USCIS Fee Increase October 16, 2026: New Costs for Asylum, TPS and Work Permits

USCIS Fee Increase October 16, 2026: New Costs for Asylum, TPS and Work Permits

On October 1, 2026, USCIS published a notice in the Federal Register raising several fees created by H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21) to keep up with inflation. The new amounts took effect on October 16, 2026 (Federal Register document 2026-20187; USCIS announcement). These fees affect many families we serve in Gwinnett County and metro Atlanta: people with pending asylum cases, TPS holders and people with parole.

Two kinds of fees

H.R. 1 fees are not all paid the same way. Some are paid when you file. Others are paid only after USCIS sends you a notice. Paying at the wrong time can cause problems, so it helps to know which is which.

Fees paid with your filing

For these, USCIS says a request postmarked on or after October 16, 2026 without the correct fee will be rejected (Federal Register document 2026-20187). A rejected filing does not hold your place in line, and if a deadline is close, a rejection can mean missing it.

• Asylum application fee (Form I-589): $100, unchanged
• First work permit while asylum is pending (Form I-765): H.R. 1 fee rose from $560 to $570
• First work permit based on parole (Form I-765): H.R. 1 fee rose from $560 to $570
• First work permit based on TPS (Form I-765): H.R. 1 fee rose from $560 to $570
• Renewal of an asylum based work permit: H.R. 1 fee stays at $275
• Renewal of a parole or TPS based work permit: H.R. 1 fee stays at $280
• TPS fee (Form I-821): rose from $510 to $520
• Special Immigrant Juvenile fee (Form I-360): $250, unchanged

Important: the work permit amounts above are H.R. 1 fees charged in addition to the regular Form I-765 filing fee for your category, not instead of it (Federal Register document 2025-13738). Check the total for your exact category on the USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055, before you file.

Fees paid only after a USCIS notice

• Annual asylum fee: from $102 to $105. This fee applies for each year an asylum application stays pending. USCIS sends each applicant who owes it an individual notice with the amount, the deadline and how to pay, and payment is made online (Federal Register document 2025-13738). Wait for your notice and follow its instructions.
• Immigration parole fee: from $1,020 to $1,050. Do not include this fee with Form I-131. If USCIS decides it can grant parole and the fee applies, it sends a notice with payment instructions and a deadline, and parole is not granted until the fee is paid (USCIS parole fee announcement).

Other rules to know

• No fee waivers for H.R. 1 fees. The fees set by H.R. 1 cannot be waived or reduced (Federal Register document 2025-13738).
• Ms. L. settlement class. Since February 5, 2026, USCIS has paused collecting certain H.R. 1 fees, including the parole fee, the parole work permit fees, the asylum application fee and the annual asylum fee, from members of the Ms. L. v. ICE settlement class and their qualifying family members, because of a court decision (USCIS Form I-765 page). If this may apply to you, ask an attorney before paying.
• TPS rules depend on your country. Designations, filing windows and court cases change often. Read the current Federal Register notice for your country to confirm which fees apply to an initial registration or a re-registration.
• Work permit renewals. Automatic extensions for many renewals have ended, so filing early with the correct fee matters more than before. Read our guide on renewing a work permit without the automatic extension.

Check before you send

• Use the current edition of the form from uscis.gov.
• Confirm the full fee for your exact category on the form page or Form G-1055 on the day you file.
• Keep a copy of everything you mail and your proof of mailing.
• If you are in immigration court, ask your attorney which agency gets which filing and fee.

Our USCIS forms guide lists fees and document checklists in English and Spanish, including Form I-589 and Form I-765.

Talk with our immigration team

This article is general information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change often. Our bilingual team in Norcross can review your case before you file.