Annual asylum fee: what applicants should review
USCIS is keeping payment available for certain cases with an outstanding annual fee while federal litigation continues. Review your notice and use only the official portal.
Published by BaseviSolutions ·
The current situation
The official USCIS portal reports that on August 5, 2026, a federal court in Massachusetts enjoined enforcement of consequences for failing to pay the Annual Asylum Fee under the April 29, 2026 interim final rule. While the court reaches a final decision, USCIS is allowing certain applicants who missed the stated deadline to complete an outstanding payment.
This situation may change as the litigation proceeds. Recheck the official alert and the date on your own notice immediately before acting.
Who should review their notices
According to USCIS, the fee applies to a person whose asylum application remained pending for the entire period from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. It may also apply to a person who filed Form I-589 after October 1, 2024 and whose filing remained pending for 365 days, on the filing anniversary and in later years while it is still pending.
USCIS says it will send an individual notice the first time the fee is due, stating the amount, deadline, payment method, and applicable consequences. Do not pay based only on a message, social-media post, or forwarded link.
- Confirm that the notice belongs to your case and check the due date.
- Use only the official USCIS portal and Pay.gov.
- Have the listed A-Number and receipt number available.
- Keep the notice, confirmation, and payment receipt.
- Recheck the official alert because the litigation is ongoing.
“Do not resolve an outstanding fee through a link received in a message—confirm the notice and pay only on an official website.”
What payment does not mean
Paying the fee does not approve or expedite an asylum application. The portal also states that fees are nonrefundable regardless of the decision or processing time.
If you are unsure whether the fee applies, received conflicting communications, or your record has sensitive legal consequences, seek advice from an authorized immigration attorney before acting.
Official source
Always verify current information
Information checked against the linked official source and verified on October 26, 2026. Fees, form editions, and instructions may change; check them again before filing.
Official Annual Asylum Fee portal on the official websiteNeed help organizing your documents?
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