USCIS Fee Increases

Written By TN Immigrant

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has just announced a new set of required fees for many immigration applications. These fees will apply to all applications submitted to USCIS after 07/22/2025, and some individuals who have ALREADY FILED their applications will also need to submit additional payments for their pending applications. 

The increased fees will be required IN ADDITION to standard USCIS filing fees. Both must be submitted or an application may be rejected. Unless otherwise noted, these fees CANNOT be waived, even if the corresponding USCIS filing fee IS waivable. Keep reading for how the fee changes affect people applying for different statuses. 

Asylum

  • All new applications for asylum must be accompanied by a payment of $100. 

  • For applications that were pending for an entire Fiscal Year (October 1st of the year before until September 30th of the following year), applicants will need to pay a recurring $100 fee at the end of the Fiscal Year (September 30)

  • Individuals with pending asylum applications who are required to pay the new additional fee will be receiving a notice from USCIS around the end of the Fiscal Year (September 30, 2025) with instructions on how to pay. TIRRC will provide updates about this notice when individuals start receiving them. 

Examples

  • Application was received by USCIS on April 15, 2024. USCIS makes a decision on August 20, 2025. Applicant does not have to pay any fee because a decision was made  before the end of the Fiscal Year. 

  • Application was received by USCIS on April 15, 2024. USCIS does not make a decision. On September 30th, 2025, that applicant will have to pay a $100 fee. 

  • Application was received by USCIS on April 15, 2024. USCIS does not make a decision. On September 30th, 2025, that applicant will have to pay a $100 fee. USCIS does not make a decision the next Fiscal Year. On September 30th, 2026, that applicant will have to pay ANOTHER $100. This continues for each year until the application receives a decision. 

  • Application is filed August 1st, 2025. Applicant has to include $100 with application. If the application remains pending on September 30, 2025, applicant DOES NOT have to submit an additional $100 this Fiscal Year. However, if the application remains pending on September 30, 2026, the applicant WILL have to pay an additional $100. 

Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

  • Individuals can apply for TPS and TPS-based work authorization (Employment Authorization Document or EAD) separately. Not everyone who applies for TPS needs to apply for work authorization; however, for many immigrants, their work permit is the first form of U.S.-issued ID that they can use to apply for other things such as a Driver’s License. 

  • Initial applicants for TPS already had to pay a $30 fee for TPS and a $50 fee for TPS-related biometrics. Some people qualified for a fee waiver of these two fees. With the new changes, applicants must pay an additional $500 fee that cannot be waived. 

  • Applicants who also want to apply for an TPS-based EAD for the first time already had to pay a $520 filing fee ($470 if application was done online) that could be waived. After the changes, these applicants will have to pay an additional $550. 

  • People who are renewing their TPS-based EAD already had to pay a $520 filing fee ($470 if application was done online) that could be waived. After the changes, these applicants will have to pay an additional $275. 

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)

  • SIJS is a status that exists to help children who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by at least one of their parents. 

  • It is only available for individuals under 21 years of age and requires a finding by an U.S. State court that the child should not be reunified with at least one of their parents due to abuse, abandonment, or neglect. 

  • Previously, applying for SIJS had no fee. After the changes, these children will be forced to pay a $250 for which there is no waiver.

TN Immigrant