The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a final rule, published on August 3, 2020, which will take effect October 2, 2020, that will increase significantly many immigration and naturalization fees charged by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and reduce some others. It also removes certain fee exemptions; changes fee waiver requirements; establishes multiple fees for nonimmigrant worker petitions; alters premium processing time limits; and makes changes related to setting, collecting, and administering fees, among other things. Overall, DHS said it is increasing USCIS fees by a “weighted average” of 20 percent.
The Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, which formerly had no fee, will now have a fee of $50. The Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (non-DACA) fee is increased 34 percent, to $550. The Biometric Services (non-DACA) fee is reduced from $85 to $30. There are increases in some Form I-129 Petitions for a Nonimmigrant Worker, such as the I-129H1 (to $555), the I-129H2A (to $850), the I-129H2B (to $715), the I-129L (to $805), and the I-129O ($705). The Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, has increased to $1,160 (online filing) or $1,170 (paper filing). The Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship (online and paper), has decreased by 15 percent, to $990 and $1,000, respectively.
Additional fees and changes are listed in the final rule. Miller Mayer recommends filing applications for which fees will increase before the effective date, when possible. Contact your Miller Mayer immigration attorney for help in specific situations.
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