November 18, 2010

USCIS Fee Increases to Go Into Effect on Monday, November 23, 2010 

The new fee schedule for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will go into effect on Monday, November 23, 2010.  According to the agency’s website, the fees for USCIS applications and petitions will increase by an average of approximately 10 percent.

The filing fee for the Form I-129, which includes H-1B and L-1 petitions, will increase from $320 to $325.  The Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, filing fee will rise from $475 to $580. The filing fee for the Form I-131, used for travel document applications, will increase from $305 to $360.  The Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, will see a filing fee increase from $340 to $380.  Petitioners wishing to file using premium processing will be required to pay a $1,225 fee under the new schedule.  Naturalization application fees will remain the same.  Applicants may seek a fee waiver from USCIS through submitting an affidavit demonstrating their inability to pay the designated filing fee.

Applications and petitions postmarked on or after November 23, 2010 must include payment of the new fee rates.  Applications submitted with the previous fee will be rejected by USCIS.

Further information on the fee increases and the complete new fee schedule can be found at: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=92c5e116de9eb210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD.