The Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule (PDF) on July 31st, 2020. This rule adjusts fees for certain immigration and naturalization benefit requests to ensure U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recovers its costs of services. The initial rule was published in the Federal Register on November 14, 2019.
What is the Purpose of this Fee Hike?
- The rule accounts for increased costs to adjudicate immigration benefit requests
- Detect and deter immigration fraud
- Thoroughly vet applicants, petitioners, and beneficiaries
- The rule also supports payroll, technology and operations to accomplish the USCIS mission
- The rule removes certain fee exemptions, includes new nominal fees for asylum applicants
- Reduces fee waivers to help recover the costs of the adjudication.
List of Fee Change are as follows:
Table 1: Non-Statutory IEFA Immigration Benefit Request Fees
| Immigration Benefit Request | Current Fee | Final Fee | Change($) | Percentage 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 | $590 | 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)4 | $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 | |
| or Adjust Status5 | $750 | $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) 6 | $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 or | $285 | $1,810 | $1,525 | 535 percent | |
| Special Rule Cancellation of Removal | $570 | $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 | |
|
$640
$320 |
$1,170 | 530
850 |
83 Percent
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 |
When Will This Rule Be Effective?
This final rule is effective from Oct. 2, 2020. Any application, petition, or request postmarked on or after this date must include payment of the new, correct fees established by this final rule.
What Will Be the Impact on Business?
- The impact on Indian IT and service firms is expected to be significant
- Companies which hired 50 percent employees on H-1B or L-1 visas will now pay an additional $4,000-4,500 for each visa extension
Any Proposed Legal Implication about this Move?
As such, industry body NASSCOM has filed their protest with the DHS, terming the move “illegal.” Pro-immigration bodies such as the American Immigration Council (AIC) and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) have also filed comments opposing the move as one that would “hurt US businesses.”
Action Step For You
If you are considering applying for any immigration benefit such as Citizenship, Adjustment of Status (Permanent Residence), Work Permit, etc.
Please contact our office for a consultation to confirm that you qualify for the benefit you seek before the prices go up.
The price of Citizenship will go from $725 to $1190, the permanent residence will go from $1225 to $2230.
Call us at 469-994-9407 Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5:30 pm.
Photo Credit: Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, Dec 2016 Citizenship Workshop. Photo by Alabastro Photography.