Effective April 1, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has adjusted certain application fees for immigration and naturalization benefits, such as green card petitions, fiancé visas, green card applications for children, naturalization, investor visas, temporary work visas, etc.
WHAT’S CHANGED?
Family-Based Green Card Application – Form I-130:
For family-based residency applications, the fee increases from the current $535 to $625 for online submission or $675 for paper submission. To apply for naturalization, the fee increases from $640 to $710.
Changes to Fees for Temporary Visa and Green Card Applications:
USCIS has significantly changed the filing fees associated with several immigration forms, particularly impacting Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, and Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
New Fees for Temporary Work Visas – Form I-129:
Under the current fee schedule, USCIS requires the same $460 filing fee for all classifications using Form I-129, including, for example, H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, P-1, and E-3. Through the final rule, USCIS will impose different filing fees for different classifications, as described in the table below. For example, the Form I-129 filing fee for an H-1B petition will increase by 70%, reaching $780 from $460, and the L-1 petition filing fee will increase by 201%, reaching $1,385 from $460. Certain exemptions and reduced fees may apply to small employers and nonprofit organizations, providing a differentiated fee structure based on the size and nature of the petitioner.
New Fees for Employment-Based Green Card Applications – Form I-140:
USCIS increased the fee from $700 to $715 for I-140 petitions. However, the biggest change is the requirement to pay the Asylum Program Fee.
New Asylum Program Fee for Employment-Based Permanent and Temporary Visas:
USCIS has implemented a $600 Asylum Program Fee for petitions using Forms I-129 or I-140, with a reduced fee of $300 for small employers, defined as those with 25 or fewer full-time employees, and exempting nonprofit employers. Therefore, applicants for EB1, EB2, EB2-NIW, EB3, EB4, O-1, O-2, P-1, H-1B, L1 visas, among others, in addition to the increased fees, will also be required to pay the Asylum Program Fee to support asylum applications received by US immigration, which is free of charge to the applicant.
Significant Increase in Adjustment of Status Applications – Green Card Applications – Form I-485
USCIS will implement a $1,440 fee for most adjustment of status applications, introducing a reduced fee of $950 for applicants under 14 who apply simultaneously with a parent. The major difference is that previously, when submitting the adjustment of status application, it was not necessary to pay for the work authorization (Form I-765) and travel authorization (Form I-131). Starting in April, these fees will be required to be paid individually. That is, the adjustment of status application with work and travel authorization, which previously cost $1,225 for someone over 14, will now cost $2,330, and for someone under 14, $1,840. This fee structure maintains the USCIS tradition of offering reduced fees to applicants filed by children.
Premium Processing (Form I-907)
The fee for a faster response in some cases was increased on February 26, 2024, to $2,805, effective February 26. Even with payment of this fee, the review period for these cases will now be counted in business days instead of calendar days, as was previously the case.
Access the full list on the USCIS website: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees/frequently-asked-questions-on-the-uscis-fee-rule
