The Department of Homeland Security has finalized a rule that will significantly increase fees for several U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services applications, including visas for nonimmigrant workers and international students.
A DHS news release on January 9 explained that the fee adjustments reflect inflation between June 2023 and June 2025.
The move aligns with the USCIS Stabilization Act, which allows the Department of Homeland Security to adjust premium processing fees every two years to keep pace with inflation.
READ: Despite strong credentials, more Indians report sudden US visa refusals (
“Fees will continue to be adjusted agency wise to account for inflation and protect the real dollar value of the premium processing service we provide,” according to the official USCIS release. “The revenue generated by this fee increase will be used to provide premium processing services; make improvements to adjudication processes; respond to adjudication demands, including processing backlogs; and otherwise fund USCIS adjudication and naturalization services.”
According to USCIS, the new rule will take effect on March 1, 2026. The official announcement notes, “If you submit a request for premium processing on or after March 1, you will be required to pay the updated fee for the necessary benefit.” To request premium processing, applicants must complete Form I-907, also called the “Request for Premium Processing.”
Choosing premium processing allows visa applicants to receive faster processing for several key forms, including Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker; Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker; and Form I-539, Application to Extend or Change Nonimmigrant Status.
USCIS notes on its official website that once a premium processing request is filed, most cases are typically adjudicated within 15 business days. However, processing can take up to 30 business days for Form I-765. Applicants filing Form I-539 to change status to F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, or J-2 nonimmigrant categories may also face a processing window of up to 30 days.
In some employment-based cases, timelines are longer. Petitions filed under Form I-140 E21 for national interest waivers and Form I-140 E13 for multinational executives and managers may take as long as 45 days to receive a decision.
The updated rule also raises premium processing fees across several commonly used immigration forms. For Form I-129 petitions seeking H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status, the fee will increase from $1,685 to $1,780. For all other Form I-129 classifications, including E, H-1B, L, O, P, Q, and TN categories, the premium processing fee will rise from $2,805 to $2,965.
Employment-based Form I-140 petitions across multiple categories, including EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, national interest waivers, and multinational executive and manager petitions, will also see fees increase from $2,805 to $2,965. Applicants filing Form I-539 to extend or change status in F, J, or M nonimmigrant categories will face a higher fee of $2,075, up from $1,965.
In addition, the premium processing fee for Form I-765 employment authorization applications under eligible classifications such as OPT and STEM OPT will rise from $1,685 to $1,780.