DHS promulgated a proposed rule that would make changes to the USCIS fee schedule by a “weighted average increase of 21 percent,” or about an 18 percent overall fee hike. The rule would also add new fees, change forms, and introduce several new forms. Some of the most common applications and petitions that would be impacted are:
| CURRENT | PROPOSED | |
|---|---|---|
| I-129H1, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker (Named H-1B Beneficiaries) | $460 | $560 |
| I-129L, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker for L-1 | $460 | $815 |
| I-129O, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker for O | $460 | $715 |
| I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker | $700 | $545 |
| I-601A, Provisional Waiver | $630 | $960 |
| I-612, Waiver of Foreign Residency Requirement | $930 | $525 |
| I-751, Petition to Removed Conditions on Residence | $595 | $760 |
| I-821D, DACA Renewal | $0 | $275 |
| N-400, Naturalization | $725 | $1,170 |
The rule would also impose, for the first time, a $50 fee on asylum applications. If promulgated, the United States would become the fourth country in the world that charges fees for asylum.
Included in the proposal is a relaxation of the premium processing deadline, from 15 calendar days to 15 business days. The premium processing fee was recently increased from $1225 to $1410 and now to $1440; together, this will mean slower adjudications at higher prices. Other proposals in this rule include the transfer of over $100 million in USCIS applicant fees to ICE. Comments from the public are due by the end of the year.
