Raising Fees to Immigrate to the U.S.

The cost of everything is on the rise, so how about the cost of coming to America? The Biden administration cites operational costs, staff expenses and addresses a paper backlog as the reason it needs a 33% increase in the cost of applying for a green card in the U.S. The public comment response that ended mid-March was engaged. Here's a synopsis provided by goldmanmccormick.com.

"Under a proposal by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, application fees for most categories of immigration to the United States would increase. Some fees, like those for employment-based visas and family-based immigrant applications, will face dramatic increases. Application fees for U.S. citizens and permanent residents hoping to sponsor family members for permanent residency — known as a green card — would increase by 33% to $710, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association. 

Fees for marriage-based green card applications could double from $1,760 to over $3,640, USCIS citing the higher cost of proving a valid family relationship exists. Requests from U.S. citizens seeking to bring their fiancés to the U.S. would increase by 35%, from $535 to $720."

If you'd like more details, here is an excellent article from the Idaho Capital Sun. Love sharing the work of a local newspaper!

https://idahocapitalsun.com/2023/03/20/u-s-proposes-huge-fee-increase-for-most-green-card-applications/

photo: Getty Images


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