The United States has announced an increase in premium processing fees for several visa categories, including H-1B and L-1 visas, raising the fee from $2,805 to $2,965. The revised charges will come into effect from March 1 this year. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that processing fees for other visa categories have also been revised.
According to USCIS, the fee hike takes into account inflation recorded between June 2023 and June 2025. The additional charges are levied to facilitate faster processing of visa applications. The increased premium processing fees will apply to H-1B, L-1, O-1, P-1 and TN visas filed under Form I-129.
For F-1 and J-1 visa applicants filing under Form I-539, the premium processing fee has been raised from $1,965 to $2,075. USCIS stated that the additional revenue generated from the fee increase will be used exclusively to enhance premium processing services. The decision is expected to impact students and skilled professionals from India as well as other countries.