Executive Summary
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is publishing a final rule to increase USCIS premium processing fees, effective March 1, 2026, to reflect an inflationary adjustment. As background, the USCIS Stabilization Act provides DHS with the authority to make a biennial inflation-based adjustment to USCIS premium processing fees. The first inflationary adjustment occurred when DHS published a final rule on December 23, 2023, to increase USCIS premium processing fees effective February 26, 2024.
| Form | Current Fee | New Fee Effective March 1, 2026 |
| Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status | $1,685 | $1,780 |
| Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, all other available Form I-129 classifications:
E-1/2/3 |
$2,805 | $2,965 |
| Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, employment-based classifications
EB-1 |
$2,805 | $2,965 |
| Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, requesting:
F-1/2 |
$1,965 | $2,075 |
| Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, for certain eligible applications (OPT and STEM-OPT Classifications) | $1,685 | $1,780 |
Disclaimer
This alert is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Please contact your Goel & Anderson attorney for questions.
