USCIS Fees 2026: A Guide to Filing Fees, Payment Rules and What Changes Next

Reviewed by: Andrew Diamond, Esq.

USCIS fees in 2026 range from $0 for fee-exempt categories to several thousand dollars for investor petitions. The amount depends on the form, your filing category and whether you submit a paper filing or file online. As of November 3, 2026, the official amounts are listed in Form G-1055, Fee Schedule, in the edition USCIS currently posts (dated October 26, 2026 at the time this guide was prepared). A few examples from that edition: a family petition (Form I-130) is $675 on paper or $625 online, an adjustment of status application (Form I-485) is $1,440 on paper for an applicant age 14 or older, and a naturalization application (Form N-400) is $760 on paper or $710 online. A request that arrives without the correct fee is rejected under USCIS filing rules, so check the schedule on the day you file.

The base fees come from the USCIS fee rule that took effect on April 1, 2024. Since 2025, Congress has added separate fees under Public Law 119-21 that the statute provides are adjusted for inflation each fiscal year. USCIS applied the FY 2027 adjustment to certain of those fees for requests postmarked on or after October 16, 2026. The next scheduled change is the EB-5 fee rule, which USCIS has announced applies to EB-5 filings postmarked on or after November 30, 2026.

Every amount below comes from Form G-1055 or the cited Federal Register rule and should be confirmed against the live schedule before filing.

Where do USCIS fees come from?

USCIS is funded mostly by the fees it collects, and its fees are set by regulation in 8 CFR part 106. The current structure dates from the fee rule that took effect on April 1, 2024, which also folded the separate biometric services fee into most filing fees. USCIS publishes the resulting amounts in Form G-1055, which it updates whenever a fee, exemption or filing category changes.

A second layer of fees comes from Public Law 119-21 (the 2025 reconciliation law, referred to by USCIS as H.R. 1). Each fee is tied to a specific request or event, and G-1055 lists the current amount next to the related form:

• an asylum application fee, owed when Form I-589 is filed with USCIS;
• an annual asylum fee, owed each year an asylum application remains pending;
• an immigration parole fee, charged on Form I-131 parole requests and collected by USCIS after it notifies the applicant of a conditional approval;
• a Temporary Protected Status registration fee on Form I-821;
• employment authorization fees on Form I-765 for applicants with pending asylum applications, parole or TPS, with a separate amount for renewals;
• a fee for Form I-94 requests.

Each of these must be paid as a separate payment from the regular filing fee, and the statute provides for annual inflation adjustment. USCIS announced the FY 2027 adjustment on September 30, 2026 and applied it to requests postmarked on or after October 16, 2026. One qualification applies as of November 3, 2026: USCIS reports that on August 5, 2026 the district court in Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts v. USCIS enjoined the April 29, 2026 interim final rule to the extent it imposed consequences for failing to pay the annual asylum fee, and USCIS reopened payment for missed due dates. Anyone with a pending asylum application should check the USCIS annual asylum fee page for the current payment status before relying on a due date.

A third layer applies to specific programs. The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 authorizes EB-5 Integrity Fund fees and a technology fee, and Public Law 114-113 imposes the $4,000 and $4,500 fees on certain H-1B and L-1 employers. These appear in G-1055 as additional fees next to the base fee.

What are the fees for family-based and green card filings?

These are the fees families and adjustment applicants encounter. The online fee column shows the G-1055 amount that applies only when USCIS offers online filing for that form and filing category; confirm online availability on the form’s page before relying on the lower amount.

A family-based adjustment case inside the United States involves Form I-130 and Form I-485, each with its own fee. Whether they can be filed together depends on visa availability: under 8 CFR 245.2(a)(2), Form I-485 may be filed concurrently with the I-130 only when an immigrant visa is immediately available (always the case for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, and for preference categories only when the Visa Bulletin chart USCIS designates for that month permits it) and the applicant otherwise qualifies to adjust status. Some applicants file the I-485 later, after the I-130 is approved and a visa number becomes available. If the applicant requests them, Forms I-765 and I-131 add their own fees, and a dependent child’s I-485 fee is separate from the parent’s. USCIS requires each form’s fee to be paid separately when forms are filed together; a single combined payment covering multiple forms can result in rejection of the whole package.

Some I-485 categories are fee exempt. G-1055 lists $0 for applicants filing as Afghan or Iraqi special immigrants, certain parolees, U and T nonimmigrants, and other listed categories. USCIS states that a $0 entry means only that the form is free to file for that category; it does not mean the applicant is eligible for the benefit.

What do employment-based petitions cost?

Employer petitions have a base filing fee plus add-on fees that depend on the visa category and the employer’s size and workforce. Small employers (25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees) and nonprofits pay reduced base fees. The online amounts apply only where USCIS offers online filing for that classification. More detail on the H-1B process is on our H-1B page.

The $4,000 (H-1B) and $4,500 (L-1) fees under Public Law 114-113 apply to a petitioner that employs 50 or more employees in the United States when more than 50 percent of those employees are in H-1B or L (L-1A or L-1B) nonimmigrant status, for petitions filed on or before September 30, 2027. The Form I-129 instructions set out how the employee count is made for each program. On October 27, 2026, USCIS updated its Policy Manual guidance on L-1 fees (PA-2026-16) to clarify that both part-time and full-time employees count toward the L-1 calculation and to refer readers to G-1055 rather than fixed dollar amounts; whether the same counting rule is stated for H-1B petitions should be confirmed against the current I-129 instructions.

The Fraud Prevention and Detection fee of $500 is owed with an H-1B or L-1 petition that seeks initial approval of that status for the beneficiary or a change of employer, as described in the Form I-129 instructions. For blanket L-1 petitions, the fee is collected with the beneficiary’s Form I-129S rather than with the blanket petition itself. Confirm the trigger for your filing against the current I-129 instructions.

What do EB-5 investor filings cost?

EB-5 fees change on November 30, 2026. The current amounts in G-1055 are lower than the amounts set in the 2024 fee rule because a federal district court decision in Colorado (Moody) set aside the 2024 EB-5 fees, and USCIS reverted to the earlier schedule. On September 30, 2026, DHS published a final EB-5 fee rule in the Federal Register (FR Doc. 2026-20016) that, as announced by USCIS, replaces those amounts for any EB-5 application, petition or request postmarked (or, for courier shipments, shipped) on or after November 30, 2026.

The date the package is postmarked, or the shipping date on the courier receipt for commercial courier shipments, controls which fee applies, not the date the package is prepared or the date USCIS receives it. Keep the postmark or courier receipt. An investor planning to file Form I-526, I-526E or I-829 in November 2026 should confirm which schedule applies to the actual mailing date. Form I-829 must be filed in the 90-day period before the second anniversary of the investor’s admission as a conditional resident; under 8 CFR 216.6(a)(5), USCIS may accept a late petition only if the investor shows good cause and extenuating circumstances for the delay, so a fee rejection near the end of the window is a real risk. The rule does not change the EB-5 minimum investment amounts, which are set by statute at INA 203(b)(5)(C). Forms I-526, I-526E, I-829 and the I-956 series are not among the forms eligible for a fee waiver under 8 CFR 106.3, and the final rule states the Integrity Fund fees are not waivable. Our EB-5 fee increase post covers the rule in more detail.

What does naturalization cost?

Form N-400 costs $760 on paper or $710 online. Applicants whose documented household income is not more than 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines may request a reduced fee of $380 on Form I-942, and applicants who meet the Form I-912 standards may request a full fee waiver; both requests require a paper filing of the N-400. Applicants filing under the military naturalization provisions of INA 328 or 329 pay no fee. Our naturalization page covers the process. Our naturalization page covers the process.

Related citizenship forms have their own fees: Form N-336 (request for a hearing on a denied N-400) is $830 on paper or $780 online, Form N-600 (Application for Certificate of Citizenship) is $1,385 on paper or $1,335 online, Form N-565 (replacement of a citizenship or naturalization certificate) is $555 on paper or $505 online, and Form N-470 (preserving residence for naturalization) is $420. A proposed rule published in June 2026 would raise the N-400 and N-336 fees and end the reduced fee and fee waiver for those forms. As of November 3, 2026 it has not been finalized, and a proposed rule does not change any fee until a final rule takes effect.

How much is premium processing?

Premium processing is an optional service requested on Form I-907. Under INA 286(u) and 8 CFR 106.4, USCIS commits to take an adjudicative action (approval, denial, request for evidence, or notice of intent to deny) within the business-day period set for that classification, or refund the premium fee. A request for evidence or notice of intent to deny stops the clock, and a new period starts when USCIS receives the response. The service is available only for the classifications USCIS has designated, and the fee is paid separately from, and in addition to, the filing fee. Premium processing fees were last adjusted for inflation under the USCIS Stabilization Act effective March 1, 2026.

Premium processing shortens the USCIS timeframe for acting on the request. It does not change the eligibility standard, guarantee approval, or move a priority date forward in the Visa Bulletin. Processing times for non-premium filings vary by form and office and can change; check the live USCIS processing times page for the current posted range.

How do you pay USCIS fees?

Online filers pay through their USCIS online account by credit, debit or prepaid card, or by bank account withdrawal. Beginning October 28, 2025, USCIS moved paper filings to electronic payment: paper filers pay by card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, or by ACH bank debit using Form G-1650, as prescribed for the particular request, office, filing method and filing location (Policy Alert PA-2025-19). A check or money order may be submitted only where an exemption from electronic payment is available and Form G-1651, the exemption request, is properly filed with the benefit request. USCIS does not accept cash.

Fees required by Public Law 119-21 must be paid as a separate payment with the filing fee, with one exception stated in G-1055: fees collected only on approval, such as the immigration parole fee on Form I-131, are collected after USCIS notifies the applicant of a conditional approval rather than at filing. A Public Law 119-21 fee is still owed when the form’s base fee is $0 or has been waived.

Can USCIS fees be waived or reduced?

Fee waivers are available only for the forms and categories listed in 8 CFR 106.3 and the Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, instructions. A requester must establish, with the documentation the instructions require, one of three grounds: current receipt of a means-tested benefit, household income at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or financial hardship. USCIS evaluates the evidence and decides the request; alleging a ground is not enough. The I-912 instructions state that a request filed with Form I-912 must be submitted on paper together with the underlying form, so an applicant requesting a waiver or the N-400 reduced fee cannot use the online filing option for that form. Form I-129, Form I-140 and the EB-5 forms are not eligible.

A fee exemption is different from a waiver. Where Form G-1055 lists $0 for a filing category, no request is needed, and USCIS states that a $0 entry indicates only that the form is free to file, not that the person is eligible in all circumstances. The October 26, 2026 edition added a fee exemption for Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, for class members in Sileiri Doe v. DHS. Public Law 119-21 does not provide for waiver of its fees, and premium processing fees cannot be waived.

What happens if you pay the wrong fee?

Under 8 CFR 103.2(a)(7), a benefit request is properly filed only when it is submitted with the correct fee, and USCIS rejects a request that arrives without it. The regulation states that a rejected benefit request does not retain a filing date, and USCIS returns it without a receipt notice, so any deadline the filing was meant to meet keeps running. That matters where the filing date controls eligibility:

• a Form I-539 extension or change of status is generally required to be filed before the current status expires; under 8 CFR 214.1(c)(4) and 8 CFR 248.1(b), USCIS has discretion to excuse a late filing only when the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the applicant’s control and the other regulatory conditions are met;
• a joint Form I-751 is generally filed in the 90-day period before the second anniversary of conditional residence; under INA 216(d)(2)(B) and 8 CFR 216.4(a)(6), USCIS may accept a late petition only on a written showing of good cause and extenuating circumstances;
• a Form I-829 has the same 90-day window and the same good cause standard under 8 CFR 216.6(a)(5);
• a Form I-485 depends on a visa number being available in the month of filing, and a rejected filing resent after the Visa Bulletin retrogresses may no longer be acceptable.

Causes of rejection include using an old amount after a fee change, paying the online amount on a paper filing, leaving out an add-on fee, and combining a Public Law 119-21 fee or a second form’s fee with the base filing fee in one payment.

When fees change, the date that matters is set in the rule or USCIS announcement. For the October 16, 2026 increase and the November 30, 2026 EB-5 rule, the new amounts apply to requests postmarked (or shipped by courier) on or after the effective date. Under 8 CFR 103.2(a)(1), filing fees are generally nonrefundable regardless of the action USCIS takes on the request, except when USCIS determines a refund is warranted.

What fee changes are coming?

As of November 3, 2026, the following changes are final or proposed. Proposed rules do not change any fee until a final rule takes effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much does it cost to apply for a green card in 2026?

  It depends on the path. Inside the United States, Form I-485 is $1,440 on paper or $1,390 online for an applicant age 14 or older, and a family case adds Form I-130 at $675 on paper or $625 online. An employment case adds the employer’s Form I-140 at $715 on paper plus the Asylum Program Fee. Optional Forms I-765 ($260) and I-131 ($630 paper) add to the total. Applicants abroad pay Department of State fees plus the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee.

• Do I still pay a separate biometrics fee?

  For most USCIS forms, no. The April 1, 2024 fee rule included biometrics in the filing fee. Form G-1055 still lists a $30 biometric services fee for certain applications filed with the immigration court, and a separate biometric fee can apply to certain L-1 petitions under Public Law 114-113.

• Is it cheaper to file online?

  For Forms I-130, I-485, I-131, I-90, I-751 and N-400, the online fee in G-1055 is $50 lower than the paper fee. Not every form or category can be filed online (Form I-765 with a pending I-485 is $260 either way), and a fee waiver or reduced fee request requires a paper filing.

• Can I pay USCIS fees with a check?

  Since October 28, 2025, paper filings are paid by card (Form G-1450) or ACH bank debit (Form G-1650) as prescribed for the filing location. A check or money order may be submitted only where an exemption from electronic payment is available and Form G-1651 is properly filed with the request. USCIS does not accept cash.

• If fees change, which date decides what I pay?

  The rule or USCIS announcement sets the date. For the October 16, 2026 increase and the November 30, 2026 EB-5 rule, the postmark date (or courier shipping date) controls. A request postmarked on or after the effective date with the old amount is rejected.

• Are USCIS fees refundable?

  Generally no. Under 8 CFR 103.2(a)(1), filing fees are nonrefundable regardless of the action USCIS takes, including denial, withdrawal, or approval for a shorter period or a different classification than requested, except when USCIS determines a refund is warranted. The premium processing fee is governed by a separate statutory rule and is refunded if USCIS does not take an adjudicative action within the applicable business-day period, subject to the clock rules in 8 CFR 106.4.

• Do I have to pay the $100,000 H-1B payment?

  Not at this time. A September 18, 2026 proclamation extended the $100,000 payment requirement through September 21, 2027, but a federal district court in Massachusetts vacated the policy implementing it on June 8, 2026, and the First Circuit denied the government’s request to stay that ruling on July 24, 2026. USCIS has said it will comply with the court’s order and is not collecting the payment. The government’s appeal is still pending, so confirm the status with counsel before filing.

• Can my employer pay my H-1B or green card petition fees?

  For H-1B petitions, the ACWIA fee and the Fraud Prevention and Detection fee must be paid by the employer; the Form I-129 instructions do not permit the worker to pay them. For other fees, who pays depends on the form and on Department of Labor rules at 20 CFR 655.731 that treat certain employer business expenses, if deducted from or paid by the worker, as reducing the required wage. Confirm the treatment of a specific cost with counsel.

• If I file Form I-526E on November 28, 2026, do I pay the old EB-5 fee?

  If the petition is postmarked (or shipped by courier) on or before November 29, 2026, the current $3,675 fee plus the $1,000 Integrity Fund fee applies. If it is postmarked on or after November 30, 2026, the $7,850 fee plus the $1,100 Integrity Fund fee applies. Keep proof of the postmark or courier shipping date.

• My I-485 base fee is $0. Do I still owe a Public Law 119-21 fee?

  If your request is one that carries a Public Law 119-21 fee, yes. USCIS states that the additional fee is owed even when the form’s base fee is $0 or has been waived, and it must be sent as a separate payment.