US Introduces $1,000 Parole Fee in Bold New Immigration Policy

• The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a new $1,000 fee specifically for certain individuals granted immigration parole.
• This charge applies to those who receive parole to enter or remain temporarily in the U.S. under specific humanitarian or public interest circumstances.
• The fee is part of the legislative measures outlined in the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill.

USCIS has announced the implementation of a $1,000 Immigration Parole Fee, effective October 16, 2025, targeting individuals granted parole status to enter the United States. This fee is mandated by the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill and will be subject to annual inflation adjustments.

Parole allows certain noncitizens to temporarily enter or stay in the U.S. without a visa, typically for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. Under the new rule, most parolees will be required to pay this fee when they are admitted or re-admitted under parole status.

Those seeking parole entry, extensions, or renewals must complete payment prior to final approval. However, USCIS has indicated that some categories of parolees will be exempt from this fee; details on exemptions will be published soon by the Department of Homeland Security in the Federal Register.

How to Pay the Immigration Parole Fee

Applicants should not include the parole fee when submitting Form I-131 (Application for Travel Document). Instead, USCIS will first evaluate the application and, upon approval, send a payment notice with instructions on how and when to pay the fee.

USCIS emphasizes: “Do not submit payment for the parole fee with your Form I-131. The fee must be paid at the time you are paroled into the United States.” Failure to pay within the designated timeframe will result in the automatic cancellation of parole authorization.

Implications of the New Fee

This fee marks a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy by introducing a financial obligation for individuals entering under parole programs designed for humanitarian or public interest purposes. While $1,000 may appear modest relative to other immigration expenses, it could present a substantial financial challenge for refugees, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable populations relying on parole for urgent access to the country.

In addition to the parole fee, the H.R. 1 bill has introduced several other immigration-related charges effective in 2025, including:

• A $100 filing fee for new asylum applications (Form I-589), plus an additional $100 annual fee for each year the case remains unresolved.
• An increase in Employment Authorization Document (EAD) fees, with new applications costing $550 and renewals or extensions priced at $275.
• A $275 fee for EAD requests related to re-parole.
• A $250 filing fee for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJ) petitions (Form I-360).
• An increase in Temporary Protected Status (TPS) registration fees from $50 to $500.

These fee adjustments reflect a broader effort by the U.S. government to address the growing administrative and humanitarian costs associated with immigration programs, aiming to balance resource allocation while maintaining essential protections for vulnerable groups.