U.S. Department of Labor regulations require that employers pay expenses required for H-1B applications. The fees cannot be recouped from employees.
ISSS Fee
ISSS charges the following administrative fees for preparing H-1B/E-3/TN petitions, payable via EFS (effective July 1, 2024):
- $1,525: Employees who are extending H-1B/E-3 status at the University of Minnesota
- $1,925: Employees who are transferring H-1B/E-3 status from another employer, changing immigration status to H-1B/E-3, or are new employees applying for H-1B/E-3 at the University of Minnesota for the first time
- $800: Employees who require a USCIS petition to change status to TN or extend TN status
In limited circumstances, ISSS reserves the right to charge a $400 supplemental fee for H-1B cases that are unusually complex or time-consuming. ISSS will discuss this with the department if/when the supplemental fee is required. In most cases, this additional fee will be charged if a Request for Evidence (RFE) is received from USCIS.
USCIS Fees
USCIS fees are required for all H-1B petitions. For E-3 and TN visas, inclusion of USCIS fees is dependent on the method of application (discuss with ISSS or refer to the Document Checklist if you are unsure).
Effective July 1, 2024, ISSS will handle the USCIS check request process for all employment-based visa petitions filed by our office. The USCIS application fee amounts will be charged back to the department through EFS.
If you submitted a request to ISSS before July 1, refer to the "Instructions and Next Steps" email from ISSS, as departments are still expected to request the USCIS for requests that were received up until this date.
- $460: Standard I-129 filing fee for all H-1B petitions
- $510: Standard I-129 filing fee for TN or E-3 petitions (if filing a USCIS petition; only required if applying for an in-country change or extension of status)
- $500: Anti-fraud fee required for new and transfer H-1B petitions only; not required for H-1B extensions or any TN/E-3 petitions
- $2,805: Premium Processing is an expedited service that is available for H-1B, E-3, and TN petitions. USCIS guarantees that within 15 days they will issue either a final adjudication decision or a Request for Evidence (RFE). If USCIS fails to process the petition within 15 days, it will refund the fee. Premium Processing may be requested simultaneously with the USCIS petition or at a later date, if necessary. ISSS will determine whether premium processing is required, based on estimated processing times.
Dependent fees (effective 4/1/2024):
- $420: Dependent (Form I-539) standard filing fee, if USCIS application is required and if filed online.
- $470: Dependent (Form I-539) standar filing fee, if USCIS application is required and if filed by paper.
