New USCIS Fees Take Effect October 16, 2026: The Postmark Rule, the Full Updated Fee List, and What Applicants, Employers, and Families Must Do Now

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement inflation-adjusted immigration fees required under H.R. 1 for fiscal year 2027. USCIS announced the changes on September 30, 2026. The related Federal Register notice was published on October 1, 2026.

The new fees apply to qualifying requests postmarked on or after October 16, 2026. USCIS will reject a request that is postmarked on or after that date and includes an incorrect fee.

This change affects certain asylum, parole, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and employment authorization filings. It also requires employers and human resources departments to review work authorization calendars, filing budgets, and I-9 compliance procedures.

What Changed and How the Postmark Rule Works

The FY 2027 adjustments are based on inflation from July 2025 through July 2026. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased by approximately 3.36 percent during that period.

For most affected fees, H.R. 1 requires USCIS to apply the inflation adjustment and round the result down to the next lower $10 increment. The annual pending-asylum fee is rounded down to the nearest dollar.

The effective-date rule is direct:

• A request postmarked before October 16, 2026 generally uses the prior applicable fee.
• A request postmarked on or after October 16, 2026 must include the FY 2027 fee.
• USCIS will reject a request postmarked on or after October 16 with an incorrect fee.
• The mailing date, not the date USCIS opens the package, controls for mailed requests.
• Applicants must verify the current USCIS Fee Schedule, Form G-1055 before filing.

A filing package should not be mailed based solely on an expected delivery date. Applicants should preserve evidence of the mailing date, including tracking information and the postal receipt.

Full FY 2027 USCIS H.R. 1 Fee Table

The following table summarizes the USCIS-administered H.R. 1 fees identified in the FY 2027 Federal Register notice.

The $1,050 immigration parole fee is separate from any other fee that may apply to a particular Form I-131 request. Applicants must identify the specific benefit requested and review the applicable USCIS filing instructions.

The annual asylum application fee is separate from the initial Form I-589 filing fee. A person who is subject to the annual fee must follow USCIS instructions regarding when and how that fee is assessed.

The separate DHS enforcement-related fee notice also increases two fees from $5,130 to $5,300. Those fees concern specific enforcement circumstances and are not ordinary USCIS filing fees for Form I-589, Form I-765, Form I-821, or Form I-131.

Who Is Affected and Who Is Not

The fee increases primarily affect individuals and families pursuing humanitarian immigration benefits.

Affected filings may include:

• Initial asylum-applicant employment authorization documents.
• Initial parole-based employment authorization documents.
• Initial TPS employment authorization documents.
• TPS applications filed with Form I-821.
• Immigration parole requests subject to the H.R. 1 parole fee.
• Annual pending-asylum application fees.

The following amounts do not increase under this FY 2027 adjustment:

• The initial Form I-589 asylum application fee remains $100.
• Renewal or extension of an asylum-applicant EAD remains $275.
• Renewal or extension of a parole-based EAD remains $280.
• Renewal or extension of a TPS EAD remains $280.
• Re-parole EAD requests remain $280.
• The listed Form I-360 Special Immigrant Juvenile fee remains $250.
• The listed Form I-94 immigration fee remains $24.

This notice does not change every USCIS fee. Employment-based petitions, adjustment-of-status filings, family petitions, naturalization applications, and other requests remain subject to the fees listed in the current USCIS fee schedule. Separate fee rules may apply to those filings.

Some applicants may qualify for an exemption from a particular fee. Others may qualify for a waiver of a USCIS filing fee. However, H.R. 1 fees generally cannot be waived. A filer should not assume that submitting Form I-912 eliminates every fee associated with a request.

Filing Timing Strategy Before October 16

Applicants should determine whether filing before October 16 is legally and practically appropriate. The lower prior fee may be relevant, but filing early is not always the correct strategy. A request must be complete, supported by required evidence, and eligible for filing.

Individuals and families should take these steps:

1. Identify every form and fee. Review the form instructions, the USCIS fee schedule, and any applicable H.R. 1 supplemental fee.
2. Confirm eligibility to file now. A premature filing can create rejection, delay, or loss of filing costs.
3. Complete the correct form edition. USCIS may reject forms with missing pages, mismatched editions, or obsolete instructions.
4. Use the correct payment method. Confirm whether the filing requires a separate payment for a statutory fee.
5. Document the mailing date. Retain the postmark, shipping receipt, and tracking confirmation.
6. Recalculate the fee if mailing on or after October 16. Do not rely on an older fee calculation prepared before the effective date.

Applicants who need an EAD should also review expiration dates immediately. A fee change does not automatically extend employment authorization or immigration status.

Rejection and Work Authorization Lapse Consequences

USCIS has stated that requests postmarked on or after October 16 without the proper fee will be rejected. A rejection generally means that USCIS did not accept the filing for processing. The consequences may include:

• Loss of the intended filing date.
• Delay in obtaining an EAD or other benefit.
• Missed eligibility or regulatory deadlines.
• The need to prepare and pay for a new filing.
• A gap in employment authorization.
• Increased risk if a temporary status or parole period expires during the delay.

Applicants should not wait for a rejection notice before correcting a known fee problem. The filing should be reviewed before mailing or online submission.

EAD renewal rules are separate from the fee schedule. Some categories may qualify for an automatic extension of employment authorization when a timely renewal is properly filed. Eligibility depends on the EAD category, the renewal filing, and current USCIS rules. An expired card does not by itself establish that employment authorization has continued.

Employer and HR Action Items for I-9 Compliance

Employers that sponsor or employ foreign workers should incorporate the fee changes into their business immigration and workforce compliance systems. This is particularly important for employers supporting TPS holders, parolees, asylum applicants, or other employees with time-limited work authorization.

HR and mobility teams should:

• Review EAD expiration dates for all employees with temporary employment authorization.
• Identify employees who may require Form I-765 renewal or extension filings.
• Confirm whether a renewal must be filed before the current document expires.
• Budget for the applicable filing fee and any separate H.R. 1 fee.
• Update immigration case-management calendars for the October 16 transition.
• Coordinate with immigration counsel before promising continued employment.
• Apply Form I-9 reverification rules consistently and without requesting unnecessary documents.
• Review whether an automatic EAD extension applies to the specific category.
• Record the appropriate reverification information when required.
• Maintain documentation supporting the company’s compliance process.

Employers should not use the fee change as a basis for requesting a specific document from an employee. Form I-9 rules require employers to allow employees to choose acceptable documentation from the relevant lists. Employers must also avoid discriminatory practices in document requests and reverification.

An expired EAD or parole document may create a work authorization issue if no valid extension, automatic extension, or other employment authorization applies. The employer should obtain case-specific legal guidance before taking action.

For employers seeking a business immigration attorney or support with a work visa for foreign employees, early review can reduce avoidable interruptions and filing errors.

Key Sources and Official Guidance

The controlling materials include:

• USCIS FY 2027 fee alert
• Federal Register notice, 91 FR 62540
• USCIS Form G-1055 Fee Schedule
• Form I-589 information
• Form I-765 information
• Form I-821 information

USCIS may issue additional operational guidance. Applicants and employers should verify the fee and filing requirements immediately before submission.

Consult Blasingame Law LLC Before Filing

The October 16, 2026 transition creates a narrow but important filing deadline for affected requests. A rejected filing can delay work authorization, disrupt family or humanitarian benefits, and create additional compliance exposure.

Blasingame Law LLC assists individuals, families, employers, and HR teams with fee planning, filing strategy, work authorization matters, and I-9 compliance. The firm provides personalized guidance based on more than 30 years of immigration law experience.

Contact Blasingame Law LLC to schedule a consultation regarding USCIS fee planning, EAD timing, humanitarian filings, employment-based immigration, or workforce compliance.