by For the first time in seven years, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating its fee schedule for many petitions and requests. The reason for the changes is to cover agency costs. The agency gets 96% of its funds from filing fees. The current 2016 fee schedule does not cover current operational costs associated with processing requests for various immigration and naturalization benefits. Filing fees are set to change effective April 1, 2024.
The changes affect both individual filers (e.g., employees) and employers. Most individual filer fees reflect an increase of up to 26% of the current fee. Some individual filer fees are reduced in the new schedule, such as a $125 reduction in the fee for filing an I-90 online filing to replace a permanent resident card (with biometric services). Employers, however, take a more significant hit in some fees under the new schedule. Example: The H-1B registration processing fee jumps from $10 to $215.
The regulations accompanying the change in the fee schedule also formalize some fee waivers and exemptions. The regulations point out that fee waivers are based on an inability to pay. Waivers will remain available for applicants who received means-tested public benefits, have income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or demonstrate financial hardship. Fee exemptions are offered for humanitarian-related requests. Nonprofits and employers with 25 or fewer employees are given discounts for some filings.
The USCIS is providing a discount for online filing versus paper filing wherever possible. Online filing offers immediate cost savings for the agency by reducing staff time needed to process paper submissions and otherwise increasing efficiency. It also increases information security and the ability of the agency to monitor for fraud.
The fee schedule, information on waivers and exemptions, and other changes can be found at https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees/frequently-asked-questions-on-the-uscis-fee-rule.
