L’USCIS announced, Tuesday, January 30, 2024, an increase in fees for certain immigration procedures to enter the United States, specifying the date on which these new costs will come into force.
“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. Jaddou.
In the statement, the agency said that after a review, it concluded that the costs of immigration procedures fell far short of covering the total cost of its operations, which include expanding humanitarian programs, hiring new staff and mandatory tax increases.
Increase in fees for certain procedures in 2024
Among the adjustments, the cost of applying for a labor card (I-765) increases from $410 to $470 for online applications and to $520 for paper applications. Likewise, the fee for the travel document (I-131) increases from $575 to $630.
For applications for adjustment of status (I-485) for permanent residence, a fee review has also been made. For applicants with fingerprints, the cost increases from $1,225 to $1,440, while for those without fingerprints, the price jumps from $1,140 to $1,440. The fee for the Residency Petition (I-130) is also being adjusted, from $535 to $625 for online applications and to $675 for paper applications.
Important dates to remember
According to USCIS, the initial registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern Time on March 6, 2024, and will continue until noon Eastern Time. ‘East, March 22, 2024.
During this period, potential petitioners and their representatives, if applicable, must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process and pay the associated registration fee for each beneficiary, USCIS adds .
Date for Online Filings of Forms I-129 I-907 Organizational Accounts
On February 28, 2024, USCIS will launch the new previously announced organizational accounts in the USCIS Online Account that will allow multiple individuals within an organization and their legal representatives to collaborate and prepare H-1B registrations , H-1B petitions and any other account. Related Form I-907.
Also on February 28, USCIS will launch online filing of Form I-129 and associated Form I-907 for uncapped H-1B petitions. On April 1, USCIS will begin accepting online filing of H-1B cap petitions and associated Forms I-907 for petitioners whose records have been selected.
According to USCIS, petitioners will continue to have the option to file a paper petition in the form of Form I-129 H-1B and any associated Form I-907 if they prefer. However, during the initial launch of organizational accounts, users will not be able to link paper Forms I-129 and I-907 to their online accounts.
As a reminder, USCIS recently announced a final rule that will increase Form I-907 filing fees, to adjust for inflation, effective February 26, 2024. If USCIS receives a Form I-907 postmarked on or after February 26, 2024, if there is an incorrect filing fee, we will reject 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 mail receipt.
