The fee structure varies with the size of the company and the total number of its employees.
Additionally, from standard U.S. government fees to H1-B petition filing fees submitted to the USCIS, the amounts have undergone changes in the last few years.
How To Pay Your H1-B Petition Filing Fees
Cash payments, bank payments or mobile payments
The total expense on the H1-B petition can vary anywhere between $1,700 to $8,000. This is influenced by the size of the sponsoring company as well as any associated lawyer costs. Below is a breakdown of the various fees associated with the H1-B visa petition in 2022. Please note all fees are in USD.
H1-B Online Registration: $10
Effective 2019, USCIS requires that each employer register their sponsoring employees before the lottery cap is conducted. This is applicable only to new cap subject petitions.
Form I-129, Petition For A Nonimmigrant Worker: $460
Effective December 2016, this fee is applicable when filing an initial H-1B petition or for extension and amendments of H1-B petitions.
American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act (ACWIA): $750 – $1,500
This amount varies depending upon the total number of employees in the company – if the employer has less than 25 full-time employees, they pay $750 and if the employer has over 26 full-time employees, ends up paying $1,500.
This is applicable only to the first extension and an amendment without an extension of stay.
Exceptions to paying the ACWIA is applicable to non-profits, educational institutions and governmental research organizations.
USCIS Anti-Fraud Fee: $500
Applicable to initial H-1B petition filings or if there has been a change of H1-B employers. Not applicable for H-1B extensions.
Fee should be submitted in a separate check or money order
Public Law 114-113: $4,000
Applicable if the employer has over 50% employees on H1-B already.
Fee should be submitted in a separate check or money order
Immigration Lawyer: $500/hour to $5,000
Depending upon who the employer hires as an immigration lawyer to handle the legal paperwork, this amount varies. However, some companies have their own legal teams in-house.
Premium Processing: $2,500
This is an optional fee when the employer wants the petition adjudication done in 15 calendar days.
Premium Processing Fees Increased, Scope Widened To Include H4 EAD Applications
$2,500 + the option open to H4 EAD applicants
This amount can be paid by the employee however, the employer will have to justify employee’s personal reasons to expedite the processing of the H1-B petition.
Important
All fees are meant to be paid by the employer, with the exception of the premium processing fees which can be paid either by the employee (previously agreed upon by the employer) or the employer.
