Estimate the total USCIS filing cost for any H-1B petition: new cap-subject filings, transfers, extensions, and amendments. Includes the September 2025 Proclamation $100,000 supplemental fee, March 2026 premium processing rates, all required surcharges, and dependent (H-4 / I-539) costs.

Select your filing type below and complete all required fields:

New H-1B (Cap-Subject) New H-1B (Cap-Exempt) H-1B Transfer H-1B Extension H-1B Amendment

Filing Details

1. Where is the beneficiary, and what is the filing path? *

Inside U.S. — Change of StatusF-1, L-1, current H-1B holder Outside U.S. — Consular Processing$100K Proclamation fee applies

The September 19, 2025 Presidential Proclamation requires a $100,000 supplemental fee for new petitions filed for beneficiaries outside the U.S. who require consular processing.

1. Employer Size (U.S.-based full-time equivalent employees) *

1 – 25 FTESmall employer rates 26 – 50 FTEStandard rates 51+ FTEPL 114-113 may apply

2. Is more than 50% of your U.S. workforce on H-1B or L-1 status? *

Yes$4,000 fee applies NoFee waived

2. Employer Type *

For-Profit CompanyStandard rates apply Higher Ed / Nonprofit ResearchACWIA + Asylum exempt Other NonprofitAsylum Fee exempt only

3. Add Premium Processing (15-day adjudication)? *

Yes — $2,965Effective March 1, 2026 No — Standard4–8 month timeline

H-4 Dependents (Optional)

4. Are you filing for any H-4 dependents (spouse and/or unmarried children under 21)? *

YesAdd I-539 + optional EAD NoH-1B principal only

Each H-4 dependent requires a Form I-539 filing. The H-1B principal's employer is not legally required to pay these fees — typically the employee pays.

5. How many H-4 dependents are you filing for? *

1 dependentSpouse only or child only 2 dependentse.g. Spouse + 1 child 3 dependentse.g. Spouse + 2 children 4+ dependentsLarger family

6. Add Premium Processing for I-539 dependent applications? *

Yes — $2,075Per dependent No — StandardBundled with I-129

7. Add H-4 EAD (work authorization) for the H-4 spouse? *

Yes — $520Form I-765 NoNo work authorization

H-4 EAD eligibility requires that the H-1B principal has an approved I-140 immigrant petition or AC21 extension beyond the 6-year limit.

Who pays which fees?

Employer-mandatory fees (cannot be passed to the worker by law): I-129 base, ACWIA training, Fraud Prevention & Detection, Asylum Program Fee, and PL 114-113. Under DOL regulations, requiring the worker to pay these violates H-1B wage protection rules.

$100,000 Proclamation fee is an employer obligation paid via pay.gov before petition filing — cannot be passed to the worker.

Dependent fees (I-539, I-765) are not legally required to be paid by the employer. Typically the H-1B employee pays for their own dependents, although employers may choose to reimburse as a benefit.

Optional fees: Premium processing for the H-1B may be paid by either party depending on whose need it serves. Premium processing for I-539 dependent applications is almost always paid by the employee.

Need a custom H-1B fee strategy?

Kulen Law Firm advises employers on H-1B cost optimization, cap-exempt structuring, National Interest Exception requests, dependent filing coordination, and complex multi-beneficiary cases.

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Effective May 2026 fee schedule. Based on USCIS G-1055 (05/06/26 edition) and 8 CFR Part 106. Government fees only — attorney fees not included. For binding fee determinations, consult Kulen Law Firm.

Sources: USCIS Form G-1055 (05/06/26) · 8 CFR Part 106 · USCIS Premium Processing notice (March 1, 2026) · Presidential Proclamation 9/19/2025.
This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.