According to HR-1, all foreign nationals whose asylum application is pending must pay the annual fee called the Annual Asylum Fee (AAF).
What happens if I do not pay on time?
If you do not pay the fee within 30 days, USCIS states that it will dismiss your asylum application, revoke your work authorization, and deny any pending applications for work authorization based on the asylum application. If you do not have another valid immigration status, USCIS may begin your deportation process. USCIS states that it will take these steps after May 29, 2026.
Cost
In 2026, the AAF is $102. Each fiscal year, this amount will be reviewed and may increase in line with inflation.
Can payment be avoided?
No. These fees are mandatory and cannot be waived using Form I-912.
When to pay
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must send you a notice with a 30-day deadline to pay the Annual Asylum Fee. However, some people report that they never received a notice and learned that payment was required only by checking the information online.
How are notices sent?
1. Notices are sent by mail. Payment must be made within 30 days.
2. If you filed the form online, the notice appears in your online account under Documents. Usually, the status of Form I-589 is also updated to Application is Pending, and you may see the following message:
Your application with USCIS is pending
Before your application can proceed further, you must pay your Annual Asylum Fee.
How else can you check?
1. Regularly check whether payment is available on this website:
https://my.uscis.gov/accounts/annual-asylum-fee/start/overview
If you see the message “At this time, the Annual Asylum Fee payment is not due for this case”, it means that a payment notice has not yet been issued to you. If it is not yet time for you personally to pay, the system will not allow you to pay.
If you see the button “Pay and Submit”, it means that a notice has already been issued to you and you need to make the payment. Do this immediately.
If you see the message “We could not find your case. Review the information you submitted is correct before trying again.”, it means that you entered incorrect information. Make sure that you filed I-589 with USCIS and not with the court, and that you have a Receipt Number showing that your I-589 was accepted. Also make sure that you entered the correct information. If you are sure that the information is correct but the case is not found, this may mean that the case has been closed and should be transferred to court. Contact USCIS technical support.
It is optimal to check every 2 weeks.
2. Track the form status in the I-GUIDE case tracker.
To avoid missing a notice, even if you do not have an online account, you can use I-GUIDE USCIS & EOIR Case Tracker. You can check changes manually for free or purchase a premium account, and your case will be checked automatically every day. If there are changes in the status, the tracker will send you a push notification and email.
How to pay
The annual AAF fee can be paid only online.
Payment is made on this website:
https://my.uscis.gov/accounts/annual-asylum-fee/start/overview
- Enter the A-number.
- Enter the Receipt Number from the I-797 notice accepting your I-589.
- Make the payment.
After payment
After entering your bank account or card information, you will see a screen with the Agency Tracking ID.
Important: save this number or take a screenshot. The Agency Tracking ID may be useful to confirm payment, and it will appear on the screen only once. After the payment is confirmed, it will not appear again.
Check the box at the bottom and click “Continue” to make the payment.
After the payment is successfully submitted, you will see a screen confirming successful payment of the Annual Asylum Fee.
USCIS states that it will send a receipt either to your USCIS online account or by mail.
The status of your form should update again.
Sources: H.R. 1, USCIS Alert, 8 CFR § 1103.7, USCIS News, ASAP.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Translations are provided for convenience and may contain errors or omissions. For guidance on your specific situation, always consult official sources or a qualified attorney.
