For the first time in six years, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will increase it fees for most immigration applications and petitions beginning on Dec. 23, 2016.
The USCIS is primarily funded by application and petition fees, and the fee increase was proposed and approved after the organization determined that it was necessary to continue providing services.
How Much Will Applications and Petitions Cost after the Increase Takes Effect?
Per the USCIS, the fee increases will raise the cost of immigration applications and petitions by around 21 percent overall.
Major fee changes and increases include the following:
- 8 percent increase for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization
People applying for naturalization will see their application fees go up from $595 to $640 beginning Dec. 23. That’s an increase of $45. Applicants with family incomes greater than 150 percent but less than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines will be eligible for a reduced fee of $320. - 95 percent increase for Form N-600 and Form N-600K
The cost for submitting an Application for Certificate of Citizenship and Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322 will go up from $550/$600 to $1,170. - New fee for Form I-924A
Form I-924A, Annual Certification of Regional Center, will now cost regional centers $3,035 to file. This form previously had no cost associated with filing.
Submit Your Application or Petition Immediately to Avoid Increased Fees
If you want to avoid paying additional fees for your naturalization application or petition, it’s important to file right away. Applications and petitions filed after Dec. 23 will be subject to the first fee increases enacted by the USCIS since Nov. 2010.
