U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will raise the cost of premium processing for a wide range of immigration applications next year, increasing expenses for employers, foreign workers, and international students who rely on expedited decisions.
The agency announced on January 12, 2026, that new, higher fees for its Premium Processing Service will take effect on March 1, 2026. The adjustments are tied to inflation measured between June 2023 and June 2025 and were finalized under a rule published by USCIS, with analysis echoed by immigration law firm Ogletree Deakins.
Higher costs across key immigration forms
The most widely used premium processing filings will see a notable jump. The fee for Form I-129—used for nonimmigrant worker petitions such as H-1B, L-1, O-1, E-3, and TN—and for Form I-140 employment-based immigrant petitions will rise to $2,965, up from $2,805.
Other categories are also affected. Premium processing for certain Form I-539 applications, which cover extensions or changes of status for F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2, M-1, and M-2 nonimmigrants, will increase from $1,965 to $2,075. Meanwhile, applicants seeking faster decisions on Form I-765 employment authorization—including OPT and STEM OPT—will pay $1,780, up from $1,685.
USCIS emphasized that the updated fees apply to any Form I-907, the request for premium processing, that is filed and postmarked on or after March 1, 2026. Submissions sent with incorrect fees after that date will be rejected.
Inflation authority and practical impact
The increases stem from authority granted under the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act, which allows the Department of Homeland Security to adjust premium processing fees every two years to reflect inflation. The previous adjustment took effect in February 2024, making this the next scheduled update under the law.
According to USCIS, revenue generated by the higher fees will be directed toward maintaining premium processing operations, improving adjudication systems, reducing backlogs, and supporting broader adjudication and naturalization services. Agency officials say the goal is to strengthen efficiency at a time when processing delays have become a persistent concern.
For employers, premium processing remains a critical tool. The service typically guarantees a USCIS response within 15 calendar days, offering predictability when standard processing can stretch for months. Still, as costs climb, some companies may reconsider how frequently they request expedited reviews, especially for less time-sensitive roles.
Individual applicants are also weighing the impact. International students and recent graduates seeking work authorization often turn to premium processing to avoid gaps in employment eligibility. While the Form I-765 increase is relatively modest, advocates note that it adds to an already heavy financial burden that includes tuition, housing, and multiple immigration fees.
Immigration attorneys are urging careful planning. Ogletree Deakins has advised clients to pay close attention to filing dates and fee amounts, warning that even minor errors after March 1 could result in outright rejection of premium processing requests.
The fee hike arrives amid broader strain on the U.S. immigration system, where backlogs and rising demand have pushed more applicants toward expedited options. Supporters argue inflation-based adjustments are necessary to keep services functional, while critics caution that higher costs may limit access for smaller employers and less affluent applicants.
With the March 2026 deadline approaching, USCIS’s message is straightforward: file early if possible, confirm the correct fee, and prepare for higher costs. Whether the added revenue delivers faster decisions and smaller backlogs will become clear only after the new prices take effect.
