US hikes H-1B visa's premium processing fee: Check new rates
What's the story
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a hike in premium processing fees for many immigration benefits, including the H-1B visa. The new rates will come into effect on March 1, 2026. The fee hike is in line with inflation levels from June 2023 to June 2025, and will impact key employment-based and non-immigrant filings used by foreign professionals, especially Indian nationals.
Fee details
New premium processing fees
Under the new fee schedule, the premium processing fee related to Form I-129 petitions for H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status will increase from $1,685 to $1,780. For other Form I-129 classifications like H-1B, L-1, O-1, P-1 and TN visas, the fee will rise from $2,805 to $2,965. The same amount will apply to Form I-140 immigrant petitions across employment-based categories.
Additional increases
Fee hikes for non-immigrant status extensions, work permits
The fee for Form I-539 applications, which cover F-1 and F-2 students, J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors, M-1 and M-2 vocational students, will also rise from $1,965 to $2,075. For expedited employment authorization through Form I-765 applications (including OPT and STEM-OPT classifications), the fee will jump from $1,685 to $1,780.
Target audience
Fee hikes to impact Indian professionals, students
The fee hikes are likely to have a direct impact on Indian professionals, students, as well as employers as they constitute a large proportion of H-1B, L-1, and other applications. Premium processing is optional but is often utilized by employers and applicants seeking faster adjudication timelines for job changes, extensions or travel plans. Indian nationals are the biggest beneficiaries of US employment-based visas like H-1B.