New visa fees

[ScottinCrimea]

For those of you in the visa process, be prepared for an increase in fees soon.  See below:

WASHINGTON -- Immigration officials said Tuesday they will proceed with plans to double the cost of applying to become a U.S. citizen and triple the fee for seeking legal permanent residency.

The fee increases will take effect July 30. Citizenship fees will rise from $330 to $595, plus $80 for required electronic fingerprints, an increase of $10. For legal permanent residency and fingerprints the cost will be $1,010 for those over 14. The cost now is $325.

Officials with Citizenship and Immigration Services, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, said the increases are needed to improve service, hire 1,500 workers, improve offices, equipment and systems to process applications.

"This agency is fee based, 99 percent of our budget comes from user fees. We need to be the agency people expect us to be. We need to undertake reforms .... The only way to get from there to here is to have the financial resources to do that," CIS Director Emilio Gonzalez said Tuesday.

Many immigration groups and some Democratic members of Congress have protested the fee increases, saying they will put citizenship and legal immigration out of reach of many immigrants. They also question whether better service will follow.

The new fees were to be published this week in the Federal Register and also were posted on the CIS Web site.

[William3rd]

More of concern to those embarking on the visa process are the USCIS fee changes on July 30, 2007 are those for fiancee and alien relative. Generally, they have allowed for packets postmarked before the fee increase deadline (July 300 to be entered in at the lower rate and the website states that this will be the case. 

I 129F Fianceé Petition
$ 455 from $170.00

I 130 Relative Petition
$ 355 from $190.00

[catzenmouse]

They could hire a class of first graders and get better service than they have now. Or maybe they could just outsource it to one of those call centers in India.

After all the stupid crap they put us through there is no way in hell that I will ever have anything good to say about them or have the slightest bit of respect for them.

(Picture of Calvin pissing on the letters) USCIS

Ken

[ScottinCrimea]

In all honesty, if the fee increases cause someone to change their minds about getting a visa, thay have no business trying to get one in the first place.  Still, based on the service provided, they should have reduces the fees, not increased them.  I have no hope that the increases will improve the service.

[Rvrwind]

There still a hell of a lot cheaper than Canada!!

Sponsor Application fee $75.00
Principal Applicant fee $475.00
Right for permanent Residence Fee $975.00

[Daveman]

In all honesty, if the fee increases cause someone to change their minds about getting a visa, thay have no business trying to get one in the first place.  Still, based on the service provided, they should have reduces the fees, not increased them.  I have no hope that the increases will improve the service.

The real idiotic thing here is... you know there will be also be a few morons who will rush to file a K-1 before July 30 on the sole basis of a price increase.  What a bargain! Beat the deadline!

None on this board are that stupid, well, one might be, but he seems to be off chasing hookers anyway.

[Mir]

Well you are still better off.
Here in UK the permanent residence fee has been increased from £335 to £750 ($1500).

Daveman

If the person you have mentioned is who I think he is (and he has not denied it) then I tell you he will never bring a lady to US. He believes in marrying the girl (young, pretty with big breasts) and keeping her in Ukraine for many years. He has already married and divorced there and was very happy that divorce was dead easy and cost only $15.
Still we may be talking about different people and he may not be who I think he is.....

[BC]

Jeez.. prices also went up here recently up to EUR 10.33 (around 13 bucks).

[Turboguy]

Hey this is great.  Now they will have more funds to work with so they can put us though even more crap. 

[Jet]

Hey this is great.  Now they will have more funds to work with so they can put us though even more crap. 

Well at least those 11 million+ amnesty cases will be funded by something other than taxpayer dollars  :usdeyes:

[catzenmouse]

Don't you EVEN get me started on THAT topic Jet! I don't think my blood pressure can deal with an instant 100 point rise!  :burnedup: :seething: :burnedup:

[happiness]

Maybe this is an attempt to limit the loopholes before the amnesty bill is passed?  Some of the illegals may have applied for the cheaper K visas instead of the amnesty Z visas that are being offered.  They could return to their country, apply for a K visa and circumvent the amnesty process. That LPR fee increase ($1,010) will suck.  But someone has to pay to send all the illegals back.  Where do I send my check?

[catzenmouse]

But someone has to pay to send all the illegals back.  Where do I send my check?

They will never send anyone back. They look at these people as a few million soon to be voters who will be loyal to them for keeping them in the country and paving the way for the rest of their family to come in as well. Here's a taste of the new money designs coming soon to a bank near you...

[BC]

I like this one better..

[AnastassiaAsh]

Well, I don't think they will start sending anybody back either, this kind of 'labor' is too cheap not to keep using it...

I wish this rise of fees was coupled with the 2-3 times cut in speed of all visa processes. That would be awesome and justified. But these are just empty dreams.