Fees for H-1B petitions must be paid by check by the Washington University in St. Louis sponsoring department, as outlined below. No department can require the prospective H-1B to reimburse fees paid by the university for H-1B applications.

Applicable Fees

There are three fees which are applicable to H-1B petitions filed by Washington University:

  • The filing fee of $460, payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • The fraud prevention fee of $500, payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • The premium processing fee of $2,500, payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Filing Fee

The filing fee is required of all H-1B applications, regardless of the type of application. This fee must be paid by the WashU department employing the H-1B. The check should be addressed to the California Service Center.

Fraud Prevention Fee

The fraud prevention fee is required on applications for a change of status to H-1B or initial H-1B employment at WashU, but is not applicable to extensions or amended petitions for those continuing employment at the university. This fee must be paid by the WashU department employing the H-1B.

Premium Processing Fee

The premium processing fee is optional for H-1B petitions, but may be paid if faster than normal processing is desired. It is recognized that premium processing is sometimes requested for the benefit of the prospective H-1B or family members, rather than for the needs of the WashU department. Nonetheless, this fee must be covered by the university department unless an exception has been made by the OISS due to the employee’s personal needs.

If you have further questions about payment of H-1B fees, contact your department’s international scholar advisor. If you do not know which advisor has been assigned to your department, you may contact the OISS or call 314-935-5910.