USCIS Implements New Immigration Fees Under HR-1

USCIS has recently announced changes to several immigration fees as required by HR-1, the reconciliation bill enacted earlier this year. These new fees were formally published in the Federal Register on July 22, 2025, and apply to many of the immigration filings commonly used in the CNMI. The changes include new mandatory fees for asylum applications, employment authorization documents, parole-related EADs, Temporary Protected Status filings, and Special Immigrant Juvenile petitions. These HR-1 fees are added on top of existing USCIS fees and, in most cases, cannot be waived. The new fee requirements apply to most filings postmarked on or after July 22, 2025. Beginning August 21, 2025, certain applications submitted without the correct HR-1 fee will be rejected. Because these changes affect multiple categories and each form type has different requirements, it is important to double-check before filing.