USCIS Announces Inflation Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees
In a recent update, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has declared a final rule that brings about an increase in the filing fee for Form I-907, known as the Request for Premium Processing. This adjustment is a response to inflation, ensuring that the premium processing fees align with current economic indicators.
The USCIS Stabilization Act had previously set the premium processing fees, along with granting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the authority to revise these fees biennially. Despite keeping the fees unchanged for three years after the Act’s enactment, the DHS is now implementing an increase. This adjustment considers the inflation rate from June 2021 through June 2023, based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
Specifically, the premium processing fees will see an increase from $1,500 to $1,685, $1,750 to $1,965, and $2,500 to $2,805. The generated revenue from this fee adjustment will be allocated to enhance premium processing services, improve adjudication processes, address adjudication demands, including reducing backlogs in benefit request processing, and support various USCIS adjudication and naturalization services.
Effective from February 26, 2024, the fee change signifies a crucial development. USCIS emphasizes that any Form I-907 received on or after this date with an incorrect filing fee will be rejected, and the filing fee will be returned. For submissions via commercial courier services like UPS, FedEx, and DHL, the postmark date is considered as the date reflected on the courier receipt.
The full table of adjusted fees is:
| Form | Previous Fee | New Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker | $1,500 (H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status)
$2,500 (All other available Form I-129 classifications (E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-3, L-1A, L-1B, LZ, O-1, O-2, P-1, P-1S, P-2, P-2S, P-3, P-3S, Q-1, TN-1, and TN-2)) |
$1,685 (H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status)
$2,805 (All other available Form I-129 classifications (E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-3, L-1A, L-1B, LZ, O-1, O-2, P-1, P-1S, P-2, P-2S, P-3, P-3S, Q-1, TN-1, and TN-2)) |
| Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker | $2,500 (Employment-based (EB) classifications E11, E12, E21 (non-NIW), E31, E32, EW3, E13 and E21 (NIW)) | $2,805 (Employment-based (EB) classifications E11, E12, E21 (non-NIW), E31, E32, EW3, E13 and E21 (NIW)) |
| Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status | $1,750 (Form I-539 classifications F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, J-2, E-1, E-2, E-3, L-2, H-4, O-3, P-4, and R-2) | $1,965 (Form I-539 classifications F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, J-2, E-1, E-2, E-3, L-2, H-4, O-3, P-4, and R-2) |
| Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization | $1,500 (Certain F-1 students with categories C03A, C03B, C03C) | $1,685 (Certain F-1 students with categories C03A, C03B, C03C) |
You may only request premium processing for a benefit if USCIS has announced on its website that premium processing is available for that benefit.
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