DHS Announces Consequences for Unpaid Annual Asylum Fees, Unveils New H.R. 1 Requirements

29
/26
April
By Kateryna Heyman
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued an interim final rule to implement new immigration fees and requirements established under the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Act of 2025. The law introduces additional fees to fund immigration enforcement and ensure that applicants bear the cost of immigration services. As part of this rollout, USCIS previously implemented a filing fee for Form I-589 (asylum applications) and created an Annual Asylum Fee (AAF), which must be paid each year while the application remains pending. Under the new rule, failure to pay the AAF within 30 days of notice will result in rejection of the asylum application and may trigger removal proceedings for individuals without lawful status. A rejected asylum application also leads to denial of any related work authorization and immediate termination of existing employment authorization. Additional changes include retaining I-589 filing fees even if rejected, limiting TPS-based work permits to shorter durations, and introducing a minimum $24 fee for Form I-102. These provisions take effect May 29, 2026, with public comments accepted through June 29, 2026.
For more information, please contact the Las Vegas immigration attorney, Darren Heyman.
Kateryna has both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from nationally acclaimed Kyiv National Linguistic University, wherein she focused on multi-lingual translation. She has graduated from California School of Law and got licensed to practice law by the State Bar of California in 2024. Languages spoken: Russian, Ukrainian, German, and English. Federal Area of Practice: immigration.
Kateryna Heyman

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