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H-1B visa premium processing to get costlier from March 1, other US visas to be hit too. Check new rates
The new premium processing fees for immigration applications, including H-1B visas, will take effect from March 1, 2026.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an increase in premium processing fees for immigration benefits, including the widely used H-1B visa. The new rates will take effect from March 1, 2026.
The premium processing fee, which allows applicants to receive faster decisions on certain work and employment-related visas, will rise from $2,805 to $2,965. The hike applies to a wide range of employment visas, including the H-1B and other work visa categories commonly used by US employers to hire foreign professionals.
USCIS said the increase reflects inflation between June 2023 and June 2025. The agency is acting under the USCIS Stabilization Act, which gives the Department of Homeland Security the authority to adjust premium processing fees every two years to account for inflation.
The fee hike will directly affect US employers who sponsor foreign workers and visa holders who pay for faster processing to switch jobs or renew work permits. It is particularly relevant for Indian nationals, who form a large share of H-1B and other employment-based visa holders in the United States.
Full list of new premium visa processing fees announced by the US:
| Form | Previous Fee | New Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status | $1,685 | $1,780 |
Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, all other available Form I-129 classifications: E-1 | $2,805 | $2,965 |
Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, employment-based classifications: E11 | $2,805 | $2,965 |
Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, requesting: F-1 | $1,965 | $2,075 |
| Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, for certain eligible applications (OPT and STEM-OPT Classifications) | $1,685 | $1,780 |
USCIS said the additional revenue will be used to improve its operations, including speeding up adjudication processes, reducing application backlogs, and supporting adjudication and naturalization services. The goal, the agency said, is to maintain the real value of the premium processing fee while meeting rising demand.
Applicants seeking premium processing must submit Form I-907 along with the new fee if their request is postmarked on or after March 1, 2026. Applications sent with the old fee after that date will not be accepted.
The fee hike comes at a time when US visa rules are under tighter scrutiny. The US Embassy in India recently warned visa applicants — especially those seeking H-1B and H-4 work visas — that violating US immigration laws could lead to serious criminal penalties.
“If you break U.S. law, you will be punished with significant criminal penalties. The Trump Administration is committed to ending illegal immigration to the United States and protecting our nation’s borders and our citizens,” the embassy said on its official X account.
