New Immigration USCIS Fees Take Effect July 30th, 2007

July 11, 2007 Dallas, TX – ImmigrationHouseCall.com has prepared this document to aid in understanding some of the new fees for immigration the USCIS released at the end of May. In order to save money, persons are encouraged to file before the new fees take effect, as the changes can be substantial. The new fees will be effective for all applications postmarked or filed on or after July 30, 2007. The new fees include filing fees and any required biometric fees.

The USCIS decided to increase the fees based upon the cost of processing hundreds of thousands of immigration applications and petitions each year. In addition, the USCIS needs to cover the cost of its operating expenses; therefore, the agency decided to increase application and petition fees.

The final structure of the fees is about a 66% increase over the previous fees in place. However, some fees associated with applications and petitions which in the past were paid separately are now included within the final fee for the petition and application, causing the increase in fees to seem much higher than it actually is.

The new fee structure does include reduction in fee costs for families with children. The final fee structure also expands the availability of exemptions and fee waivers to certain classes of immigrants. In addition, the final rule provides that biometric fees may be waived by a USCIS official according to his or her discretion for reasons such as financial hardship.

Now under USCIS’ new fee schedule a replacement or renewal Green Card (I-90) will be $370.00, a fiancée visa (I-129F) will be $455.00, and a relative petition (I-130) will be $355. Orphan petitions will not have a fee if based on an approved I-600A; otherwise, the fee will be $750.00 for the petitioner with an $80.00 fee for each person 18 or older living with the petitioner.

For workers, a petition for a nonimmigrant worker (I-129) will be $320.00, but petitions for H-1B, H2B, and L-1 workers must also include supplemental fees and fraud prevention fees, which remain unchanged. A petition for an immigrant worker (I-140) will now be $475.00. In addition, employment authorization documents will increase to $340.00. Investor petitioners (I-526) will now pay a $1,435.00 fee.

For petitioners wanting to adjust their status and become a permanent resident while in the United States (I-485), the fee will be $1,010.00, unless the petitioner is 79 years old or older then it will be $930 or where the petitioner is under 14 years old the fee will be $600.00 if filing with the I-485 application of at least one parent or $930.00 if not filing with the I-485 application of at least one parent.

Anyone wanting to extend their stay as a nonimmigrant or wanting to change their nonimmigrant status (I-539) will have to pay a $300.00 fee. For petitioners who desire to become U.S. citizens, the fee will be $235.00 for the Declaration of Intent to apply for U.S. citizenship (N-300), $605.00 to request a hearing on a decision on a petitioner’s naturalization application (N-336), $675.00 to become a U.S. citizen – naturalization (N-400), and/or $460.00 for recognition of U.S. citizenship for a biological child or $420.00 for an adopted child.

To have grounds of excludability waived (I-601) the fee will increase to $545.00. For those wanting their foreign residence requirement waived (I-612) the new fee will be $545.00. In addition, to remove the conditions on an immigrant’s Permanent Residence status (I-751) will be a $545.00 fee for the petitioner plus an $80.00 biometric fee for each dependent included on the application. The USCIS set the fee to remove conditions on an immigrant’s Permanent Residence status for investors (I-829) at $2,930 for the petitioner, plus $80.00 biometric fee for each dependent included on the petitioner’s application.

To reapply for admission to the United States after being deported or removed (I-212) will now cost $545.00. Anyone seeking to appeal or filing a motion to reopen or reconsider (I-290B) will have to pay $585.00.

ImmigrationHouseCall.com is the first video program ever created that explains U.S. immigration law to the public. In plain language, it is both educational and entertaining, using video clips, music and much more. The breakthrough product has 3 major audiences: people abroad with an interest in living, investing, working or studying here; those in the U.S. with family abroad or want to change status, have a criminal record or have delayed cases; and U.S. immigration lawyers. Immigration lawyers and non-immigration attorneys in California, New York or Florida who purchase the program receive 4 hours of continuing legal education credit from the respective State Bars.

ImmigrationHouseCall.com also includes forms and instructions for FOIA, a procedure useful for those in the U.S. or abroad with delayed cases and those with criminal records or other immigration issues. FOIA allows the person to receive a copy of the government’s file about them. The $99 program is currently selling for $59 as the company clears its English-Spanish version to make room for the new English-Spanish-Japanese version about to be released on a large scale. For more information, visit www.ImmigrationHouseCall.com.

Contact Information

Melinda Bayer

Press Relations

ImmigrationHouseCall.com

Contact via E-mail