The new court fees are already effective
October 1, 2026, is the effective date for EOIR’s fiscal-year 2027 inflation adjustments. The August 21 final rule says covered filings made on or after October 1 must carry the proper fee or an applicable fee-waiver request. An outdated payment can lead to rejection even when the papers themselves are otherwise ready.
Court and appeal deadlines deserve separate attention. A payment problem does not itself extend the deadline for filing a notice, application or motion. Anyone facing an imminent deadline or a returned filing should obtain prompt advice about the specific procedural options rather than wait for another general fee announcement.
Common EOIR totals
These are selected totals in the August 21 rule, excluding any applicable biometrics fees. Different motion circumstances can have different charges; the table is not a substitute for identifying the actual filing.
| Filing | Listed total |
|---|---|
| EOIR-26 appeal from an immigration judge | $1,060 |
| EOIR-29 appeal from a DHS officer decision | $1,060 |
| Motion to reopen or reconsider before an immigration judge | $1,095 |
| Motion to reopen or reconsider before the BIA | $1,060 |
| EOIR-42A cancellation for certain permanent residents | $730 |
| EOIR-42B cancellation/adjustment for certain nonpermanent residents | $1,690 |
The second notice lists components, not necessarily complete payments
EOIR’s September 29 notice separately adjusts the OBBBA component for certain DHS forms filed in immigration proceedings. It expressly leaves the preexisting INA section 286(m) component unchanged and explains that its payment portal and website display combined totals. Copying only the new statutory component can therefore understate what must actually be paid.
| Form/fee component | FY 2027 OBBBA amount |
|---|---|
| I-485 adjustment component | $1,590 |
| I-589 initial asylum component | $100 |
| I-589 annual asylum component | $105 |
| I-601 waiver component | $1,100 |
| I-821 TPS component | $520 |
The same form number can involve a different agency workflow
Do not automatically transfer a USCIS calculation to an immigration-court filing. First identify where the application is being filed and which official payment process applies. The separate USCIS H.R. 1 adjustment begins October 16; the EOIR notices discussed here apply from October 1.
Annual asylum fees also require attention to agency-specific instructions and current court orders. A statement about USCIS’s payment portal or a particular injunction should not be assumed to settle every EOIR payment question. Preserve the notice actually issued in the case and have any disputed obligation reviewed.
Check any waiver against the particular charge
The notices refer to an applicable fee-waiver request. That qualification matters: readers should not infer that every charge, statutory component or filing can be waived. Review EOIR’s current instructions and the legal rules applicable to the exact request before relying on a waiver.
Use the official EOIR payment portal directly, choose the correct filing type and confirm the displayed total. Save the receipt and follow the instructions for including payment evidence with the filing. A bank debit alone should not be treated as proof that the immigration court or BIA accepted the underlying papers.
A final filing-room checklist
For a team preparing several matters, assign one person to verify the current fee and a second to compare the receipt with the actual filing. Keep the date and official source in the case record. That modest control is especially useful during a fiscal-year change when older templates may still circulate.
- Identify the court or agency, form, motion type and relevant deadline.
- Check the combined official amount immediately before payment.
- Confirm whether a permitted waiver request applies to any component.
- Match the payment receipt to the filing and retain complete copies.
- Track acceptance or rejection; resolve a returned submission promptly with qualified legal help.