Short answer: a set of USCIS fees goes up on October 16, 2026. The increase covers the fee items created by H.R. 1, and most of them move by $10. However, the deadline has teeth. Under the notice’s own wording, any benefit request postmarked on or after October 16, 2026 without the proper filing fee will be rejected. In short, you have 11 days left to mail at the old amount.
One distinction matters before you read the numbers. These are H.R. 1 fees. In other words, they sit on top of the regular USCIS filing fees, not in place of them. Therefore, the $570 in the table below is not what an I-765 costs. Below we walk through each item, who it reaches, and where to confirm your actual total.
What you will find in this article
- Why October 16, 2026 is the date that decides your fee
- The full FY 2027 table: what moved and what did not
- Why rounding kept several amounts flat
- How H.R. 1 fees stack on top of regular filing fees
- Where pending cases and the annual asylum fee land
- The payment mistakes that get filings rejected
Quick overview
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| When do the new amounts start? | Friday, October 16, 2026. Last day at the old amount is Thursday, October 15. |
| What if I send the wrong fee? | USCIS rejects the filing, and it never reaches processing. |
| How big is the increase? | CPI-U rose 3.36 percent. Most items move $10. |
| Which forms are covered? | I-589, I-765, I-821, I-360, I-131 parole and I-94. |
| Does this touch I-130, I-140, I-485 or N-400? | No. This notice does not change those fees. |
| What is my total? | An H.R. 1 fee is added to the filing fee. Check Form G-1055. |
| What about a filing already in the mail? | If the postmark predates October 16, the old amount governs. |
What changed in USCIS fees October 2026?
USCIS published the FY 2027 inflation adjustment in the Federal Register on October 1, 2026. The notice runs at 91 FR 62540, carries CIS No. 2879-26, and bears the signature of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. The notice then takes effect on October 16, 2026.
The authority comes from H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed on July 4, 2025. That law created a new layer of immigration fees, codified them at 8 U.S.C. Chapter 16, and requires an inflation update every fiscal year. Therefore, October 16 is simply the FY 2027 run of that update.
October 16, 2026 falls on a Friday, so the last practical mailing day at the old amount is Thursday, October 15. The new USCIS rule for deadlines that land on a weekend does not help here, because the effective date is a business day.
How was the 3.36 percent figured?
USCIS compared the CPI-U for July 2025 with July 2026. The index for all urban consumers read 323.048 in July 2025 and 333.918 in July 2026. As a result, that 10.87-point gap works out to roughly 3.36 percent. The statute then requires rounding down to the next lowest multiple of $10. The annual asylum fee rounds down to the nearest dollar instead.
USCIS fees October 2026: the full FY 2027 table
| Fee item | FY 2026 | FY 2027 (from Oct. 16) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-589 initial asylum fee | $100 | $100 | None |
| I-589 annual pending asylum application fee | $102 | $105 | $3 |
| I-765 initial asylum EAD | $560 | $570 | $10 |
| I-765 asylum EAD renewal or extension | $275 | $275 | None |
| I-765 initial parole EAD, valid 1 year | $560 | $570 | $10 |
| I-765 parole EAD renewal or extension | $280 | $280 | None |
| I-765 initial TPS EAD | $560 | $570 | $10 |
| I-765 TPS EAD renewal or extension | $280 | $280 | None |
| I-765 re-parole EAD | $280 | $280 | None |
| I-821 TPS fee | $510 | $520 | $10 |
| I-360 special immigrant juvenile fee | $250 | $250 | None |
| I-131 immigration parole fee | $1,020 | $1,050 | $30 |
| I-94 immigration fee | $24 | $24 | None |
The largest single jump is the I-131 immigration parole fee. Inflation lifts $1,020 to $1,054.32, and rounding brings it back to $1,050. TPS holders feel two lines at once: the I-821 goes to $520, and an initial TPS employment authorization document goes to $570.
Which USCIS fees October 2026 left unchanged
Most of the flat lines did get an inflation calculation. Rounding then erased it. The $280 renewal fees rise to $289.42 on paper, and the next lowest multiple of $10 is still $280. Similarly, the same arithmetic holds the SIJ fee at $250 and the initial asylum fee at $100. The I-94 fee rounds to the nearest dollar, so $24.81 falls back to $24.
The asylum EAD renewal fee is the one real exception. It stayed at $275 not because of rounding but because H.R. 1 provides no inflation adjustment for that item at all. Moreover, USCIS points to 8 U.S.C. 1810 for this.
In addition, one more detail breeds confusion. DHS says in the notice that it may codify these annual adjustments in 8 CFR part 106 in a future rule. In other words, the regulation text still carries older numbers. Therefore, price your filing from the current fee schedule, not from the CFR.
How USCIS fees October 2026 sit on top of regular filing fees
This is the mistake we see most. H.R. 1 built a second fee layer in 2025. Meanwhile, the traditional USCIS filing fees under INA 286(m) are still there. The two layers are not alternatives; they stack.
For example, if an asylum applicant files a first-time I-765, the $570 in the table is the H.R. 1 piece of that filing. Whether a filing fee also attaches depends on the eligibility category. So “the I-765 now costs $570” is a shortcut that gets packages rejected.
Confirm your total in one place: the USCIS Form G-1055 fee schedule. It lists, by form and category, which amounts travel together, and each release carries an edition date. In addition, the interim final rule published on April 29, 2026 set out separately how waivers and exemptions work for H.R. 1 items. Therefore, do not assume your item carries a waiver.
Do the USCIS fees October 2026 changes reach your case?
In short, three questions settle it.
- Does your filing include one of the items in the table above? If not, this notice leaves your fee alone.
- Will your package be postmarked on or after October 16, 2026? If yes, the new amount applies.
- Have you confirmed the figure against the current edition of Form G-1055?
By contrast, fees for I-130, I-140, I-485, I-539, I-129 and N-400 do not appear in this notice. Other things did change with the new fiscal year, and we collected those in a separate piece on the immigration changes that took effect October 1, 2026.
The notice draws its line at the postmark. Online submissions carry no postmark, so treat your submission date as the trigger, save the amount shown at checkout, and keep the confirmation receipt. Finally, for paper filings, use a tracked mail service, which may be your only proof of the postmark date.
ICE and CBP fees go up the same day
DHS published two companion notices on October 1, both effective October 16. At 91 FR 62542, ICE enforcement fees rise to $5,300 for FY 2027. In addition, they reach people arrested after an in absentia removal order and people apprehended between ports of entry. At 91 FR 62534, the CBP parole fee becomes $1,050, a land border I-94 application stays at $30, ESTA goes to $40.62 and EVUS registration to $31.75.
Common mistakes
- Treating the H.R. 1 fee as a replacement for the filing fee
- Reading the $570 line as the full cost of an I-765
- Assuming the rounding goes up and writing a check for $580
- Expecting the asylum EAD renewal fee to rise with everything else
- Pricing a filing from 8 CFR part 106 instead of the fee schedule
- Reading October 16 as a filing deadline rather than a start date
Short checklist
- Does your package include any item from the table?
- Will it be postmarked by Thursday, October 15?
- Did you verify the amount on the current Form G-1055?
- Did you price the H.R. 1 item and the filing fee separately?
- Do you have a tracking record that shows the postmark date?
Frequently asked questions
How much do I pay in total under USCIS fees October 2026?
In fact, there is no single number. Your total depends on the form, the category and anything else in the same package. Therefore, read your own line on the current Form G-1055.
I am mailing on October 15. Which fee applies?
The notice keys off the postmark date. The old amount governs a package postmarked before October 16, 2026. Use a tracked service so you can prove that date later.
Do the new USCIS fees affect a green card application in 2026?
This notice does not change the I-130, I-140 or I-485 fee. If your package also includes an H.R. 1 item, such as an I-765 or an I-131 parole request, that item follows the new amount.
Why did my asylum EAD renewal fee stay at $275?
Because H.R. 1 provides no inflation adjustment for that item. USCIS cites 8 U.S.C. 1810 on this point. The renewal fee holds at $275.
Does my pending asylum case now owe $105 a year?
The FY 2027 amount is $105. This item is not a one-time filing fee; it comes due each year the application stays pending. Confirm with USCIS which amount applies on your own payment date. We explain the mechanics in our piece on the annual asylum fee and referral without an interview.
What happens if I send the wrong fee?
The notice says the request will be rejected. A rejection means the filing was never processed, so you have to send it again, and the time you lose counts against you.
8 CFR part 106 still shows the old numbers. Which controls?
The FY 2027 amounts announced in the notice control. DHS says it may codify the annual adjustments in 8 CFR part 106 later, so the regulation text is currently behind.
Conclusion: USCIS fees October 2026 and the 11-day window
The calendar is blunt. Packages postmarked through Thursday, October 15 pay the old amount. Anything postmarked Friday, October 16 or later pays the new one. A wrong fee is not treated like a missing document that you can fix after filing; the package is rejected. USCIS announced the increase the same day in its own alert.
Before you mail, write out two figures separately: the H.R. 1 item and the filing fee. Then verify the sum on Form G-1055. With USCIS case backlogs already running long, a rejection and a refiling are the last things your timeline needs.
If you are unsure which fee items attach to your package, contact Clinch Law Firm before you send it.
Legal information notice
This content is general information only. It is not legal advice, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and does not guarantee any outcome. Your total depends on your form, your category and the other requests in the same package. Fees, form editions and payment rules can change quickly. Legal information checked on: October 5, 2026.
