How did the new $1,000 Immigration Parole Fee impact applicants?

Marcela Knaup
Oct 30
2 min read

A significant change had happened to the immigration parole process. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was implementing a new, mandatory $1,000 Immigration Parole Fee. This fee was in addition to existing filing and biometric fees, and it would impact most individuals applying for a temporary stay in the U.S. through parole.

Effective Date and Fee Details

The new policy had taken effect on October 16, 2025.

Fee Amount: $1,000 for Fiscal Year 2025. This amount was subject to annual adjustments for inflation in future fiscal years.
When it Applies: The fee was triggered by the grant of parole. Any request for parole, re-parole, or parole-in-place that was approved on or after October 16, 2025, would be subject to this fee—even if the initial application (Form I-131) had been filed months earlier.

Who is Impacted by the New Fee?

This fee generally applied to most foreign nationals who were granted discretionary parole based on urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.

This included, but was not limited to, applicants for:

Initial Parole into the U.S.: For individuals currently outside the United States.
Re-Parole: An extension of a current period of parole (e.g., for certain Ukrainians, Afghans, or those in family reunification programs).
Parole in Place (PIP): For those already present in the U.S. without having been admitted (e.g., military family members).
Parole from DHS Custody: Individuals paroled out of detention facilities.

Exemptions: Who Does NOT Have to Pay?

The H.R. 1 Bill included limited statutory exceptions. If you fell under one of these categories and could establish the facts to the satisfaction of DHS, you might have been exempt from the fee:

Adjustment of Status (Green Card) Applicants: Lawful applicants for Adjustment of Status who were returning to the U.S. using an Advance Parole document were exempt.
Urgent Humanitarian/Medical Cases: Individuals paroled for urgent medical emergencies, or to donate an organ or other tissue for a transplant, where there was insufficient time for visa processing.
Family Emergencies: Individuals paroled to visit a close family member whose death was imminent, or to attend the funeral of a close family member.
Specific Legal Statuses: Cuban and Haitian Entrants (under the Refugee Education Assistance Act).
Law Enforcement Assistance: Those whose parole served a significant public benefit by assisting the U.S. government in a law enforcement matter.