Will Green Card prices rise in 2024? What you should know

Will Green Card prices rise in 2024? What you should know

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The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is about to implement significant changes in its fee structure, which will also affect the increase in processing prices for certain documents. This worries migrants about the rise in the Green Card fees, or permanent resident card, which allows you to work and live legally in the United States.

On December 27, 2023 (USCIS) announced that a final rule would be applied to increase the filing fee for Form I-907, or Request for Priority Processing, to adjust to the inflation that the country has experienced from June 2021 until June 2023. Premium processing is an additional fee that allows specific immigration procedures to be accelerated. The rates for these procedures have not been adjusted since 2016.

According to information announced by USCIS at that time, the adjustment would increase certain priority processing fees from $1,500 to $1,685, $1,750 to $1,965, and $2,500 to $2,805. On January 8, 2024, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) received the final rule containing substantial increases in immigration fees.

After a long wait, USCIS finally announced the final rates on January 30, 2024, and emphasized that these rate changes would take effect on April 1, 2024.

Why did USCIS decide to increase fees?

After publishing the final rule for adjustments to application fees for immigration and naturalization benefits for the first time since 2016, USCIS stressed that the increase in these fees will allow them to recover their operating costs “more completely and support the timely processing of new requests.”

They alleged that, unlike many other federal agencies, their funding comes almost entirely from these fees they charge citizens: “Approximately 96% of our funding comes from filing fees and only about 4% comes from appropriations from the Congress”, they justified in an official publication.

What does the final rate increase rule contain?

USCIS specifies that for individual taxpayers, the final rule limits fee increases to no more than the increase in inflation since 2016, which is 26%. They also assure that most rates will increase less than this percentage.

They also justify that the final rule kept fee increases at a “low” level for naturalization, adoption applications, and petitions. They also reduced the highest fees for employers by applying “special discounts” for nonprofit organizations and small employers.

Likewise, they ensure that an eligibility criterion is proposed to exempt vulnerable and low-income populations from fees and that fee exceptions were also expanded for certain humanitarian and other types of beneficiaries.

As another “concession” to the final rule, USCIS mentioned that a 50% discount was established for those who submit their form online instead of on paper.

Which rates will increase?

In this official information published on the USCIS website, you will be able to find out in detail about the new USCIS fee rule and verify which documents have undergone adjustments.

USCIS clarifies that before these fees come into effect on April 1, 2024, or even on this date, they will publish a complete and updated fee schedule on their website, so it is advisable to stay tuned.

Here, we mention some examples of forms that will suffer an increase, such as the I-90 Application to replace the permanent resident card, which, if submitted on paper, will increase by $10 (from $455 to $465). But submitting it online will cost $40 less (from $455 to $415).

Some forms on the list suffer a reasonably marked increase, such as the I-129 H-2A or designated beneficiaries, which will increase by 137% and go from $460 to $1,090. Similarly, the I-129 Petition for nonimmigrant workers L will cost $.1385 (previously, it cost $460), which represents an increase of 201%. There is also the Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant (CBP), which costs $585 and will remain at $1,100.

Other procedures that will suffer an increase are the I-129F Petition for foreign fiancé(e), with a 26% adjustment (it costs $535 and will now cost $675). Also, the I-130 Petition for foreign relatives (online filing) will increase by 17% (from $535 to $625). If the presentation is on paper, it will increase by 26% (from $535 to $675).

For its part, the processing of travel documents through the I-131 Application will increase by 10% and cost $630 from April 2024. Likewise, travel documents for refugees over 16 years old will cost 22% ($135 to $165). In the case of children under 16 years of age, the increase will be almost 30% (it will rise from $105 to $135).

There are many other forms with adjustments and exemptions, so it is recommended to consult the official USCIS site again.

Who will be affected by these USCIS fee increases?

In general, fee increases mean that immigrants will have to pay more for USCIS services. Immigration experts have warned about the impact this will have on people with low incomes or who do not have access to sufficient financial resources.

These new rates announced by USCIS will significantly impact the following groups:

• Companies: Based on these adjustments, employers could pay more for their employees’ immigration costs. This variable could discourage companies from hiring immigrants or sponsoring their immigration applications, given that the process will represent a more significant expense.
• The workforce: For immigrants, the fee increases will also represent a hit in the pocketbook, as they will have to pay more for USCIS services, which could make it more difficult for them to access the US workforce.

Did the agency consider citizen comments?

USCIS commented that it received more than 6,000 public comments on the proposal to increase its fees. Therefore, it modified the final rule and incorporated significant changes, including expanding fee waivers for certain vulnerable groups, such as special immigrant youth, trafficking victims, military service members, and families seeking international adoption.

Also, it offers special discounted rates for nonprofit organizations and small business employers. It opens the possibility of applying for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) at half price for adjustment of status applicants and a reduced rate for minor applicants 14 years old or less in certain situations.

In the same sense, they highlighted that they expanded eligibility to reduce fees by up to 50% for naturalization applications submitted by people with family incomes between 150% and 400% of the federal poverty guidelines.

What can immigrants do about these new rate changes?

It is normal for immigrants to be concerned about fee increases for specific procedures to the extent that the country’s economy is not going through its best moment. This is why it is recommended that you stay informed through official USCIS channels to be aware of the new rates.

Another vital tip in these cases is to hire an immigration attorney to help you understand the fee changes and determine if you qualify for a waiver offered by USCIS for people with low incomes or facing financial difficulties. If you need specialized assistance, do not hesitate to contact us. You can count on Kannan Law to guide you in San Diego, California.