USCIS to Increase Filing Fees

23:30 18 December in News Updates by Larrabee

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USCIS has proposed changes to its filing fees that are expected to take effect within the first quarter of 2020.

The rule proposes adjusting USCIS fees by a weighted average increase of 21% to ensure full cost recovery. Current fees would leave the agency underfunded by approximately $1.3 billion per year. USCIS last updated its fee structure in FY 2017, by a weighted average increase of 21%. The proposed fee rule accounts for increased costs to adjudicate immigration benefit requests, detect and deter immigration fraud, and thoroughly vet applicants, petitioners, and beneficiaries.

Unlike most government agencies, USCIS is fee-funded. Federal law requires USCIS to conduct biennial fee reviews and recommend necessary fee adjustments to ensure recovery of the full cost of administering the nation’s immigration laws, adjudicating applications and petitions, and providing the necessary infrastructure to support those activities.

The current and proposed fees for common applications and petitions are listed below. The LAC fee schedule will be adjusted accordingly to reflect the new fees once USCIS confirms the new fees and announces an implementation date.

Current Fee

New Fee

Difference

I-90

Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card

$455

$415

-$40

I-129

Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker

E or TN Classification

$460

$705

$245

H-1 Classification

$460

$560

$100

L Classification

$460

$815

$355

O Classification

$460

$715

$255

Currently, there is a single fee of $460 for Form I-129, which contains a variety of supplements used for the different petition-based categories. Under the proposal, USCIS will create separate forms for different categories and charge different fees for the new form types.

I-130

Petition for Alien Relative

$535

$555

$20

I-131	Application for Travel Document (including advance parole)	$575	$585	$10
I-140	Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker	$700	$545	-$155

I-485	Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status	$1,140	$1,120	-$20
I-485	Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (certain applicants under the age of 14 years)	$750	$1,120	$370

Although the base application fee will be lowered, it will no longer include the fee for Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) or Form I-131 (Application for Advance Parole). Applicants who wish to file for these benefits must submit separate payments for these applications.

I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	$370	$400	$30
I-765	Application for Employment Authorization	$410	$490	$80
N-400	Application for Naturalization	$640	$1,170	$530

N-470	Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes	$355	$1,600	$1,245
N-565	Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document	$555	$545	-$10

N-600	Application for Certification of Citizenship	$1,170	$1,015	-$155
N-600K	Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322	$1,170	$960	-$210

Biometric Services Fee

$85

$30

-$55

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