USCIS Premium Processing Fees Rise March 1, 2026
If you are waiting on a work visa or work permit decision and want it faster, it will now cost you more. USCIS raised its premium processing fees on March 1, 2026 — and any petition mailed after that date with the old fee will be rejected. Here is what the new amounts are and how to make sure your filing goes through.
What changed and why it matters
Starting March 1, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) charges higher fees for premium processing — the optional service that speeds up a decision on your immigration application. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) raised the fees by 5.72% to keep up with inflation. That percentage comes from the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), a standard government measure of how prices rise over time, calculated between June 2023 and June 2025.
Premium processing is used by employers and applicants who want a faster decision on petitions like Form I-129 (the petition used for work visas, including H-1B extensions) and Form I-765 (the application for a work permit, also called an Employment Authorization Document or EAD). Under premium processing, USCIS must act on your case within 15, 30, or 45 business days — depending on the form — or refund your fee. The new fees are: Form I-129 goes from $2,805 to $2,965; Form I-140 (the immigrant worker petition) goes from $2,805 to $2,965; Form I-539 (the application to extend or change nonimmigrant status) goes from $1,965 to $2,075; and Form I-765 goes from $1,685 to $1,780.
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Any premium processing request postmarked on or after March 1, 2026 must include the new fee. If you send the old amount, USCIS may reject your request. DHS estimates the fee increases will bring in about $77 million in additional revenue each year across all affected forms. That money helps fund USCIS operations, which rely almost entirely on fees rather than taxpayer funding.
What to do
- Check the postmark date on any premium processing request you plan to send. If it goes out on or after March 1, 2026, use the new fee amounts listed above.
- If you are filing Form I-129 for an H-1B extension or other work visa, include $2,965 for premium processing — not the old $2,805 amount.
- If you are filing Form I-765 for a work permit (EAD) with premium processing, include $1,780.
- Lawyers recommend double-checking the USCIS website before you mail any petition, since fee errors are one of the most common reasons USCIS rejects filings.
Related: our step-by-step guide — “Work Permits (EAD)”.
Fishkin Law Firm, New York
If your employer filed a premium processing petition before March 1, 2026 and it was rejected for the wrong fee, you may be able to refile with the corrected amount — but your priority date and timeline restart. For H-1B workers approaching a cap-gap or status expiration, that delay can be serious, so attorneys recommend filing as early as possible and verifying the exact fee on the USCIS fee schedule before submitting. If you are unsure whether premium processing is right for your situation, consult an immigration attorney who can assess your timeline and risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is premium processing and do I have to pay for it?
Premium processing is an optional service you pay for if you want USCIS to act on your petition faster — usually within 15 to 45 business days. You do not have to use it, but many employers choose it to avoid long waits for work visa decisions.
What happens if I send the old fee after March 1, 2026?
USCIS will likely reject your premium processing request. You would need to refile with the correct amount, which means losing time and potentially missing important deadlines for your visa or work permit.
Does this fee increase affect the regular (non-premium) filing fee for Form I-129 or Form I-765?
No. This rule only changes the premium processing fee. The standard filing fees for Form I-129 ($730) and Form I-765 ($520) are separate and were not changed by this rule.
If USCIS does not act on my case within the required time, do I get my premium processing fee back?
Yes. USCIS must issue an approval, denial, request for evidence, or notice of intent to deny within the required period — or refund your premium processing fee. This rule does not change that requirement.