USCIS Announces Premium Processing Fee Increase
USCIS has announced that it will increase premium processing fees by 5.72% due to inflation.
According to a Federal Register notice scheduled for publication on January 12, the new amounts will go into effect on March 1, 2026.
Below is a full breakdown of the premium processing fee increases:
| Premium Processing Category | Old Fee | New Fee |
| Form I-129 for H-1B, E-1, E-2, E-3, H-3, L1 (including Blanket L-1), O, P, Q, or TN filers. | $2,965 | $2,965 |
| Form I-129 for H-2B or R-category filers. | $1,780 | $1,780 |
| Form I-140 for EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 filers | $2,965 | $2,965 |
| Form I-539 for F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2, M-1, or M-2 filers | $1,965 | $2,075 |
| Form I-765 for F-1 OPT and STEM OPT filers | $1,780 | $1,780 |
Premium processing applications sent prior to March 1 will not be subject to the new fees.
The last premium processing inflation adjustment took effect on February 26, 2024. Due to the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act, USCIS must adjust its premium processing prices every two years.
What premium processing fee increases mean for applicants
For most applicants, USCIS’s premium processing fee increase doesn’t change eligibility for the service. However, it does add another cost to consider, particularly for employers and individuals filing multiple petitions in the same year. Applicants who are already planning to use premium processing may want to factor the March 1, 2026, effective date into their filing strategy and timeline.
Related resources on premium processing
