Complete Guide to USCIS Filing Fees 2026 — All Form Costs Listed
By Elena Vasquez | Immigration Cost & Fee Specialist | Last Updated: April 2026
USCIS filing fees in 2026 represent one of the most significant upfront costs for anyone navigating the U.S. immigration system. The agency administers hundreds of distinct immigration benefit forms, and the fees attached to those forms can range from zero dollars for certain humanitarian applicants to over $2,800 for premium-processed employment petitions. For most immigrants and their families, the total cost of USCIS filing fees across multiple forms in a single case runs from $1,200 to $3,500 or more—before adding attorney fees, medical examinations, or translation costs.
This guide provides the most comprehensive, up-to-date reference to USCIS filing fees for 2026, covering every major form category, fee waiver eligibility rules, premium processing costs, and the historical context behind recent fee increases. Use this guide alongside our free immigration cost calculator to build an accurate budget for your case.
Why USCIS Filing Fees Are as High as They Are
USCIS is almost entirely fee-funded. Unlike most federal agencies that receive direct congressional appropriations, USCIS must generate the revenue to cover its own operating costs through the fees it charges applicants. As the volume and complexity of immigration cases has grown and processing backlogs have deepened, USCIS has faced significant resource pressure that has driven fee increases in recent years.
The agency's 2024 final rule, which implemented the most significant fee restructuring in over a decade, cited several factors driving the increases: rising adjudication costs per case, the need to fund asylum programs that cannot be self-funded, increased fraud detection and national security review requirements, and the cost of expanding USCIS's online filing infrastructure. The 2026 fee schedule reflects these changes in full, and understanding why fees are where they are helps applicants appreciate the value of budgeting carefully from the start.
Fee revenue directly funds USCIS operations including the adjudicators who review your application, the technology systems that track your case, and the application support centers where you complete biometric appointments. When USCIS receives more applications than it has resources to process, backlogs grow—and the agency typically responds with fee increases in the next review cycle to build capacity.
Complete USCIS Filing Fee Table 2026
The following table covers the major USCIS forms and their 2026 fees. All fees are for paper filing unless noted. Online filing discounts apply to N-400 only as of 2026.
Family-Based Immigration Forms:
Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) — $675. Filed by U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to establish a qualifying family relationship. Required for all family-based immigrant visa petitions.
Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) — $1,440 (age 14–78); $950 (under age 14 filing with parent); $1,440 (age 79+). This is the core green card application fee for those adjusting status inside the United States. Biometric services fee now included for most applicants.
Form I-751 (Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence) — $750. Filed by conditional green card holders (typically those who received their green card through marriage) within the 90-day window before their two-year card expires.
Form I-129F (Petition for Alien Fiancé) — $675. Filed by U.S. citizens to petition for a foreign national fiancé to enter the United States on a K-1 visa to marry within 90 days.
Employment-Based Immigration Forms:
Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers) — $715. Filed by employers (or self-petitioning in EB-1A/EB-1B/EB-2 NIW cases) to classify a foreign worker for an employment-based immigrant visa category. Premium processing available for $2,805.
Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) — $730–$1,385 depending on employer size and visa category. Required for H-1B, L-1, O-1, TN, and other nonimmigrant work visa petitions. Asylum program fee surcharge of $600 applies to most employers filing for H-1B, L-1, and O visas.
Form I-526 (Immigrant Petition by Standalone Investor) — $11,160. Filed by EB-5 immigrant investors. The substantial fee reflects the complex adjudication requirements for investor visa cases.
Work Authorization and Travel Documents:
Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) — $520. Grants a work permit to eligible non-citizens including pending adjustment applicants, DACA recipients, certain asylum applicants, and TPS holders. Premium processing available for $1,685.
Form I-131 (Application for Travel Document) — $630. Used for advance parole (allowing travel during pending adjustment), refugee travel documents, and re-entry permits. Critical for I-485 applicants who need to travel internationally.
Naturalization and Citizenship:
Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) — $760 (paper); $710 (online). The naturalization application for lawful permanent residents who have met residency and other eligibility requirements. Reduced fee of $380 available for qualifying low-income applicants. Military naturalization applicants file for free.
Form N-600 (Application for Certificate of Citizenship) — $1,170. Filed by individuals born abroad who claim U.S. citizenship through a U.S. citizen parent and are seeking documentation of that citizenship.
Humanitarian and Other Categories:
Form I-589 (Application for Asylum) — $0. Asylum applications remain free to file. However, the I-765 for work authorization after 180 days of pending asylum carries the standard $520 fee.
Form I-821 (Application for Temporary Protected Status) — $50 + biometrics $30 for applicants under 14; $50 + biometrics $85 for applicants 14 and older. One of the most affordable USCIS filings for eligible nationals of designated TPS countries.
Form I-360 (Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant) — $435 for most categories; free for VAWA self-petitioners and certain Special Immigrant Juvenile Status applicants.
USCIS Fee Waiver Eligibility in 2026
Recognizing that immigration fees can constitute a genuine barrier for low-income applicants, USCIS offers fee waivers for many (though not all) forms through Form I-912 (Request for Fee Waiver). The 2026 fee waiver rules allow applicants to qualify under three distinct pathways.
The first pathway is means-tested benefit receipt. If you currently receive benefits under a means-tested federal, state, or local program—including Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)—you qualify for a fee waiver. Documentation of active benefit receipt is required.
The second pathway is household income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For a single-person household in 2026, this threshold is approximately $22,590 annually. For a family of four, it is approximately $46,800. Applicants must document income through tax returns, pay stubs, employer letters, or other official records.
The third pathway is financial hardship, a more flexible but less certain route. Applicants can demonstrate hardship through documented circumstances such as unemployment, disability, catastrophic medical expenses, recent natural disaster losses, or domestic violence situations. USCIS evaluates hardship claims on a case-by-case basis.
Importantly, fee waivers are not available for all forms. Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status), Form I-90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card), and most employment-based forms are not eligible for fee waivers. Form N-400 has a reduced fee option rather than a full waiver for applicants at 150%–200% of the poverty guidelines.
Premium Processing Fees and When They Are Worth It
Premium processing service guarantees expedited adjudication for a limited set of form types. The service does not guarantee approval—only a faster decision, whether that decision is an approval, denial, or Request for Evidence (RFE).
In 2026, premium processing fees and timeframes are as follows: Form I-140 premium processing costs $2,805 and guarantees action within 15 business days. This is the most widely used premium processing option and is especially valuable for employment-based applicants who need their priority date established quickly. Form I-765 premium processing costs $1,685 and guarantees action within 30 business days—useful for applicants who need their Employment Authorization Document urgently to begin or continue employment. Form I-539 premium processing costs $1,685 with a 30-business-day guarantee.
Premium processing is not available for Forms I-485, I-130, N-400, or I-131. For these forms, the only route to faster processing is an expedite request submitted to USCIS citing qualifying criteria such as severe financial loss, urgent humanitarian need, Department of Defense or national interest reasons, or USCIS error.
History of USCIS Fee Changes: 2016 to 2026
Understanding the trajectory of USCIS fee increases helps applicants anticipate future changes and underscores the importance of filing promptly when budget allows.
In 2016, USCIS implemented a fee schedule increase averaging about 21% across most forms. The I-485 fee rose to $1,070 (plus separate $85 biometrics), the N-400 rose to $725, and the I-130 rose to $535. These represented the first major fee increase in nearly a decade.
In 2020, USCIS attempted to implement a more dramatic fee increase—the I-485 would have risen to $1,130, the N-400 to $1,170—but federal courts blocked the rule, and the 2020 increase never took effect.
In 2024, USCIS successfully implemented a new final rule that took effect in April 2024. This represented the most significant restructuring of USCIS fees in the agency's history. The I-485 rose sharply to $1,440 (with biometrics now included rather than charged separately), the N-400 rose to $760, the I-130 rose to $675, and the I-765 rose to $520. These are the fees in effect through 2026.
Fee increases of this magnitude typically occur when USCIS faces a significant funding shortfall and cannot sustain current operations without additional revenue. The 2024 rule specifically cited the need to fund asylum adjudication (which is fee-free) through cross-subsidization from other fee-paying categories.
How to Calculate Your Total USCIS Fee Correctly
Calculating your correct USCIS fee requires more than looking up a single form. Follow this process to arrive at an accurate number:
First, identify your immigration goal and the specific forms required for your situation. Many goals require three or more forms filed simultaneously. A spouse of a U.S. citizen adjusting status, for example, needs I-130 ($675), I-485 ($1,440), I-765 ($520), and I-131 ($630).
Second, check whether you qualify for any fee reductions or waivers under Form I-912. If your household income falls below 150% of the poverty guidelines or you receive a qualifying benefit, apply for the waiver before or alongside your primary application.
Third, determine whether premium processing is appropriate for your case. If you need your I-140 or I-765 adjudicated quickly, add the premium processing fee to your budget.
Fourth, factor in ancillary costs: biometric services where separately charged, medical examination fees ($200–$500), document translation ($150–$400 per document), and immigration attorney fees ($1,000–$5,000 depending on case complexity).
Our free immigration cost calculator automates this entire process. Select your visa category and filing situation, and the calculator identifies every required form, applies current 2026 fees, and generates a complete itemized estimate including government fees and estimated supporting costs.
Conclusion
USCIS filing fees in 2026 reflect a decade of rising operational costs, expanded asylum responsibilities, and growing demand for immigration benefits. The fees in effect today—I-485 at $1,440, N-400 at $760, I-130 at $675, I-765 at $520, I-131 at $630—represent the most significant restructuring of USCIS pricing in the agency's recent history. Understanding these fees, how they interact across multiple forms in a single case, and what options exist to reduce or waive them is essential for any immigrant planning their 2026 application.
The best budgeting approach combines accurate fee information with a realistic estimate of all supporting costs—attorney, medical, translation, and biometrics—to arrive at a true total. Plan conservatively, apply for fee waivers if you qualify, and use every available resource to make sure your application is filed correctly the first time.
Use Our Free Immigration Cost Calculator
Stop second-guessing your immigration budget. Visit immigrationcostcalculator.com to use our free USCIS filing fee calculator and get an instant, complete cost breakdown for your specific immigration pathway. We keep our fee data current with the latest 2026 USCIS schedule so you always have the most accurate numbers. Take two minutes now—know exactly what to budget before you file.