USCIS Filing Fees to Increase on November 23, 2010

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Nicola A.L. Prall

On September 23, 2010, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced a fee increase for immigration benefits. Unlike most federal agencies, USCIS is primarily a fee-based organization, with 90% of its approximately $2.7 billion budget paid for by user fees. The economic downturn has meant that fewer employers were petitioning for foreign national workers, and that fewer individuals had the money to pay for individual petitions and applications. Consequently, intake at USCIS fell and USCIS brought in less money than expected in 2008 and 2009. To make up for this shortfall, USCIS has enacted a fee increase that will go into effect November 23, 2010.

Overall, fees will go up an average of 10% - this number, however, hides the fact that business- or employment-based categories were disproportionately affected by the fee increase. This is especially true for applicants interested in the EB-5 - Alien Entrepreneur category.

Fortunately, though, the nonimmigrant worker petition used for popular visa types, such as the H-1B, TN, and L categories, only increased 1.5% or from $320 to $325.

Other employment-related visas were not so lucky:

• I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker – from $475 to $580 (22% increase)

• I-765, Application for Employment Authorization – from $340 to $380 (11.7% increase)

• I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions – from $2,850 to $3,750 (31.5% increase)

• I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service – from $1,000 to $1,225 (22.5% increase)

• Application for Regional Center under the Immigrant Investor Pilot Program – from $0 to $6,230

Employers and businesses should be aware of these upcoming increases and, if possible, plan to file cases before the increase on November 23, 2010.
 

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Major filing fee increases for employers who use substantial H-1B and L-1 visas

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Bryant L. Stevenson

Implementing a portion of the Border Security funding bill (Public Law 111-230) signed by President Barack Obama on August 13, USCIS has announced a new fee, in addition to existing fees, for certain H-1B and L-1 petitions. The new fee is $2,000 for certain H-1B and $2,250 for certain L-1 petitions.

The fee applies to petitioners who employ more than 50 workers in the U.S., with more than 50% of them in H-1B or L-1 status. The fee must be paid when an employer seeks an initial grant of H-1B or L-1 status, and when an existing H-1B or L-1 worker is seeking a change of employer.

USCIS notes that Form I-129, and accompanying instructions, will be modified to comply with the new law. In the interim, employers should address the fee requirement with a notation on their H-1B or L-1 applications.

See the USCIS announcement here:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=27eac9514bb8a210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=5b33aca797e63110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD
 

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