The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a scheduled increase in fees for several key immigration benefits, set to take effect from the start of 2026. This adjustment, mandated by law, is an inflation-based update and coincides with a broader period of heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
Updated Fee Structure: What Will Cost More?
According to an official Federal Register notice, the new fees will apply to applications postmarked on or after January 1, 2026. The USCIS has warned that any request submitted on or after this date without the updated fee will be rejected. The increases are based on inflation measured between July 2024 and July 2025.
The primary fee changes impact forms related to asylum and employment authorization. For instance, the annual asylum application fee will rise from $100 (approx. ₹8,900) to $102 (approx. ₹9,165). More significant for many applicants are the hikes for Form I-765, the Application for Employment Authorization (EAD).
Key increases include:
- Form I-765 for Initial Asylum Applicant EAD: Rising from $550 (~₹49,400) to $560 (~₹50,300).
- Form I-765 for Initial Parole or TPS EAD: Also increasing from $550 to $560.
- Form I-765 for Renewal/Extension of Parole or TPS EAD: Going up from $275 (~₹24,700) to $280 (~₹25,100).
- Form I-821 for Temporary Protected Status (TPS): Increasing from $500 (~₹44,900) to $510 (~₹45,800).
Fees That Will Remain Unchanged
Not all fees are rising. The USCIS clarified that several important application costs will remain the same under this particular adjustment. These include the initial I-589 Asylum fee, which stays at $100, the I-765 fee for renewal or extension of an Asylum Applicant's EAD at $275, and the I-360 fee for Special Immigrant Juveniles at $250. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will continue to issue annual notices for any future inflation-based adjustments.
Broader Context: Visa Crackdown and Travel Bans
This fee update occurs within a larger framework of stringent immigration policies. The Trump administration has enacted a significant crackdown, including plans for enhanced workplace enforcement raids starting in 2026, which analysts warn could affect labour markets and inflation.
Furthermore, starting January 1, 2026, the US will impose a complete entry ban on citizens from 12 nations: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Partial restrictions will apply to nationals from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Green card applicants and holders from 19 countries identified as security concerns will also face intensified scrutiny. USCIS chief Joseph Edlow stated the administration has ordered a comprehensive review of every green card issued to nationals from these countries of concern.
The policy shift is backed by substantial funding; a recent spending bill passed by Congress allocates an additional $170 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol through September 2029.
For Indian nationals and aspirants in the US immigration pipeline, these developments signal a period of rising costs and increased regulatory scrutiny, making careful financial and legal planning more crucial than ever.
