USCIS Implements Fee Increases for Immigration-Related Applications

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will increase fees for several immigration-related applications starting October 16. This adjustment covers asylum seekers and applicants for work permits, parole, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), reflecting inflation adjustments under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted as part of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending law in July 2025.

These changes align with the administration’s broader strategy to regulate legal immigration more strictly and raise application costs. USCIS, part of the Department of Homeland Security, oversees immigration benefits, including applications for immigration status and work permits. Attempts to reach USCIS for additional comments on these changes are pending.

Increased Fees Overview

Asylum application fees will rise from $102 to $105. The fee for immigration parole associated with Form I-131 will increase from $1,020 to $1,050. Initial work permit fees for asylum applicants, parolees, and TPS recipients will go up from $560 to $570. Form I-821, related to TPS, will now cost $520, up from $510.

TPS provides a temporary stay and work authorization for individuals from countries facing wars or environmental crises. Parole allows entry or stay without permanent immigration status. The administration is working to end TPS for several nations.

USCIS guidance in September outlines that Sudan and Ukraine will terminate TPS on October 19, 2026. The September 30 update continues protection for El Salvador pending an announcement from DHS. The administration previously ended TPS for countries including Afghanistan, Cameroon, Haiti, Honduras, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Ethiopia, and Yemen as of 2025-2026.

Implementation and Impact

Applications mailed on or after October 16 must include the new fees. Incorrect fees will lead to application rejections. The fee increases are small but impactful: asylum fees up by $3 (2.9%), parole by $30 (2.9%), work permits by $10 (1.8%), and TPS by $10 (2%).

The timing of requests matters. Applications postmarked before October 16 follow previous fees, while those after will require new rates. For instance, asylum applicants facing both asylum and work permit fees would have paid $662 under old rates but must now pay $675.

Advocates argue these fees present additional hurdles for immigrants seeking humanitarian aid. The administration justifies the fee changes as necessary to manage increasing application review costs.

Additionally, the State Department has released its October 2026 Visa Bulletin, launching the new fiscal year and offering employment-based visa applicants new opportunities after long waits.

Contact Newsweek editors: Matthew Cannon and James Debens.