DHS Just Added a $4,000 H-1B and $4,500 L-1 Fee to Every Extension: What Immigration Firms Should Do About Billing, Cost Recovery, and Client Trust in 2026

On August 10, 2026, DHS published a final rule requiring a $4,000 fee on H-1B and $4,500 on L-1 extension-of-status petitions, regardless of whether the fraud prevention fee applies. Here is how immigration firms should adjust billing, cost recovery, and trust handling so the new fees don't quietly erode margin or create compliance risk.