{"data":{"prismicArticle":{"uid":"uscis-hikes-premium-processing-fees","tags":["politics"],"first_publication_date":"2026-01-10T12:39:07+0000","last_publication_date":"2026-01-10T17:19:49+0000","data":{"third_party_url":"www.andhraheadlines.com","title":{"text":"USCIS hikes premium processing fees"},"rating":null,"datetime":"2026-01-10T03:42:00+0000","img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/9706436b-2277-4f44-ba60-6cc43c85127f_USCIS.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"embed":{"embed_url":null,"thumbnail_url":null,"author_url":null,"title":null},"content":{"raw":[{"text":"US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced an increase in fees for premium processing of several immigration benefits, including the H-1B visa, effective March 1."},{"text":""},{"text":"USCIS said the premium processing fee has been increased to reflect the amount of inflation from June 2023 through June 2025."},{"text":""},{"text":"The changes affect key employment-based and non-immigrant filings widely used by foreign professionals, including Indian nationals working or studying in the United States."},{"text":""},{"text":"Under the revised fee schedule, the premium processing fee for Form I-129 petitions for H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status will rise from $1,685 to $1,780."},{"text":""},{"text":"Premium processing for all other available Form I-129 classifications — including H-1B, L-1, O-1, P-1 and TN visas — will increase from $2,805 to $2,965."},{"text":""},{"text":"The same $2,965 premium processing fee will apply to Form I-140 immigrant petitions for alien workers across employment-based categories, up from the previous $2,805, USCIS said."},{"text":""},{"text":"Premium processing fees will also rise for certain applications to extend or change nonimmigrant status. For Form I-539 applications covering F-1 and F-2 students, J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors, and M-1 and M-2 vocational students, the fee will increase from $1,965 to $2,075."},{"text":""},{"text":"For applicants seeking expedited employment authorization, USCIS said the premium processing fee for Form I-765 applications — including Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM-OPT classifications — will increase from $1,685 to $1,780."},{"text":""},{"text":"USCIS emphasized that the increased revenue would be used to support agency operations. “The revenue generated by this fee increase will be used to provide premium processing services; make improvements to adjudication processes; respond to adjudication demands, including processing backlogs; and otherwise fund USCIS adjudication and naturalization services,” the notice said."},{"text":""},{"text":"The fee changes are expected to have a direct impact on Indian professionals, students and employers, who make up a significant share of H-1B, L-1, employment-based green card and OPT filings."},{"text":""},{"text":"Premium processing is often used by employers and applicants seeking faster adjudication timelines for job changes, extensions, travel planning and status certainty."},{"text":""},{"text":"Indian nationals are the largest beneficiaries of US employment-based visas, particularly the H-1B programme, and also account for a substantial portion of the employment-based green card backlog."},{"text":""},{"text":"Optional Practical Training and STEM-OPT extensions are widely used by Indian students graduating from US universities as a bridge to longer-term work visas H-1B."}]}}},"relatedArticles":{"edges":[{"node":{"uid":"brs-student-wing-stages-protest-over-mp-suryas-remarks","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"BRS student wing stages protest over MP Surya’s remarks"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/aeIG9Z1ZCF7ETSSI_BRSStudentwing.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-04-17T08:10:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"gautam-adani-becomes-asias-richest-person","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Gautam Adani becomes Asia’s richest"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/Z02IxpbqstJ978If_adani.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"datetime":"2026-04-17T05:51:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"amit-shahs-firm-stance-no-religious-reservations-for-muslims-mo2pi22d","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Amit Shah: No Religious Reservations for Muslims"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad%2F9a998da1-ed74-4d1d-bf5c-3ce42a2986be_amit+shah.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=0,44,1280,631&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-04-16T19:29:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"bengaluru-businessmans-honeytrap-nightmare-blackmailed-after-instagram-encounter-mo2pi7w3","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Businessman’s Honeytrap Nightmare"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/c8335006-73f0-4db2-9b9f-f9d6f0421a05_love+is+blind.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-04-16T18:30:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"ysr-congress-leader-released-on-bail","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"YSR Congress leader released on bail"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad%2F7216aea1-016a-4612-8cd4-886237641335_ysrcp.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C5%2C1200%2C592&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-04-16T13:39:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"tvk-manifesto-welfare-ai-1.5t-goal","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"TVK Manifesto: Welfare, AI, $1.5T Goal"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/aeEUw51ZCF7ETQr3_vijaytvk.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-04-16T13:15:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"from-now-onwards-nari-shakti-will-not-be-just-a-slogan","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"From now onwards, Nari Shakti will not be just a slogan"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/adOj4pGXnQHGZSCp_pawan.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-04-16T07:30:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"infosys-denies-pune-harassment-claims","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Infosys Denies Pune Harassment Claims"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/7766529c-412f-4d9a-a068-c32a77895fee_infosys.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"datetime":"2026-04-16T06:06:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"case-filed-against-vijay","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Case filed against Vijay"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/aPPHEJ5xUNkB2HoK_vijay.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"datetime":"2026-04-16T05:30:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"pichai-ranbir-in-times-100-most-influential-people-of-2026","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Pichai, Ranbir in TIME's '100 Most Influential'"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/aeC5qZ1ZCF7ETPhc_pichairanbir.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-04-16T05:28:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"madras-hc-orders-i-t-probe-on-udhayanidhi-assets","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Court Orders Probe on Udhayanidhi Assets"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/5eb52f79-f1fb-4224-8660-30b6f9452808_udhanidhi+stallin.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"datetime":"2026-04-15T08:13:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"lokesh-elevated-as-national-wp-of-tdp","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Lokesh elevated as national WP of TDP"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/Z4vnQ5bqstJ99mOE_lokesh.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-04-15T07:41:00+0000"}}}]}},"pageContext":{"isCreatedByStatefulCreatePages":false,"uid":"uscis-hikes-premium-processing-fees","tags":["politics"]}}