On October 16, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began assessing and collecting a $1,000 parole fee pursuant to its announcement in the Federal Register. Unless an exception applies (see below), the parole fee will attach when a foreign national’s parole application is to be granted and the foreign national paroled into the U.S. This means that the $1,000 fee is not required upon submission of the parole application, but rather, the fee must be paid when parole is to take effect, no matter when the parole application was filed.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), “parole” may be granted for a temporary period where an individual may be ineligible for admission into the U.S. on a case-by-case basis for humanitarian reasons or for a significant public benefit. Parole may be sought by individuals outside the U.S.; individuals who are already inside the U.S. seeking “parole in place” or re-parole; or individuals who are already in the U.S. and seeking to depart the U.S. temporarily and who seek advance parole or travel authorization to return.
Exceptions to the $1,000 parole fee
There are ten exceptions where the parole fee will not be applicable, subject to DHS’ discretion:
The foreign national has a medical emergency and cannot obtain treatment in their country of residence abroad; or the medical emergency is life-threatening and there is insufficient time to be admitted through a normal U.S. visa process;
The foreign national is the parent or legal guardian of a foreign national minor who meets exception #1;
The foreign national is needed in the U.S. to donate an organ or other tissue for transplant; and there is insufficient time for them to be admitted through the normal U.S. visa process;
The foreign national has a close family member in the U.S. whose death is imminent; and the foreign national could not arrive in the United States in time to see such family member alive if they were to be admitted through the normal U.S. visa process;
The foreign national is seeking to attend the funeral of a close family member; and they could not arrive in the United States in time to attend such funeral if they were to be admitted through the normal U.S. visa process;
The foreign national is an adopted child who has an urgent medical condition; who is in the legal custody of the petitioner for a final adoption-related visa; and whose medical treatment is required before the expected award of a final adoption-related visa;
The foreign national is a lawful applicant for adjustment of status (I-485); and is returning to the U.S. after temporary travel abroad (i.e. advance parole);
The foreign national is entering to attend their immigration hearing after the U.S. government returned the foreign national to the contiguous country from which the foreign national previously tried to enter the US by land but was found to be inadmissible;
The foreign national is a “Cuban-Haitian Entrant” (CHE)
The Secretary of Homeland Security determines that a significant public benefit has resulted or will result from the parole of a foreign national who has assisted or will assist with the U.S. government in a law enforcement matter; whose presence is required in furtherance of such law enforcement matter; and who is inadmissible or does not satisfy the eligibility requirements for admission as a nonimmigrant or for which there is insufficient time for them to be admitted to the through the normal U.S. visa process.
Collection of the fee
U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will collect the parole fee for foreign nationals who apply for admission to the United States if:
the foreign national requests parole by presenting themselves for inspection at a U.S. port of entry (including if authorized by another DHS agency to seek parole at the port of entry);
CBP, in its discretion, determines the foreign national should be granted parole; and
The foreign national does not demonstrate to CBP’s satisfaction and in its discretion that they are eligible for one of the ten fee exceptions above.
If CBP concludes that an applicant should be granted parole and is subject to the fee, CBP will provide a notification of the applicability of the fee and give instructions on how to pay. CBP will likely place the applicant in secondary inspection, where the applicant can pay the fee by credit card.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will collect the parole fee when it grants parole to those who are physically present in the U.S. ICE will notify those to whom the $1,000 fee applies and provide instructions on how to pay the fee.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will collect the $1,000 fee if it decides a Form I-131 Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records is approvable for parole in place or re-parole. USCIS will issue a conditional approval notice before final adjudication, stating that the parole approval is conditioned upon payment of the $1,000 fee by the stated deadline, and provide payment instructions; otherwise, the parole request will be denied.
Since the implementation of the fee, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients holding Advance Parole documents have been required to pay the $1,000 fee to be paroled into the U.S. We will post further updates as we learn more.
Veronica Staneck & Jennifer Carr. © Jewell Stewart Pratt Beckerson & Carr PC 2025