Lower fees for petitions



IN THE LAST two or three years before the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was abolished through the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the subsequent breaking up of the INS by assigning its functions to two bureaus under the DHS, the INS has always announced increase in fees it charges for petitions and applications, including petitions for relatives, fiance(e)s, temporary workers and citizenship applications. (The INS officially has been abolished but there is a transition period).

Last Jan. 24, the INS announced new fees, but lo and behold -- the INS announced that lower fees would be charged! After a closer look, however, it was not out of the agency's graciousness but apparently in compliance with a provision under the Homeland Security Act of 2002 which requires the INS to reduce the immigrant benefit application and petition fees. The INS issued a memorandum saying refunds would be made accordingly for fees paid on or after Jan. 24, 2003.

For more than 20 million temporary visitors to the US, the reduced fee announcement is welcome news indeed -- especially for those who might have the opportunity -- not the intent -- to not only apply for extension of stay but to apply for change of nonimmigrant category as well.

The January 2003 statistics report from the INS confirms that the number of inspections (foreign nationals with US visas seeking admission into the US as temporary visitors with varying purposes) has not reached the levels experienced before Sept. 11, 2001. The seasonally adjusted inspections decreased 24 percent between August 2001 and October 2001, but have increased 11 percent since then. The total number of seasonally adjusted inspections has been fairly stable since December 2001.

The new but lower (yes, this is not a typo) fees follows:

INS Fees on Certain Petitions, Effective Jan. 24, 2003

· I-17, Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student

A basic processing fee of 167 dollars for each school application is required. Every school applying for enrollment in SEVIS, whether for initial approval or for recertification, requires a campus visit. Fee to be submitted with the basic application fee for each school campus. -- 350 dollars or a total of 517 dollars

· I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Residence Card

When using this form to correct incorrect data due to INS administrative error, you do not have to pay the fee. In this case, you should mark the box Part 2, Reason 2.d. on the form itself and send in the information requested, without fee. -- 95 dollars

· I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document

Although you do not need to pay a fee to request INS to correct your Form I-94, I-95 or I-20ID if the error(s) on your document was made by INS, through no fault of your own. -- 73 dollars

· I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker

Note that premium processing fees are optional and additional (see form I-907 at http://www.ins.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/i-907.htm. Employers may be exempt from the 1,000-dollar Nonimmigrant Petitioner fee for H-1B petitions in some circumstances -- see form I-129W at http://www.ins.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/i-129w.htm. -- 96 dollars and additional 1,000 dollars for certain H-1B petitions

· I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiance(e) -- 81 dollars

· I-130, Petition for Alien Relative -- 96 dollars

· I-131, Application for Travel Document -- 80 dollars

· I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker -- 99 dollars

· I-191, Application for Advance Permission to Return to Unrelinquished Domicile

For a legal permanent resident of the US to apply for permission to return to their home in the US after time spent outside the US. -- 142 dollars

· I-191, Application for Advance Permission as a Nonimmigrant -- 142 dollars

· I-193, Application for Waiver of Passport or Visa -- 142 dollars

· I-212, Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission into the United States After Deportation or Removal

Persons who wish to enter the US legally after being deported, removed or who have voluntarily departed the US without an order of deportation may reapply for admission to the US, if they meet certain qualifications. -- 142 dollars

· I-485, Application To Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

Fee is 186 dollars. If you are applying for LIFE Act legalization, your fee is also 186 dollars

· I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur -- 290 dollars

· I-539, Application To Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status -- 102 dollars

· I-600/I-600A, Petition To Classify Orphan As an Immediate Relative

An additional fee for fingerprinting may be required -- check http://www.ins.gov/graphics/formsfee/finger/fc22i600.htm. The standard filing fee for the I-600 is 332 dollars. If the 332-dollar fee is paid at the time of filing a Form I-600A, the fee is not required again to file the I-600.

When more than one petition is submitted by the same petitioner for orphans who are siblings, only one set of petition and fingerprinting fees is required. When more than one petition is submitted for orphans who are not siblings, the 332-dollar filing fee and fingerprint fees must be included for each petition.

· I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability -- 142 dollars

· I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions of Residence -- 105 dollars

· I-765, Application for Employment Authorization -- 88 dollars

· I-817, Family Unity Benefits -- 102 dollars

· I-824, Application for Action on Approved Application or Petition -- 103 dollars

· I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions -- 286 dollars

· N-400, Application for Naturalization -- 188 dollars

· N-565, Replacing Citizenship Document/certificate -- 113 dollars

· N-600, Application for Certification of Citizenship -- 134 dollars

· N-643, Citizenship on Behalf of Child -- 105 dollars

(You can contact Crispin R. Aranda at usvisacenter@yahoo.com or at the Immigrant Visa Center in the Philippines +632 411-0806, +632 414-2655, +632 373-6799. In the US, you can call him at +415 834-1052.)