The cost of applying for a green card or work visa and a host of other immigration related fees are going up effective today, April 1.
It is the most significant increase by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in seven years which unlike other federal agencies only gets 4% of its funding from Congress, the rest – 96% – comes from filing fees. The Covid-19 pandemic was especially catastrophic for the agency when immigration flings fell as much as 40% translating to reduced revenue.
“The fee schedule from 2016 no longer covers operational costs to timely adjudicate USCIS immigration and naturalization benefits,” the agency said on its website. “We need higher fees to cover the cost of doing business and better avoid the accumulation of future backlogs.”
Green Card, Fiancé Visa and H-1B fees way up
The cost for applying for a green card is going up more than 17% from $1,225 to $1,440.
The fee for your prospective employer to petition for you an H-1B is almost doubling from $460 to $780. Additionally, USCIS is charging employers a new fee called Asylum Program Fee which will be $600 for each employee they petition for. The $600 is on top of the $780.
However, if your H-1B petitioner is a nonprofit, they are exempt from the $600 Asylum Program Fee. Small employers with 25 or fewer full-time employees will pay a reduced $300.
You want to petition for the one you want to marry to join you in America? If you did not file before April 1, 2024, it will cost you more as the cost of a K-1 Fiancé Visa is going up from $535 to 675.
Discount for filing online
Where applicable you can save yourself $50 for filing online, depending on the form. Not all forms can be filed online. These are the Forms available to file online.
No credit card chargebacks allowed and other payment changes
If you use your credit card to pay for your fees, you no longer can dispute the charge or do a charge back.
In the past you could file multiple applications, say for you and your family, and pay using one check. USCIS says that will no longer be the case. A separate payment must accompany each application, so you might find yourself writing 10 checks or money orders depending on your situation.
A few fees reductions
USCIS also decided to relieve some of the burden for some. Those applying for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will see their biometric fees decrease by 65% from $85 to $30. Those under 14 that never used to pay a biometrics fee will now be required to do so.
Initial registration for TPS is capped by statue at $50 and will remain so.
The full fee schedule can be found at this USCIS link.
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