H-1B visa extensions could become $4,000 more expensive for certain US employers from 9 September 2026, after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finalised a rule expanding an existing biometric fee.
The charge will affect employers with at least 50 employees in the US where more than half of the workforce holds H-1B or L-1 status. The change is particularly significant because the fee can now apply to extension-of-status petitions, including cases where an H-1B worker remains with the same employer.
