USCIS Increases Premium Processing Fees Effective March 1, 2026

The Department of Homeland Security has published a final rule increasing USCIS premium processing fees, effective March 1, 2026. The increases are authorized under the USCIS Stabilization Act, which permits fee adjustments every two years to account for inflation — in this case, reflecting inflation measured from June 2023 through June 2025. For EB-3 applicants, the most directly relevant change affects Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. Premium processing fees for I-140 petitions — covering EB-3 skilled workers (E31), EB-3 professionals (E32), and EB-3 unskilled/other workers (EW3) — will increase from $2,805 to $2,965, a rise of $160. Applicants filing Form I-129 for certain nonimmigrant worker classifications will see fees rise from $2,805 to $2,965 as well, while H-2B, R-1, and employment authorization (OPT/STEM-OPT) petitions will increase from $1,685 to $1,780. Form I-539 premium processing will go from $1,965 to $2,075. The additional revenue generated by this fee increase will fund premium processing services, adjudication process improvements, backlog reduction efforts, and broader USCIS naturalization and adjudication operations. EB-3 petitioners who plan to use premium processing should be aware that any Form I-907 (Request for Premium Processing) postmarked on or after March 1, 2026 must include the new fee amount. Submissions postmarked before that date may use the current fee schedule.