U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has published its first inflation adjustment under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, increasing dozens of immigration-benefit fees by roughly 2 percent for fiscal year 2026. The agency’s Federal Register notice—released just after midnight on November 23—touches asylum applications, Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), Temporary Protected Status (TPS) filings, and parole requests.
While most individual fees rise by only $5–$10, the cumulative impact on large corporate mobility programs could be substantial. A Fortune 500 employer sponsoring 300 EAD renewals and 100 parole EADs each year will pay an additional $4,500 in 2026—and more in subsequent years as automatic CPI indexing takes hold.
![USCIS Announces Inflation-Linked Fee Hikes Effective January 1, 2026]()
Practically, HR and finance departments should update cost-projection models for assignments beginning next summer and review vendor contracts that pass government charges through at cost. Employers with high-volume filings may want to accelerate submissions before the January 1 effective date to lock in 2025 rates.
The fee schedule also keeps the controversial $100 asylum application fee—currently stayed by court order—unchanged, signaling that litigation risk remains. USCIS says future annual adjustments will be automatic, but the agency can propose larger structural changes through separate rulemaking.
While most individual fees rise by only $5–$10, the cumulative impact on large corporate mobility programs could be substantial. A Fortune 500 employer sponsoring 300 EAD renewals and 100 parole EADs each year will pay an additional $4,500 in 2026—and more in subsequent years as automatic CPI indexing takes hold.
Practically, HR and finance departments should update cost-projection models for assignments beginning next summer and review vendor contracts that pass government charges through at cost. Employers with high-volume filings may want to accelerate submissions before the January 1 effective date to lock in 2025 rates.
The fee schedule also keeps the controversial $100 asylum application fee—currently stayed by court order—unchanged, signaling that litigation risk remains. USCIS says future annual adjustments will be automatic, but the agency can propose larger structural changes through separate rulemaking.
