In less than 2 weeks, new fees come into effect unless there is a miraculous postponement of such. Lacking the miracle, readers should remember that petitions or applications that reach U.S.C.I.S. on Friday, 12/23/16, must have the new enhanced fees. The agency does not have the mailbox rule, by which petitions or applications only need to be posted in the mail the day before to preserve the present fee. In its newest fee chart accessible at www.uscis.gov/forms/our-fees, U.S.C.I.S. makes clear that “Applications and petitions postmarked or filed on or after December 23, 2016, must include these new fees or U.S.C.I.S. will reject your submission.” In defending itself for raising fees, it notes that “The fee schedule was last adjusted in November 2010.” It should be noted that some of the fee increases are stunning, especially for EB-5 immigrant entrepreneur related cases and waiver applications (I-526 immigrant petitions from $1500 to $3675, I-924 applications to be designated as a regional center from $6230 to $17,795, I-924A annual certification of a regional center from no fee to $3035, and both I-601 application for waiver of ground of excludability and I-612 application for waiver of the foreign residence requirement from $585 to $930).

Attached is a non-comprehensive rundown of most U.S.C.I.S. fees beginning 12/23/16 with biometrics that we find useful posting in our office, and that we hope will help readers in submitting correct fees:

Most USCIS Fees Beginning 12/23/2016 (with Biometrics)
New Old
Fee Fee

The rise in fees is certain to cause hardships to many petitioners and applicants seeking benefits from U.S.C.I.S. The agency can point out that it has been a pay-as-you-go entity for a long time and is funded by the fees that it receives. Nevertheless the shock is always there, even to immigration attorneys who see that a number of the filing fees exceed their legal fees. A long time ago in the far and distant land of 1982 USA, fees charged by the agency (at that time legacy INS) were $5 for an I-102, $20 for form I-212, $15 for form I-129B, $15 for form I-129F, $10 for form I-130, $5 for form I-539, $25 for form I-140, and $30 for form I-485, etc. Although U.S.C.I.S. can say that it was not a fee-based agency at that time – WOW! to the numbers. To say that U.S.C.I.S. fees have greatly outstripped inflation is an understatement indeed!