Skip to content
Visa Atlas
DestinationsGuidesCompareCalculatorsDataUpdates
Find my route
Menu
DestinationsGuidesCompareCalculatorsDataUpdatesFind my route
Visa Atlas

A free, independent field guide to moving countries. Every figure links to its official government source.

Not legal advice. Visa Atlas is an encyclopedia, not an adviser. The authoritative source is always the government link on each page. For your specific case, consult a regulated professional.

Explore

All destinationsBest-of guidesCompare countriesRoutes by professionRoute comparisonsTopic guides

Plan

Find my routeProcessing timesGovernment feesCost to completeSettlement & citizenshipRoute deep-divesSalary thresholds

Trust

Editorial standardsReviewersOur methodologyCorrectionsOpen dataCitation packsCitation benchmarkSource benchmarkVisibility metricsFreshnessWidgetsAI agentsUse our dataFor journalists
© 2026 Visa AtlasReviewed continuously. Last sweep: 18 July 2026
  1. Home/
  2. Policy changes/
  3. USCIS final fee rule takes effect

1 April 2024·United States of America·Material change·In force

USCIS final fee rule takes effect

By Sam Parks · Last reviewed: 22 June 2026

USCIS implemented its first major fee schedule adjustment in nearly a decade, including differentiated H-1B filing fees by employer type.

What changed

  • Policy claim 1

    Form I-129 fees differ by employer size (small-employer discount for eligible petitioners).

    Claim ID: us-2024-04-uscis-fee-rule#claim-1·Cite this claim

    Source: Federal Register — USCIS Fee Schedule final rule (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)·source verified 22 June 2026·page reviewed 22 June 2026

  • Policy claim 2

    New Asylum Program Fee (USD 600 for most employers) was introduced and applies to H-1B, L-1, O-1, EB-type petitions.

    Claim ID: us-2024-04-uscis-fee-rule#claim-2·Cite this claim

    Source: Federal Register — USCIS Fee Schedule final rule (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)·source verified 22 June 2026·page reviewed 22 June 2026

  • Policy claim 3

    Premium processing was retained at USD 2,805 in the 2024 rule (later raised to USD 2,965 on 1 March 2026; 15 business days).

    Claim ID: us-2024-04-uscis-fee-rule#claim-3·Cite this claim

    Source: Federal Register — USCIS Fee Schedule final rule (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)·source verified 22 June 2026·page reviewed 22 June 2026

Routes affected

  • H-1B Specialty Occupation
  • L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager)
  • L-1B Intracompany Transferee (Specialised Knowledge)
  • O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
  • EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)
  • EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)
  • EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers

Primary source

Primary source

Federal Register — USCIS Fee Schedule final rule ↗ · U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Link last verified: 22 June 2026

More United States of America changes →

  • 12 January 2026

    US: premium processing rises to $2,965 and H-1B moves to wage-weighted selection

← All policy changes

This is not legal advice

We publish neutral, sourced information about immigration routes. Rules and thresholds change often — always verify details on the official government source linked on this page and consult a regulated immigration advisor before applying.