Washington, Jan 10 (NationPress) The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has revealed a rise in fees for premium processing of various immigration benefits, including the H-1B visa, which will take effect on March 1.

According to USCIS, the adjustment in the premium processing fee is intended to account for the inflation rates observed from June 2023 through June 2025.

These modifications will impact essential employment-based and non-immigrant applications frequently utilized by foreign professionals, particularly Indian nationals engaged in work or education in the United States.

With the updated fee structure, the premium processing fee for Form I-129 petitions concerning H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status will increase from $1,685 to $1,780.

Moreover, the premium processing fees for all other available Form I-129 classifications — which includes H-1B, L-1, O-1, P-1, and TN visas — will escalate from $2,805 to $2,965.

The same premium processing fee of $2,965 will now apply to Form I-140 immigrant petitions for alien workers across various employment-based categories, up from the earlier fee of $2,805, as stated by USCIS.

Additionally, premium processing fees will also see an increase for specific applications aimed at extending or altering nonimmigrant status. For Form I-539 applications that cover F-1 and F-2 students, J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors, and M-1 and M-2 vocational students, the cost will rise from $1,965 to $2,075.

Individuals applying for expedited employment authorization will experience a hike in the premium processing fee for Form I-765 applications — including Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM-OPT classifications — from $1,685 to $1,780.

USCIS has highlighted that the increased revenue will be directed towards bolstering agency operations. According to the notice, “The revenue generated by this fee increase will be used to provide premium processing services; enhance adjudication processes; address adjudication demands, including processing backlogs; and support USCIS adjudication and naturalization services.”

The fee adjustments are anticipated to directly affect Indian professionals, students, and employers, who constitute a considerable portion of H-1B, L-1, employment-based green card, and OPT applications.

Premium processing is commonly utilized by employers and applicants aiming for expedited adjudication timelines for job transitions, extensions, travel arrangements, and assurance regarding their immigration status.

Indian nationals represent the largest group benefiting from U.S. employment-based visas, especially the H-1B program, and they also account for a significant fraction of the employment-based green card backlog.

Furthermore, Optional Practical Training and STEM-OPT extensions are extensively employed by Indian students graduating from U.S. universities as a pathway to longer-term work visas like the H-1B.