# 2026 fees, waivers and who pays

Source: https://www.qaravan.org/resources/immigration/fees-2026/

What an asylum seeker pays, which fees can be waived and what happens if you pay late.

This is general information, not legal advice: QARAVAN has no lawyers. QARAVAN does not help anyone enter the US and cannot arrange visas, invitations, sponsorship or evacuation. For your own case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice.

There are two kinds of fees. USCIS sets the regular fee, and you can ask for a waiver if you can't afford it. The federal law H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21) added fees with no waiver, paid separately. Immigration court (EOIR) fees are paid through its portal.

Amounts were adjusted for inflation on October 16, 2026.

## Start here

- The asylum application (I-589) is $100, and the annual fee is $105 for each year it is pending. Neither can be waived.
- The first work permit is $570 with no waiver; a renewal is $745 online or $795 on paper.
- Court fees are paid only through the EOIR Payment Portal. Forms are free.

## What each fee is

Amounts in effect since October 16, 2026.

Fees for asylum seekers in November 2026

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## H.R. 1 fees for other applications and cases

For some applications, the regular USCIS fee listed on the Fee Schedule is added to these amounts.

H.R. 1 fees (Federal Register notice of October 1, 2026)

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## How to pay and how to ask for a waiver

1. Tell the two kinds of fee apart The regular USCIS fee can be waived. H.R. 1 fees cannot, and you pay them separately even if the regular fee was waived or doesn't apply to you.
2. Pay USCIS without cash No cash. On paper, pay by card with form G-1450 or by bank transfer (ACH) with form G-1650.
3. Pay court fees only in the EOIR Payment Portal Since February 23, 2026 courts take no checks or money orders. Save the digital receipt with its Tracking ID: it is not emailed to you. If you lose it, contact your court.
4. Ask for a waiver on paper Form I-912 For most forms you can't ask for a waiver online, so form I-912 goes on paper.
5. For an appeal, ask for a waiver on Form EOIR-26A You can skip the BIA appeal fee by filing a waiver request on form EOIR-26A.
6. Do not pay for forms Forms are free at [uscis.gov/forms](https://uscis.gov/forms). Pay only government agencies, and only the way they say.
7. Pay the right amount Applications sent on or after October 16, 2026 without the right fee are rejected.

## The Annual Asylum Fee in detail

1. Who pays The principal I-589 applicant, every year the application is pending; on top of other fees.
2. How much and when Currently $105, adjusted each year. It applies to everyone whose application has been pending a year or more since October 1, 2025, and again every 365 days.
3. At USCIS, wait for the notice but check the page yourself USCIS sends a notice (your G-28 representative gets a copy); pay within 30 days. The letter may not arrive, so check the payment page in [my.uscis.gov](https://my.uscis.gov) yourself. If the date has passed, pay anyway: on August 5, 2026 a federal district court in Massachusetts (case 26-cv-13038-NMG) barred USCIS from penalizing late payment, and the payment page is open to people who missed it.
4. Pay in your USCIS account Open [my.uscis.gov/accounts/annual-asylum-fee/start/overview](https://my.uscis.gov/accounts/annual-asylum-fee/start/overview) and follow the steps. You need your A-Number and the Receipt Number at the top of the payment notice. While a noticed fee is unpaid, USCIS cannot grant asylum.
5. In court, pay as the judge orders The judge or BIA issues a written order to pay. Pay through the EOIR Payment Portal: choose “Court – Form I-589, Annual Asylum Fee for Asylum and Withholding of Removal (AAF)” and enter your A-Number. Give the receipt to the court and the ICE lawyer by the judge's deadline.
6. Know the consequences in court Under the BIA decision of July 24, 2026 (Matter of L-F-R-), if the fee is not paid on time the court treats the asylum application as abandoned or dismissed; withholding of removal and Convention Against Torture protection are not affected. At USCIS, the federal court ruling of August 5, 2026 still applies.

## Where to find the official pages

- EOIR Payment Portal Any status EOIR's official site for paying court and BIA fees, including the annual asylum fee. [epay.eoir.justice.gov](https://epay.eoir.justice.gov/index)
- Paying the Annual Asylum Fee at USCIS Asylum applicants The page in your USCIS online account where you pay the fee after the notice; you need your A-Number and the receipt number from the notice. [my.uscis.gov](https://my.uscis.gov/accounts/annual-asylum-fee/start/overview)
- USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) Any status The table of all USCIS fees with current amounts. [uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055)
- EOIR: types of appeals, motions and required fees Any status EOIR's list of court and BIA fees (updated October 5, 2026). [justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/types-appeals-motions-and-required-fees)

## Glossary: definitions of special terms and abbreviations

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[All pages: Immigration and asylum](https://www.qaravan.org/resources/immigration/)

**Sources, checked November 2026**

- [uscis.gov/g-1055](https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055)
- [justice.gov/eoir/types-appeals-motions-and-required-fees](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/types-appeals-motions-and-required-fees)
- [epay.eoir.justice.gov/index](https://epay.eoir.justice.gov/index)
- [my.uscis.gov/accounts/annual-asylum-fee/start/overview](https://my.uscis.gov/accounts/annual-asylum-fee/start/overview)
- [uscis.gov/forms](https://www.uscis.gov/forms)