Immigration Filing Fees to More Than Double

Immigration Filing Fees to More Than Double

Igbanugo Partners, Int’l Law Firm, Igbanugo Partners
Published 07/01/2007
Mshale - The African Community Newspaper

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

$ 1,000

I 914

For ‘T ’ nonimmigrant status

No fee

U.S. Citizenship

N 300

To file Declaration of Intent to apply for U.S. Citizenship

$ 235

N 336

Request hearing on decision on naturalization application

$ 605

N 400

Naturalization (to become a U.S. citizen)

Through service in the U.S. armed forces

No fee

All others: filing + biometric=

$ 675

N 470

Preserve residence for naturalization purposes

$ 305

N 565

Replace Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate

$ 380

N 600

N 600K

Recognition of U.S. citizenship

for biological child

$ 460

for adopted child

$ 420

N 644

Posthumous citizenship

No fee

I 687

Become a Temporary Resident: filing + biometric=

$ 790

I 690

Waive grounds of Excludability

$ 185

I 694

Appeal

$ 545

I 695

Replace Temporary Resident Card or Employment Authorization Document: filing + biometric=

$ 210

I 698

Temporary Resident’s application for permanent resident status

Filed within 31 months after granted temporary residence: filing + biometric=

$ 1,450

Filed later: filing + biometric=

$ 1,490

I 817

Status under Family Unity Program

If under 14

$ 440

All others: filing + biometric=

$ 520