✅ Most humanitarian forms have no USCIS filing fee
Asylum applications, refugee family petitions, VAWA petitions, U-Visa, T-Visa, and Special Immigrant Juvenile petitions are all free to file with USCIS. TPS and DACA renewals charge a biometrics fee but allow fee waivers for qualifying low-income applicants.
Asylum
| Form | Description | 2026 Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-589 | Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal | $0 — Free | No filing fee. Must be filed within 1 year of arriving in the US. |
| I-765 code (c)(8) |
EAD — pending asylum applicant (first request) | $0 — Free | First EAD while I-589 is pending. You must wait 180 days after filing I-589 to apply. |
| I-765 code (c)(8) renewal |
EAD renewal — pending asylum applicant | $520 | Renewal EADs for pending asylum applicants are not free. Online filing: $470. |
| I-730 | Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition (to bring family) | $0 — Free | File within 2 years of your asylum grant. One form per derivative family member. |
| I-131 | Refugee Travel Document (for granted asylees) | $165 | Required to travel internationally after asylum grant. Do not travel on your home country passport. |
Refugee Resettlement
| Form | Description | 2026 Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-590 | Registration for Classification as Refugee | $0 — Free | Processed overseas through US Embassy / UNHCR referral. No USCIS fee. |
| I-730 | Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition | $0 — Free | Same form as for asylees. File within 2 years of refugee admission. |
| I-131 | Refugee Travel Document | $165 | Required for international travel as a refugee or asylee. |
| I-485 | Adjust Status (refugee — 1 year after admission) | $0 — Free | Refugees adjusting to LPR status pay no I-485 fee. Biometrics also waived. |
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) & DACA
| Form | Description | 2026 Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-821 | Application for Temporary Protected Status | $50 (initial) $0 (re-registration) |
Initial TPS: $50 filing fee + $85 biometrics (if 14+). Re-registration: no filing fee, biometrics may apply. Fee waivers available. |
| I-765 code (c)(19)/(a)(12) |
EAD with TPS | $520 | Filed with I-821. Online: $470. Fee waiver available with demonstrated financial hardship. |
| I-821D | DACA — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (renewal) | $0 | No separate I-821D filing fee. However, the accompanying I-765 EAD costs $495 ($445 online). |
| I-765 code (c)(33) |
EAD with DACA renewal | $495 | Online: $445. New DACA initial applications are not accepted as of 2024 per court order. |
VAWA, U-Visa, T-Visa & Special Immigrant
| Form | Description | 2026 Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-360 | VAWA Self-Petition (abuse survivor) | $0 — Free | No filing fee for VAWA self-petitioners. Confidentiality protected under INA § 384. |
| I-918 | U Nonimmigrant Status (crime victim) | $0 — Free | No filing fee. Annual cap of 10,000 principal U visas. Waitlist can exceed several years. |
| I-914 | T Nonimmigrant Status (trafficking victim) | $0 — Free | No filing fee. Annual cap of 5,000 principal T visas. |
| I-360 | Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) Petition | $0 — Free | No filing fee for SIJ petitions. Requires state court dependency finding. |
| I-485 | Adjust Status — VAWA / U-Visa / T-Visa | $0 — Free | I-485 waived for VAWA self-petitioners, U-Visa holders, and T-Visa holders adjusting status. Biometrics also waived. |
📋 Requesting a fee waiver (Form I-912)
For forms that do have a fee, low-income applicants may request a full waiver using Form I-912 (Request for Fee Waiver). USCIS grants waivers based on:
- Household income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level
- Receipt of a means-tested public benefit (Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, etc.)
- Financial hardship demonstrated by other evidence
Quick fee summary
I-589 Asylum ApplicationFree
I-730 Relative PetitionFree
I-485 (refugee/VAWA)Free
I-360 VAWA / SIJFree
I-918 U-VisaFree
I-914 T-VisaFree
I-131 Travel Document$165
I-765 EAD (asylum renewal)$520
I-821 TPS (initial)$50 + bio
I-765 EAD (DACA)$495
Related fee pages
→ Family-Based Green Card Fees
→ Employment-Based Fees
→ Citizenship & Naturalization Fees
→ Renewal & Maintenance Fees
→ All 2026 USCIS Fees
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