USCIS Issues Final Rule Increasing Fees
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a final rule, effective 60 days from the May 30, 2007, publication date in the Federal Register, that, for the most part, drastically increases fees for many immigration benefits. USCIS said that without these fee adjustments, the agency would not be able to maintain critical business functions, properly address fraud and national security issues, and process incoming applications and petitions in a timely manner. The rule also expands the proposed fee waiver policy to include additional classes of applicants and petitioners who may apply for a waiver of certain application and petition fees for certain services.
Selected specific increases include:
- Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (Form I-129): Fee increased from $190 to $320
- Application for Travel Document (Form I-131): Fee increased from $170 to $305
- Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (Form I-140): Fee increased from $195 to $475
- Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485): Fee increased from $325 to $930
- Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur: Fee increased from $480 to $1,435
- Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status: Fee increased from $200 to $300
- Application for Waiver of the Foreign Residence Requirement: Fee increased from $265 to $545
- Application for Status as a Temporary Resident (Form I-687): Fee increased from $255 to $710
- Application to Adjust Status from Temporary to Permanent Resident (Form I-698): Fee increased from $180 to $1,370
- Application for Employment Authorization (Form I-765): Fee increased from $180 to $340
- Biometric Services: Fee increased from $70 to $80
For more:
An advance copy of the final rule is available.
USCIS’s press release is available.
Questions and answers from USCIS are available.
