US Immigration Fee Update: New Inflation-Adjusted Rates from January 2026

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement new fee structures for several immigration benefit forms starting January 1, 2026. These updates are part of an annually adjusted process based on inflation, as mandated under the H.R. 1 law. 

Inflation-Based Fee Hike Effective January 2026 

USCIS has outlined new fees for a number of immigration services, effective January 1, 2026. These adjustments align with inflation trends between July 2024 and July 2025. The changes affect several forms including employment authorisation documents (EADs), temporary protected status (TPS) applications and re-parole requests. 

For example, the initial EAD for asylum and TPS applicants will increase from $550 to $560. Similarly, renewals or extensions for these categories will see a rise from $275 to $280. Meanwhile, the Form I-821 for TPS applications will increase by $10 to $510. 

Forms and Fees Details 

Key fee revisions include: 

• Form I-765 Initial EAD (Asylum/TPS/Parole): $560
• Form I-765 Renewal EAD (Parole/TPS): $280
• Form I-821 TPS Application: $510
• Form I-131 (Part 9) Re-parole EAD: $280 

Notably, some fees will remain unchanged. These include the I-589 initial asylum application fee at $100 and I-765 renewal for asylum applicants at $275. The I-360 Special Immigrant Juvenile fee stays at $250 due to specific provisions or court orders. 

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Annual Revision and Future Adjustments 

DHS has clarified that these fee changes form part of an ongoing annual update mechanism. The intention is to consistently align immigration processing costs with inflationary pressures. Further changes to other parole-related fees not covered in this round will be communicated through upcoming notices. 

Conclusion 

USCIS is set to revise processing fees from January 1, 2026, reflecting inflation rates over the prior fiscal year. While most common application fees see a marginal increase, some remain fixed under specific regulatory or legal constraints. These updates form part of a broader policy for consistent annual revisions. 

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