR 61940); Filed for a standalone investment with no regional center (Form I-526 is the right form); Part 4 filed without identifying both the regional center and its project application.
Which edition of Form I-526E is current?
The current edition of Form I-526E is dated 01/20/25. USCIS rejects forms filed on a superseded edition, so download a fresh copy from uscis.gov right before you file and confirm the edition date printed at the bottom of every page matches.
What happens if my I-526E is rejected?
USCIS returns the entire package unprocessed and the $3,675 paper filing fee for I-526E is generally non-refundable — you correct the error, pay again, and lose weeks or months. That is why a careful pre-filing check is the cheapest step in the whole process.
FormGuard is a private, independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or any U.S. government agency. FormGuard is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This page provides general information only; form requirements come from published USCIS sources and change frequently — always verify current details at the official government website, uscis.gov, and consult a licensed immigration attorney for complex matters.