I-539 Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status
Extends or changes nonimmigrant status from inside the United States - a visitor asking for more time, a student switching to H-4, a dependant following a principal worker. It does not produce a visa; a visa can only be issued abroad. Filing on time keeps the person in a period of authorised stay while USCIS decides.
- Fee
- $470 paper, $420 online. $0 for filings into or out of A, G, and NATO status; for T and U nonimmigrants; and for B-1 United Nations Mission Observers and their B-2 dependants.
- Fee waiver
- Available (Form I-912)
- Who files
- Nonimmigrants other than those in categories the employer petitions for on Form I-129, plus their dependants.
- Where to file
- Online through a USCIS account, or by mail to the lockbox named in the instructions.
- Processing time
- 3.5 months (FY 2026 national median through June 30, 2026)
Usually filed with
Part of these processes
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- Premium processing at $2,075 is available for F, J, and M applicants and their dependants. Each co-applicant needs a Supplement A (I-539A). USCIS has been denying more B-2 extensions since 2025 and an overstay after a denial starts unlawful presence immediately.
Official page. https://www.uscis.gov/i-539. Download the form there, never from a third-party site; check the edition date and fee before filing.