USCIS Fees in 2026: Adjustment for Inflation and Current Values

The USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) fee system has undergone profound changes over the past two years. From the major fee restructuring in April 2024, the first in more than seven years, to the enactment of HR-1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) in July 2025, the costs of immigration processes have been significantly altered. The mandatory annual inflation adjustments introduced by the new legislation have made financial planning an indispensable part of any migration project to the United States.

Understanding the current fee structure, the adjustment mechanisms, and the new charges created by law is essential to avoid financial surprises and to submit petitions with the correct amounts. This guide presents the amounts in effect as of April 2026, explains how the automatic adjustment system works, and details the new fees introduced by HR-1.

Annual Inflation Adjustment

HR-1, signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025, introduced a mechanism for mandatory annual adjustment of immigration fees based on the CPI-U (Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers). The first adjustment under this rule took effect on January 1, 2026, reflecting the accumulated inflation variation from July 2024 to July 2025, which was 2.70%. In practice, several immigration fees will receive automatic increases at the beginning of each year, with no need for new legislation.

The calculation works as follows: the CPI-U percentage change is applied to the current amount and rounded down to the nearest multiple of $10. For example, the parole fee of $1,000 received a calculated adjustment of $27.05, rounded down to $20, resulting in $1,020 for the 2026 fiscal year. This automatic mechanism means that immigrants and employers must check the updated amounts annually before submitting any petition.

Main Fees in 2026

The table below presents the amounts in effect as of April 2026, according to the G-1055 form from USCIS updated on March 23, 2026:

The Asylum Program Fee (APF) is an additional fee that funds the asylum program and applies to employer petitions. The amount varies according to the size of the company: large employers pay $600, employers with up to 25 full-time employees pay $300, and nonprofit organizations are exempt. Thus, the total cost of an I-140 petition for a large employer reaches $1,315, while for a small employer the total is $1,015.

The I-485 form fee of $1,440 already includes the cost of biometric services, which was previously charged separately as an additional $85 fee. For the I-765 (work authorization), the $260 amount applies to those with a pending I-485 filed from April 2024 onward. Standalone EAD renewals cost $520.

Premium Processing

Premium processing fees were also adjusted in 2026, with new amounts in effect since March 1, 2026. The increase reflects the accumulated inflation from June 2023 to June 2025, as published in the Federal Register. Premium processing guarantees a USCIS decision within 15 business days for most categories.

The new amounts are $2,965 for I-140 petitions (all employment categories) and for I-129 petitions in the E-3, H-1B, L-1, O-1, and TN categories. For the H-2B and R-1 categories, the premium processing fee increased to $1,780. Any I-907 petition submitted from March 1, 2026 onward must include the new amounts, or it will be rejected.

New HR-1 Fees

In addition to the inflation adjustment mechanism, HR-1 created entirely new fees that did not exist before July 2025. For the first time in history, asylum applicants are required to pay a filing fee: $100 for the initial application, plus an additional $100 for each year the application remains pending. Considering the backlog of cases in the system, an applicant who waits five years for a decision and requests at least one work authorization may pay more than $1,150 in asylum fees alone.

For individuals admitted under parole (humanitarian admission), the fee is $1,020 (already including the FY2026 inflation adjustment, based on the $1,000 floor established by HR-1). The initial work authorization for parolees costs $550, with renewals at $275. These charges represent a structural change in the funding of the American immigration system, which historically exempted humanitarian categories from significant fees.

Financial Planning

With the annual adjustment mechanism now permanent, the cost of immigration processes in the US tends to increase predictably every year. For families and professionals planning green card petitions, status adjustments, or work visas, it is essential to consider not only the current fees but also possible increases between preparing the documentation and actually submitting the petition.

The total cost of an employer-sponsored green card process, for example, can easily exceed $4,000 when adding I-140 with APF, I-485, I-765, and possible premium processing fees. Always consulting the most recent version of the G-1055 form, available on the official USCIS website, is the safest way to ensure the correct amounts are included in the petition and to avoid rejections for insufficient fees.

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

Leading journalism and editorial content at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps make immigration topics clear, trustworthy, and easy to understand. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.