New USCIS Filing Fees Effective July 30, 2007
May 31, 2007
We have more government updates to report. The United States Citizenship & Immigration Service has announced that its long-anticipated filing fee increase will go into effect on July 30, 2007. While this presents an average increase of 66%, small consolations include (1) the Service recently had hinted that fees would rise in June, not July; and (2) this is the first major increase since the late 1990s. We have highlighted below the most common cases affected by the fee increase, providing current filing fees and those filing fees for cases received on or after July 30, 2007.
It is important to plan now to maximize employers' ability to file cases before July 30, 2007 and avoid, where feasible, the increased fees. In this connection, we suggest you take the following steps to achieve cost effectiveness:
· Please contact us as soon as possible for new foreign national hires so that we may provide efficient legal analysis, strategic planning and case preparation. We will need to receive all requested documentation and information by July 9, 2007 for filing before July 30, 2007, in order to avoid internal expedite legal fees.
· For cases currently being prepared in our office, please provide requested documentation/information as soon as possible so that we may meet targeted filing dates.
Most Commonly Incurred USCIS Filing Fees
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Petition
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Filing Fees in effect until 7/30/07
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Filing Fees in effect on or after 7/30/07
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H-1B Petition
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$2190 ($1440 if 25 or less full time employees)
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$2320
|
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H-4 Petition for Spouse and/or child
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$200
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$300
|
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L-1A/L-1B Petition
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$690
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$820
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L-2 Petition for Spouse and/or child
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$200
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$300
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TN Petition filed in U.S.
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$190
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$320
|
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Visa Petition Following Labor Certification
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$195
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$475
|
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Adjustment of Status (AOS) Application (Adult)
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$395
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$1010
|
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AOS Child filing concurrent AOS with at least one parent
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$295
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$600
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AOS Child not filing concurrent with parent (Child)
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$295
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$930
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Employment Authorization Document based on pending AOS application
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$180
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None. Incorporated in standard AOS filing fee.
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Advance Parole Document based on pending AOS application
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$170
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None. Incorporated in standard AOS filing fee.
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We hope that this is helpful and look forward to proactive planning with you. We have advocated at the highest levels to oppose fee increases where they were significant, and appreciate our clients' contacting their Congressional representatives as well. We will keep you updated with further government developments.
