US Immigration Fee Hike: Certain immigration-related fees in the United States will increase from January 1, 2026, after the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an inflation-linked
revision to select charges.
The agency said that applications postmarked on or after January 1, 2026, must include the revised fee amounts, failing which they will be rejected.
“Effective Jan. 1, 2026, certain immigration-related fees will increase. We will reject any request postmarked on or after Jan. 1, 2026, without the proper filing fee,” USCIS said in a post on X.
What is changing from January 1, 2026
According to USCIS, the revised charges apply to specific immigration benefits covered under H.R. 1 and are based on inflation recorded between July 2024 and July 2025. The agency added that the Department of Homeland Security will continue to revise these fees annually for inflation in future fiscal years, as mandated by law.
The changes were formally notified through a Federal Register notice. Applicants filing benefit requests from January 1, 2026, will be required to pay the updated fee wherever applicable.
Immigration fees that will increase
The following fees will see a marginal increase from January 1, 2026, as per the USCIS notification.
| Form / Benefit Type | Previous Fee | New Fee (from Jan 1, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Asylum Application Fee (currently stayed via court order) | $100 | $102 |
| Form I-765 – Initial Asylum Applicant EAD | $550 | $560 |
| Form I-765 – Initial Parole EAD | $550 | $560 |
| Form I-765 – Renewal or Extension of Parole EAD | $275 | $280 |
| Form I-765 – Initial TPS EAD | $550 | $560 |
| Form I-765 – Renewal or Extension of TPS EAD | $275 | $280 |
| Form I-131, Part 9 – EAD with new period of parole (re-parole) | $275 | $280 |
| Form I-821 – Application for Temporary Protected Status | $500 | $510 |
Fees that will remain unchanged
USCIS clarified that several immigration-related fees will remain unchanged despite the inflation-linked update. These include:
- The initial asylum application fee under Form I-589, which will continue at $100
- The renewal or extension fee for asylum applicant employment authorisation under Form I-765, which will remain $275
- The fee for Form I-360 (Special Immigrant Juvenile status), which will stay at $250
The agency also said it will issue a separate Federal Register notice in the future for any inflation-related revision to the immigration parole fee.
