US Announces New Immigration Fees Effective January 1, 2026

US Announces New Immigration Fees Effective January 1, 2026

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has officially announced a new round of immigration filing fee increases that will take effect on January 1, 2026, as part of the annual inflation adjustment mandated under H.R. 1. This update marks a continuation of the legally required process in which USCIS must adjust certain immigration fees every fiscal year based on inflation data.

The adjustment for 2026 is based on inflation registered between July 2024 and July 2025, which USCIS said must be factored into fees for specific categories, including Employment Authorization Documents (EAD), Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applications, and certain parole-related filings. This change is expected to impact tens of thousands of immigrants who rely on timely renewals for work authorization and protected status.

USCIS emphasized that all applications postmarked on or after January 1, 2026, must include the new filing fees. Submissions that do not comply will be automatically rejected, which could cause significant delays for applicants awaiting work authorization, protection from deportation, or humanitarian parole.

Why USCIS Is Increasing Fees

The adjustments stem from a mandatory requirement under H.R. 1, which stipulates that the Department of Homeland Security must:

• Review specific immigration fees annually
• Adjust fee amounts based on inflation
• Implement the changes at the beginning of each fiscal year

Beginning with the 2026 fiscal cycle, this will become an automatic annual process—meaning immigrants should now expect yearly changes to filing costs.

USCIS explains that these adjustments are necessary to maintain operational capacity, fund adjudication services, and reduce backlogs across various immigration programs.

Full Breakdown of Updated USCIS Fees for 2026

1. Asylum-Related Fees

These fees apply to asylum seekers, though the primary asylum application fee remains paused due to court intervention.

• Asylum Application Fee (Form I-589)
  • $100 → $102
  • Fee remains stayed by court order.
• Initial EAD for Asylum Applicants (Form I-765)
  • $550 → $560

These increases may impact asylum applicants awaiting work authorization while their asylum cases remain pending for years due to federal immigration court backlogs.

2. Parole-Related Employment Authorization Fees

Parole beneficiaries—including humanitarian parolees—will see consistent increases across initial and renewal filings.

• Initial Parole EAD Fee
  • $550 → $560
• Parole EAD Renewal/Extension
  • $275 → $280
• Re-Parole EAD (Form I-131, Part 9)
  • $275 → $280

These changes will affect applicants under programs such as humanitarian parole for medical emergencies, family reunification parole programs, and other discretionary parole pathways.

3. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Fees

TPS beneficiaries from countries with ongoing conflict or natural disasters will be required to pay increased fees across both application and EAD filings.

• Initial TPS EAD Fee
  • $550 → $560
• TPS EAD Renewal
  • $275 → $280
• TPS Application (Form I-821)
  • $500 → $510

These increases are significant for TPS holders juggling renewal requirements every 18 months.

Fees That Will Not Change in 2026

Despite the inflation adjustment, several fees remain unchanged:

• $100 – Asylum Application Fee (stayed)
• $275 – Renewal of asylum-based EAD
• $250 – Form I-360 Special Immigrant Juvenile Fee

USCIS noted that the Department of Homeland Security will publish another notice soon regarding the inflation-based update for the broader immigration parole fee.

USCIS Issues Warning Ahead of 2026 Changes

The agency issued a strong reminder:

Any application or petition filed with the incorrect fee after January 1, 2026, will be rejected.

Rejections could lead to:

• Loss of employment authorization
• Delays in protection renewals
• Loss of immigration status
• Missed filing deadlines
• Possible unlawful presence accumulation

USCIS urged immigrants, attorneys, and service providers to review the new fee schedule early and ensure that filings scheduled for late 2025 or early 2026 reflect the correct fee amounts.

Why This Change Matters

These increases come at a time when many immigration categories are experiencing record demand. Work permits (EADs) remain one of USCIS’s most backlogged application types, leaving many immigrants unable to work legally while waiting for approvals.

In this context:

• Even small fee increases can significantly affect low-income asylum seekers.
• TPS holders—already displaced by crises—may face higher financial burdens.
• Humanitarian parole applicants must prepare for increased costs during renewals.

USCIS says the adjustments help the agency reduce backlogs and improve processing efficiency, but advocates warn that fee hikes may further restrict access to critical immigration benefits.

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