A call to stop USCIS increases: Immigrants Foundation  

New York, February 1st, 2007. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have announced a proposed fee schedule that will considerable increase the costs of filing immigration applications. 

The fee increases, could be effective early this summer, and will be another hardship for many immigrants trying to obtain citizenship and other immigration benefits. 

Under the USCIS proposal, the cost increases will apply as followed:

To file an N-400 citizenship application will go from $400 to $675, a 70% increase.   .  Form I-129 F: Sponsoring a fiancé to immigrate will cost $455, up from $170.

Filing an I-130 immigrant relative petition will cost $355, up from $190. 

The fee to file an I-485 application for a green card will increase from $325 to $905. 

Filing an N-600 application for a citizenship certificate for a child of a US citizen will cost $595, (currently is $330).

 

Edward Juarez, President of the International Immigrants Foundation, expressed his concern on this measure, “all these fee increases will have a devastating impact on immigrant families, many of whom already are struggling to support their families”

 

Although USCIS claims that it needs these increases to make up the costs of processing applications and fund improvements in service.  Up to now USCIS has refused to seek funding from Congress to help pay for these costs, even though community advocates have offered to help USCIS ask Congress for funding.

 

USCIS is posting the fee proposal in the Federal Register and opening up a 60-day public comment period.  The deadline for comments is April 2, 2007.  Comments can be submitted in any of the following ways:

-  by email to OSComments@dhs.gov;

-  on the website www.regulations.gov;

- by fax to 866 466-5370, or

- by mail to the following address:

Director, Regulatory Management Division

US Citizenship and Immigration Services

Department of Homeland Security

111 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 3rd floor Washington DC 20529.

 

Any comments should refer to DHS Docket # USCIS-2006-0044. 

USCIS has posted its materials regarding the proposed fee increase at www.uscis.gov/21stcenturyservice/.