The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is set to implement higher fees for a range of immigration-related applications, with most changes taking effect on October 16, 2026. The revised charges are a direct result of inflation adjustments mandated under H.R. 1, as outlined in an official Federal Register notice. Applicants submitting requests postmarked on or after this date must include the updated fees to avoid rejection.
General Fee Increases Effective October 16, 2026
The upcoming fee revisions will impact critical applications for individuals seeking protection or work authorization in the United States. These include:
- Annual Asylum Application Fee: Rising from $102 to $105.
- Form I-131 (Immigration Parole Fee): Increasing from $1,020 to $1,050.
- Form I-765 (Initial Employment Authorization Document for asylum applicants, parole, or Temporary Protected Status): Moving from $560 to $570.
- Form I-821 (Temporary Protected Status Application): Going up from $510 to $520.
These adjustments reflect the economic changes between July 2025 and July 2026, ensuring that USCIS operating costs are covered.
Significant Hikes for EB-5 Investor Visa Program
Separately, USCIS has finalized a new fee schedule for the EB-5 immigrant investor program, which will see substantial increases effective November 30, 2026. This program offers a path to U.S. permanent residency for qualifying foreign investors and their immediate families.
Key EB-5 Fee Changes:
- Form I-526 (Standalone EB-5 Investor): The filing fee will jump from $3,675 to $7,615.
- Form I-526E (Regional Center Investor, Initial Filing): This fee will increase from $3,675 to $7,850.
Both of these I-526 forms now include a $75 EB-5 technology fee. Additionally, several other EB-5 related forms and integrity charges are also set to rise:
- Form I-527 (Amendment to legacy I-526): A new fee of $10,330.
- Form I-829 (Petition to Remove Conditions on Permanent Residence): Increasing to $5,000.
- Form I-956 (Regional Center Designation, initial): A new fee of $44,115.
- Form I-956 (Regional Center Designation, amendment): A new fee of $9,835.
- Form I-956F (Approval of Investment in Commercial Enterprise): A new fee of $42,675.
Integrity-related charges for regional-center investors will also see increases, with the I-526E Integrity Fund fee rising from $1,000 to $1,100, and certain regional-center fees moving from $10,000 to $11,000 and from $20,000 to $22,000.
Applicants are advised to review the official USCIS fee schedule carefully to ensure compliance with the new requirements.