US implements higher immigration fees - introduces annual asylum levy

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a significant increase in immigration-related fees, effective Tuesday, July 22, 2025, following the enactment of the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill.

According to a Federal Register notice issued on 18 July, applications postmarked from that date must include the newly mandated charges.

One of the most notable changes is the introduction of a $100 filing fee for asylum applications (Form I-589), along with a newly mandated Annual Asylum Fee (AAF) of $100 for each calendar year an asylum application remains pending.

USCIS made it clear that “any alien who filed or files a Form I-589 after 1 October 2024… must pay the AAF on the one-year anniversary of his or her filing date and each year thereafter.”

Employment Authorisation Document (EAD) applications, submitted under Form I-765, have also seen a sharp increase.

Initial EAD applications will now cost $550, while renewals or extensions are priced at $275. A reduced fee of $275 will apply to EADs issued after parole approvals using Form I-131.

USCIS also introduced a $250 fee for Special Immigrant Juvenile applications using Form I-360 and hiked the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) registration fee from $50 to $500.

Officials emphasised that these fees are in addition to existing charges under USCIS rules and are non-waivable, even for those eligible for traditional fee relief.

In a further adjustment, the validity period for work permits is being shortened. Parolees will now receive EADs valid for one year or the duration of parole—whichever is shorter. TPS beneficiaries will have EADs valid for either one year or the length of their protection period.

USCIS added that additional fee updates, including those for travel documents and replacement arrival-departure records, will be announced in due course.