Planning an H-1B, OPT or green card filing? USCIS has hiked premium processing fees from March 1, impacting workers, students and employers. How much more will you now have to pay and which visas are affected?
USCIS emphasised that the increased revenue would be used to support agency operations
Washington: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an increase in premium processing fees for several immigration benefits, including the widely used H-1B visa. The revised fee structure will come into effect from March 1 and will impact multiple employment-based and non-immigrant visa categories.
The revised costs are expected to have a significant impact on foreign professionals, students, and employers in the United States. Indian nationals, who form the largest group of H-1B visa holders and a major share of L-1, employment-based green card, and Optional Practical Training (OPT) applicants, are likely to be among the most affected.
US Embassy Warns Indian Students: How Breaking Laws Can Cancel Your Visa? Explained
USCIS stated that the fee increase reflects inflation from June 2023 to June 2025 and is aimed at strengthening agency operations.
According to the agency, the additional revenue will be used to improve adjudication processes, reduce processing backlogs, meet rising application demands, and support overall immigration and naturalisation services.
Under the new fee schedule:
Form I-129 (H-2B or R-1 visas): Fee increased from $1,685 to $1,780
Form I-129 (H-1B, L-1, O-1, P-1, TN visas): Fee raised from $2,805 to $2,965
Form I-140 (employment-based green cards): Premium processing fee increased from $2,805 to $2,965
Premium processing fees have also been revised for applicants seeking to extend or change non-immigrant status:
Form I-539 (F-1/F-2 students, J-1/J-2 exchange visitors, M-1/M-2 vocational students): Fee increased from $1,965 to $2,075
Form I-765 (employment authorization including OPT and STEM-OPT): Fee raised from $1,685 to $1,780
H-1B and H-4 visa rules tightened by US; What experts recommend
Premium processing allows applicants and employers to receive faster adjudication of immigration petitions, helping with job transitions, visa extensions, travel planning, and work authorization timelines. It is especially crucial for professionals on tight employment deadlines.
Indian nationals remain the largest beneficiaries of US employment-based visas, particularly the H-1B programme, and also account for a substantial portion of the green card backlog. OPT and STEM-OPT extensions are widely used by Indian students graduating from US universities, making the fee hike especially relevant for this group.
