Frequently Asked Questions
Announcement regarding Payment for Asylum Applications
There are new fees for initial and pending asylum applications. The following is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice nor does it create an attorney-client relationship. For more detailed information, please refer to this resource shared by the organization ASAP.
FAQ
common questions
How much is the fee?
The fee to submit an initial application is $100. The annual fee for a pending asylum application is also $100. It is not possible to apply for a fee waiver.
Do I need to submit $100 for every member of my family?
It depends, only one payment per application is required.
What if I haven’t applied yet?
The fee for filing an initial application is $100.
How do I pay?
For those applying with the court, pay the $100 fee on this immigration court website. Enter your A Number. For “Filing Type,” select “Court – I-589, Application for Asylum (Initial Filing).”
You can pay with a debit or credit card, PayPal account, Amazon pay, or a bank account. You can also buy a pre-paid card at many large stores and use it to pay the fee. Be sure to leave enough money on the card to cover the filing fee.
For those applying with USCIS, you can pay the filing fee by providing your credit card, debit card, or U.S. bank account information at the end of the online application or on a Credit Card Authorization Form.
What if I already applied for asylum?
If you have applied in the past then you will have to begin paying an annual fee to continue your case with the court or USCIS. It will now cost $100 per year to continue with your asylum case with the court or USCIS. This fee could increase in future years.
USCIS says that anyone whose asylum application has been pending for at least 1 year as of September 30, 2025 will owe $100 this year.
If you applied for asylum at least 1 year ago, check this USCIS payment website. Enter your A number and the receipt number from your asylum application receipt notice or your USCIS annual asylum fee notice to learn if you can pay the fee now or if you need to wait.
How do I pay for my asylum application that I already turned in?
Go to this USCIS payment website to pay the fee. Enter your A Number and the receipt number from your asylum application receipt notice or annual asylum fee notice.
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 and complete payment with your credit card, debit card, or U.S. bank account information.
Maintain a copy of the receipt of payment. Snap a photo of the screen and / or a receipt should be sent to you in the mail within a few weeks. Please share the receipt of payment with ECO for safekeeping by calling the statewide call center: 1-888-274-9272.
What if I paid already?
If you have already paid for your application, save the receipt of your payment and your Payment Tracking ID so that you have proof of payment. To find your Payment Tracking ID, you can try going back to the immigration court website and inputting your A# and filing type into the prompts under “Receipts.” It should then show you your Payment Tracking ID. We do not know if you will have to make the payment again.