If you're planning an H-1B specialty-occupation petition, the cost question is more involved than for most work visas. The H-1B carries several fees stacked on top of the base petition, and by law most of them are the employer's responsibility. This page breaks down each government fee, who pays it, and where to confirm the current amount.
A note before we begin. The figures on this page are U.S. government filing fees only — the amounts paid to USCIS. They are not Altius Law's attorney fees. We don't publish attorney fees on our website, because the right fee depends on the specifics of your case. For a quote tailored to your situation, book a consultation.
The H-1B Is Employer-Sponsored
An important structural point shapes who pays: you cannot file an H-1B petition for yourself. The H-1B must be filed by a U.S. employer sponsoring you for a specialty occupation. That matters for cost because Congress designed several of the H-1B fees to be the employer's legal responsibility — the statute specifically bars passing certain of them on to the worker. In practice, who ultimately absorbs each fee is a matter to work out with your employer and counsel.
Stage 1: The I-129 Petition (USCIS)
The core filing is Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, requesting H-1B classification. The base fee depends on both how you file and, for some employers, their size and status.
| Item | Filing method / eligibility | Government fee |
|---|---|---|
| I-129 (H-1B) — base | Paper filing | $780 |
| I-129 (H-1B) — base | Online filing | $730 |
| I-129 (H-1B) — reduced | Employers with 25 or fewer full-time employees, and certain nonprofits | $460 |
Fees as of July 2026 — set by USCIS and subject to change. Confirm current amounts on the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) or the USCIS Fee Calculator.
Filing online generally costs $50 less than filing on paper. The reduced $460 rate applies to small employers (25 or fewer full-time equivalents) and certain qualifying nonprofit and governmental research organizations. Fees as of July 2026 — set by USCIS and subject to change. Confirm current amounts and eligibility on the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) or the USCIS Fee Calculator.
Stage 2: The Asylum Program Fee (paid by the employer)
Since 2024, most I-129 petitions must be accompanied by a separate Asylum Program Fee. This fee is the responsibility of the employer — not the H-1B worker — and the amount depends on the type of employer filing the case.
| Employer type | Government fee |
|---|---|
| Standard employer | $600 |
| Small employer (25 or fewer full-time employees) | $300 |
| Nonprofit organization | $0 |
Fees as of July 2026 — set by USCIS and subject to change. Confirm current amounts on the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) or the USCIS Fee Calculator.
Fees as of July 2026 — set by USCIS and subject to change. Confirm current amounts and eligibility on the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) or the USCIS Fee Calculator.
Stage 3: The Employer's Additional H-1B Fees
Beyond the base petition and Asylum Program Fee, the H-1B carries several statutory employer fees that are unique to this visa. Because these amounts vary by employer size, filing type, and case history — and because Congress and USCIS adjust them over time — we don't quote dollar figures for them here. Instead, confirm each current amount directly on the official USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055). These additional line items include:
- The ACWIA training fee (the "American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act" fee), which funds worker-training and scholarship programs. The amount is tied to the employer's headcount, and some employers are exempt.
- The Fraud Prevention and Detection fee, a one-time fee that applies to certain H-1B petitions (typically initial petitions and change-of-employer petitions).
- The H-1B registration fee, paid when an employer registers a candidate in USCIS's electronic H-1B registration (lottery) system before filing the petition itself.
These are employer fees set by USCIS and subject to change. Because we have not independently confirmed the current dollar amounts as of this writing, verify each one on the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) or the USCIS Fee Calculator before budgeting.
There has also been discussion of a 2025 proclamation fee — a large per-petition H-1B fee introduced by a 2025 Presidential Proclamation — that has been subject to legal challenge. Its status and applicability have been in flux, so we do not treat it as a settled cost here. Verify the current status directly with USCIS at uscis.gov.
Optional: Premium Processing (Form I-907)
Standard H-1B processing times vary and can stretch to several months. If you need a faster decision, USCIS offers premium processing through Form I-907, which guarantees action on your case within 15 business days.
| Form | What it's for | Government fee |
|---|---|---|
| I-907 | Premium processing for the I-129 (H-1B) | $2,965 |
Fees as of July 2026 — set by USCIS and subject to change. Confirm current amounts on the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) or the USCIS Fee Calculator.
Premium processing is entirely optional — it buys speed, not a higher chance of approval. Fee as of July 2026 — set by USCIS and subject to change. Confirm the current amount on the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) or the USCIS Fee Calculator.
Quick Reference: H-1B Government Fees
| Item | Form | Who pays | Government fee (as of July 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petition (paper) | I-129 (H-1B) | Employer | $780 |
| Petition (online) | I-129 (H-1B) | Employer | $730 |
| Petition — reduced (≤25 FTE / certain nonprofits) | I-129 (H-1B) | Employer | $460 |
| Asylum Program Fee — standard employer | filed with I-129 | Employer | $600 |
| Asylum Program Fee — small employer (≤25 FTE) | filed with I-129 | Employer | $300 |
| Asylum Program Fee — nonprofit | filed with I-129 | Employer | $0 |
| ACWIA training fee | filed with I-129 | Employer | See G-1055 |
| Fraud Prevention and Detection fee | filed with I-129 | Employer | See G-1055 |
| H-1B registration fee | electronic registration | Employer | See G-1055 |
| 2025 proclamation fee (subject to legal challenge) | — | — | Verify status at uscis.gov |
| Premium processing (optional) | I-907 | Employer/beneficiary | $2,965 |
USCIS fees are drawn from the official Form G-1055 fee schedule and Fee Calculator. All fees are set by the government and can change at any time.
Putting It Together
For a typical H-1B filed by a standard employer, the confirmed core USCIS fees are the $780 I-129 base (or $730 online, or $460 for a qualifying small employer or nonprofit) plus the $600 Asylum Program Fee — with the optional $2,965 premium processing on top if you need a fast decision. On top of that, the employer pays the additional statutory H-1B fees (ACWIA training, Fraud Prevention and Detection, and registration), whose current amounts you should confirm on the G-1055 fee schedule. Because so much of the H-1B's cost falls on the employer by law, mapping out exactly who pays what is worth doing before you file.
Fees as of July 2026 — set by USCIS and subject to change. Confirm current amounts on the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) or the USCIS Fee Calculator.
If you want to understand where the H-1B program is heading — including the lottery and longer-term trends — our guide to the future of H-1B beyond the lottery walks through what applicants and employers should be watching.
Ready to get started? Book an initial consultation or contact us to map out the full cost and strategy for your H-1B.
This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. It describes U.S. government filing fees, not Altius Law's attorney fees. Government fees are set by USCIS and are subject to change; the amounts shown are accurate as of July 2026 — always confirm current fees on the official USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) and USCIS Fee Calculator. For advice specific to your situation, please schedule a consultation.