Immigration Applications: USCIS to Increase All Application Fees Starting April 1
USCIS to Hike All Immigration Application Fees Starting April 1
Attorneys:Attorney Jeff Zhengquan Xie,Attorney Jiarui Yin,Attorney Qian Zhao,Attorney Haochun Ling
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will comprehensively adjust all immigration application fees effective April 1, 2024. The adjustment covers most immigration categories, including green cards, work visas, student visas, and visitor visas. The average fee increase is 20%, with some categories seeing even higher hikes. For example, the fee for Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) will rise from the current $1,140 to $1,440.
USCIS stated that this adjustment is aimed at better maintaining the agency’s operational and service standards. In recent years, the number of immigration applications has been on the rise, while USCIS’s budget has remained relatively constrained. Through this fee adjustment, USCIS hopes to generate additional revenue to improve the immigration system’s infrastructure and service efficiency.
This fee hike will impact all applicants seeking to immigrate to the U.S. Applicants need to plan their budgets in advance and familiarize themselves with the updated fee information. Below are the new application fees for some common immigration forms:
|
Application Form
|
Description
|
New Fee
|
|---|
|
Form I-90
|
Green Card Renewal (Online Filing, including biometrics fee)
|
$415
|
|
Form I-90
|
Green Card Renewal (Paper Filing, including biometrics fee)
|
$465
|
|
Form I-129
|
H-1B Work Visa
|
$780
|
|
Form I-129
|
H-1B Work Visa (Small Employers & Nonprofit Organizations)
|
$460
|
|
Form I-129
|
L-1 Work Visa
|
$1,385
|
|
Form I-129
|
L-1 Work Visa (Small Employers & Nonprofit Organizations)
|
$695
|
|
Form I-129
|
O-1 Work Visa
|
$1,055
|
|
Form I-129
|
O-1 Work Visa (Small Employers & Nonprofit Organizations)
|
$530
|
|
Form I-129F
|
Fiancé(e) Visa
|
$675
|
|
Form I-130
|
Family-Based Immigration Petition (Online Filing)
|
$625
|
|
Form I-130
|
Family-Based Immigration Petition (Paper Filing)
|
$675
|
|
Form I-131
|
Travel Document Application (including biometrics fee)
|
$630
|
|
Form I-140
|
Employment-Based Immigration Petition
|
$715
|
|
Form I-290B
|
Appeal Form
|
$800
|
|
Form I-360
|
Special Immigrant Petition
|
$515
|
|
Form I-485
|
Adjustment of Status (including biometrics fee)
|
$1,440
|
|
Form I-485
|
Adjustment of Status (for children under 14 years old)
|
$950
|
|
Form I-526/I-526E
|
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Petition
|
$11,160
|
|
Form I-539
|
Extension or Change of Nonimmigrant Status (Online Filing, including biometrics fee)
|
$420
|
|
Form I-539
|
Extension or Change of Nonimmigrant Status (Paper Filing, including biometrics fee)
|
$470
|
|
Form I-601
|
Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility
|
$1,050
|
|
Form I-601A
|
Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver
|
$795
|
|
Form I-601A
|
Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver (including biometrics fee)
|
$795
|
|
Form I-612
|
Application for Waiver of the Foreign Residence Requirement (J-1 Visa)
|
$1,100
|
|
Form I-751
|
Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence
|
$750
|
|
Form I-765
|
Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Application (Online Filing, including biometrics fee)
|
$470
|
|
Form I-765
|
Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Application (Paper Filing, including biometrics fee)
|
$520
|
|
Form I-824
|
Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition
|
$590
|
|
Form I-829
|
Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions on Residence (including biometrics fee)
|
$9,525
|
|
Form N-400
|
Naturalization Application (Online Filing, including biometrics fee)
|
$710
|
|
Form N-400
|
Naturalization Application (Paper Filing, including biometrics fee)
|
$760
|
|
USCIS Immigrant Fee
|
-
|
$235
|
|
H-1B Registration Fee
|
-
|
$215
|
|
Biometrics Fee (Special Circumstances)
|
-
|
$30
|
Notably, online filings cost $50 less than paper filings for most forms. Except for H-1B registrations, all online applications listed above must be completed by the applicants themselves. Our recommendation is that if you are not familiar with the online filing process, it is advisable to retain an attorney to file a paper application by mail for USCIS review.
In addition, applicants who file Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status) on or before March 31, 2024 may concurrently submit Form I-765 (EAD Application) and Form I-131 (Travel Document Application) for a combined fee of $1,225. Starting April 1, 2024, the fees for Form I-131 and Form I-765 will no longer be included in the Form I-485 fee when filed concurrently. The total cost for the three applications filed together will increase to $1,440 + $260 + $630 = $2,330.
When Will the Fee Hike Take Effect?
The fee increase will take effect on April 1, 2024. Applications must be postmarked or submitted to USCIS by March 31, 2024 to qualify for the current fees.
Important Note: Even if you submit your application package to USCIS before April 1, if the package is rejected and returned for any reason, you must pay the new fees when resubmitting. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully prepare your application package before submission.
The above overview is prepared by XIE LAW OFFICES,LLC. to provide legal information to the Chinese community. It is primarily for academic discussion purposes and does not constitute legal advice on specific cases. If you already have legal representation, please consult your own attorney, who is familiar with the details of your case. Clients of Xie & Associates Law Firm, as well as readers who have not yet retained legal counsel, may contact Attorney Xie for specific legal questions. If you wish to reprint this document, please do so in full without any deletions, and clearly indicate the source.
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