As of October 23, 2026, the USCIS fees most employment-based filers pay are set by the fee schedule dated October 16, 2026: $715 for an I-140 on paper, $1,440 for an adult's I-485 and $780 for an H-1B petition, before add-on fees (USCIS, Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26). Premium processing for an I-140 or most I-129 petitions is $2,965 (91 FR 1060, Jan. 12, 2026).
The fees that rose for inflation on October 16, 2026 were parole, asylum and TPS fees created by H.R. 1, not the employment forms in this guide (91 FR 62541 to 62542). This page lists each fee, the add-ons that catch people out, and typical totals.
- The current USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055, is dated October 16, 2026, and many forms cost $50 less when filed online.
- Form I-140 costs $715 on paper or $665 online, plus an Asylum Program Fee of $600, $300 for small employers and self-petitioners, or $0 for nonprofits.
- Form I-485 costs $1,440 on paper or $1,390 online for applicants 14 and older, and $950 for a child under 14 filing with a parent.
- A work permit or advance parole filed with a pending I-485 costs $260 and $630 respectively; standalone EADs cost $520 on paper.
- An H-1B petition costs $780 on paper plus the $600 Asylum Program Fee, a $500 fraud fee, a $1,500 or $750 ACWIA fee and, for some employers, a $4,000 Public Law 114-113 fee.
- Premium processing has cost $2,965 for I-140s and most I-129 petitions since March 1, 2026.
- The H-1B registration fee is $215 per beneficiary.
What are the USCIS fees for a green card through work in 2026?
The green card stage has three main forms: the I-140 immigrant petition, the I-485 adjustment application and the optional work permit and travel document filed with it. These are the amounts in the current fee schedule (USCIS, Form G-1055):
| Form | Paper | Online | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers | $715 | $665 | Plus Asylum Program Fee |
| Asylum Program Fee (with I-140) | $600 | $600 | $300 small employer or self-petitioner, $0 nonprofit |
| I-485, age 14 and over | $1,440 | $1,390 | |
| I-485, under 14 filing with a parent's I-485 | $950 | $900 | |
| I-765 work permit, I-485 filed with a fee on or after April 1, 2024 | $260 | $260 | $0 if the I-485 was filed with a fee from July 30, 2007 to March 31, 2024 |
| I-131 advance parole, pending I-485 | $630 | $580 | |
| I-907 premium processing for an I-140 | $2,965 | $2,965 | Optional |
Self-petitioners pay the lower Asylum Program Fee. The fee schedule groups "Small Employer or self-petitioner" together at $300, so an EB-1A or EB-2 national interest waiver applicant filing their own I-140 pays $715 plus $300 on paper (USCIS, Form G-1055). USCIS treats an employer with 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees as a small employer for this fee (USCIS, H and L Filing Fees for Form I-129, updated 09/09/2026).
Our guide to the I-485 adjustment of status application explains what the form does, and our post on the work permit while an I-485 is pending covers the $260 EAD.
What does an H-1B petition cost the employer in 2026?
An H-1B case has more line items than any other work visa, and most of them sit on top of the I-129 fee. From the current fee schedule (USCIS, Form G-1055):
| H-1B fee | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| H-1B registration (cap cases) | $215 per beneficiary | Each lottery registration |
| Form I-129, H-1B | $780 paper, $730 online | Every petition; $460 for a small employer or nonprofit |
| Asylum Program Fee | $600, $300 or $0 | Regular, small employer, nonprofit |
| Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee | $500 | Initial approval, or a change of employer |
| ACWIA training fee | $1,500 or $750 | Depends on employer size; some employers exempt |
| Public Law 114-113 fee | $4,000 | Employers with 50 or more US employees, more than half on H-1B or L status; petitions filed on or before Sept. 30, 2027 |
| Proclamation payment | $100,000 | Only where the presidential proclamation applies, unless an exception is granted |
The ACWIA fee is halved for small employers. The Form I-129 instructions say that if the employer "has 25 or fewer full-time employees, they must pay only one-half of the required fee," and that "the ACWIA fee may not be assessed to the beneficiary" (USCIS, Form I-129 Instructions). Universities, related nonprofits, nonprofit and government research organizations and certain schools are exempt from ACWIA (USCIS, H and L Filing Fees).
The fraud fee and ACWIA fee are not charged on every filing. USCIS says ACWIA applies to an initial petition, a change of employer and the first extension by the same employer, but not to later extensions or amendments without an extension (USCIS, H and L Filing Fees). The $4,000 Public Law 114-113 fee applies unless the petition is an amendment that does not seek an extension (USCIS, Form G-1055).
The $100,000 payment is made through pay.gov before filing, not with the petition, and the fee schedule lists it as due "unless an exception has been granted by the Secretary of Homeland Security" (USCIS, Form G-1055). Who it applies to is narrower than the headline suggests; our post on the H-1B $100,000 fee in October 2026 tracks the scope and the litigation.
What do L-1, O-1, TN and E visa petitions cost?
Each classification has its own I-129 base fee, and all of them add the Asylum Program Fee of $600, $300 for a small employer or $0 for a nonprofit (USCIS, Form G-1055):
| Form I-129 classification | Paper | Online | Small employer or nonprofit |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-1 | $1,385 | $1,335 | $695 |
| O-1 or O-2 | $1,055 | $1,005 | $530 |
| E-1, E-2, E-3 or TN | $1,015 | $965 | $510 |
| P | $1,015 | $965 | $510 |
L-1 petitions also carry a $500 fraud fee for an initial approval or a new employer, and a $4,500 Public Law 114-113 fee for employers with 50 or more US employees of whom more than half are in H-1B or L status, for petitions filed on or before September 30, 2027 (USCIS, Form G-1055).
Family members file their own forms. An H-4 or L-2 spouse extending or changing status uses Form I-539, which costs $470 on paper or $420 online, and a standalone work permit on Form I-765 costs $520 on paper or $470 online (USCIS, Form G-1055).
How much is premium processing in 2026?
DHS raised premium processing fees for inflation from March 1, 2026. The rule's compliance date reads:
"Requests for premium processing postmarked on or after March 1, 2026, must include the new fee." 91 FR 1059 (Jan. 12, 2026), DATES
The rule raised the $2,805 fees to $2,965, the $1,965 fees to $2,075 and the $1,685 fees to $1,780 (91 FR 1060). The current fee schedule applies them as follows (USCIS, Form G-1055):
| Request | Premium fee |
|---|---|
| I-129 for H-1B, E, H-3, L, O, P, Q or TN | $2,965 |
| I-129 for H-2B or R | $1,780 |
| I-140 for EB-1, EB-2 (including NIW) or EB-3 | $2,965 |
| I-539 change to F, J or M status | $2,075 |
| I-765 for OPT or STEM OPT | $1,780 |
Premium processing guarantees action within a set clock, not approval. USCIS lists 15 business days for most I-129 classifications and most I-140 categories, including EB-1A, and 45 business days for EB-1C multinational manager and NIW petitions (USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing?, updated 03/23/2026). Our guide to I-140 premium processing covers when it is worth paying for.
Is it cheaper to file online?
Usually by $50 per form. The fee schedule says:
"There is often a $50 discount when filing a form online." USCIS, Form G-1055 (edition 10/16/26)
The discount is not universal. The $260 work permit with a pending I-485, every premium processing fee, the reduced small employer I-129 fees and the $300 or $600 Asylum Program Fee are the same online and on paper (USCIS, Form G-1055). An online fee in the schedule also depends on the form being open for online filing in your category, so check before you plan around it.
What does a typical case cost in total?
These totals add up the USCIS fees above for common situations, on paper, without premium processing and without attorney fees (USCIS, Form G-1055):
| Situation | USCIS fees |
|---|---|
| EB-1A or NIW self-petition, I-140 only | $715 + $300 = $1,015 |
| Same, filed with I-485, work permit and advance parole for one adult | $1,015 + $1,440 + $260 + $630 = $3,345 |
| Add a spouse's I-485, work permit and advance parole | + $2,330 |
| Add premium processing on the I-140 | + $2,965 |
| New H-1B for a cap-subject worker, employer with 26 or more employees, not a 50/50 employer | $215 + $780 + $600 + $500 + $1,500 = $3,595 |
The H-1B line assumes the employer owes ACWIA, the fraud fee applies and the proclamation payment does not (USCIS, H and L Filing Fees).
What this means for you
Fees are checked at intake. The fee schedule warns that if a fee is incorrect, "the application, petition, or request will be rejected" (USCIS, Form G-1055). A rejected filing does not hold your place, which matters when a filing window or a visa bulletin date is about to close.
- Use the fee schedule edition in force on the day your package is postmarked, not the one from when you started preparing.
- For an I-140, pay the Asylum Program Fee as a separate payment alongside the filing fee.
- For an H-1B, confirm with the employer whether ACWIA, the fraud fee, the $4,000 fee or the proclamation payment applies before the petition goes out.
- Budget premium processing separately. It changes the decision clock, not the outcome.
Where to start
If you are weighing an EB-1A or NIW self-petition, our free evaluation at /evaluate/ tells you how your profile measures up before you spend anything on fees. Frank, our AI assistant at /frank, finds real opportunities for the criteria you are missing. When you are ready, our partner law firm, Lai & Turner, reviews and files the petition.
Sources
All checked October 23, 2026.
- USCIS, Form G-1055 Fee Schedule (edition 10/16/26). Every filing fee, add-on fee and premium processing fee in the tables; online discount; rejection for incorrect fees.
- DHS, Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees, 91 FR 1059 (Jan. 12, 2026), FR Doc. 2026-00321. Premium processing increase effective March 1, 2026, and old and new amounts.
- USCIS, Fiscal Year 2027 Inflation Adjustment to H.R. 1 Immigration Fees, 91 FR 62540 (Oct. 1, 2026). The October 2026 increase covered only H.R. 1 fees.
- USCIS, H and L Filing Fees for Form I-129 (updated 09/09/2026). When ACWIA, fraud and Public Law 114-113 fees apply; ACWIA exemptions; small entity definition.
- USCIS, Form I-129 Instructions. ACWIA halved for 25 or fewer employees; not assessable to the beneficiary.
- USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing? (updated 03/23/2026). Premium processing timeframes by category.
Frequently asked questions
How much does USCIS charge for an I-140 in 2026?
As of October 2026, the Form I-140 filing fee is $715 on paper or $665 online. Every I-140 petitioner also pays an Asylum Program Fee: $600 for a regular employer, $300 for a small employer with 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees or for a self-petitioner such as an EB-1A or NIW applicant, and $0 for a nonprofit. Premium processing, if you want it, adds $2,965.
What does an employment-based I-485 cost with the work permit and travel document?
For one adult filing on paper, the I-485 is $1,440, the work permit filed while the I-485 is pending is $260, and advance parole is $630, for $2,330 in total. Online fees are lower where online filing is available: $1,390 for the I-485 and $580 for advance parole. A child under 14 filing with a parent pays $950 for the I-485 instead of $1,440.
Who pays the H-1B fees, the employer or the employee?
The employer is the petitioner and files and pays for the Form I-129. USCIS states in the Form I-129 instructions that the ACWIA training fee may not be assessed to the beneficiary. Whether an employer may pass other costs to a worker depends on Department of Labor wage rules and the type of fee, which is a question for the employer's attorney rather than the worker.
Is premium processing worth $2,965 for an I-140?
Premium processing buys a decision or a request for evidence within 15 business days for EB-1A and most other I-140 categories, and within 45 business days for an NIW or EB-1C petition. It does not speed up the I-485 or change your priority date. It is most useful when an approved I-140 unlocks something time-sensitive, such as an H-1B extension past six years or a job change.
Do I save money by filing online?
Usually. The USCIS fee schedule says there is often a $50 discount when filing online, and the online fee is lower for the I-140, I-485, I-129, I-539, standalone I-765 and advance parole. Some fees are the same either way, including the $260 work permit with a pending I-485, all premium processing fees and the reduced small employer I-129 fees.
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.
