The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) routinely updates its application filing fees to reflect the financial needs of the organization. Interestingly, the USCIS is a self-funded agency that depends nearly-entirely on filing costs paid by applicants, immigrant sponsors, and more. In light of a recent decline in immigration processes due to coronavirus restrictions, it might come as no surprise that the USCIS will soon update its filing fees* with a majority of them getting more expensive.
On October 3rd, 2020, some commonly used immigration applications with increased filing fees will be:
- I-102 – Application for Replacement: $490 at 10% increase
- I-129 – Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker: $560 to $815, depending on the type of form subcategory, with upwards of 77% increase
- I-131 – Application for Travel Document: $585 at 2% increase
- I-290B – Notice of Appeal or Motion: $705 at 4% increase
- I-539 – Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status: $400 at 8% increase
- I-765 – Application for Employment Authorization: $490 at 20% increase
Significant Cost Increases for Some Filings
A few application filing fees that will increase significantly on October 3rd include:
- I-131A – Application for Carrier Documentation: $1,010 at 76% increase
- I-192 – Application for Advance Permission to Enter as Nonimmigrant: $1,415 at 142% increase in some cases
- I-193 – Application for Waiver for Passport and/or Visa: $2,205 at 377% increase
- I-881 – Application for Suspension of Deportation or Special Rule Cancellation of Removal: $1,800 at 532% increase in some cases
- N-300 – Application to File Declaration of Intention: $1,320 at 389% increase
- N-400 – Application for Naturalization: $1,755 at 83% increase
- N-470 – Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes: $1,245 at 266% increase
- G-1041A – Genealogy Records Request: $385 at 492% increase
Filings with Noticeable Price Drops
Some application filing fees will decrease noticeably, such as:
- I-90 – Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card: $415 at 9% decrease
- I-140 – Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker: $545 at 22% decrease
- I-612 – Application for Waiver of Foreign Residence Requirement: $525 at 44% decrease
- I-694 – Notice of Appeal of Decision: $725 at 19% decrease
- N-600 – Application for Certificate of Citizenship: $1,105 at 13% decrease
Need to File for Immigration? Do It Soon
If you are thinking of filing an immigration application to enter the country, to sponsor an immigrant, or for any other purpose, then you should speak with an immigration attorney sooner than later. You might be able to file and move your immigration case along before October 3rd, potentially saving you significantly on increased fees. An immigration lawyer can also inform you if your filing fees will decrease in the update and if it is the right choice to wait until the update occurs to file.
You can call (800) 708-4399 to connect with Maney | Gordon | Zeller, P.A. and our nationwide immigration lawyers for more information. We have been helping immigrants from all walks of life and in all corners of the country understand and utilize their rights for more than 40 years. Let us be your legal guides, too, and see how stress-free immigration processes can be.
(* Please note that all above mentioned USCIS filing fees are subject to change without notice due to agency updates. A final ruling was published on August 3rd, 2020, but it is possible that some costs could be amended still.)
