From the February 05, 2007 Edition of ISSS-BU News
US Citizenship and Immigration Services Proposes 86%
Application Fees Increase
On February 1, 2007, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a proposal to increase its application fees by an average of 86%. As this is a proposal, there is a sixty-day comment period that will last through April 2, 2007. Should the proposal become law, the new fees would take effect in the early summer, perhaps as early as June. However, because the fee increases are so large, there will likely be Congressional hearings on the amounts.
Here is a list of the current fees and new fees for application types most frequently filed by our students:
I-102 replace lost document (replace I-94 card)
current fee: $160 proposed fee: $320
I-129 petition for non-immigrant worker (H-1B)
current fee: $190 proposed fee $320
I-539 change of non-immigrant status/reinstatement
current fee: $200 proposed fee: $300
I-765 application for employment authorization (including OPT)
current fee: $180 proposed fee: $340
The justification for these increases falls under the title of "Building an Immigration Service for the 21st Century" and discusses how USCIS processing is required to be supported by user fees, and that these increases are needed to provide the necessary level of customer service and improve the USCIS infrastructure needed for this service.
It's important to remember that the increases are only proposals at this point. Thus students who plan to apply for Optional Practical Training will still pay the current $180 filing fee until such time as new fees are enacted.
Below are a number of links to additional information on the proposed increases prepared by USCIS
Fact Sheet: Building an Immigration Service for the 21st Century
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/FSbuilding.pdf
Fact Sheet: USCIS Fee Adjustments (methodology)
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/FSmethod.pdf
Fact Sheet: Building an Immigration Service for the 21st Century
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/PRBuilding1.pdf
Questions and Answers
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/QABuilding1.pdf