Effective March 1, 2026
USCIS will raise premium processing fees effective March 1, 2026, under a DHS final rule that adjusts fees every two years based on inflation. The increase reflects a 5.72% Consumer Price Index rise from June 2023 through June 2025, and applies to Form I-907 requests postmarked on or after March 1, 2026. DHS’s stated goal is to ensure premium processing fees keep pace with rising costs while also subsidizing adjudication improvements and backlog reduction.
The New Premium Processing Fee Levels are as follows:
- Current Fee: $1,685 → New Fee: $1,780
- Current Fee: $1,965 → New Fee: $2,075
- Current Fee: $2,805 → New Fee: $2,965
The Forms Eligible to be Filed with a Premium Processing Request are (with new fee listed):
- Form I-129: H-2B and R-1: $1,780;
- All other eligible Form I-129 classifications (e.g., H-1B, L-1, O-1, TN): $2,965.
- Form I-140 (including NIW and multinational managers/executives): $2,965.
- Form I-539 (certain F/M/J change of status applications): $2,075.
- Form I-765 (OPT and STEM OPT employment authorization): $1,780.
More information on the option of filing for premium processing service may be found here.
Effective Date of New Premium Processing Fees
Requests postmarked before March 1, 2026, should submit the current fees; those postmarked on or after that date must include the higher amounts.
Employers and individuals currently planning to request premium processing for an eligible prospective or pending filing should consider whether filing Form I-907 before March 1, 2026, is feasible to avoid the higher fee.
If you have questions about how the new premium processing fees may impact upcoming filings, Meltzer Hellrung can help you evaluate timing and budgeting strategies.
