USCIS Announces Premium Process Fee Increase

 Posted on January 13, 2024 in Immigration

When you are applying for any type of visa or U.S. citizenship, you not only have to provide specific documents with your application, but you also have to pay a fee. Each type of visa application has its own fee, with the prices varying depending on the type of visa you are applying for. One of the most frustrating factors to deal with when you are applying for a visa is the duration it takes for that application to be processed, however, there are certain types of visas where you can pay an extra fee for premium processing to accelerate that processing time.

Every two years, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is required to review its fees to determine if adjustments should be made. The last time there was an increase in premium processing fees was in 2016; however, that all changes in February when significant increases take effect. The following is an overview of these increases. For more detailed information about your particular situation, it is best to contact an Illinois immigration lawyer.

New Premium Processing Fee Prices

When an applicant pays a premium processing fee with their application, that application should be processed within 15 days. If the USCIS fails to meet that deadline, the premium processing fee is refunded, however, the application is still handled as premium processing.

The USCIS published its final rule on fee increases in December, announcing that these increases will go into effect on February 6, 2024. The new fees are:

• Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status) – New fee will be $1,685

• Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (All other classifications) – New fee will be $2,805

• Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker – New fee will be $2,805

• Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status – New fee will be $1,965

• Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization – New fee will be $1,685

According to the USCIS, the reason for the fee increase is that the current fee amounts do not cover the services the agency provides and do not provide the funding needed to address the backlog of applications. The USCIS estimates that the increases will provide an additional $1.9 billion each year. There are fee waivers available for low-income applicants who are eligible.

Contact an Illinois Immigration Lawyer for Application Assistance

The USCIS has myriad complex rules and regulations for any type of visa application a person may be applying for. A simple oversight or mistake can result in an application being denied, forcing the person to start the process all over again. Do not risk this happening to you. No matter what type of immigration issue you have, our Illinois immigration attorneys can help. Call Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices at 630-932-9100 to schedule a free consultation and find out what all of your legal options are.