The premium processing fee for H-1B visa applications in the United States, administered by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), is set to increase starting February 26, 2024. This adjustment affects several forms, including I-129, I-140, I-539, and I-765, which respectively pertain to various aspects of immigration such as alien worker petitions, non-immigrant status changes or extensions, and employment authorization.
Specifically, the premium processing fees for these forms are being raised from US$ 1,500 to US$ 1,685, US$ 1,750 to US$ 1,965, and US$ 2,500 to US$ 2,805. The USCIS justifies this increase, citing a 12 percent rise in H-1B visa processing, resulting in the final fee of US$ 2,805. The authority for adjusting these fees lies with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), granted by the USCIS Stabilization Act, allowing biennial revisions.
The revenue generated from the premium processing fee hike is earmarked for enhancing premium processing services, optimizing adjudication processes, meeting adjudication demands, including reducing backlogs in benefit request processing, and funding USCIS adjudication and naturalization services. This move aligns with the USCIS’s commitment to addressing operational needs and maintaining efficient immigration services.
