Everything you need to know about rising immigration fees in the US

USCIS It announced an increase in fees for certain immigration procedures to enter the United States on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, marking the date these new costs will take effect.

“We are always looking for ways to strengthen integrity and reduce the risk of fraud while improving and streamlining our application processes,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jato said.

In the report, the agency said that after the review, it concluded that the costs of immigration procedures are too small to cover the total cost of its operations, including expanding humanitarian programs, hiring new employees and mandatory tax increases.

Increase in fees for some procedures in 2024

Among the adjustments, the cost of applying for a worker card (I-765) increases from $410 to $470 for online applications and $520 for paper applications. Likewise, the fee for a travel document (I-131) increases from $575 to $630.

A fee review is also done for applications to adjust status for permanent residence (I-485). For applicants with fingerprints, the cost increases from $1,225 to $1,440, while for those without fingerprints, the cost increases from $1,140 to $1,440. The Petition for Resident (I-130) fee is also changing from $535 to $625 for online applications and $675 for paper applications.

Important Dates to Remember

According to USCIS, the early registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap will begin at noon EST on March 6, 2024, and continue until noon EST. Eastern, March 22, 2024.

During this period, potential petitioners and their representatives, if applicable, must use the USCIS online account to electronically register each beneficiary and pay the corresponding registration fee for each beneficiary, USCIS adds.

Date for Online Filing of I-129 I-907 Enterprise Accounts Forms

On February 28, 2024, USCIS will launch new company accounts on the USCIS Online account, which will allow multiple individuals and their legal representatives within a company to collaborate on the preparation of H-1B registrations, H-1B petitions, and any other account. Related Form I-907.

Also on February 28, USCIS will begin online filing of Form I-129 and the associated Form I-907 for unattached H-1B petitions. On April 1, USCIS will begin online filing of H-1B cap petitions and related I-907 forms.

According to USCIS, petitioners may pursue the option of filing a paper petition in the form of Form I-129 H-1B and the associated Form I-907 if they wish. However, during the initial launch of company accounts, users will not be able to link Forms I-129 and I-907 to their online accounts.

As a reminder, USCIS recently announced a final rule that will increase the Form I-907 filing fee to adjust for inflation, effective February 26, 2024. If USCIS receives a Form I-907 postmarked on or after February 26, 2024 with an incorrect filing fee, we will reject the Form I-907 and refund the filing fee. For deposits sent by commercial mail (such as UPS, FedEx, and DHL), the postmark date is the date shown on the postal receipt.