Friends, USCIS is this close to increasing their filing fees.
Yes, this close to increasing the filing fees.
In this video, I'm going to speak with you about which applications are going up and
when.
If you're interested in this topic, stick around all the way until the end because I'm
going to cover all of those details.
But before I get into it, guys, thanks so much for watching this video.
Thanks for subscribing, for sharing, for commenting and just being part of this community.
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Thanks so much.
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the notification bell.
Now, let's get into it.
In November 2019, USCIS issued a press release stating that they're going to increase the
filing fees.
They're going to just give the public some time to comment on the proposal, and after
the comment period is over, they'll consider the changes that the public is asking for,
right, and then tweak it, and then publish the final rule.
Well, what's happened now is that just about a week ago, the proposal made its way to the
final step of the process, which is going to the Office of Management and Budget, the
OMB office, which is under the White House.
It's an agency under the Executive Branch.
So, once OMB signs off on this, USCIS can then go ahead, implement it.
I actually did a video about the proposal several months ago.
So go ahead, check it out.
I'm going to link to it here if you'd like to go back and see what those details are.
But fast forward to now, they are this close to implementing these changes.
Now you might be saying, "Wait a minute, Latoya.
Is this different from this whole 10% surcharge that I've heard you talk about and that has
been in the news and what's the difference?"
And guys, there is a big difference between what I'm talking about in this video versus
the 10% surcharge.
That 10% surcharge guys, is connected to the bailout request that USCIS has before Congress
right now.
Essentially USCIS has said to Congress, "Listen, if you guys give us the money, over a billion
dollars that we need to keep operating for the next several months.
You give us this bailout money we're going to tag on a 10% surcharge on our applications
so that we can then reimburse the US taxpayers for the bailout dollars."
Congress hasn't really responded to that yet, guys.
It's still out there.
USCIS has still threatened to furlough their employees, and no real action has happened
on that front yet.
I did a video on that issue.
Check it out.
I'm going to link to it here.
But let's get into what's going on right now with the fee increase that is this close as
I've said to being implemented.
Let's talk about which applications are impacted by this.
The first guys is naturalization, the citizenship application.
So the N-400, that's the application, the filing fee right now is only $640.
And under this proposal, it's going to go up by 83% to $1,170.
That is enormous.
So naturalization application will be going up.
But let me just say this before I keep going.
Just keep in mind that we don't know what the final rule looks like quite yet, right?
We don't know that.
What I'm going over right now is the proposal that the government introduced back in November,
where once OMB finalizes the work that it needs to do to sign off on all of this, at
that point, we'll really know whether USCIS is sticking to these numbers or whether they
lower them.
So, I just want to preface it by saying that.
Adjustment of status, those of you who are here in America who will be going through
the adjustment of status process, the filing fee right now for the I-485 is $1,225.
But under this new proposal, the packet will go up in a major way, and it's actually going
to be $2,195.
The real reason for this major increase is that certain applications that are part of
the whole adjustment of status packets, so to speak, or process like the work permit,
the travel authorization.
Those right now, there's no separate fee for those applications when they're filed concurrently
with the adjustment of status application.
But under this new proposal, there would be a filing fee for those.
So that's why it went up to $2,195.
Now, the next application that's impacted is the I-589, which is the asylum application.
Now, for the first time, folks who are seeking asylum will have to pay a filing fee, and
that's $50.
For DACA renewals, currently the fee is $495 for that application.
Under the new proposal, it jumps up to $765.
So that's a big increase as well.
But let's talk also about another change that's part of this proposal, and it's with respect
to fee waivers.
Some of you may already know that when you're applying for certain applications, if your
income is low or you're receiving certain benefits from the government or if you're
going through a financial hardship, you could actually apply for a fee waiver so that you
wouldn't have to pay the big fee, right?
But what's happening now is under this proposal, they're actually getting rid of the fee waiver
for certain applications.
Specifically naturalization application folks will no longer be able to apply for a fee
waiver, the adjustment of status application, the I-90, which is for green card renewals
or replacement, and then lastly, the employment authorization document either.
Folks will not be able to seek a fee waiver for that application.
But the fee waiver issue does not apply to people who are filing self-petitioning under
VAWA, right, Violence Against Women Act, and that's a humanitarian pathway to a green card.
So people who are self-petitioning under VAWA, folks who are battered spouses, folks who
are seeking the U visa or T visa or TPS, temporary protected status, those individuals will still
obtain a fee waiver for the applications that I've mentioned.
So just to summarize, guys, USCIS is very close to implementing the new fees that I
discussed in this video.
It's mainly going to impact those seeking naturalization, adjustment of status, asylum,
and also the DACA renewals.
All right?
I hope you found this video helpful.
Once this goes into effect, I will definitely, definitely come back before you and let you
know what the deal is.
I'm hoping that these numbers change during the rulemaking process.
We'll see whether USCIS has stuck to this structure or whether they've actually decreased
what was proposed back in November.
We'll see.
Guys, thanks so much for watching this video, share it with other people, and I'll see you
in the next one.
Bye-bye.