U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published a final rule that will increase the government’s 15-day “premium-processing” fees across nearly every employment-based form type as of 1 March 2026. Premium processing—requested via Form I-907—allows employers, universities and foreign nationals to receive an adjudication (approval, denial, Notice of Intent to Deny or Request for Evidence) within 15 calendar days instead of the normal weeks- or months-long timeline.
The new fee schedule is modest but broad. Most Form I-129 classifications—including H-1B, L-1, E-3, O-1, TN and others—will rise from $2,805 to $2,965, while the discounted H-2B and R-1 categories climb from $1,685 to $1,780. Form I-140 immigrant petitions jump by the same $160, and premium handling of Form I-539 (F-1, J-1, M-1 changes of status) increases from $1,965 to $2,075. USCIS last adjusted the fees in February 2024; the USCIS Stabilization Act authorises biennial inflation updates, and the agency relied on Consumer Price Index data from June 2023-June 2025.
Organizations navigating these shifting requirements can turn to VisaHQ’s online platform for up-to-date guidance and document support. The dedicated U.S. portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) lets employers and foreign nationals track fee changes, assemble compliant application packets, and monitor case progress, simplifying premium-processing requests as well as standard immigration filings.
![USCIS to Raise Premium Processing Fees Starting March 1, 2026]()
For employers, the timing is critical. H-1B cap petitioners selected in the upcoming March lottery who plan to premium-file must budget for the higher rate, while ongoing PERM-based permanent-residence cases that convert to premium I-140 adjudication after 1 March will also trigger the new fee. Universities that rely on rapid F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) Employment Authorization Document (EAD) approvals for spring graduates will need to account for the extra cost as well.
USCIS emphasised that the extra revenue will be channelled into overall backlog reduction and improved customer service, but immigration advocates note that, taken together with January’s across-the-board inflation adjustment to standard filing fees, corporate immigration budgets are under mounting pressure. Companies should review internal policies on who bears premium-processing costs and update immigration cost projections for the current fiscal year.
Practically, petitioners must transmit the higher fee for any FedEx, UPS, USPS or courier submission post-marked 1 March 2026 or later. The agency will reject packages containing the prior fee amount. Electronic credit-card authorisations in pay.gov will automatically update to the new figures at 00:01 a.m. EST on 1 March.
The new fee schedule is modest but broad. Most Form I-129 classifications—including H-1B, L-1, E-3, O-1, TN and others—will rise from $2,805 to $2,965, while the discounted H-2B and R-1 categories climb from $1,685 to $1,780. Form I-140 immigrant petitions jump by the same $160, and premium handling of Form I-539 (F-1, J-1, M-1 changes of status) increases from $1,965 to $2,075. USCIS last adjusted the fees in February 2024; the USCIS Stabilization Act authorises biennial inflation updates, and the agency relied on Consumer Price Index data from June 2023-June 2025.
Organizations navigating these shifting requirements can turn to VisaHQ’s online platform for up-to-date guidance and document support. The dedicated U.S. portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) lets employers and foreign nationals track fee changes, assemble compliant application packets, and monitor case progress, simplifying premium-processing requests as well as standard immigration filings.
For employers, the timing is critical. H-1B cap petitioners selected in the upcoming March lottery who plan to premium-file must budget for the higher rate, while ongoing PERM-based permanent-residence cases that convert to premium I-140 adjudication after 1 March will also trigger the new fee. Universities that rely on rapid F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) Employment Authorization Document (EAD) approvals for spring graduates will need to account for the extra cost as well.
USCIS emphasised that the extra revenue will be channelled into overall backlog reduction and improved customer service, but immigration advocates note that, taken together with January’s across-the-board inflation adjustment to standard filing fees, corporate immigration budgets are under mounting pressure. Companies should review internal policies on who bears premium-processing costs and update immigration cost projections for the current fiscal year.
Practically, petitioners must transmit the higher fee for any FedEx, UPS, USPS or courier submission post-marked 1 March 2026 or later. The agency will reject packages containing the prior fee amount. Electronic credit-card authorisations in pay.gov will automatically update to the new figures at 00:01 a.m. EST on 1 March.
