US to implement $1,000 immigration parole fee from October 2025: Check who needs to pay and who is exempted

US introduces new immigration parole fee

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a new $1,000 immigration parole fee (approximately ₹88,000) applicable to certain migrants requesting temporary authorization to enter or remain in the country.

The new rule, mandated by the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” adds this fee on top of any existing filing or biometric charges. It will take effect from October 16, 2025, and applies to all migrants granted parole under Section 212(d)(5)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

What is the new immigration parole fee?

The $1,000 parole fee will be charged for:

• Initial parole, re-parole, and parole in place
• Parole from DHS custody

Unlike standard application fees, this amount is not paid during submission of Form I-131. Instead, USCIS will notify applicants if the approved parole requires payment, along with detailed payment instructions and a deadline.

“USCIS will collect the immigration parole fee if you are physically present in the United States and we are granting you parole or a new period of parole (also known as re-parole)... We will not grant parole unless you pay the immigration parole fee as instructed and within the specified time period,” the agency said.

The fee will be collected by three DHS components:

• US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
• US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
• US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)Who is exempt from the parole fee?

• Individuals already in the U.S. who are not being newly paroled in.
• Persons granted parole to serve as witnesses, informants, or collaborators in investigations.
• Applicants approved for urgent humanitarian or life-saving reasons, such as immediate medical evacuation or protection from imminent danger.
• USCIS and CBP also retain the discretion to waive the fee in limited emergencies.

Immigration parole allows individuals to temporarily enter or remain in the U.S. without a visa for urgent humanitarian or public interest reasons. While it provides temporary lawful admission, it does not grant immigration status or permanent residency.

What does the fee cover?

The new $1,000 charge applies to all parole grants under INA Section 212(d)(5)(A), including:

• Extensions of existing parole (re-parole)
• Parole for individuals already in the U.S.
• Parole from DHS custody
• The Department of Homeland Security said the fee will help fund administrative costs and improve processing efficiency. It is a flat fee for now, but will be indexed to inflation and reviewed annually for potential adjustments.