The recently passed “Big Beautiful Bill,” i.e. HR-1, introduces major changes to the U.S. immigration system, with one of the most immediate and concerning effects being a substantial increase in filing fees to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). With the bill now law, USCIS is implementing a new fee structure that raises costs across many immigration applications and petitions. These new fees, which involve additional fees on top of current USCIS fees, affect a wide range of individuals and entities, and will be felt far and wide.
USCIS recently published a Federal Register Notice specifying some, but not all, of the fees implemented by the bill and announcing that the fees “must be submitted for any immigration benefit requests postmarked on or after July 22, 2025. Any form postmarked on or after August 21, 2025 without the proper filing fee will be rejected.” It is not yet clear what will happen to applications submitted without the fees between July 22 and August 21, but likely, the applicant may receive a request for the HR-1 before further processing.
Importantly, but confusingly, the new fees authorized under HR-1 are required “in addition” to current USCIS fees—which are codified separately in 8 CFR part 106— and “in addition to any other fee authorized by law.” Critically, these fees must be “submitted separately,” i.e. via separate filing fee checks.
Under the new fee increases, many standard immigration filings are now significantly more expensive. A garden variety of Employment Authorization Documents will now cost an additional $275 or $550, depending on the category on which the application is based. There is no fee waiver for the HR-1 fees.
Humanitarian applicants will be hit hardest. The new fees include a $500 fee for initial Temporary Protected Status registration; a $250 fee for what the Federal Register Notice refers to as the “Special Immigrant Juvenile Fee” but further states applies to any noncitizen who files Form I-360, which includes categories such as religious workers, widowers of U.S. Citizens, Afghan and Iraqi Translators, among others; a $100 fee per asylum application (previously zero dollar cost); and a new “annual pending asylum application fee” of $100, which can only be submitted online.
The Federal Register Notice acknowledges that the additional fees authorized by HR-1 became effective on July 4, 2025 but the notice does not announce all fees required or authorized—instead, promising announcement of “ the collection of any fees not covered in this notice in a future action.”
Those fees not yet published but promised include:
- An Immigration Parole Fee
- A Visa Integrity Fee
- A Form I-94 Fee
- An ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) fee (not administered by USCIS)
- A Fee for Aliens Ordered Removed in Absentia (not administered by USCIS)
- A fee for Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records
- A fee for Form I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document.
The changes brought by the “Big Beautiful Bill” represent a major financial shift for anyone navigating the U.S. immigration system. While the legislation directs more resources to USCIS, the increased costs fall directly on applicants and petitioners. The new USCIS fee schedule is already in effect or is being phased in, depending on the form type. Individuals, families, and employers should immediately review their immigration needs, seek legal guidance, and consider how the new fees impact their filing strategy. Filing under the previous fee schedule alone is no longer an option, and failing to adapt to the new cost structure could delay or jeopardize critical immigration benefits.
