Dear US Employers:

Thank you for having us to handle your H-1B work visa petition for your alien employee(s)!  There are three types of fees in connection with this H-1B petition: (1)Governmental Filing/Application Fees; (2) Fees charged by or for this law office and (3)Fees charged by a third party.  These fees must be paid before our office files the H-1B petition package(s) with USCIS.  Please read the information below:

Governmental Filing (Application) Fees for a New H-1B Application:

1. Form Filing/Application Fee: $320. 

2. ACWIA Fee: $1,500 if the employer is employing 25 or more employees, OR $750 if the employer employs a total of no more than 25 full-time equivalent employees in the United States, including any affiliate or subsidiary.

3. Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee. The H1-B Visa Reform Act also establishes a new Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee of $500 which must be paid by petitioners seeking a beneficiary's initial grant of H1-B or L nonimmigrant classification or those petitioners seeking to change a beneficiary's employer within these classifications. There are no exemptions from the $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee This Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee is effective March 8, 2005. Each of these fees is in addition to the base processing fee of $320 to file a Petition for a Nonimmigrant worker (I-129).

4. Premium Processing Fee: $1000.  This fee is required if USCIS is required to process the H-1B petition within 15 days of the filing.  For the H-1B applications rushing for each year's annual H-1B CAP quota, Premium Processing Fee is STRONGLY recommended although this fee is optional.  However the fee may be paid by the alien employee.

5. H-4 Filing Fee: $300.  This fee is required if the alien worker has foreign born family members who are in the US and who need to change their status with the principal beneficiary.

Above five fees are charged by USCIS.  Filling fee, ACWIA fee and Fraud Prevention and Detection fee should be paid by SEPARATE company checks from the employer payable to "Department of Homeland Security".  If the employer elects to write one check for the total amount, it should make the check payable to "Xie Law Offices, LLC." and we will write separate checks to Department of Homeland Security for the employer.  Personal checks from the individual beneficiary will not be accepted by the USCIS. ACWIA Fee and Antifraud Fee must be paid by the employer/petitioner. Alien Employee may advance the ACWIA fee, however, the employee must secure a reimbursement from the employer/petitioner later.

Governmental Filing (Application) Fees for an H-1B Extension/Renewal (for an existing H-1B worker):

1. Form Filing/Application Fee: $320. 

2. ACWIA Fee: $1,500 if the employer is employing 25 or more employees, OR $750 if the employer employs a total of no more than 25 full-time equivalent employees in the United States, including any affiliate or subsidiary.

3. H-4 Filing Fee: $300 if applicable.  This fee is required if the alien worker has foreign born family members who are in the US and who need to change their status with the principal beneficiary.

** Premium Processing Fee: $1000.  For H-1B renewal or extension, the employee can continue to work for the employer as long as USCIS has accepted the extension or renewal petition.  However this fee is required if you cannot wait for about 4-5 months to receive the approval notice or if the employee needs to have the original approval notice on hand for other benefits suchs as renewing th driver's license or applying for H-1B visa stamping overseas, the Premium Processing Fee is STRONGLY recommended although this fee is optional.  However the fee may be paid by the alien employee.

Above five fees are charged by USCIS.  Filling fee  and ACWIA fee should be paid by SEPARATE company checks from the employer payable to "Department of Homeland Security".  If the employer elects to write one check for the total amount, it should make the check payable to "Xie Law Offices, LLC." and we will write separate checks to Department of Homeland Security for the employer.  Personal checks from the individual beneficiary will not be accepted by the USCIS. ACWIA Fee and Antifraud Fee must be paid by the employer/petitioner. Alien Employee may advance the ACWIA fee, however, the employee must secure a reimbursement from the employer/petitioner later.

Legal Fees (Attorney's Fees) Information:

Please contact us about the fees charged by or for the attorney and the fees charged by a third party such as degree credential evaluation organizations.

The US employers interested in filing an H-1B application for a foreign worker may visit Frequently Asked Questions about H-1B Work Visa (Status).