EB-2 NIW Fees in 2026: Premium Processing, Asylum Program Fee, and Total Costs

Filing fees for the EB-2 NIW changed significantly in 2024 and again in early 2026. If you are budgeting for a self-petitioned NIW, you need current numbers — outdated figures from even 18 months ago will leave you with an incomplete picture.

Here is every fee involved in a NIW self-petition, what each one covers, and who is exempt.

Form I-140 Filing Fee

The base filing fee for Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) as of 2026:

• Online filing: $665
• Paper filing: $715

USCIS introduced the reduced online fee to encourage electronic submission. Both methods are fully accepted; the difference is purely the submission channel.

The Asylum Program Fee

This is the fee most applicants underestimate or are caught off guard by. USCIS implemented the Asylum Program Fee as part of a broader 2024 fee restructuring to fund humanitarian and asylum processing programs.

For EB-2 NIW self-petitioners:

• Individual NIW self-petitioners: $300
• Small employers (25 or fewer full-time employees): $300
• Regular employers (more than 25 full-time employees): $600
• Recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations: Exempt (no Asylum Program Fee)

If you are self-petitioning as an individual — as most NIW applicants do — you pay the $300 rate regardless of your income or the size of any organization you are affiliated with. The $300 is mandatory; it cannot be waived and is not included in the base I-140 fee.

Total without premium processing: $665 (online) + $300 = $965 or $715 (paper) + $300 = $1,015

Premium Processing Fee (Form I-907)

Standard I-140 processing for NIW petitions currently takes 12–18 months. Premium processing guarantees an adjudicatory action — either an approval, RFE, NOID, or denial — within 45 business days.

As of March 1, 2026, USCIS increased the premium processing fee:

• Form I-907 for NIW petitions: $2,965

Note that the 45-business-day guarantee for NIW is different from the 15-business-day guarantee available for standard employer-sponsored I-140 PERM cases. NIW petitions are inherently more complex and receive a longer premium processing window.

Premium processing is optional but widely recommended. For Rest of World applicants, a 45-business-day adjudication enables the entire green card process to complete within 12–24 months. For backlogged applicants (India and China), premium processing still makes sense because locking in a priority date quickly via a fast approval is strategically valuable even if the wait for a current date stretches years.

Total with premium processing (individual NIW self-petitioner, online filing): $665 + $300 + $2,965 = $3,930

Form I-485 Fees (When Filing Adjustment of Status)

Once your priority date is current, you file Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) to obtain the green card. This is a separate filing with separate fees:

• Form I-485: $1,440
• Form I-765 (Employment Authorization Document): Included in the I-485 fee for concurrent filers
• Form I-131 (Advance Parole for travel): Included in the I-485 fee for concurrent filers
• Biometrics: $85 (in most cases, though this is sometimes waived)

For I-485, these fees apply to the principal applicant. Dependents (spouse and children under 21) file their own I-485 with the same fees. If you have dependents, factor their filing costs into your budget.

The I-485 fee of $1,440 represents a significant increase from prior years. Combined with the I-140 fees, the total government fee outlay for a single NIW applicant filing from start through adjustment of status is approximately $5,370 or more, depending on filing method and premium processing election.

Fees NOT Paid to USCIS

Several other costs are part of the NIW process but not government fees:

Medical examination (Form I-693): Conducted by a USCIS-approved civil surgeon before I-485 adjudication. Cost varies but typically runs $300–$500+ depending on location and the civil surgeon.

Credential evaluation (if needed for foreign degrees): A NACES-member credential evaluator charges $150–$400 depending on the service and complexity.

Attorney fees (if applicable): Top-tier NIW law firms typically charge $5,000–$8,000 for a complete NIW petition package including I-140 through green card. Boutique petition narrative services (cover letter and evidence structuring only) run $1,500–$2,500. DIY preparation with attorney review of the final draft is typically $500–$1,500 for the review component.

Who Pays the Fees

For NIW self-petitions, the applicant pays all USCIS fees. There is no employer involved. You are the petitioner and the beneficiary, and all costs are yours.

For employer-sponsored PERM-based EB-2, the employer is legally required to pay 100% of the PERM process costs and the I-140 filing fee. Requiring the employee to pay any portion of these costs — even voluntarily — is a regulatory violation that can invalidate the petition. The beneficiary pays the I-485 fees when filing for adjustment of status.

Planning Your Budget

For a NIW self-petitioner filing online with premium processing, USCIS fees alone total approximately $3,930 for the I-140 phase. When the priority date becomes current and I-485 is filed, add another $1,440 (or more with dependents and biometrics). Total USCIS fees for a single NIW applicant through green card approval: approximately $5,370.

On top of that, budget for medical examination ($300–$500), credential evaluation if your degree is foreign ($150–$400), and any professional preparation assistance you choose to use.

The complete EB-2 Green Card Guide covers current fee schedules alongside the full NIW petition strategy, so you can plan the process with accurate cost expectations from the start.