U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced new filing fees for several immigration benefit requests. These US Visa Fee Changes took effect on January 1, 2026, and were officially published in the Federal Register and the updated USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055).
The adjustments reflect inflation measured from July 2024 through July 2025 and apply to certain H.R. 1 immigration-related fees.
Forms Affected by the Fee Increases
Several commonly used USCIS forms now include updated fees. Furthermore, the applicants should carefully review these changes before filing.
Forms With Increased Fees
| Form Number | Form Name |
| Form I-131 | Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records |
| Form I-589 | Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal |
| Form I-765 | Application for Employment Authorization |
| Form I-821 | Application for Temporary Protected Status |
Filing Requirements Starting January 1, 2026
All employers, applicants, and petitioners must use the current fee amounts for any applications submitted on or after the effective date. USCIS, the US immigration department, will reject any filing submitted with outdated or incorrect fees.
Each application or petition must include the correct payment unless the applicant qualifies for a fee waiver or fee exemption.
Accepted Payment Methods
USCIS allows several payment options depending on the filing location.
Online or Mail-In Filings
- ACH debit
- Credit card
- Debit card
Filing at a USCIS Field Office
If you submit your application in person at a USCIS office, you must pay using pay.gov with:
- Credit card
- Debit card
- Electronic funds transfer (EFT) from a U.S. bank using Form G-1650 (Authorization for ACH Transactions)
Important: USCIS does not accept cash, even at field offices.
Additional Fees Required Under Public Law 119-21
Some forms require an extra fee mandated by Public Law 119-21, in addition to standard filing fees. Key points to remember:
- These additional fees cannot be waived.
- They must be paid separately at the same time as the filing fee.
- Even if the form has no filing fee or you are requesting a fee waiver, you must still pay the Pub. L. 119-21 fee.
- These fees adjust annually, as required by law.
Fee Waivers
Some applicants may qualify for a fee waiver for certain forms.
Eligibility
To check whether you qualify, review Form I-912 (Request for Fee Waiver).
If you are eligible:
- You must submit a paper version of Form I-912 or a written fee-waiver request.
- Fee waivers are not available for most online filings.
- You cannot request a waiver for additional fees required by Pub. L. 119-21, but you may request a waiver for USCIS’s standard filing fee if eligible.
Fee Exemptions
Some forms are completely exempt from fees and show $0 as the filing fee. For these forms:
- You do not need to file Form I-912 or submit a fee-waiver request.
- A fee exemption simply means the form is free to file.
- It does not guarantee eligibility to apply for the benefit. Eligibility rules are found in the form instructions and relevant regulations.
Summary of New Fees
| Benefit category | Form | Current filing fee | Immigration fee type | HR-1 FY 2025 fee | Combined fees |
| Asylum | I-589 | $0 | Asylum Fee (Initial fee for aliens filing an application for asylum) | $100 No Fee Waiver Available. | $100 |
| I-589 (Pending) | N/A | Annual Pending Asylum Application Fee | $100 (annual for every calendar year that the asylum application is pending); payable online only No Fee Waiver Available. | 100 | |
| EADs | I-765 —Initial for (c)(8) Asylum Applicant | $0 | Initial Asylum Applicant EAD | $550 No Fee Waiver Available. | 550 |
| I-765—Initial (c)(8) Applying under Special American Baptist Churches v. Thornburgh (ABC) Procedures | Paper Filing: $520 Fee Waiver Available. Online Filing: $470 Fee Waiver Available. | Initial Asylum Applicant EAD Initial Asylum Applicant EAD | $550 No Fee waiver Available. $550 No Fee waiver Available. | 1,070 1,020 | |
| I-765—Renewal for (c)(8) Asylum Applicant | Paper Filing: $520 Fee Waiver Available. | Renewal or Extension of Asylum Applicant EAD | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 795 | |
| Online Filing: $470 Fee Waiver Available. | Renewal or Extension of Asylum Applicant EAD | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 745 | ||
| I-765—Initial for (a)(4) Paroled Refugee | $0 | Initial Parole EAD—Valid for 1 year | $550 No Fee Waiver Available. | 550 | |
| I-765—Initial (c)(11) for 212(d)(5)(A) Parole | Paper Filing: $520 Fee Waiver Available. | Initial Parole EAD—Valid for 1 year | $550 No Fee Waiver Available. | 1,070 | |
| Online Filing: $470 Fee Waiver Available. | Initial Parole EAD—Valid for 1 year | $550 No Fee Waiver Available. | 1,020 | ||
| IMMVI current or former service members, special processes for paroled Ukrainians: $0 | Initial Parole EAD—Valid for 1 year | $550 No Fee Waiver Available. | 550 | ||
| I-765—Initial (c)(34) Paroled Spouse of (b)(37) Entrepreneur | Paper Filing: $520 Fee Waiver Available. | Initial Parole EAD—Valid for 1 year | $550 No Fee Waiver Available. | 1,070 | |
| I-765—Renewal (a)(4) Paroled Refugee | $0 | Initial Parole EAD—Valid for 1 year | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 275 | |
| I-765—(c)(11) Renewal for 212(d)(5)(A) Parole | Paper Filing: $520 Fee Waiver Available. | Renewal or Extension of Parole EAD—Valid for 1 year | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 795 | |
| Online Filing: $470 Fee Waiver Available. | Renewal or Extension of Parole EAD—Valid for 1 year | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 745 | ||
| IMMVI 9 current or former U.S. armed forces: $0 | Renewal or Extension of Parole EAD—Valid for 1 year | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 275 | ||
| I-765—Renewal (c)(34) Paroled spouse of (b)(37) Entrepreneur | Paper Filing: $520 Fee Waiver Available. | Renewal or Extension of Parole EAD—Valid for 1 year | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 795 | |
| I-765—Initial (a)(12) or (c)(19) TPS | Paper Filing: $520 Fee Waiver Available. | Initial TPS EAD—Valid for 1 year or the duration of the TPS designation whichever is shorter | $550 No Fee Waiver Available. | 1,070 | |
| Online Filing: $470 Fee Waiver Available. | Initial TPS EAD—Valid for 1 year or the duration of the TPS designation whichever is shorter | $550 No Fee Waiver Available. | 1,020 | ||
| I-765—Renewal (a)(12) or (c)(19) TPS | Paper Filing: $520 Fee Waiver Available. | Renewal or Extension of TPS EAD—Valid for 1 year | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 795 | |
| Online Filing: $470 Fee Waiver Available. | Renewal or Extension of TPS EAD—Valid for 1 year | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 745 | ||
| I-131 —Employment Authorization Upon Issuance of New Period of Parole | Paper Filing: $1,150 Fee Waiver Available. Online Filing: $1,050 Fee Waiver Available. | EAD upon new period of Parole (Re-parole) EAD upon new period of Parole (Re-parole) | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 1,425 1,325 | |
| Military PIP for family of service members: $520 Fee Waiver Available. | EAD upon new period of Parole (Re-parole) | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 795 | ||
| IMMVI, FRTF, Military PIP for current or former service members: $0 | EAD upon new period of Parole (Re-parole) | $275 No Fee Waiver Available. | 275 | ||
| TPS | I-821 —Initial TPS Registration | $50 + $30 (biometrics fee) Fee Waivable. | TPS Fee | $500 No Fee Waiver Available. | 530 |
| SIJs | I-360 | $0 | Special Immigrant Juvenile Fee | $250 No Fee Waiver Available | 250 |