As of October 21, 2026, the government cost of an EB-2 national interest waiver (NIW) starts at $1,015: a $715 paper filing fee for Form I-140 plus a $300 Asylum Program Fee for self-petitioners (USCIS, Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26). Premium processing adds $2,965 (USCIS, Form G-1055). When you reach the green card stage, each person adjusting status in the United States pays $1,440 for Form I-485 on paper, or $950 for a child under 14 filing with a parent (USCIS, Form G-1055).
So the EB-2 NIW cost in USCIS fees is $1,015 for the petition alone, $3,980 with premium processing, and $5,420 for a single applicant who adds an I-485. The rest of this guide shows where each number comes from, what changes for a family, and which costs USCIS does not set.
- Form I-140 costs $715 on paper or $665 online under the USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26.
- An NIW self-petitioner pays the reduced $300 Asylum Program Fee on top of the I-140 filing fee.
- Premium processing on Form I-907 costs $2,965 for an EB-2 I-140 and has applied to requests postmarked on or after March 1, 2026.
- USCIS's premium processing timeframe for an NIW (E21 NIW) I-140 is 45 business days, not 15.
- Form I-485 costs $1,440 on paper or $1,390 online, or $950 on paper for a child under 14 filing with a parent.
- A work permit filed with a pending I-485 costs $260 and advance parole costs $630 on paper; neither is bundled into the I-485 fee.
- USCIS filing fees are final and nonrefundable, even if the petition is denied or withdrawn.
What is the EB-2 NIW filing fee in 2026?
The NIW is filed on Form I-140, the same petition used for other employment-based categories. The USCIS fee schedule lists the I-140 filing fee as $715 for paper filing or $665 for online filing, plus additional fees where applicable (USCIS, Form G-1055).
The additional fee is the Asylum Program Fee. The fee schedule sets it at $600 for a regular petitioner, $0 for a nonprofit, and $300 for a small employer or self-petitioner (USCIS, Form G-1055). If you file the NIW for yourself, you are a self-petitioner and pay $300. On the form itself, USCIS tells self-petitioners to answer "No" to question 5 and "Yes" to question 6, the questions it uses to decide whether a petitioner qualifies for the reduced Asylum Program Fee (USCIS, Form I-140 page). If an employer files an NIW for you, the Asylum Program Fee depends on that employer's status, not yours (USCIS, Form G-1055).
The October 2026 inflation adjustment did not touch these amounts. The FY 2027 notice published October 1, 2026 adjusts only fees created by H.R. 1, and Form I-140 is not on its list (91 FR 62541 to 62542, FR Doc. 2026-20187).
How much does NIW premium processing cost?
Premium processing for an EB-2 I-140 costs $2,965, whether you file the Form I-907 on paper or online (USCIS, Form G-1055). The fee schedule lists the EB-2 NIW classification (E21 NIW) among the I-140 categories designated for premium processing, and says the fee must be submitted separately from other filing fees (USCIS, Form G-1055).
The amount rose on March 1, 2026. A DHS final rule raised premium processing fees that had been $2,805 to $2,965, reflecting a 5.72 percent rise in the Consumer Price Index between June 2023 and June 2025 (91 FR 1060, FR Doc. 2026-00321). The rule states:
"Requests for premium processing postmarked on or after March 1, 2026, must include the new fee." 91 FR 1059 (Jan. 12, 2026), DATES
What you get for the fee is a deadline, not a result. For an NIW, the premium processing timeframe is 45 business days, the same as for EB-1C multinational executives and managers, while EB-1A and EB-1B petitions get 15 (USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing?). Within that window USCIS must issue an approval, a denial, a request for evidence or a notice of intent to deny, or refund the premium fee; a request for evidence or notice of intent to deny stops and resets the clock, and a new period begins when USCIS receives your response (USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing?). Our guide to premium processing for the I-140 explains the clocks in detail.
One pending change is worth watching. On October 21, 2026, the White House regulatory review list included a USCIS proposed rule titled "Amending the Premium Processing Timeframe" (RIN 1615-AD25), received on October 13, 2026 (Reginfo.gov, EO 12866 rules under review). Its text has not been published, so what it would change is not yet known.
Should you file online or on paper?
Online filing is $50 cheaper for Form I-140, and the fee schedule notes that there is often a $50 discount for filing online (USCIS, Form G-1055). There is a catch if you want premium processing from day one. USCIS says that if you submit Form I-140 together with Form I-907, you must file by mail (USCIS, Form I-140 page). If your I-140 is already pending with a receipt number beginning with IOE, you can upload a standalone Form I-907 through your online account (USCIS, Form I-140 page). Whether to file online first and upgrade later is a timing question for your attorney.
How much does the I-485 cost per family member?
If you adjust status inside the United States, every applicant files a separate Form I-485. The fee schedule lists $1,440 on paper or $1,390 online, and $950 on paper or $900 online for an applicant under 14 who files concurrently with one parent's Form I-485 (USCIS, Form G-1055). Online I-485 filing is offered only to certain applicants and their representatives (USCIS, Form I-485 page). The edition matters too: USCIS rejects older editions of Form I-485 postmarked or submitted on or after September 18, 2026, and accepts only the 09/18/26 edition (USCIS, Form I-485 page). There is no separate biometrics fee: the 2024 fee rule folded biometrics costs into the underlying filing fee in most cases (89 FR 6197, FR Doc. 2024-01427).
The work permit and travel document are not included. Under the 2024 fee rule, effective April 1, 2024, Form I-765 and Form I-131 require their own fees in most cases, even when filed with Form I-485 (89 FR 6194, 6197). For someone whose I-485 was filed with a fee on or after April 1, 2024 and is still pending, Form I-765 costs $260, and advance parole on Form I-131 costs $630 on paper or $580 online (USCIS, Form G-1055). Our guide to the work permit while an I-485 is pending covers when the EAD is worth requesting.
When you can file the I-485 depends on the Visa Bulletin, not on how fast your I-140 is approved. For the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, USCIS says all employment-based applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart (USCIS, Adjustment of Status Filing Charts). For applicants born in India, that can mean the I-485 fees arrive years after the I-140 fees; see our post on EB-1A and NIW wait times for Indians.
What is the total EB-2 NIW cost for a family?
The table below adds up USCIS fees at paper rates, using the amounts in Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26 (USCIS, Form G-1055). It leaves out the parole fee and every cost USCIS does not set.
| Scenario | Forms | USCIS fees (paper) |
|---|---|---|
| Petition only, regular processing | I-140 $715 + Asylum Program Fee $300 | $1,015 |
| Petition with premium processing | Above + I-907 $2,965 | $3,980 |
| Single applicant, premium, adjusting status | Above + I-485 $1,440 | $5,420 |
| Single applicant, also EAD and advance parole | Above + I-765 $260 + I-131 $630 | $6,310 |
| Applicant, spouse and child under 14, premium | $3,980 + I-485 $1,440 + $1,440 + $950 | $7,810 |
| Same family, EAD and advance parole for both adults | $7,810 + 2 × ($260 + $630) | $9,590 |
Without premium processing, subtract $2,965 from any row that includes it.
If you will interview at a US consulate abroad instead, the I-485 fees fall away and Department of State and USCIS immigrant fees take their place. The Department of State's immigrant visa application processing fee for employment-based applications is $345 per person (22 CFR 22.1, item 32(b), 2025 edition). Each person immigrating as a permanent resident then pays the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee (USCIS, Form G-1055), which USCIS encourages you to pay after you pick up your immigrant visa and before you travel (USCIS, USCIS Immigrant Fee).
Which NIW costs are not set by USCIS?
Several real costs never appear on the fee schedule.
- Medical exam. Since December 2, 2024, an applicant who must submit Form I-693 has to submit it with the I-485, or USCIS may reject the I-485 (USCIS alert, Dec. 2, 2024). USCIS says exam fees are set by the civil surgeon and may vary (USCIS, Form I-693 page).
- The parole fee on return. H.R. 1 created a separate immigration parole fee, now $1,050 (USCIS news alert, Sept. 30, 2026). The fee schedule says CBP will require it each time you seek parole at a port of entry unless it determines you qualify for an exception (USCIS, Form G-1055). One statutory exception covers a lawful adjustment applicant "returning to the United States after temporary travel abroad" (90 FR 48318, FR Doc. 2025-19564).
- Legal fees, translations and expert letters. These are private costs that vary by provider and case.
A refiling also costs the full amount again, because USCIS does not return fees on a denial:
"Filing and biometric service fees are final and nonrefundable, regardless of any action we take on your application, petition, or request, or if you withdraw your request." USCIS, Filing Fees (last updated 02/12/2026)
If you are weighing whether to prepare the petition without counsel, our guide to filing an NIW yourself sets out what the forms require. For a comparison with employer sponsorship, see EB-2 NIW vs PERM.
What this means for you
The government cost of an NIW is predictable once you know which forms you will file, for how many people, and when. The petition is the cheap part. The larger amounts are premium processing, which is optional, and the per-person I-485 fees, which arrive only when your priority date allows you to file.
- Check every amount against the current Form G-1055 edition on the day you mail it.
- Pay the $300 self-petitioner Asylum Program Fee, not $600, if you file for yourself.
- Send the premium processing fee as a separate payment.
- If you want premium processing at filing, plan to file the I-140 by mail.
- Count one I-485 fee per family member, and budget separately for each work permit and travel document.
- Budget for the civil surgeon's medical exam fee, which USCIS does not set.
Where to start
Our free evaluation at /evaluate/ compares your record with the NIW standard and the other self-petition routes before you spend anything on fees. If a part of your record is thin, Frank, our AI assistant at /frank, finds real opportunities to strengthen it. Petitions are reviewed and filed by our partner law firm, Lai & Turner.
Sources
All checked October 21, 2026.
- USCIS, Form G-1055, Fee Schedule (edition 10/16/26). I-140, Asylum Program Fee, I-907, I-485, I-765, I-131 and USCIS Immigrant Fee amounts; online discount; separate premium payment; parole fee at ports of entry.
- USCIS, Form I-140 page (last updated 07/24/2026). Self-petitioner answers on the Asylum Program Fee questions; mail filing with Form I-907; standalone online I-907.
- DHS, Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees, 91 FR 1059, FR Doc. 2026-00321 (Jan. 12, 2026). Increase from $2,805 to $2,965 effective March 1, 2026; CPI basis.
- USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing? (last updated 03/23/2026). 45 business days for E21 NIW; what the guarantee covers; clock reset.
- Reginfo.gov, EO 12866 rules under review (as of Oct. 21, 2026). RIN 1615-AD25, Amending the Premium Processing Timeframe, received Oct. 13, 2026.
- USCIS, Fiscal Year 2027 Inflation Adjustment to H.R. 1 Immigration Fees, 91 FR 62540, FR Doc. 2026-20187 (Oct. 1, 2026). October 2026 adjustment does not cover Form I-140.
- USCIS, Form I-485 page (last updated 10/07/2026). Online I-485 filing for certain applicants; only the 09/18/26 edition accepted.
- DHS, USCIS Fee Schedule final rule, 89 FR 6194, FR Doc. 2024-01427 (Jan. 31, 2024). Biometrics folded into filing fees; separate I-765 and I-131 fees with an I-485.
- USCIS, Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin (last updated 10/01/2026). Dates for Filing chart for employment-based applicants in October 2026.
- 22 CFR 22.1, Schedule of fees for consular services (April 1, 2025 edition). $345 employment-based immigrant visa application fee.
- USCIS, USCIS Immigrant Fee (last updated 04/08/2024). When to pay the immigrant fee.
- USCIS, USCIS Now Requires Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record to be Submitted with Form I-485 for Certain Applicants (Dec. 2, 2024). I-693 required with the I-485 from Dec. 2, 2024, or the I-485 may be rejected.
- USCIS, Form I-693 page (last updated 07/24/2026). Civil surgeon sets exam fees.
- USCIS, USCIS Announces FY 2027 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration-Related Fees (Sept. 30, 2026). Parole fee of $1,050 from Oct. 16, 2026.
- DHS, Immigration Parole Fee Required by HR-1 Reconciliation Bill, 90 FR 48317, FR Doc. 2025-19564 (Oct. 16, 2025). Exception for adjustment applicants returning from temporary travel.
- USCIS, Filing Fees (last updated 02/12/2026). Fees are final and nonrefundable.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the EB-2 NIW filing fee in 2026?
As of October 21, 2026, the USCIS filing fee for Form I-140 is $715 on paper or $665 online, according to Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26. An NIW self-petitioner also pays a reduced Asylum Program Fee of $300. That makes the minimum government cost of the petition itself $1,015 on paper or $965 online, before premium processing, adjustment of status or any attorney fees.
How much does NIW premium processing cost, and how fast is it?
Premium processing for an EB-2 NIW I-140 costs $2,965, paid with Form I-907, an amount that applies to requests postmarked on or after March 1, 2026. USCIS's timeframe for national interest waiver petitions is 45 business days, not the 15 that apply to EB-1A. Within that period USCIS must approve, deny, or issue a request for evidence or notice of intent to deny, or refund the premium fee.
Do I pay a separate I-485 fee for my spouse and children?
Yes. Each family member who adjusts status files a separate Form I-485 and pays a separate fee. As of October 21, 2026, the fee is $1,440 on paper or $1,390 online. A child under 14 who files together with a parent's Form I-485 pays $950 on paper. Work permit and advance parole applications, if wanted, carry their own fees for each person.
Is premium processing worth it for an NIW?
It depends on what the faster decision changes for you. Premium processing buys adjudicative action on the I-140 within 45 business days, which can be a request for evidence rather than a decision, and a refund of the $2,965 fee if USCIS misses that window. It does not make a visa number available sooner or guarantee approval. If your priority date will not be current for years, a faster I-140 approval may matter less. Ask your attorney how it fits your timing.
Do I get the NIW filing fees back if my petition is denied?
No. USCIS says filing and biometric service fees are final and nonrefundable, regardless of what action it takes on the case or whether you withdraw the request. The one built-in refund is for premium processing: if USCIS does not take adjudicative action within the premium processing timeframe, it refunds the premium processing fee. A refiled petition pays the full fees again.
Green Card Guide AI is not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. It describes evidence-building strategy in general terms; your attorney determines what belongs in your petition and how it's argued.
