USCIS FY 2027 Fee Increase Takes Effect October 16, 2026; OPT and STEM OPT Fees Unchanged

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will increase several immigration-related fees beginning October 16, 2026. The adjustments apply to specific asylum, humanitarian parole, and Temporary Protected Status filings—not to every USCIS application.

Any covered request postmarked on or after October 16 without the correct fee may be rejected. The new amounts result from a 3.36% increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers between July 2025 and July 2026, followed by statutory rounding rules. (public-inspection.federalregister.gov)

Which USCIS Fees Are Increasing?

The FY 2027 adjustments affect fees established under H.R. 1, the federal law enacted on July 4, 2025. Most of the affected fees must be adjusted annually for inflation and rounded down to the next lowest multiple of $10. The annual pending-asylum fee is instead rounded down to the nearest dollar. (public-inspection.federalregister.gov)

The largest increase is the immigration parole fee, which rises by $30. Initial employment authorization applications in the listed asylum, parole, and TPS categories increase by $10.

Which Fees Will Stay the Same?

Some covered fees remain unchanged because the inflation-adjusted amount did not reach the next $10 increment after rounding. The asylum EAD renewal fee is also unchanged because H.R. 1 does not authorize an inflation adjustment for that particular fee. (public-inspection.federalregister.gov)

The following FY 2027 amounts remain in place:

• Initial Form I-589 asylum application fee: $100
• Asylum applicant EAD renewal or extension: $275
• Parole, re-parole, or TPS EAD renewal or extension: $280
• Form I-360 Special Immigrant Juvenile fee: $250
• H.R. 1 Form I-94 immigration fee: $24

Applicants should not assume that an unchanged form number means every filing category has the same fee. Form I-765, for example, is used for numerous types of employment authorization, and the required payment depends on the applicant’s eligibility category and filing circumstances.

Does the Fee Increase Affect OPT, STEM OPT, or H-1B Filings?

This announcement does not change the filing fees for standard F-1 OPT or STEM OPT applications. Although OPT applicants also use Form I-765, the new $570 amount applies only to the initial EAD categories specifically identified in the notice: asylum, parole, and TPS.

The notice also does not announce fee changes for:

• Form I-129 H-1B petitions;
• H-1B electronic registration;
• Form I-765 filed for OPT or STEM OPT;
• Form I-539 applications to extend or change nonimmigrant status;
• Form I-140 employment-based immigrant petitions; or
• Standard Form I-485 adjustment-of-status filings.

However, an international student or former F-1 student could still be affected if they are filing under TPS, asylum, or parole rather than under an F-1 employment authorization category. The relevant factor is the eligibility category listed on the application—not simply the person’s current or previous visa history.

Applicants Should Check the Postmark Date and Filing Category

The new fees apply to covered requests postmarked on or after October 16, 2026. USCIS has stated that it will reject affected filings submitted without the proper payment rather than accept the application and request the difference later. (public-inspection.federalregister.gov)

Applicants preparing a filing near the effective date should:

1. Confirm the eligibility category and required fee immediately before submission.
2. Use the fee amount based on the package’s expected postmark date.
3. Review the applicable form instructions and USCIS fee schedule.
4. Check whether multiple fees apply to the same filing package.

The announcement represents a mandatory annual inflation adjustment, not a comprehensive change to the entire USCIS fee schedule. Additional immigration fees may therefore remain payable depending on the form, category, and requested benefit.

Sources:

• USCIS Announces FY 2027 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration-Related Fees
• Federal Register: Fiscal Year 2027 Inflation Adjustment to H.R. 1 Immigration Fees