U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a unique government agency in that it is fee funded. This means that USCIS relies entirely on fees collected from people filing different immigration applications to fund its operations. Tax money and congressionally allotted appropriations are not used to keep USCIS up and running. As such, USCIS periodically reviews and adjusts filing fees for immigration applications to ensure that the agency has the necessary resources to cover its operational costs. USCIS recently proposed fee increases on applications across the board, with these increases slated to take effect sometime in the next 30-90 days. There are several reasons USCIS may claim that an increase in filing fees warranted including:
- Operational Costs: USCIS incurs various operational costs in processing immigration applications, including personnel salaries, technology infrastructure, administrative expenses, and security measures. Adjusting filing fees helps ensure that the agency has the funds needed to cover these costs and provide efficient and effective services.
- Investment in Technology and Security: As technology evolves, USCIS needs to invest in new systems and security measures to enhance the integrity and efficiency of the immigration process.
- Service Improvements: USCIS may use fee adjustments to fund improvements in customer service, streamline application processing, and reduce overall processing times. This can lead to a better experience for applicants and more effective immigration services.
In essence, USCIS is asking for more money to perform its function better. In reality, an increase in filing fees has historically never translated into USCIS becoming a more service-oriented and efficient government agency. In fact, despite the last USCIS increase in fees, case processing times have grown substantially over the last four years. This is especially true when it comes to processing family-based immigration applications. What this means for you is that you are about to pay substantially more to file your application for the same inefficient service USCIS currently offers. Don’t fall victim to the USCIS money grab. File your application now, especially if you intend on filing any of the following applications:
| Current Fee | Proposed Fee | |
| Fiance Visa | $ 535.00 | $ 720.00 |
| Form I-751 | $ 680.00 | $ 1,195.00 |
| I-130 Petition | $ 535.00 | $ 820.00 |
| L1 Visa | $ 460.00 | $ 1,385.00 |
| O1 Visa | $ 460.00 | $ 1,055.00 |
| Adjustment I-485 | $ 1,225.00 | $ 2,820.00 |
