USCIS increased their fees by 20% on average
USCIS increased their fees by 20% on average
Today, August 3, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS, published a Final Rule that alters their fees with an average increase of 20%. They have also added new fees, established multiple fees for nonimmigrant worker petitions and limited the number of beneficiaries for certain forms.
“The Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule (PDF) that adjusts fees for certain immigration and naturalization benefit requests to ensure U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recovers its costs of services. Unlike most government agencies, USCIS is fee funded. Fees collected and deposited into the Immigration Examinations Fee Account fund nearly 97% of USCIS’ budget”, the USCIS website published on July 31, 2020.
This rule will be effective on October 2nd, 2020 and any petition or request postmarked on or after this date must be accompanied by the new fees. Some of the key aspects of the rule, published by American Immigration Lawyers Association, AILA, are:
- Increases fees by a weighted average of 20%
- Adds a $50 fee for asylum applications
- Removes the proposal to transfer money to ICE
- Retains some fee waiver
In addition, some of the USCIS forms will change. The new forms will be posted online 30 days before the new rule goes into effect and these include:
- Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker;
- Form I-600/I-600A, Supplement 3, Request for Action on Approved Form I-600/I-600A;
- Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization; and
- Form I-912, Request for a Fee Waiver.
There will be a 60-day grace period in which the USCIS will accept both the previous and new forms as long as the payment corresponds to the new fees. The following table is taken from AILA and it shows the fee change both in currency and percentage in all of the affected immigration benefit requests after this Final Rule enters into force:
| Immigration Benefit Request | Current Fee | Final Fee | Change ($) | % Change |
| I-90 Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (online filing) | $455 | $405 | -$50 | -11 percent |
| I-90 Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (paper filing) | $455 | $415 | -$40 | -9 percent |
| I-102 Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document | $445 | $485 | $40 | 9 percent |
| I-129 Petition for a Nonimmigrant worker | $460 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| I-129CW, I-129E&TN, and I-129MISC | $460 | $695 | $235 | 51 percent |
| I-129H1 | $460 | $555 | $95 | 21 percent |
| I-129H2A – Named Beneficiaries | $460 | $850 | $390 | 85 percent |
| I-129H2B – Named Beneficiaries | $460 | $715 | $255 | 55 percent |
| I-129L | $460 | $805 | $345 | 75 percent |
| I-129O | $460 | $705 | $245 | 53 percent |
| I-129H2A – Unnamed Beneficiaries | $460 | $415 | -$45 | -10 percent |
| I-129H2B – Unnamed Beneficiaries | $460 | $385 | -$75 | -16 percent |
| I-129F Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) | $535 | $510 | -$25 | -5 percent |
| I-130 Petition for Alien Relative (online filing) | $535 | $550 | $15 | 3 percent |
| I-130 Petition for Alien Relative (paper filing) | $535 | $560 | $25 | 5 percent |
| I-131 Application for Travel Document | $575 | $590 | $15 | 3 percent |
| I-131 Refugee Travel Document for an individual age 16 or older | $135 | $145 | $10 | 7 percent |
| I-131 Refugee Travel Document for a child under the age of 16 | $105 | $115 | $10 | 10 percent |
| I-131A Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation) | $575 | $1,010 | $435 | 76 percent |
| I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker | $700 | $555 | -$145 | -21 percent |
| I-191 Application for Relief Under Former Section 212(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) | $930 | $790 | -$140 | -15 percent |
| I-192 Application for Advance Permission to Enter as Nonimmigrant (CBP) | $585 | $1,400 | $815 | 139 percent |
| I-192 Application for Advance Permission to Enter as Nonimmigrant (USCIS) | $930 | $1,400 | $470 | 51 percent |
| I-193 Application for Waiver of Passport and/or Visa | $585 | $2,790 | $2,205 | 377 percent |
| I-212 Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission into the U.S. After Deportation or Removal | $930 | $1,050 | $120 | 13 percent |
| I-290B Notice of Appeal or Motion | $675 | $700 | $25 | 4 percent |
| I-360 Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant | $435 | $450 | $15 | 3 percent |
| I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence | $1,140 | $1,130 | -$10 | -1 percent |
| I-485 Application to Adjust Status | $750 | $1,130 | $380 | 51 percent |
| I-526 Immigrant Petition by Alien Investor | $3,675 | $4,010 | $335 | 9 percent |
| I-539 Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status (online filing) | $370 | $390 | $20 | 5 percent |
| I-539 Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status (paper filing) | $370 | $400 | $30 | 8 percent |
| I-589 Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal | $0 | $50 | $50 | N/A |
| I-600/600A Adoption Petitions and Applications | $775 | $805 | $30 | 4 percent |
| I-600A Supplement 3 Request for Action on Approved Form I-600A | N/A | $400 | N/A | N/A |
| I-601 Application for Waiver of Ground of Excludability | $930 | $1,010 | $80 | 9 percent |
| I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver | $630 | $960 | $330 | 52 percent |
| I-612 Application for Waiver of the Foreign Residence Requirement (Under Section 212(e) of the INA, as Amended) | $930 | $515 | -$415 | -45 percent |
| I-687 Application for Status as a Temporary Resident | $1,130 | $1,130 | $0 | 0 percent |
| I-690 Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility | $715 | $765 | $50 | 7 percent |
| I-694 Notice of Appeal of Decision | $890 | $715 | -$175 | -20 percent |
| I-698 Application to Adjust Status from Temporary to Permanent Resident (Under Section 245A of the INA) | $1,670 | $1,615 | -$55 | -3 percent |
| I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence | $595 | $760 | $165 | 28 percent |
| I-765 Application for Employment Authorization (Non-DACA) | $410 | $550 | $140 | 34 percent |
| I-765 Application for Employment Authorization (DACA only) | $410 | $410 | $0 | 0 percent |
| I-800/800A Adoption Petitions and Applications | $775 | $805 | $30 | 4 percent |
| I-800A Supplement 3 Request for Action on Approved Form I-800A | $385 | $400 | $15 | 4 percent |
| I-817 Application for Family Unity Benefits | $600 | $590 | -$10 | -2 percent |
| I-824 Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition | $465 | $495 | $30 | 6 percent |
| I-829 Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions | $3,750 | $3,900 | $150 | 4 percent |
| I-881 Application for Suspension of Deportation | $285 | $1,810 | $1,525 | 535 percent |
| I-881 Application for Special Rule Cancellation of Removal | $570 | $1,810 | $1,240 | 218 percent |
| I-910 Application for Civil Surgeon Designation | $785 | $635 | -$150 | -19 percent |
| I-924 Application For Regional Center Designation Under the Immigrant Investor Program | $17,795 | $17,795 | $0 | 0 percent |
| I-924A Annual Certification of Regional Center | $3,035 | $4,465 | $1,430 | 47 percent |
| I-929 Petition for Qualifying Family Member of a U-1 Nonimmigrant | $230 | $1,485 | $1,255 | 546 percent |
| N-300 Application to File Declaration of Intention | $270 | $1,305 | $1,035 | 383 percent |
| N-336 Request for Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (online filing) | $700 | $1,725 | $1,025 | 146 percent |
| N-336 Request for Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (paper filing) | $700 | $1,735 | $1,035 | 148 percent |
| N-400 Application for Naturalization (online filing) | $640 | $1,160 | $520 | 81 percent |
| N-400 Application for Naturalization (paper filing) | $640 | $1,170 | $530 | 83 percent |
| N-400 Application for Naturalization (paper filing) | $320 | $1,170 | $850 | 266 percent |
| N-470 Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes | $355 | $1,585 | $1,230 | 346 percent |
| N-565 Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document (online filing) | $555 | $535 | -$20 | -4 percent |
| N-565 Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document (paper filing) | $555 | $545 | -$10 | -2 percent |
| N-600 Application for Certificate of Citizenship (online filing) | $1,170 | $990 | -$180 | -15 percent |
| N-600 Application for Certificate of Citizenship (paper filing) | $1,170 | $1,000 | -$170 | -15 percent |
| N-600K Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate (online filing) | $1,170 | $935 | -$235 | -20 percent |
| N-600K Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate (paper filing) | $1,170 | $945 | -$225 | -19 percent |
| USCIS Immigrant Fee | $220 | $190 | -$30 | -14 percent |
| Biometric Services (Non-DACA) | $85 | $30 | -$55 | -65 percent |
| Biometric Services (DACA only) | $85 | $85 | $0 | 0 percent |
| G-1041 Genealogy Index Search Request (online filing) | $65 | $160 | $95 | 146 percent |
| G-1041 Genealogy Index Search Request (paper filing) | $65 | $170 | $105 | 162 percent |
| G-1041A Genealogy Records Request (online filing) | $65 | $255 | $190 | 292 percent |
| G-1041A Genealogy Records Request (paper filing) | $65 | $265 | $200 | 308 percent |
If you have any questions about how these changes may affect your immigration status or requests, contact an immigration lawyer today. Kannan Law is in San Diego, California, catering also surrounding areas and we are ready to help you, contact us today!