USCIS Fee Increase Takes Effect Today: New Asylum, Parole, Work Permit and TPS Fees

The USCIS fee increase took effect today, October 16, and it applies to anything mailed from now on. The annual asylum fee rises from $102 to $105. The parole fee that comes with Form I-131 goes from $1,020 to $1,050. An initial work permit on Form I-765 for asylum applicants, parolees and TPS applicants rises from $560 to $570. The TPS application on Form I-821 climbs from $510 to $520. The rule is simple and strict. A request postmarked on or after October 16, 2026 that does not include the new amount will be rejected, not processed late. USCIS announced the change on September 30, and the Federal Register notice (91 FR 62540) followed on October 1. The agency says the changes reflect about 3.36 percent inflation between July 2025 and July 2026, as required by H.R. 1, the 2025 budget law. We will be updating this article monthly.

The dollar amounts are small, but the risk is not. A rejected package is treated as if it was never filed, so you lose the mailing time and may lose your filing date. That matters for people with a work permit about to lapse, a TPS registration window that is closing or an asylum application that has a deadline. Not every fee moved. The initial asylum application fee on Form I-589 stays at $100, and renewal work permit fees, the Special Immigrant Juvenile fee and the I-94 fee are unchanged. Green card, citizenship and family petition fees are not part of this adjustment. If you have a package ready to mail today, check the category, check the postmark and check the amount before it leaves your hands. The sections below give every figure, the dates that count and a calculator for your total.

USCIS Fee Increase October 2026: Old and New Fees

Fees That Did Not Change on October 16

Rounding rules are why some fees stayed put. Under the statute, most adjusted amounts are rounded down to the next lowest $10, and the annual asylum fee and the I-94 fee are rounded down to the nearest dollar. The following fees are unchanged, according to the Federal Register notice.

The asylum applicant renewal fee stays at $275 because the statute does not allow it to be adjusted. Always confirm your own amount on the current fee schedule before filing, since the form category decides what applies.

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Which Date Counts: Postmark, Mailing and Online Filing

For paper filings, the postmark date controls. A package postmarked before October 16 may use the old fee even if USCIS receives it later. A package postmarked on or after October 16 needs the new amount even if you prepared the check last week. October 16 is a Friday, so anything dropped in the mail today may be postmarked today or on the next mail pickup. If you are not certain about the postmark, assume the new fee applies.

Online filing is treated differently according to at least one news report. It says the date you complete your submission in your online account sets the fee, and the postmark rule applies to mailed or courier filings. USCIS has not published detailed online filing guidance in the sources we reviewed, so check the form page and the fee calculator on the day you file. Related guidance from immigration lawyers is consistent on four steps:

• Check your expected postmark date, particularly if you are mailing close to the deadline.
• Use the new amount for any package postmarked on or after October 16.
• Replace a check or money order made out for the old amount, rather than hoping the difference will be waived.
• Keep proof of mailing, such as a tracking receipt, with a full copy of everything you sent.

The agency also updated its fee schedule, Form G-1055, for the six affected categories. Do not use an older fee chart, an earlier receipt or last month’s checklist as your guide.

What Happens If You Pay the Wrong USCIS Fee?

A package with the wrong amount is rejected, not denied. USCIS returns it, and it is treated as never filed. If you refile, your new submission date may become your filing date. That is the real cost. For an asylum seeker, the issue can be the one-year filing deadline. For a TPS applicant, it can be the registration window. For someone renewing a work permit, it can be a gap in employment authorization that your employer must act on.

The rule applies in both directions. A fee that does not match exactly can cause a rejection, so do not round up, do not send an extra $10 for safety and do not combine two forms in one check unless the instructions allow it. Rejection notices usually explain the problem, but the mail can take days or weeks to come back. If you have a hard deadline, consider filing as early as possible and tracking delivery.

Prevention is cheaper than repair. Before you seal the envelope, ask these questions: Which exact form and category am I filing? Is this an initial request or a renewal? Is the postmark before or after October 16? Does the fee schedule show a different amount for my category? Is the check dated and signed, and does the payee match the instructions? Does my total include every separate fee?

Annual Asylum Fee 2026: Who Pays $105 and How

The annual asylum fee applies to each calendar year an asylum application stays pending. It is separate from the one-time $100 filing fee on Form I-589. Reports from immigration lawyers say it does not apply to requests for only withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture, even though those requests use the same form. Applications filed with USCIS after October 1, 2024 are generally tied to 365 days of pendency.

USCIS uses an annual fee portal where you enter your A-Number and receipt number. The agency sends a notice, and one legal summary says payment is generally expected within 30 days of the date the notice was sent, which may be earlier than the day you open it. The Executive Office for Immigration Review, which handles cases in immigration court, uses its own payment portal and has set its charge at $105 effective October 1, 2026. Court orders there carry their own deadlines, so follow the order you receive.

Two points deserve care. First, the statute bars waiving or reducing the annual charge, so financial hardship does not qualify. Second, enforcement has been tangled in litigation. One legal summary reports that a federal court stayed USCIS’s penalties for nonpayment under its April 2026 interim rule, and that a separate September 2026 ruling set aside an EOIR memo and template payment order. Those rulings can change, so do not treat the stay as permission to ignore a notice. Keep your confirmation number, a copy of the notice and proof of payment, and ask an immigration attorney or accredited representative if your portal and your case records disagree.

Immigration Parole Fee: $1,050 With Form I-131

The parole fee is the largest of the four. It rises $30, from $1,020 to $1,050, and it is included with Form I-131 when the request is for parole subject to the H.R. 1 fee. The related work permit fees change differently. An initial parole work permit moves from $560 to $570, while a one-year parole renewal remains $280 and a re-parole work permit remains $280. A parolee who files an initial request together with a work permit application therefore pays $1,050 plus $570, or $1,620 in total, before any other fee that applies to the case.

Because the fee is high, the cost of a rejection is high too. A returned package means resubmitting with the correct amount and, often, waiting again. If the parole is tied to a travel date or a start of work, build in extra time and consider tracked mail.

Initial Work Permit Fee on Form I-765: $570

The increase to $570 covers three initial categories: pending asylum applicants, parolees and TPS recipients. It does not apply to renewals. That distinction produces some confusion. An initial request pays $570, while a renewal or extension of a TPS or parole work permit pays $280 and a renewal for an asylum applicant pays $275. If you are not sure whether your request is initial or a renewal, check the eligibility category on the form and the fee schedule before you send the money.

A first-time asylum applicant work permit also has timing rules, and those are separate from the fee. Eligibility depends on how long the asylum application has been pending and other conditions. A higher fee does not change those rules, so do not file early because of the fee increase. Filing before you are eligible can mean losing the fee on a rejected package.

TPS Application Fee on Form I-821: $520

Temporary Protected Status is a temporary immigration status for people from countries designated because of conflict, disaster or other conditions. The application fee rises $10, from $510 to $520. Add the initial work permit and the total is $1,090, up $20 from $1,070. A renewal is cheaper because the work permit renewal stays at $280, but registration windows are often short, so check the Federal Register notice for your country of designation. Each designation has its own filing period, and missing it can cause a loss of status.

If you hold TPS and plan to renew, check the Federal Register notice for your country and the form instructions to see exactly which fees apply to re-registration. The notice gives one figure for the initial application, so do not assume a re-registration costs the same.

Total Cost Examples After the USCIS Fee Increase

Totals show how the changes add up. These examples use only the fees in this article. Other fees, such as biometrics or other form charges, may apply, so confirm your total on the official fee calculator.

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How the H.R. 1 Immigration Fees Built Up Since 2025

The fees come from H.R. 1, a budget law signed in July 2025. USCIS first announced the new charges in a Federal Register notice dated July 22, 2025. The original amounts were $100 for the annual asylum fee, $550 for an initial work permit for asylum, parole and TPS applicants, $500 for the TPS application and $1,000 for the parole fee. The first inflation adjustment took effect January 1, 2026 and moved the work permit fee to $560, the TPS application to $510 and the annual asylum fee to $102. DHS handled the parole fee through a separate notice, and it later reached $1,020. This week’s change is the second inflation adjustment.

The law requires a yearly adjustment using the consumer price index, so more increases should follow. Expect another notice in a year, though the exact timing should be confirmed with official announcements. The Department of Homeland Security has said it may later write these adjustments into its regulations, which could change how the notices are published.

How to Apply or File With the New USCIS Fees

Use these steps for any request that includes one of the changed fees.

1. Identify the exact form and category. Check whether you are filing an initial request, a renewal or an extension, because the amounts differ.
2. Open the USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055, and the fee calculator on the day you file. Write down every amount that applies.
3. Check the form’s filing instructions for the filing location, the payee name and the accepted payment types.
4. Prepare payment for the exact total. If you are using the old amount, stop and replace it.
5. Check the postmark rule. If the package will be postmarked on or after October 16, use the new amounts.
6. Mail with tracking, or file online if the form is available there, and keep a full copy.
7. Watch for your receipt notice, and check your case status once you have a receipt number.

Official instructions for each form control details about how and where to file. If you use a lawyer or an accredited representative, send them this list so they can confirm the numbers before mailing.

USCIS Processing Time After You File

There is no single processing time for these requests, and the time depends on the form, the service center and the category. A fee error adds time because the package is returned and must be filed again. Once your case is accepted, USCIS sends a receipt notice, which you can use to check status online. If you do not receive a receipt notice after a reasonable time, check your mail, your online account and the address on your package. Use the official processing times page for your form and office, and do not rely on forum posts for estimates. People waiting on work authorization should also track their current card’s expiration date and plan around it.

USCIS Payment Methods and Payment Schedule

• Mailed filings: payment is usually by check or money order made out as the form instructions say, or by credit card using the form the instructions provide. Check the instructions for your form before sending anything.
• Online filings: payment is made through your online account at the time you submit.
• Annual asylum fee: paid through USCIS’s annual fee portal after you receive a notice, usually within about 30 days of the notice date. EOIR cases use a separate portal and court orders.
• Fees are due when you file, and they are not refundable if a request is later denied, so confirm eligibility first.
• New amounts apply from October 16, and old amounts apply only to earlier postmarks.

USCIS Fee Calculator for October 16 Fees

Use the calculator below to check your total. Choose each fee that applies to your request, enter how many people or forms are involved and see the old total, the new total and the difference. It also has a postmark checker. Enter your planned mailing date, and it tells you which fee schedule applies. It covers only the fees in this article, so check the official USCIS fee calculator for other charges.

USCIS Fee Increase Key Dates

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Avoid Immigration Fee Scams

Fee changes bring scams. USCIS will not ask you to pay by gift card, wire transfer or a mobile payment app, and it does not call to demand an immediate fee. Only use payment methods listed on uscis.gov and your form instructions. Be careful with websites that charge to give you a form for free or that look like government sites but are not. A notary public in the United States is not a lawyer and cannot give you immigration advice. If you need help, use an attorney or an accredited representative who is recognized by the Department of Justice.

USCIS Fee Increase FAQs

Conclusion

The USCIS fee increase is small in dollars and large in consequences. Four fees moved today, the postmark rule is firm and a rejected package can cost you time you do not have. Check your category, check your postmark, use the new totals and keep proof of everything you send. If you are close to a deadline, file as early as you can and use tracked mail. Do not assume that a nearby date or an old chart will protect you. This article is general information, not legal advice, so ask an immigration attorney or an accredited representative if your situation is complicated. We will keep this article updated as USCIS releases new notices and guidance.

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