Written by ASAP’s expert immigration lawyers · Updated
The U.S. government is charging a new annual asylum fee of $102. If you submitted your asylum application at least 1 year ago, you can check if your fee is due.
How to check and pay depends on whether your asylum case is pending at USCIS, immigration court, or the Board of Immigration Appeals:
If you have not yet submitted an asylum application, you do not have to pay an annual asylum fee at this time. You can learn about the initial filing fee for asylum applications instead.
USCIS Annual Asylum Fee
USCIS is now charging an annual asylum fee of $102. If your asylum application has been pending for more than 1 year, USCIS can charge the annual asylum fee at any time. USCIS should send you a notice with 30 days to pay. But even if you have not received a notice to pay the annual fee, you can check online to learn if your fee is due.
What happens if I do not pay the USCIS annual asylum fee on time?
If you do not pay your fee within 30 days, USCIS says that it will reject your asylum application, cancel your work permit, and reject any pending work permit applications based on seeking asylum. If you do not have other valid immigration status, USCIS may begin proceedings to deport you. USCIS says it will take these steps after May 29, 2026.
How do I check if my USCIS annual asylum fee is due?
USCIS is supposed to send you a notice with a 30-day deadline to pay the annual asylum fee. You can check your mail and online USCIS account in case USCIS sends you a notice for payment. But some people report that they never received a notice, and only learned that their fee was due by checking online.
To check online if your fee is due:
Go to this USCIS payment website.
Enter your A number.
Enter the receipt number from your asylum application receipt or your notice to pay the annual fee. If you do not know the receipt number for your asylum application, you can try calling USCIS at 800-375-5283 and saying “Infopass” to talk to an agent and ask for your receipt number.
If your fee is due, the website should proceed to the next page, and you should see a blue “Pay and Submit” button.
If your fee is not due, you should see this alert at the top of the page: “At this time, the Annual Asylum Fee payment is not due for this case. USCIS will issue a notice the first time the Annual Asylum Fee is due.” It is a good idea to check the website once a week just in case your fee becomes due and you do not receive a notice.
You can also watch this step-by-step video.
How do I pay the USCIS annual asylum fee?
You can follow the steps below to pay your USCIS annual asylum fee. You can also watch this step-by-step video.
Go to this USCIS payment website.
Enter your A number.
Enter the receipt number from your asylum application receipt or your notice to pay the annual fee. If you do not know the receipt number for your asylum application, you can try calling USCIS at 800-375-5283 and saying “Infopass” to talk to an agent and ask for your receipt number.
If your case is ready for payment, the website should proceed to the next page, and you will see a blue “Pay and Submit” button. Click on the button.
You can pay the fee by providing your credit card, debit card, or U.S. bank account information at the end of the online application. If you do not have a credit or debit card, you can also use cash to buy a pre-paid card at many large stores. Be sure to leave enough money on the card to cover the fee.
After you enter your bank account or card information, next you should see a screen with an “Agency Tracking ID.” IMPORTANT: Save this number for your records now or take a screenshot. The Agency Tracking ID could be useful to prove you paid, and this is the only time it will be shown on the screen. It will not appear after you submit your payment.
Check the box at the bottom and click “Continue” to submit your payment.
Once you have successfully submitted your payment, you should see a screen that says you successfully paid your annual asylum fee.
USCIS says they will send a receipt for the payment, either in your USCIS online account or by mail.
I received a USCIS Annual Asylum Fee Notice but I did not pay yet. What can I do?
If you received an annual asylum fee notice from USCIS before May 29, 2026 and you have not yet paid the fee, you should still be able to pay now on this USCIS website.
USCIS says that, on or after May 29, 2026, they will send new notices to people who have not paid the annual asylum fee yet. The new, updated notice is supposed to include a new 30-day payment deadline. According to USCIS, you will have a new 30-day window to pay before they reject your asylum application and cancel your work permit.
However, we do not know what will happen in practice after May 29. If your USCIS asylum case is still open, it is likely safer to pay the annual asylum fee as soon as possible if you can.
How much is the USCIS annual asylum fee?
The annual asylum fee is currently set to $102. It is not possible to apply for a fee waiver.
Family members: The government will charge one annual asylum fee per asylum application (Form I-589) that was submitted. For example, if a single asylum application includes a family of four, the fee would be $102. It would not be $408. However, if each family member submitted their own asylum application, they would each have to pay a separate $102 fee.
What if my notice says $100? If you received an annual asylum fee notice in 2025 with the amount of $100, it is possible that you will still see a fee amount of $100 when you go to pay your fee on USCIS’s website. You can pay the fee amount that is displayed on the page.
I already paid the USCIS annual asylum fee. What happens next?
After you pay the annual asylum fee, USCIS says they will send a receipt for the payment, either in your USCIS online account or by mail. If you have not received a receipt after 2 months, you can try calling USCIS at 800-375-5283 and saying “Infopass” to talk to an agent.
You will likely need to pay the annual asylum fee again each year that your asylum case is still open. USCIS has not explained clearly when the next payment will be due, but says it will notify asylum seekers in writing when they need to pay again.
You can check your mail and online USCIS account regularly in case USCIS sends you a notice for payment. After you pay the annual asylum fee the first time, you can check the USCIS payment website every month just in case your annual fee becomes due again and you do not receive the notice.
The government will likely increase the cost of the annual asylum fee based on inflation each year.
I submitted my USCIS asylum application less than 1 year ago. When will I need to pay?
Once your asylum application has been pending for a year, USCIS will likely charge you the annual asylum fee.
USCIS is supposed to send you a notice with a 30-day deadline to pay the annual asylum fee. Check your mail and online USCIS account often in case USCIS sends you a notice for payment. But some people have not received a notice, and only learned that their fee is due by checking online.
Once your application has been pending for more than 1 year, you can check the USCIS payment website every week just in case your annual fee becomes due and you do not receive the notice.
Immigration Court Annual Asylum Fee
Immigration courts are now charging an annual asylum fee of $102. If your asylum application has been pending for more than 1 year, an immigration judge can charge the annual asylum fee at any time. Even if you have not yet received an order yet, you can pay the fee now if you applied for asylum more than 1 year ago.
What happens if I do not pay the annual asylum fee to immigration court on time?
If you do not pay the fee by the deadline that the immigration judge sets in your case, the judge will probably deny or dismiss your asylum application.
When is my annual asylum fee due for my immigration court case?
An immigration judge can charge the annual asylum fee once an asylum application has been pending for a year. When the immigration judge wants to charge you the fee, the judge is supposed to give you a written order with a deadline. Sometimes the deadline can be very short, as little as 1 day. Check your mailbox, email, and any immigration court online accounts regularly for the order.
Even if you have not yet received an order to pay the annual asylum fee, you can decide to go ahead and pay the fee now if your asylum case has been pending for more than 1 year.
How do I pay the annual asylum fee to immigration court?
You can follow the steps below to pay your annual asylum fee to immigration court. You can also watch this step-by-step video.
Enter your A Number.
Select the option that says “Court - Form I-589, Annual Asylum Fee for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal (AAF).”
Follow the instructions to make the payment. You can pay with a credit card, debit card, or U.S. bank account information If you do not have a credit or debit card, you can also use cash to buy a pre-paid card at many large stores. Be sure to leave enough money on the card to cover the fee.
Save a copy of the receipt and your Payment Tracking ID for your records.
Submit a copy of the receipt to immigration court. Learn how.
How do I get a receipt for paying the annual asylum fee to immigration court?
If you did not save a copy of your receipt, you can access it later by entering your A Number and Payment Tracking ID on this receipt webpage.
If you do not know your Payment Tracking ID, you can access the ID for 20 days after you made the payment by going back to this payment webpage, entering your A number, and again choosing “Court - Form I-589, Annual Asylum Fee for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal (AAF)” for filing type. You can also try contacting ECAS Support at 1-877-388-3842 or [email protected].
If more than 20 days have passed, the immigration court says you can try contacting your court to request the Payment Tracking ID.
How do I send proof of payment to immigration court?
The government has not said whether you need to take additional steps after paying the annual asylum fee. However, to be sure that the immigration judge knows you have paid, we recommend submitting proof of payment to the immigration court. If the court gave you a deadline to pay the fee on an order like this one, provide this payment receipt before that deadline.
If possible, provide a copy of your receipt to the immigration judge and a second copy to the government attorney. You can do so by mail, in person at your next court hearing, or at the filing windows of your immigration court and government attorney’s office. Also keep a copy for yourself.
There are currently no rules about how to submit proof of payment, but here is a possible example you can use.
To find the address of your immigration court and date and time of your next hearing, you can enter your A number on this website: acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/ or at this automated phone line: 1-800-898-7180. You can try both.
To find the address of the government attorney (OPLA) for your immigration court, you can use this website: www.ice.gov/contact/field-offices. Choose the state where your immigration court is located, select "Office of the Principal Legal Advisor," and click "Apply" to filter your search.
How much is the annual asylum fee for my immigration court case?
The annual asylum fee is currently set to $102. It is not possible to apply for a fee waiver.
Family members: The government will only charge one annual asylum fee per asylum application (Form I-589) that was submitted. For example, if a single asylum application includes a family of four, the fee would be $102. It would not be $408.
I previously tried to pay the annual asylum fee in another way. What can I do?
If you previously tried to pay the annual asylum fee to the immigration courts in a different way, for example by paying the initial asylum fee, the government says that it will credit these advance payments. But the government did not explain how this process would work or who can rely on it. You can try to follow the instructions above to submit a copy of your receipt to the immigration court.
If you already paid the annual asylum fee to USCIS and your asylum case was subsequently sent to immigration court, you can try to explain to the judge that you already paid the fee. You can send a copy of your USCIS receipt to the immigration court with a letter explaining what happened, and bring a copy of the receipt to your first hearing.
I already paid the annual asylum fee to immigration court. What happens next?
After paying the annual asylum fee, you can send proof of payment to immigration court.
You will likely need to pay the annual asylum fee again each year that your asylum case is still open. The government has not explained clearly when the next payment will be due. But you can plan on paying the fee every year and sending proof of payment to immigration court.
The government will likely increase the cost of the annual asylum fee based on inflation each year.
I submitted my asylum application to immigration court less than 1 year ago. When will I need to pay?
The annual asylum fee is not due until you case has been pending for 1 year or more. Once your asylum application has been pending for a year, the immigration judge may charge you the annual asylum fee and give you an order to pay. Check your mailbox, email, and any immigration court online accounts regularly for the order.
Even if you have not yet received an order to pay the annual asylum fee, you can decide to go ahead and pay the fee once your asylum case has been pending for more than 1 year.
BIA Annual Asylum Fee
For cases on appeal, we do not yet know if the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) has started sending orders to pay the annual asylum fee. The BIA says that it will not charge the annual asylum fee without issuing a written order first.
If you receive an order from the BIA to pay the fee, pay by the deadline listed on the order. If you miss the deadline, your asylum case will likely be denied or dismissed.
How do I pay the annual asylum fee to the BIA?
If the BIA sends an order, it will likely look similar to this one, except that it should say “Board of Immigration Appeals” instead of the name of an immigration court. Check your mailbox, email, and immigration court online account (mostly lawyers have these).
If you want to try to pay your annual asylum fee to the BIA before you receive an order, you can try to do so, but we are not sure it will work. Unfortunately, there is currently no option on the immigration court website specifically to pay the annual asylum fee to the BIA. You can follow the instructions above for how to pay, and select “Court - Form I-589, Annual Asylum Fee for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal (AAF).” However, the government has not specifically confirmed that the BIA will credit payments made this way.
If you decide to pay, you can try to use this example to mail proof to the BIA that you paid the annual asylum fee. We do not know if the BIA will accept this.
Mail the original to:
Board of Immigration Appeals Office of the Chief Clerk 5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2000 Falls Church, VA 22041
Mail one copy to the address of the government attorney office (OPLA) for the immigration court where your case was before you appealed. You can use this website to find the address. Choose the state where your immigration court is located, select "Office of the Principal Legal Advisor," and click "Apply" to filter your search.
Keep one copy for yourself.
What if I already paid the annual asylum fee while my case was still in immigration court?
If you already paid the annual asylum fee while your case was still in immigration court, you can include a copy of the receipt for payment with your notice of appeal (Form EOIR-26).
What if I appealed my asylum case to a federal court?
This would only apply to you if your case went through immigration court, you appealed to the BIA, and then asked a federal court to review the BIA's decision. The government has not explained whether people owe the annual asylum fee in this situation or not. If you receive an order to pay the annual asylum fee, pay by the deadline listed in the order.
I am not sure where to pay the annual asylum fee
How to pay the annual asylum fee depends on where your asylum case is pending: USCIS, the immigration court, or the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).
How do I check where my case is?
Step 1: Check the immigration court system. Enter your A Number at this immigration court website or call the automated hotline at 1-800-898-7180. If your case appears in the system, you most likely have a case in immigration court – unless your case has ended or is on appeal. Here are details:
If the system tells you that you have a hearing scheduled, or that your case is “docketed” or pending, you have a case in immigration court. You can pay the immigration court fee.
If the system tells you that an appeal was received for your case, your case is most likely with the BIA. Learn about the BIA fee.
If the system tells you your information is not found, your asylum application may be pending at USCIS. Try step 2 below.
If the system tells you that the judge has made a decision and that no appeal has been received, or the BIA has issued a negative decision, your immigration court case may be over. If your case is over, you would not owe the asylum fee.
Step 2: Check for a USCIS receipt. If you have a USCIS receipt for an asylum application (Form I-589), you most likely have a case at USCIS – unless your case has ended or been transferred to immigration court. Enter your receipt number on this USCIS website for details:
If the system tells you that some kind of action is being taken on your case, your asylum application is most likely pending with USCIS. Check if your USCIS fee is due.
If the system tells you that your receipt number is invalid, or that your case has been closed or transferred, then you most likely do not have an application pending with USCIS. Try steps 3 and 4 below.
Step 3: Check for more complicated situations. If you are in a more complicated situation, for example because your case moved from USCIS to immigration court, or your immigration court case was closed, read more below.
Step 4: If you are still not sure what to do, and you are a member of ASAP, you can email your questions to [email protected]. It may also be helpful to find a lawyer to understand your case status.
What are some more complicated situations?
My case moved from USCIS to immigration court
This can happen if you first applied for asylum with USCIS but later received a Notice to Appear. The government has not provided instructions about what to do in this situation, but possible options to try are below.
If you already paid the annual asylum fee to USCIS: You can try to send a copy of your USCIS fee receipt to the immigration court with a letter explaining what happened with your case. You can follow these instructions to send the receipt and letter. You should also bring a copy of the receipt to your first hearing. We do not know if the immigration judge will accept this, or if the judge will tell you to pay again in immigration court.
If you have not paid the annual asylum fee yet: You can choose to wait for the immigration judge to send you an order to pay the annual asylum fee to the immigration court. Or you can choose to pay at any time through the immigration court payment website once your case is open in immigration court. To check that your case is open in immigration court, you can go to this immigration court website and enter your A number. If your immigration court case has not been officially opened yet, you will see an error message.
My immigration court case was "administratively closed"
If your immigration court case was “administratively closed,” that means it is paused. Your case is still considered pending in immigration court, so the annual asylum fee may still apply. The government has not provided specific instructions about what to do in this situation, but here are some things to be aware of:
If your case remains administratively closed: We do not know if the immigration courts have started sending out orders to pay the annual asylum fee to people with administratively closed cases. You are supposed to receive an order in the mail before you are required to pay. If an order is sent, it would probably be mailed to the last address registered with the court before your case was closed, or possibly to your lawyer if you had one. But many people do not receive these orders, and you can also choose to pay at any time.
If your case is reopened: Many administratively closed cases are being reopened and scheduled for new hearings starting in 2025. If this happens, you would owe the immigration court fee like other people with pending immigration court cases.
My immigration court case was dismissed between 2022–2024
Between 2022-2024, immigration courts dismissed many cases. After dismissal, some people chose to apply for asylum again with USCIS while others did not. Your next steps depend on whether you re-applied for asylum:
If you re-applied for asylum with USCIS after your case was dismissed: USCIS will likely charge you the annual asylum fee. You can check online to find out whether payment is due.
If you did not re-apply for asylum: You don't have an open asylum case and do not owe the fee.
The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) aims to provide factual information about current immigration laws. This information is not legal advice.
All legal content is written and legally reviewed by ASAP’s team of expert immigration lawyers. ASAP’s expert lawyers have decades of experience in immigration law and litigation. Collectively, they have won hundreds of cases. Our lawyers are admitted to the Bar in several U.S. states, hold law degrees from universities including Harvard, Yale, and UCLA, and have won multiple awards for their legal work.