BLOG
November 2, 2026
GWP IMMIGRATION LAW
Your filing bill now comes from three fee systems, not one
USCIS fees 2026: what the most common immigration applications cost, what changed on October 16, and how to budget a case without a rejection.
The April 2024 fee schedule still sets most base fees, but H.R. 1 added non-waivable surcharges that rose again for filings postmarked on or after October 16, 2026.
Updated November 2, 2026 · GWP Law · Las Vegas, NVTHE CONTEXT
Why USCIS Fees 2026 Look Different From Last Year
USCIS fees 2026 are built on three layers that stack on top of each other.
The first layer is the agency’s general fee schedule, adopted in a final rule that took effect on April 1, 2024. 89 FR 6194
The second layer comes from H.R. 1, signed on July 4, 2025 as Public Law 119-21, which created new statutory fees for asylum, parole, TPS and related work permits. H.R. 1, 119th Congress
USCIS has stated that these fees are added on top of existing fees, must be paid separately, and cannot be waived or reduced. USCIS notice of July 22, 2025
The third layer is the annual inflation adjustment the law requires: on October 1, 2026, DHS raised several H.R. 1 fees for requests postmarked on or after October 16, 2026, after a 3.36% rise in the consumer price index. 91 FR 62540
How much do the most common USCIS applications cost?
Most family and citizenship forms cost between $465 and $1,440, and the online version is usually $50 cheaper than paper.
Source: USCIS, Form G-1055, Fee Schedule and 8 CFR § 106.2.
Since the 2024 rule, most forms no longer carry a separate biometrics charge; the $30 biometrics fee survives mainly for TPS.
If you need to replace or renew a green card, our guide to Form I-90 walks through the filing itself.
Which fees changed on October 16, 2026?
Six H.R. 1 fees rose by $3 to $30, and every other H.R. 1 fee stayed the same for fiscal year 2027.
Source: 91 FR 62540 and USCIS, FY 2027 inflation increase alert.
These amounts sit on top of the base form fee, so a TPS or parole work permit can cost more than $1,000 once both are added.
We break down every category in our guide to work permit and TPS fees after October 16, 2026.
Asylum applicants with a case pending for a year or more also owe a yearly charge, explained in our article on the annual asylum fee.
What does a family-based green card cost in total?
Through USCIS inside the U.S., expect about $3,005 in government fees; through a consulate, about $1,355 plus the medical exam.
Source: Form G-1055; U.S. Department of State, Fees for Visa Services; USCIS Immigrant Fee.
Neither total includes the medical exam, which a civil surgeon or panel physician bills at its own price, nor translations, document fees or legal fees.
Each beneficiary pays separately, so a spouse and two children applying together multiply most of these amounts.
Can you get a fee waiver?
Some base fees can be waived with Form I-912, but no H.R. 1 fee, family petition or employment petition can be waived.
Form I-912 is free and requires proof of one of three grounds:
- Means-tested benefit: you, your spouse or the head of household receive a benefit such as Medicaid, SNAP, TANF or SSI.
- Income: household income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines.
- Financial hardship: unemployment, medical bills or another emergency that makes payment impossible.
Forms such as the N-400, I-90, I-751 and the base I-765 fee can be waived; the I-130, I-129F, I-129 and I-140 cannot.
That could narrow further: a DHS proposal published June 23, 2026 would raise the N-400 to $1,330 on paper and end fee waivers for the N-400 and N-336. 91 FR 37500
As of late October 2026, that rule is still a proposal, so current naturalization fees and waivers remain in force.
What do employers pay on top of the petition fee?
Employers filing an I-129 or I-140 add a $600 Asylum Program Fee, cut to $300 for small employers and $0 for nonprofits.
- Small employer: 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees qualify for the $300 rate.
- H-1B registration: $215 per beneficiary entered in the lottery.
- $100,000 H-1B proclamation fee: extended through September 21, 2027, but federal courts in Massachusetts (June 8, 2026) and Northern California (September 30, 2026) have blocked its enforcement, and appeals are expected.
- Proposed $103,265 H-1B fee: a separate DHS proposal for new cap-subject workers, not final. DHS proposed rule of August 25, 2026
The Asylum Program Fee is unrelated to the annual asylum fee: employers pay the first, and asylum applicants pay the second.
Fee Mistakes That Get a Filing Rejected
Source: USCIS, Form G-1650 and 8 CFR § 103.2(a)(7).
A rejected filing does not keep its filing date, which can cost a deadline or a gap in work authorization.
We cover the full list of payment errors in what happens if you send the old USCIS fee.
A REAL CASE
A Green Card Package Priced From an Old Checklist
A U.S. citizen brought me a complete marriage-based package for his wife, with one payment calculated from a checklist he had saved years earlier.
The checklist assumed the I-485 fee still included the work permit and travel document, which stopped being true on April 1, 2024.
I rebuilt the budget form by form: the I-130, the I-485, a separate $260 I-765 and a separate $630 I-131, each with its own payment authorization.
The package was accepted on the first attempt, and the receipt notices arrived for all four forms.
Had it gone out as he prepared it, USCIS would have rejected the whole filing, and he would have lost weeks before refiling.
How to Budget Your Case Before You File
Source: USCIS Fee Calculator.
THE PATH FORWARD
Price the Whole Case, Then Lock In the Filing Date
In 2026, the cost of an immigration case depends on the category, the filing method and the exact date the package is postmarked.
H.R. 1 fees will be recalculated every fiscal year, and the proposed naturalization and H-1B rules could change other amounts, so a fee quoted months ago should be checked again before filing.
A complete budget, separate payments and a correct postmark date protect what matters most: a filing date USCIS accepts.
References
- DHS, USCIS Fee Schedule Final Rule, 89 FR 6194 (Jan. 31, 2024)
- H.R. 1, Public Law 119-21 (July 4, 2025)
- USCIS, Immigration Fees Required by HR-1 (July 22, 2025)
- USCIS, FY 2027 Inflation Adjustment to H.R. 1 Immigration Fees, 91 FR 62540 (Oct. 1, 2026)
- USCIS, Form G-1055, Fee Schedule
- 8 CFR § 106.2, Fees
- USCIS, FY 2027 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration-Related Fees
- U.S. Department of State, Fees for Visa Services
- USCIS Immigrant Fee
- USCIS, Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
- DHS, Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments (proposed rule), 91 FR 37500
- DHS, Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions (proposed rule, Aug. 25, 2026)
- USCIS, Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions
- 8 CFR § 103.2, Submission and adjudication of benefit requests
- USCIS Fee Calculator
Know the full cost of your case before a single form goes out
We prepare itemized fee budgets and complete filings so your package is accepted the first time.
Book a Consultation →This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney before taking any action. · Last verified: October 20, 2026 · Reviewed by: Kathia Quirós, Immigration Attorney · GWP Immigration Law
