Just in time for the holidays… The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is set to raise the filing fees for various applications. Overall, filing fees will increase by an average of 21 percent.
Some increases are modest. For example, the cost of applying for an employment authorization document will increase by $30, from $380 to the new fee of $410. An application for naturalization will now cost $45 more, going from $595 to the new fee of $640.
More significant increases include the cost of petitioning a spouse or other relative, which will increase from $420 to $530. The application for lawful permanent residence (aka. a “green card”), will go up from $985 to $1,140.
An application for a waiver after deportation will now cost a hefty $930 rather than the previous $585. And a waiver for various other grounds of inadmissibility (fraud, certain crimes and immigration violations) will also go up from $585 to $930.
Thankfully, those individuals applying for the Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver will experience a more modest fee increase – from $585 to $630.
A full list of the USCIS’ new fee schedule is available online at: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/our-fees
The fee increases will go into effect on December 23, 2016. Bottom line: If you can, file your applications now before the new fees go into effect!