The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced new mandatory fees for various immigration-related applications.
Gatekeepers News reports that the applications which include asylum, parole, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), will take effect from July 22, 2025.
The updated charges were disclosed in a Federal Register notice dated July 18 and are in line with provisions outlined in U.S. legislation H.R. 1.
USCIS noted that these fees are non-waivable and will apply to applicants globally, including those in Nigeria.
All submissions from July 22 must include the revised payments, while applications postmarked from August 21 that fail to meet the updated requirements will be rejected.
As part of the new structure, a $100 fee will now be required for Form I-589, which covers applications for asylum and withholding of removal.
An additional annual Asylum Fee of $100 will apply for every year an application remains unresolved, with payments made online following individual notifications.
Charges for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) have also increased. First-time EAD applicants will pay $550, while renewals and extensions, specifically for asylum seekers, parolees, and TPS holders, will cost $275.
The fee for EADs filed under re-parole (Form I-131) has also been set at $275 in line with H.R.1 guidelines.
Other notable changes include a new $250 filing fee for Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) applications under Form I-360, and an increase in TPS registration fees (Form I-821) from $50 to $500.
These fees are in addition to existing charges under USCIS regulations and cannot be waived, unlike older fees that may be exempted under specific conditions using Form I-912.
USCIS emphasised that forms submitted without the appropriate payments on or after August 21 will be rejected. It also noted that more fee adjustments, particularly for forms like I-131 and I-102, will be announced in a future update.
Additionally, the validity of work permits will now depend on the applicant’s category.
For parolees, EADs will be valid for up to one year or until the end of their parole, whichever comes first. For TPS beneficiaries, permits will be valid for up to one year or the duration of their status, whichever is shorter.
