The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued an official update announcing revised immigration fees scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026, in line with the annual inflation adjustment required under H.R. 1.
The new fee structure reflects inflation measured between July 2024 and July 2025 and is part of the yearly update mandated by H.R. 1, which requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to revise several immigration-related charges at the start of every fiscal cycle.
USCIS confirmed that the adjustments will now recur automatically each year beginning FY 2026. The agency emphasised that any application postmarked on or after January 1 must include the updated fee amount or risk being rejected, potentially delaying work permits, asylum filings and TPS renewals.
Breakdown of Updated Fees
The revised charges affect categories relating to Employment Authorization Documents (EAD), Temporary Protected Status (TPS) filings, parole-based applications and asylum-related processes — though the asylum application fee remains frozen due to an ongoing court injunction.
Asylum-related updates include:
- Annual Asylum Application Fee: from $100 to $102 (still on hold by court order).
- Initial EAD for asylum applicants: from $550 to $560.
Parole-related EAD fee adjustments:
- First-time parole EAD: $550 → $560
- Parole EAD renewal/extension: $275 → $280
- Form I-131 (Part 9) for re-parole EAD: $275 → $280
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) adjustments:
- Initial TPS EAD: $550 → $560
- TPS renewal or extension EAD: $275 → $280
- Form I-821 TPS application: $500 → $510
Fees Remaining Unchanged
Despite inflation updates, several costs have been left untouched for the 2026 cycle:
- Form I-589 Asylum Fee: $100
- Asylum-based EAD renewal/extension: $275
- Form I-360 Special Immigrant Juvenile Fee: $250
The agency noted that DHS will issue a separate document later outlining future adjustments to the parole fee structure.
USCIS warned applicants, attorneys and filing assistants to double-check the revised amounts to prevent delays, especially for individuals relying on time-sensitive applications such as work authorizations, TPS benefits and asylum-linked documentation.
