USCIS Premium Processing Fees Set to Rise Soon

USCIS premium processing fees are set to increase effective March 1, 2026, following an inflation-based adjustment by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under the authority of the USCIS Stabilization Act. This law allows DHS to revise premium processing fees every two years to ensure the service retains its real dollar value and continues to support faster adjudication timelines.

According to DHS and USCIS, the revised fees reflect cumulative inflation from June 2023 through June 2025. The additional revenue will be used to improve adjudication efficiency, reduce processing backlogs, and help fund broader USCIS adjudication and naturalization services.

This update is especially important for employers, foreign workers, students, and investors who rely on premium processing to receive faster decisions on time-sensitive immigration benefits.

When The New Premium Processing Fees Take Effect The updated USCIS premium processing fees apply to all requests postmarked on or after March 1, 2026. Any Form I-907 request sent on or after this date must include the new fee amount, or USCIS may reject the filing,

Applicants who file before March 1, 2026, using the current fee schedule will still be processed under the old rates, provided the request is properly postmarked.

Premium processing requests must be submitted using Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service , in accordance with USCIS filing instructions.

Why USCIS Is Increasing Premium Processing Fees USCIS operates primarily as a fee-funded agency. DHS has stated that the premium processing fee increase is necessary to:

Preserve the real value of premium processing services

Improve case adjudication speed and service reliability

Address application backlogs across immigration categories

Support broader immigration and naturalization operations

These changes are not discretionary increases but are required under federal law tied to inflation adjustments outlined in the USCIS Stabilization Act.

USCIS Forms Eligible For Premium Processing Premium processing is not available for all immigration benefits. It only applies to specific forms and classifications that USCIS has formally designated as eligible.

Form I-129: Petition For A Nonimmigrant Worker Premium processing is available for the following nonimmigrant classifications under Form I-129.

E-1 Treaty Trader

E-2 Treaty Investor

E-3 Specialty Occupation Worker (Australia)

H-1B Specialty Occupation

H-3 Trainee

L-1A Intracompany Transferee Executive or Manager

L-1B Intracompany Transferee Specialized Knowledge

O-1 Individuals With Extraordinary Ability

O-2 Essential Support Personnel

P-1 and P-1S Athletes and Entertainers

P-2 and P-2S Reciprocal Exchange Artists

P-3 and P-3S Culturally Unique Artists

Q-1 Cultural Exchange Visitor

TN-1 and TN-2 Professionals Under USMCA

Employers frequently use premium processing for H-1B, L-1, O-1, and TN categories due to business timelines and employment start dates.

Form I-140: Immigrant Petition For Alien Worker Employment-based immigrant petitions eligible for premium processing include:

E11 Multinational Executive or Manager

E12 Outstanding Professor or Researcher

E13 Extraordinary Ability

E21 Advanced Degree Professional (Including NIW and Non-NIW)

E31 Skilled Worker

E32 Professional

EW3 Other Workers

Premium processing for I-140 petitions is commonly used by employers sponsoring foreign workers for permanent residence.

Form I-539: Application To Extend Or Change Nonimmigrant Status USCIS also allows premium processing for certain nonimmigrant status changes and extensions filed using Form I-539

Eligible categories include:

F-1 Academic Students

F-2 Dependents

J-1 Exchange Visitors

J-2 Dependents

M-1 Vocational Students

M-2 Dependents

Premium processing availability for I-539 applications has expanded in recent years but remains limited to specific classifications announced by USCIS.

Important Limitations Of Premium Processing Premium processing is only available when USCIS has officially announced availability for a specific benefit type. Filing Form I-907 does not guarantee acceptance if premium processing is not currently offered for that category.

Premium processing also does not guarantee approval. It only guarantees that USCIS will take adjudicative action within the published timeframe, which may include approval, denial, request for evidence, or notice of intent to deny.

How The Fee Increase Affects Applicants And Employers For employers, the higher premium processing fees may increase overall immigration costs, especially for companies filing multiple petitions each year. However, faster adjudications often offset business risks related to delayed start dates or project timelines.

For individual applicants, especially students and professionals changing status, the updated fees may require better financial planning but still provide a faster alternative to standard processing timelines.

Understanding these fee changes in advance allows applicants to make informed decisions about whether premium processing is necessary for their situation.

Where To Find Official USCIS Updates Applicants should always rely on official government sources for the most accurate and up-to-date information. Verified resources include: