Certain US immigration-related fees have gone up from October 16, 2026, affecting applicants seeking asylum, employment authorisation, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and specific immigration parole benefits.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the revised charges as part of an annual inflation adjustment required under the H.R. 1 reconciliation law. The changes reflect inflation recorded between July 2025 and July 2026.
While the increases are relatively small, applicants must ensure they pay the revised amount when submitting requests covered by the new fee schedule. Applications postmarked on or after October 16 must include the applicable updated fee, or they risk rejection.
Which US immigration fees have increased?
The latest revision affects four specific categories of immigration-related charges. The updated amounts are:
Annual asylum application fee: Increased from $102 to $105, a rise of $3.
Immigration parole fee under Form I-131: Raised from $1,020 to $1,050, an increase of $30.
Initial employment authorisation document (EAD): Increased from $560 to $570 for initial applications by asylum applicants, parole recipients and TPS applicants.
Temporary Protected Status application (Form I-821): Raised from $510 to $520, a rise of $10.
The changes apply only to the specified fee categories. They do not amount to a general increase in charges for all US visas or immigration applications.
What changes from October 16?
USCIS has set October 16 as the effective date for the revised fees. Applicants whose requests are postmarked on or after this date must pay the updated amount applicable to their immigration benefit.
Submitting an application with an outdated fee could lead to rejection. Applicants should therefore check the relevant form instructions and the official fee schedule before sending their documents.
The revised charges do not automatically mean that every application already pending with USCIS will attract an additional payment. The requirement applies to requests postmarked on or after the effective date that fall within the affected categories.
What Indian applicants need to know
The fee revision could affect Indians living in the US who qualify for the immigration benefits covered by the announcement. This includes eligible applicants seeking employment authorisation or Temporary Protected Status, among others covered by the revised fee categories.
However, the changes do not introduce a blanket fee hike for Indian nationals. Applicants for tourist visas, international students and employment-based visa holders are not automatically affected simply because they are Indian citizens or hold those visa categories.
Indians planning to apply for one of the specified benefits should first establish whether their application falls under the revised schedule. Checking the applicable fee before submission can help them avoid rejection due to an incorrect payment.