Immigration Filing Fees to More Than Double

The U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced recently that new filing fees will apply to most immigration benefit applications and petitions postmarked or received on or after July 30, 2007. Most filing fees will skyrocket by an average of 60 percent or more than double the current fees.
 
USCIS notes that “the new fee schedule will ensure that there’s sufficient funding to recover the cost of doing business, meet national security and public safety
 concerns, prevent and detect fraud, and invest in comprehensive transformation efforts – all leading to a more efficient and effective immigration system.” The USCIS expects the new fees to lead to a 20 percent reduction in processing times by the end of fiscal year 2009, and to cut processing times by end of fiscal year 2008 on four common applications: the I-90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card), I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker), I-485 (Adjustment of Status Application), and the N-400 (Naturalization Application).
 
Regardless of whether the new fee schedule is a genuine solution to the USCIS’ backlog problems and national security issues, it will take immediate effect on July 30. Individuals and companies should try to file their petitions and applications prior to that date, if possible.
 
The USCIS Filing Fee Schedule listed below applies if you file on or after July 30. The fees include both the filing fee and any required biometric fees
.
Form #
Purpose
Fee
I 90
Renew or replace your Permanent Resident Card (green card)
If filing to renew your card within 30 days of turning 14
No fee
All others where a fee is required: filing + biometric=
$ 370
I 102
Replace or receive an I-94 Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Record
$ 320
I 129
Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker
$ 320
Note: Petitions for H-1B, H2B and L-1 workers must also include the supplemental fees and fraud prevention fees described on the form. Those fee amounts are unchanged.
I 129F
Fianceé Petition
General fiancée petition:
$ 455
For K-3 status based on an immigrant petition filed by the same U.S. citizen husband or wife:
No fee
I 130
Relative Petition
$ 355
I 131
Reentry permit, refugee travel document or advance parole
Reentry permit or refugee travel document
$ 305
Advance Parole
$ 305
I 140
Petition for an Immigrant Worker
$ 475
I 191
Permission to return to an unrelinquished domicile
$ 545
I 192
Advance permission to enter as a Nonimmigrant
$ 545
I 193
Waive passport and/or visa requirement to enter the U.S.
$ 545
I 212
Permission to reapply for Admission to the U.S. after deportation or removal
$ 545
I 290B
Appeal; Motion to Reopen or Reconsider
$ 585
I 360
Petition for AmerAsian, Widow(er) of U.S.C. or Special Immigrant
For AmerAsian
No fee
Self-petitioning battered or abused spouse, parent or child of a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident
No fee
Special Immigrant Juvenile
No fee
All others
$ 375
I 485
Adjust status and become a permanent resident while in the U.S.
Applying based on your having been admitted to the U.S. as a refugee
No fee
All other eligibility-
If under 14 and –
filing with the I-485 application of at least one parent:
$ 600
not filing with the I-485 application of at least one parent:
$ 930
If 79 or older
$ 930
All others: filing + biometric=
$ 1,010
Note: The penalty fee, where it applies, is in addition to the above fees, and is unchanged.
 
The new I-485 application fee is a package fee that includes associated I-765 (Employment Authorization Document) and I-131 (Advance Parole) applications. Applicants who file an I-485 application after July 30 will not have to pay the additional fees for the EAD and Advance Parole as these costs have been included in the new I-485 fee.
I 526
Investor Petition
$ 1,435
I 539
Extend stay as Nonimmigrant or change Nonimmigrant status
$ 300
I 589
Asylum
No fee
I 600A
Advance processing for Orphan Petition –
$750 (filing + biometric) for you + $ 80 biometric fee for each person 18 or older living with you
Note: If you already have an approved I-600A that is about to expire, and have not yet filed your I-600 petition, you can receive one free extension of your I-600A by filing a new I-600A without fee before the first expires.
I 600
Orphan Petition
If based on an approved I-600A
No fee
Otherwise
$750 (filing + biometric) for you + $ 80 biometric fee for each person 18 or older living with you
I 601
Waive grounds of excludability
$ 545
I 612
Waive foreign residence requirement
$ 545
I-730
Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition
No fee
I 751
Remove conditions on your Permanent Resident status
$ 545 (filing + biometric) for you + $80 biometric fee for each dependent you include in your application
I 765
Employment Authorization /Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
$ 340
I 821
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Program
First time applicant
If under 14 and not applying for an EAD
$ 50
Otherwise: filing + biometric=
$ 130
Renewal or re-registration: biometric=
$ 80
I 824
Follow-up action on an approved application or petition
$ 340
 


USCIS Fee Schedule Effective: July 30, 2007
 
Form #
Purpose
Fee
I 829
Remove conditions on Permanent Resident status (investor)
$ 2,930 (filing + biometric) for you + $80 biometric fee for each dependent you include in your application
I 881
NACARA – suspension of deportation or special rule
Filed with USCIS – A base filing fee of $ 285 per person, with a base fee family cap of $ 570 for applications filed together by a husband, wife and unmarried children. Each applicant must also pay an $ 80 biometric fee.
Filed with the Immigration Court
$ 165
I 905
Authorization for organization to issue certification to health care workers
$ 230
I 907
Premium processing fee

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About Igbanugo Partners International Law Firm

Igbanugo Partners Int'l Law Firm is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It focuses on (1) U.S. immigration law and (2) international trade law in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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