U.S. DHS Announces New Immigration Fee Hikes From January 2026
US hikes visa fees affecting Indian applicants.
The United States Department of Homeland Security has announced targeted increases in immigration and border-related fees, effective January 1, 2026, as mandated by federal legislation. These adjustments, derived from the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, aim to offset inflationary pressures on administrative operations. While the hikes appear modest, they represent a systematic escalation in the financial barriers to U.S. entry for global applicants, including a substantial number from India.
Key fee revisions include the parole application charge, rising from $1,000 to $1,020, which facilitates temporary entry for humanitarian or public interest purposes without formal visa status. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) fee will increment from $40 to $40.27, though this adjustment holds no relevance for Indian nationals, as India remains outside the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. Similarly, the Electronic Visa Update System fee, increasing from $30 to $30.75, applies exclusively to certain Chinese visa holders.
The Form I-94 Arrival and Departure Record fee remains stable at $30, providing a measure of continuity for routine border crossings. These changes stem from the HR-1 legislative framework, which requires annual recalibration of fee structures to sustain immigration enforcement and processing capacities amid rising operational costs.
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For Indian applicants, the implications center on the parole fee escalation, potentially adding financial strain for those seeking urgent temporary relief, such as family reunifications or specialized professional engagements. With over 100,000 Indians granted parole annually in recent years, this 2% uptick could aggregate to millions in collective additional expenses, underscoring broader challenges in an already protracted visa adjudication process.
As the U.S. immigration system navigates fiscal realities, these fee increments signal a tightening of access for skilled workers and families from high-volume source countries like India. Stakeholders anticipate calls for exemptions or subsidies, yet the policy reinforces a trend toward self-funding mechanisms in border management.
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