US to raise immigration fees from Jan 1

Certain immigration-related fees in the United States will increase from January 1, 2026, after the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an inflation-linked revision. The agency said applications postmarked on or after this date must carry the updated fee, or USCIS will not accept them. “Effective Jan. 1, 2026, certain immigration-related fees will increase. We will reject any request postmarked on or after Jan. 1, 2026, without the proper filing fee,” USCIS said in a post on X. What is changing from January 1, 2026 USCIS said the revised charges apply to select immigration benefits covered under H.R. 1. The changes reflect inflation recorded between July 2024 and July 2025. The Department of Homeland Security will continue to adjust these fees annually for inflation in future fiscal years, as required by law. The agency notified the changes through a Federal Register notice. Applicants filing benefit requests from January 1, 2026, must pay the revised amounts where applicable.Fees that will increase The following fees will rise from January 1, 2026, as per the USCIS notice:Form / Benefit TypePrevious FeeNew FeeAnnual Asylum Application Fee (currently stayed via court order)$100$102Form I-765 – Initial Asylum Applicant EAD$550$560Form I-765 – Initial Parole EAD$550$560Form I-765 – Renewal or Extension of Parole EAD$275$280Form I-765 – Initial TPS EAD$550$560Form I-765 – Renewal or Extension of TPS EAD$275$280Form I-131, Part 9 – EAD with new period of parole (re-parole)$275$280Form I-821 – Application for Temporary Protected Status$500$510USCIS said some fees will remain unchanged despite the new notice. The initial asylum application fee under Form I-589 will stay at $100. The renewal or extension fee for asylum applicant employment authorisation under Form I-765 will remain $275. The fee for Form I-360, Special Immigrant Juvenile status, will continue at $250. The agency stated it will issue a separate Federal Register notice in the future for any inflation-related adjustment to the immigration parole fee.