USCIS Fee Increase 2027 Takes Effect in October 2026

USCIS raised the annual asylum application fee from $102 to $105 on October 16, 2026. The USCIS fee increase 2027 also changed charges for certain parole, employment authorization, and Temporary Protected Status filings. A filing with the wrong payment can be rejected, even where the difference appears small.

People preparing a filing should compare the form, benefit category, and postmark date before mailing anything. Our immigration attorneys review how filing requirements affect a person’s broader immigration plan.

Legal disclaimer: This article provides general legal information, not advice for any individual case. Immigration outcomes depend on specific facts and records. For individualized guidance, speak with an attorney before filing.

What changed with the USCIS fee increase 2027?

USCIS released its alert, USCIS Announces FY 2027 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration-Related Fees, on September 30, 2026. The agency said the adjustments account for inflation from July 2025 through July 2026. It also described the changes as minor.

Beginning in FY 2026, and continuing for each subsequent fiscal year, the Department of Homeland Security will adjust some of these fees for inflation, as specified in H.R. 1.

The USCIS fee increase 2027 became effective October 16, 2026. USCIS had previously published a July 22, 2025 Federal Register notice implementing the H.R. 1 immigration-related fees. The latest Federal Register notice adjusts certain fees for fiscal year 2027.

Four affected filing categories

The annual asylum application fee is now $105. The immigration parole fee on Form I-131 is now $1,050. The listed Form I-765 initial employment authorization categories are now $570, and Form I-821 for Temporary Protected Status is now $520.

Any request postmarked on or after Oct. 16, 2026 without the proper filing fee will be rejected.

That postmark rule makes the mailing date central. A request requiring one of the adjusted fees and postmarked on or after October 16, 2026, must include the new FY 2027 fee for the specific benefit requested.

Who does the USCIS fee increase 2027 reach?

The change reaches Form I-131 requests requiring the immigration parole fee, which USCIS lists under travel documents, parole documents, and arrival or departure records.

The I-765 filing fee change applies when a person requests an initial employment authorization document as an asylum applicant, for parole employment authorization, or for Temporary Protected Status employment authorization. Form I-821 applicants seeking Temporary Protected Status face the separate adjusted fee.

Match the benefit, form, and payment

The fee list matters because Form I-765 has different filing contexts. The USCIS alert identifies only the initial categories above for this listed adjustment. Applicants should not assume that every work permit request follows the same payment rule.

The cases we handle often begin with a family asking whether a payment issue could interrupt a time-sensitive immigration filing. The practical consequence here is direct: a request postmarked on or after October 16 without the proper fee will be rejected.

For people planning a family-based case alongside another filing, the payment rules remain separate. Our nationwide immigration legal team can explain how documents and filing choices fit together without treating a fee update as a promise of approval.

What law governs immigration filing fees?

H.R. 1 is the framework USCIS identifies for the immigration-related fees adjusted here. According to the agency, the Department of Homeland Security’s annual inflation adjustments began in fiscal year 2026 and continue in each subsequent fiscal year.

Why the Federal Register notice matters

USCIS identifies a Federal Register notice as the vehicle for the inflation adjustment.

What should I do before mailing an affected USCIS filing?

First, identify the exact benefit request. Confirm whether your package includes an annual asylum application fee, Form I-131 immigration parole fee, initial I-765 request in a listed category, or Form I-821 Temporary Protected Status filing.

Second, check the package’s postmark date. A request postmarked on or after October 16 must carry the new fee for the requested benefit. Keep a copy of the completed forms, payment evidence, and mailing record with your immigration file.

Third, review whether the employment authorization request is an initial filing within one of the categories USCIS names. Do not rely on a prior payment amount simply because another form or earlier request used it.

Finally, use the official immigration fee update resources and obtain legal advice if a rejection could affect another pending matter. A careful review before mailing is usually easier than repairing a rejected package later.

What should I watch after the USCIS fee increase 2027?

Watch USCIS announcements and the agency’s fee materials for later inflation adjustments under H.R. 1. The rule today is clear: filings in the listed categories postmarked on or after October 16 require the adjusted fee.

People with a filing plan should also monitor the official USCIS Processing Times page after filing. Processing information does not change the fee rule, but it helps applicants track the agency stage after USCIS accepts a request.

The material question for a reader is whether the benefit category on their own form matches a category named in the fee notice. Confirming that point before mailing can protect a filing from rejection.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the new USCIS fees begin?

The adjusted fees became effective on October 16, 2026. USCIS says a request postmarked on or after that date must include the new fee for the specific benefit requested. The postmark date, rather than the date a person began preparing the package, is the key filing fact in the alert.

What is the new annual asylum application fee?

The annual asylum application fee increased from $102 to $105. This is one of the H.R. 1 immigration-related fees USCIS adjusted for fiscal year 2027. Applicants should review the benefit request and payment before mailing because USCIS can reject a request with an improper fee.

What is the Form I-131 immigration parole fee?

The immigration parole fee on Form I-131 increased from $1,020 to $1,050. USCIS lists Form I-131 as the application for travel documents, parole documents, and arrival or departure records. The stated adjustment concerns the immigration parole fee within that form’s listed uses.

What is the I-765 filing fee for the listed initial requests?

The I-765 filing fee increased from $560 to $570 for an initial employment authorization document request by an asylum applicant, a parole employment authorization applicant, or a Temporary Protected Status employment authorization applicant. The USCIS fee increase 2027 alert identifies those initial categories specifically.

What is the Temporary Protected Status filing fee?

Form I-821, the application for Temporary Protected Status, increased from $510 to $520.

Will USCIS reject a package with the old fee?

USCIS states that a request postmarked on or after October 16, 2026 without the proper filing fee will be rejected. Before mailing, applicants should verify the benefit category, form, payment amount, and mailing documentation. An attorney can assess how a rejection could affect the person’s particular immigration strategy.

Legal disclaimer: This article is general information and not legal advice. Vasquez Law Firm offers free immigration consultations in Raleigh, NC and Orlando, FL, and serves immigration clients nationwide. Contact Vasquez Law Firm for a free consultation about your filing plan.

Sources: USCIS Announces FY 2027 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration-Related Fees; USCIS Policy Manual; USCIS Processing Times.