U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a final rule that increases the fee for express or priority services for more than 10 work visas.
The agency announced that this is an inflationary adjustment for the submission of Form I-907, Request for Priority Processing.
“The adjustment increases certain priority processing fees from $1,500 to $1,685, $1,750 to $1,965, and $2,500 to $2,805,” the agency said.
Among the visas whose priority processes will be more expensive are the E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-3, L-1A, L-1B, LZ, O-1, O-2, P -1, P-1S, P-2, P-2S, P-3, P-3S, Q-1, TN-1 and TN-2.
Also the F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, J-2, E-1, E-2, E-3, L-2, H-4, O-3, P-4 and R-2.
He added that the USCIS Stabilization Act established the current priority processing rates, but they have not been changed in three years, requiring an update.
“After leaving these fees unchanged for three years following the passage of the Act, DHS has now increased the priority processing fees that USCIS charges for all eligible forms and categories to reflect average inflation from June 2021 to June 2023,” USCIS indicated.
The rate change will take effect on February 26, 2024.
This means that if a person submits a Form I-907 postmarked February 26, 2024 with the incorrect fee, the petition processing will be returned.
“In the case of presentations sent by commercial courier (such as UPS, FedEx and DHL), the date of the postmark is the date reflected on the receipt from the courier company,” it was noted.
USCIS justified the increase by pointing out that it will use the income generated to improve different services, such as adjudication processes; respond to adjudication demands, including reducing delays in processing benefit applications, and otherwise fund adjudication and naturalization services.
What are the impacted forms?
– Form I-129, Nonimmigrant Worker Petition will cost $1,685.
– Form I-140, Petition for Foreign Immigrant Worker will cost $2,805.
– Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status increases to $1,965.
– Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization has an increase to $1,685 dollars.