USCIS Updates Immigration Fees: New Costs Starting July 22, 2025

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published an official notice in the Federal Register (FRN) on July 18, 2025, detailing a significant update to fees for certain immigration procedures. These adjustments are based on the provisions of the Reconciliation Act HR 1 (HR 1) and will take effect beginning July 22, 2025.

Also read: “One Big Beautiful Bill: Direct Benefits for Workers and Farmers in the U.S.”

Below is a clear and detailed summary of the main changes announced by USCIS:

1. New Key Dates for Application Submission

Mandatory implementation of new fees: starting July 22, 2025.

Rejection of forms without the corresponding fee: beginning August 21, 2025, any application submitted without the correct payment will be rejected.

Important: all fees are added to the existing ones.

2. New Established Immigration Fees

Form I-589 – Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal
New one-time fee: $100 for new applicants.

Annual Asylum Fee (AAF): $100 for each calendar year the application is pending, starting October 1, 2024. This fee must be paid online, and USCIS will personally notify applicants when it becomes due.

Form I-765 – Application for Employment Authorization (EAD)
Applies to categories such as asylum, parole, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS):

Initial application: $550

Renewal or extension: $275

Exception: if the EAD is requested after a newly approved travel document (Form I-131), the fee will be $275.

Form I-360 – Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant
New special fee: $250 for Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJ).

Form I-821 – Application for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
New maximum fee: $500 (previously $50).

3. Changes in Validity of Employment Authorizations (EAD)

Foreign nationals under parole: the permit will be valid for one year or for the authorized parole period, whichever is shorter.

Individuals with TPS: both initial and renewal employment authorizations will have the same validity: a maximum of one year or until the approved TPS period ends.

4. Payment and Fee Waiver Details

The new fees are added to those already existing in regulation 8 CFR part 106.

Important: The fees established by HR 1 cannot be waived or reduced.

Applicants who qualify for a waiver under previous fees may still use Form I-912 or submit a written request, but this does not apply to HR 1 fees.

5. Future Changes Not Covered by This Announcement

DHS will announce the remaining fees contemplated by HR 1 in a future statement. These include:

Form I-131 – Travel Documents and Parole.

Form I-102 – Replacement or initial issuance of Arrival/Departure Document for nonimmigrants.

Conclusion

The USCIS fee update responds to a legal obligation to adjust costs annually in accordance with inflation and congressional guidelines. All applicants are encouraged to carefully review the new requirements before submitting their forms and ensure the correct amounts are included, avoiding unnecessary rejections or delays.

For more details or updates, it is essential to consult official sources such as uscis.gov.

From: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-updates-fees-based-on-hr-1 

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