The I-129 premium processing fee is $2,965 for most nonimmigrant classifications and $1,780 for H-2B and R-1 petitions, effective March 1, 2026. You pay it on top of the base filing fee and every other required charge, using Form I-907, and in exchange USCIS guarantees it will act on your petition within 15 business days.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Increase Premium Processing Fees
The Two Fee Tiers
USCIS applies the premium processing fee in two amounts, depending on classification. Any I-907 postmarked on or after March 1, 2026 must include the updated amount, or USCIS will reject the filing.
- $2,965 for E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-3, L-1A, L-1B, O-1, O-2, P-1, P-2, P-3, Q-1, TN-1, and TN-2 petitions.
- $1,780 for H-2B and R-1 petitions.
The premium processing fee is separate from every other filing fee. You cannot combine it with the base fee in a single payment, and USCIS does not apply an online filing discount to the premium processing charge.2eCFR. 8 CFR 106.2 – Fees
Which I-129 Petitions Qualify
Not every I-129 category is eligible. The classifications above are the full current list. If yours isn’t on it, premium processing isn’t available and you’re limited to standard processing, which can run several months depending on the service center’s backlog.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How Do I Request Premium Processing
One boundary worth naming: paying for premium processing on an H-2B petition gives you no advantage regarding the annual H-2B cap. The faster clock only affects adjudication of the petition itself.
What You’ll Actually Pay to File
The premium processing fee is one line on a bill that usually has several. Every I-129 also carries a base filing fee, an Asylum Program Fee, and for some classifications additional mandatory charges.
Base Filing Fee
The base fee depends on the classification and, in some cases, whether you file online or on paper. Representative amounts from the current USCIS fee schedule:4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule
- H-1B: $780 paper, $730 online.
- L-1: $1,385.
- E-1, E-2, E-3, TN: $1,015.
- O classifications: $1,055.
- P classifications: $1,015.
- R-1: $510.
- H-2B (named workers): $1,080.
Small employers and nonprofits may qualify for reduced base fees on certain classifications. Check Form G-1055 for the amount that applies to you.
Asylum Program Fee
Every I-129 petition requires this fee, regardless of classification. The amount depends on employer size:5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. H and L Filing Fees for Form I-129
- $600 for employers with more than 25 full-time equivalent employees.
- $300 for employers with 25 or fewer FTE employees.
- $0 for nonprofit organizations.
Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee
H-1B and L-1 petitions require a $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee when the petition is for an initial grant of status, a change of status, or a change of employer. Extensions with the same employer don’t trigger it.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 2, Part L, Chapter 7 – Filing
The $100,000 H-1B Supplemental Payment
A Presidential Proclamation effective September 21, 2025 requires a $100,000 payment for new H-1B petitions filed on behalf of workers outside the United States. The restriction is set to expire 12 months after that date unless extended, and exceptions exist where the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that hiring the worker is in the national interest.7The White House. Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers This charge is separate from every other USCIS fee. If you’re filing a new H-1B petition, confirm with immigration counsel whether it applies to your case before filing.
Who Is Allowed to Pay It
For H-1B petitions, Department of Labor rules prohibit the employer from passing filing costs to the worker. An H-1B employee can never be required to pay expenses directly related to the I-129, and that includes the premium processing fee. Even voluntary reimbursement arrangements violate the rule if they drop the worker’s pay below the required wage.8U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 62H: Rules Concerning Deductions From an H-1B Worker’s Pay
For other nonimmigrant classifications, federal law doesn’t impose the same blanket prohibition. In practice, the petitioning employer nearly always pays because the employer is the one filing. If you’re an L-1 or O-1 beneficiary and your employer asks you to reimburse filing costs, talk to an immigration attorney about your specific situation.
How to Pay It: Form I-907
Premium processing is requested by filing Form I-907, either together with the I-129 or after the I-129 is already pending, as long as USCIS hasn’t issued a final decision. Download the form directly from the USCIS website right before you file. USCIS will reject any filing where pages are missing or come from different form editions.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service
The form asks for the petitioner’s legal name, the beneficiary’s name, and the specific nonimmigrant classification. If you’re filing after the I-129 is already in the system, include the receipt number from the pending petition so USCIS can link the two.
For concurrent filings, put the I-907 and its fee in the same package as the I-129 and send everything to the filing location designated for that classification. For standalone requests, mail the I-907 to the service center currently processing your I-129. Addresses change by petition type and location, so verify the correct one on the USCIS website before mailing.
When filing by mail, you can pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or by money order.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions Submit the premium processing payment separately from your other filing fees so each charge processes correctly. Online filing of Form I-907 is available for some classifications; check the USCIS “Forms Available to File Online” page to see whether yours qualifies.
What the Fee Buys You
USCIS guarantees action within 15 business days of receiving a complete premium processing request. Weekends and federal holidays don’t count, and the clock starts when the correct service center has the filing and payment in hand.
“Action” doesn’t have to mean approval. USCIS may issue an approval, a denial, a Request for Evidence, a Notice of Intent to Deny, or open a fraud investigation. Any of those satisfies the guarantee.
If USCIS issues an RFE or NOID, the 15-business-day clock stops and resets. A new 15-business-day period begins when USCIS receives your response. Paying for premium processing doesn’t prevent an RFE, and responding to one can add weeks or months to your overall timeline. A carefully assembled initial filing is the best defense.
If USCIS fails to act within the guaranteed window, it must refund the premium processing fee automatically, without a separate request, and the petition continues to receive expedited processing even after the refund is issued. If the deadline has passed and no refund has arrived, contact the USCIS Contact Center or submit an e-Request through your online account to follow up.