USCIS to Raise Filing Fees
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to raise certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees charged by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by a weighted average of 21%. After a comprehensive fee review, DHS has determined that a fee increase is necessary in order to avoid a $560 million shortfall. The USCIS fee schedule was last adjusted in November of 2010.
The period for public comments to the proposed rule will end on July 5, 2016. The proposed rule and the public comments received on it will form the basis of the final rule, which should be published sometime this summer. The new fee schedule will go into effect no less than 30 days after the final rule is published.
The proposed fees for common applications and petitions are as follows:
| Immigration benefit request | Current
fee ($) |
Proposed
fee ($) |
Difference
($) |
Percent
change |
| I-129 Petition for a Nonimmigrant worker | 325 | 460 | 135 | 42 |
| I-129F Petition for Alien Fiance(e) | 340 | 535 | 195 | 57 |
| I-130 Petition for Alien Relative | 420 | 535 | 115
|
27
|
| I-131 Application for Travel Document (Advance Parole and Re-entry Permit) | 360 | 575 | 215 | 60 |
| I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker | 580 | 700 | 120 | 21 |
| I-485 Application for Adjustment of Status | 1070 | 1225 | 155 | 16 |
| I-539 Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status | 290 | 370 | 80 | 28 |
| I-765 Application for Employment Authorization | 380 | 410 | 30 | 8 |
| N-400 Application for Naturalization | 680 | 725 | 45 | 8 |
We will continue to monitor the proposed rule to increase the USCIS filing fees and will keep our clients updated on any important developments.