The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently announced an important update that impacts individuals and businesses seeking expedited processing for certain immigration forms. Starting February 26, 2024, the USCIS will increase in premium processing fees for various applications, including Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker), Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker), Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status), and Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization).

 

This inflation-based adjustment, which reflects the Consumer Price Index's changes from June 2021 through June 2023, increases from $1,500 to $1,685 for H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status on Form I-129, $2,500 to $2,805 for other I-129 classifications and I-140 petitions, and from $1750 to $1965 for I-539  forms. The increased revenue aims to enhance USCIS services, including premium processing, adjudication processes, backlog reduction, and funding for various USCIS operations.

 

For more details on the specific fee changes and their implications, please refer to the official USCIS announcement here.