US Immigration Update: Higher Premium Visa Fees for H-1B, F-1, and O-1 Applications; Check New Rates

The United States has announced a hike in premium visa processing fees, a move that will impact thousands of foreign nationals, including a large number of Indian professionals and students planning to work or study in the US. The fee increase has been confirmed by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and will come into effect from March 1, 2026.

Why Has the US Increased Premium Visa Processing Fees?

According to USCIS, the premium processing fee hike has been implemented to adjust for inflation recorded between June 2023 and June 2025. The move is in line with provisions of the USCIS Stabilisation Act, which allows the DHS to revise premium processing fees every two years to protect their real value. In an official statement, USCIS said the fee revision is necessary to ensure the agency can continue offering fast-track visa services without financial strain.

"Fees will continue to be adjusted agency-wise to account for inflation and protect the real dollar value of the premium processing service we provide," USCIS stated.

How Will the Increased Fees Be Used?

USCIS clarified that the additional revenue generated from the premium processing fee hike will be used to:

• Improve visa adjudication processes
• Reduce visa processing backlogs
• Meet rising application volumes
• Support USCIS adjudication and naturalisation services

This means applicants are paying more to help USCIS process cases faster and manage delays more effectively.

When Will the New US Premium Visa Fees Apply?

The new premium processing fees will be applicable for all requests submitted on or after March 1, 2026. Applicants opting for premium processing must file Form I-907, officially called the Request for Premium Processing.

If the request is filed before March 1, the old fee structure will apply.

Who Will Be Affected by the US Premium Visa Fee Hike?

The revised fees will affect employment-based and non-immigrant visa categories, which are widely used by Indian nationals. These include H-1B work visas, F-1 student visa status changes, O-1 visas for individuals with extraordinary ability, L-1 multinational managers and religious workers and seasonal workers.

Revised Premium Processing Fees

Under the updated fee structure, the premium processing fee for Form I-129 petitions (H-2B and R-1 categories) will increase from $1,685 to $1,780.

USCIS is expected to release a detailed category-wise fee table covering H-1B, F-1 conversions, O-1 and other visa types.