USCIS Increase to Premium Processing Fees

Written By Robin Catmur-Smith

9 January 2026

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services USCIS will publish a final rule in the Federal Register that will be effective March 1, 2026.

USCIS charges “premium processing fees for certain applications.  This allows the possibility of a response from USCIS within 15 days, rather than the normal processing times, which can exceed several months. The fee increases are a result of the 5% + increase to the CPU (Consumer Price Index) over the last 2 years.

The premium processing fees will be increased as of March 1st, 2026, as follows:

  • I-765 application for employment authorization (OPT) premium processing fees that were $1,685, increase to $1,780.

  • I-539 application to extend/change status premium processing fees that were $1,965, increase to $2,075.

  • I-129 and I-140 application premium processing fees that were $2,805, increase to $2,965.

See 8 CFR 106.4(c)

See USCIS announcement: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-to-increase-premium-processing-fees

See below for the full rule which should be published 1/12/2026:

https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-00321.pdf

Robin Catmur-Smith
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