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I-129 filing fee

Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker — Nonimmigrant worker petition. Current USCIS filing fee, the online-vs-paper difference, and the other forms usually filed with it.

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Type the edition date printed at the bottom of any page of your form. We compare it with the editions USCIS accepts for a filing posted today.

Check every field of this form — free → One error shown free · $39 for the rest

Filed online

$730

$50 cheaper than paper

Filed on paper

$780

H-1B/H-1B1 petition, regular petitioner. Other classifications differ: E-1/E-2/E-3/TN, H-3, P and Q $1,015 paper / $965 online; O $1,055 paper / $1,005 online; L $1,385 paper / $1,335 online; R $510; small employers and nonprofits pay reduced base fees. Most petitioners also owe an Asylum Program Fee ($600 regular / $300 small employer / $0 nonprofit). Covered employers — 50 or more employees in the United States with more than 50 percent in H-1B, L-1A or L-1B status — also owe the 9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee of $4,000 (H-1B) or $4,500 (L-1) on every petition including extensions of status, for petitions postmarked or electronically submitted on or after Sept. 9, 2026; it does not apply to an amended petition that does not seek to extend the beneficiary’s current H-1B or L-1 status. G-1055 edition 10/07/26 still describes only the narrower Pub. L. 114-113 trigger — the 50-percent workforce test with its Sept. 30, 2027 sunset — so the broader rule above is not on the fee schedule and was verified against the statute, not against G-1055.

Fees shown are taken from USCIS Form G-1055 (what that is), edition 10/07/26, verified by hand on 2026-10-08. USCIS changes fees without notice — confirm your exact total at the official USCIS fee calculator before you file. Filing fees only: they exclude attorney fees, premium processing, and Department of State fees.

What else goes in the envelope

The classification supplement (H, L, O and so on) is part of Form I-129 itself, not a separate filing. Two things commonly travel with it: Form I-907 if you are paying for premium processing, and — for H-1B — a Labor Condition Application certified by the Department of Labor, which is obtained from DOL before the petition is filed.

I-539 — Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status — A spouse or child already in the U.S. extends or changes their dependent status on their own I-539.

Each form on this list is billed separately — the amounts add up rather than combining into one package price. Confirm your own list against the official form instructions before you file.

You are about to pay $780 to file this I-129

A rejected filing comes back with the fee — but you lose the months you already waited, and priority dates, status gaps and work-permit gaps do not pause while you refile. A denial is worse: the case was accepted and adjudicated, so USCIS keeps the fee. Since 10 July 2026 a signature defect on a paper filing can be denied outright, with no chance to correct it. FormGuard checks a completed I-129 against the rejection reasons USCIS actually applies, before you mail it — $39 against the $780 you are about to spend.

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Free, no sign-up, about a minute. Your file is analyzed and never stored. Fees on this page come from the official USCIS G-1055 schedule, edition 10/07/26.

What I-129 is for

An employer's petition to hire a foreign worker temporarily in a nonimmigrant classification (H-1B, L-1, O-1, TN, and others).

U.S. employers sponsoring a temporary foreign worker.

Paper or online?

Filing I-129 online costs $730 against $780 on paper — a $50 difference. Online filing also confirms receipt immediately and removes the risk of mailing to a superseded address. Not every applicant or category is eligible to file online; check the official form page below.

Official USCIS page for I-129 → · Where do I file it?

I-129 fee — frequently asked questions

How much is the I-129 filing fee in 2026?

The USCIS filing fee for Form I-129 is $730 filed online and $780 filed on paper. That is the figure on the current G-1055 fee schedule, edition 10/07/26. It covers the USCIS filing fee only — not attorney fees, premium processing, or any fees collected by the Department of State.

Is it cheaper to file I-129 online?

Yes. Filing Form I-129 online costs $730 against $780 on paper — a saving of $50. Online filing also gives you an immediate receipt and removes the risk of mailing to a superseded USCIS address. Not every category is eligible to file online, so check the official USCIS page for I-129 first.

Does the I-129 fee include biometrics?

Yes. Since the USCIS fee rule that took effect on April 1, 2024, there is no separate biometric services fee for Form I-129 — biometrics is included in the filing fee shown above. (A separate $30 biometrics fee still applies to a small number of request types, such as Temporary Protected Status filings.)

Is the I-129 filing fee refundable if USCIS rejects or denies my form?

These are two different outcomes. If USCIS rejects your filing, the case was never accepted — USCIS returns the package and the filing fee, but you lose the months you already waited and have to start again. If USCIS denies your case, it was accepted and adjudicated, and the filing fee is not refunded. Filing it correctly the first time is what protects both the fee and the timeline.

More on Form I-129

Form I-129 overview — who files it, common mistakes, and how to avoid a rejection · I-129 pre-filing error checklist · Add I-129 to the full fee calculator

Filing fees only — they do not include attorney fees, premium processing, or fees collected by the Department of State. USCIS updates this schedule frequently. Always confirm your exact total at the official USCIS fee calculator before you file. FormGuard is an independent service and is not affiliated with USCIS or the U.S. government.