H-1B Premium Processing in 2026: Fees and Timelines

Current premium processing fees

DHS adjusted premium processing fees for inflation from June 2023 to June 2025. USCIS announced the change on January 9, 2026.

The new fees apply to Form I-907 requests postmarked on or after March 1, 2026:

• Form I-129 for H-1B, L-1A, O-1, TN and similar: $2,965, up from $2,805.
• Form I-129 for H-2B or R-1: $1,780, up from $1,685.
• Form I-140 for listed employment-based categories: $2,965, up from $2,805.
• Form I-539 for F, J and M students: $2,075, up from $1,965.
• Form I-765 for OPT and STEM OPT: $1,780, up from $1,685.

USCIS rejects an I-907 sent with the wrong fee and returns the payment. The premium fee is in addition to the base filing fees, Penn Global notes.

Timelines

USCIS lists these premium processing timeframes:

1. Form I-129, including H-1B: 15 business days for most classifications.
2. Form I-140: 15 business days for most categories, 45 for E13 and national interest waiver.
3. Form I-765 for OPT and STEM OPT: 30 business days.
4. Form I-539 for change to F, J or M status: 30 business days.

How the clock works

The clock starts when USCIS receives a properly completed I-907 at the correct address. That means correct fee and a valid signature.

USCIS promises action, not approval. Action can be an approval, a denial or a request for evidence.

If USCIS sends a request for evidence, the clock stops. A new 15-business-day period starts when your response arrives.

If USCIS misses the window, it refunds the premium fee.

Business days exclude weekends and federal holidays. So 15 business days is about three calendar weeks.

Premium processing does not change the rules for approval. It only speeds up when USCIS acts on the case.

Adding premium processing later

You can upgrade an H-1B petition that is already pending. The employer files Form I-907 with a copy of the I-797 receipt notice.

USCIS's cap season page says it accepts online filing for H-1B cap petitions and the matching I-907.

If USCIS suspends premium processing

USCIS has paused H-1B premium processing before, for all H-1B petitions from April 2017 and for cap petitions in later years. Its premium processing page, updated March 23, 2026, lists no H-1B suspension.

During the 2017 pause, USCIS rejected new Form I-907 requests filed with H-1B petitions. Requests filed before the pause kept premium handling.

A suspension does not stop your case. The petition moves at regular speed, and with portability your start date still depends on filing, not approval.

Premium processing and the H-1B cap

Premium processing is available for cap-subject petitions. USCIS says it gives no special advantage in cap selection.

For FY 2027, cap petitions could be filed from April 1, 2026. Start dates had to be no earlier than October 1, 2026.

Employers can add premium processing to a cap petition to get an answer sooner. It does not move the October 1 earliest start date.

If USCIS must randomly select petitions on the final receipt date, it rejects unselected ones and returns the fees, including premium fees.

When it is worth it

Premium processing is most useful when timing is tight. For a transfer, it often matters less than people think.

If you qualify for portability, you can start the new job once USCIS receives the petition. Premium processing does not change that. See our H-1B transfer guide.

It is worth it when you need the approval itself fast, for example to travel abroad or to be sure before you resign.

If you were laid off, a fast decision can matter within the 60-day window. See our layoff guide.

Employers usually pay this fee for H-1B petitions. Ask your new employer early whether they plan to use it.

It may be less useful when there is no deadline. Regular processing costs less, and the result is the same if approved.

F-1 students can also use premium processing for OPT and STEM OPT work permits. That can help if a job start date is close.

Cost for an H-1B transfer

For a change-of-employer petition, the premium fee is the same $2,965. It comes on top of the regular fees.

Those usually include the Form I-129 fee, the Asylum Program Fee, the ACWIA fee ($750 for employers with 25 or fewer full-time employees, $1,500 for larger ones) and the $500 fraud prevention fee. Some large employers also owe a $4,000 fee under Public Law 114-113.

Check the USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055, for current base amounts before filing.

Other 2026 fee changes

The $100,000 proclamation fee is separate from premium processing. As of October 2026, courts have blocked its collection.

USCIS says premium processing fees are adjusted every two years for inflation. Check the USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055, before you file.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your own situation with an immigration attorney.

Questions

Sources

• USCIS alert: USCIS to increase premium processing fees
• USCIS: How do I request premium processing?
• USCIS: H-1B Cap Season
• Penn Global: USCIS premium processing fee increase effective March 1, 2026
• USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations
• USCIS archive: USCIS Will Temporarily Suspend Premium Processing for All H-1B Petitions (2017)
• USCIS: Fee Schedule (Form G-1055)
• Boundless: H-1B Visa Cost and Fees

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