The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will raise the fees for its premium processing service, with the new fee schedule taking effect March 1, 2026. The adjustment, published as a final rule by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is designed to keep pace with inflation and ensure that premium processing remains financially sustainable.
What Is Premium Processing?
Premium processing is an optional service USCIS offers to applicants who want an expedited review of their petitions and applications. By paying an additional fee using Form I-907, petitioners can receive a decision or a request for evidence within a designated fast-track timeframe.
What’s Changing and Why
Under the new rule, the mandatory fees applicants must pay for premium service will increase for several categories of immigration filings.New Fees (Effective March 1, 2026)
According to the rule details, any Form I-907 request postmarked on or after March 1, 2026 must include the updated fee amount. Some changes include:
- Premium processing for Form I-129 (H-2B, R-1) petitions rising from $1,685 to $1,780
- Premium processing for most other Form I-129 classifications (including H-1B, L-1, O-1, etc.) increasing from $2,805 to $2,965
- Premium processing for Form I-140 immigrant worker petitions going from $2,805 to $2,965
- Premium fees for Form I-539 (change/extension of status) rising to $2,075
- Premium fees for Form I-765 (employment authorization) rising to $1,780
These adjustments affect employers, professionals, students, and individuals who rely on premium processing to accelerate adjudications of vital immigration requests.
Who This Affects
The fee increase will impact a wide range of stakeholders, including:
- Employers sponsoring H-1B, L-1, O-1, R-1 and other workers
- Immigrant petitioners seeking expedited processing of employment-based green card cases
- International students and trainees requesting fast adjudication of employment authorization or change of status requests
Practical Tips Before March 1
Applicants and employers planning to file premium processing requests early in 2026 may benefit from submitting before the new fee schedule goes into effect, as premium processing requests postmarked before March 1, 2026 can still use the current fees.
