House Republicans have introduced a new proposal that would charge certain immigrants $550 every six months to renew their work permits — part of a broader effort to fund immigration enforcement by dramatically increasing fees on legal immigration applications.
The legislation, introduced by the House Judiciary Committee, would require asylum applicants, parolees, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients to pay $550 to apply for an initial work permit (Form I-765) and $550 every six months to keep it valid.
The proposal would also impose:
- A $1,000 fee to apply for asylum, the first of its kind in U.S. history.
- A $1,000 fee for most immigrants paroled into the United States.
- A $3,500 fee for sponsors of children arriving alone at the border.
- A $100 annual fee for asylum seekers while their cases are pending.
- The elimination of fee waivers, which currently help low-income applicants.
Supporters of the plan, including House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), say the new fees would raise $77 billion to expand detention centers, increase staffing at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and support immigration courts. Jordan said the current fee structure hasn’t been meaningfully updated in decades and doesn’t reflect the full cost of immigration processing.
How much does asylum currently cost?
Historically, applying for asylum in the U.S. has been free of charge — and that’s by design: The United States has never charged a filing fee to submit Form I-589, the application for asylum. This policy reflects international and humanitarian standards, recognizing that people fleeing persecution often arrive with limited or no financial resources. Charging a fee could be a barrier to protection, which is why both Democratic and Republican administrations have maintained a no-fee policy for decades.
What do Work Permits Cost Now?
Under the current system:
- The filing fee for Form I-765 (used to apply for or renew a work permit) is $520 for paper applications or $470 for online submissions.
- Renewal costs the same as an initial application.
- For asylum applicants, Form I-765 has no fee.
How Often do You Renew?
Currently, most work permits are valid for up to two years, though some applicants may receive longer or shorter durations depending on their immigration status. Under the proposed legislation, employment authorizations for asylum applicants, parolees, and TPS recipients would be valid for no more than six months, requiring much more frequent renewals for these specific groups.
What this Means for Immigrants
If passed, the new fee structure would significantly raise the cost of applying for immigration benefits for asylum seekers, parolees, and TPS recipients — and remove financial protections like fee waivers. Other categories of work permit applicants (such as those applying with adjustment of status applications or DACA recipients) are not explicitly subject to these specific changes in the proposal. However, this proposal is not yet law. It must still move through Congress and be signed by the president before taking effect.
For now, applicants can continue using the current forms and fees.
Boundless will continue monitoring this legislation and will share updates as they develop.