US to raise premium processing fees for several immigration petitions

The United States will increase premium processing fees for several employment-based immigration petitions from March 1, 2026, following a biennial inflation-linked revision by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The revised charges will apply to applications postmarked on or after March 1.

What is changing?

Premium processing allows applicants to request expedited adjudication of certain petitions for an additional fee. Under the new rule, the fee for Form I-140 immigrant worker petitions and most Form I-129 nonimmigrant worker petitions will rise to $2,965, up from $2,805, an increase of $160.


For certain Form I-129 categories such as H-2B and R-1, the premium processing fee will increase from $1,685 to $1,780, a rise of $95.

Other changes include:

• Form I-539: Fee will increase from $1,965 to $2,075 (up $110).
• Form I-765 (F-1 Optional Practical Training): Fee will rise from $1,685 to $1,780 (up $95).

Why the increase?

USCIS said the final regulation adjusting the fees was published on January 12. The premium processing fee is subject to biennial inflationary adjustments and was last revised in February 2024.

Who will be affected?

The increase primarily affects:

• Employers filing employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant petitions.
• Foreign professionals seeking faster adjudication of work-related immigration benefits.
• F-1 students applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT) who opt for premium processing.

Premium processing does not change eligibility criteria; it only shortens the processing timeline for certain categories.

What employers should consider

According to a Fragomen report, the new fees will apply strictly based on the postmark date. Petitions sent on or after March 1, 2026 must include the updated premium processing fee amount.

USCIS has clarified that the announcement is informational, and stakeholders should consult their immigration professionals for case-specific guidance.

For companies and applicants relying on expedited adjudication, the higher cost will need to be factored into immigration budgeting from the next filing cycle