US Adjusts Immigration Fees, Raising Costs for Asylum and Work Permits

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a new set of immigration-related fees that will take effect from July 22, 2025, following updates tied to the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill.

From that date, all applications must include the updated fees. Any applications received on or after August 21, 2025, without the correct payment will be rejected.

One of the key updates is a $100 fee for submitting Form I-589, which is used for asylum and withholding of removal. An additional $100 Annual Asylum Fee will also be charged each year while the application is pending. This fee must be paid online.

Changes also affect those applying for or renewing work permits using Form I-765:

• $550 for first-time applicants
• $275 for renewals or extensions
• $275 for those applying after being granted re-parole with Form I-131

A new $250 fee has been added for Special Immigrant Juvenile cases under Form I-360.

The fee for registering for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) using Form I-821 has increased significantly from $50 to $500.

USCIS explained that these new H.R. 1-related fees are separate from its regular filing fees and cannot be waived or reduced, even for applicants who qualify for other fee waivers.

The agency also specified that anyone who submitted Form I-589 on or after October 1, 2024, and whose application is still pending after a year, must pay the Annual Asylum Fee on the one-year anniversary of their filing date and each year it remains pending after that.

The validity of some work permits has also been shortened. For example, parolees will receive work permits valid for up to one year or the length of their parole, whichever is shorter. Similarly, those under TPS will get work permits valid for a maximum of one year or the duration of their protected status.

Additional changes to fees for other forms, including travel documents and replacement of arrival records, will be announced at a later date.