All individuals should note that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) plan to implement a new fee schedule on or after July 30, 2007. This new fee schedule will substantially increase application fees for a range of visa types.

It is essential to note that the existing fee schedule will, however, remain valid for Forms I-485, I-131 and I-765 until August 17, 2007. Existing fees for these visa applications will remain in place for this extended period of time in response to the reversal and re-extension of employment-based Adjustment of Status cases related to the July 2007 Visa Bulletin. Do note, though, that the existing fee schedule only applies to forms submitted in relation cases based on employment-based visa priority dates as published in the July 2007 Visa Bulletin, not all cases.

USCIS comments that this new fee structure is being implemented to reduce the application processing times; the agency notes that their goal is to reduce processing times by 20 percent by 2009.

USCIS does note that they have implemented certain fee waivers, including a fee waiver for the $80 biometric fee for individuals who receive fee waivers for their visa applications (e.g.: asylum applicants, some juvenile immigrants).

The filing fee schedule can be viewed in its entirety at the following URL: