What Will Change Under the Fee Schedule Rule
Some of the changes scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 2, 2020, include:
Adjustment of Status to Lawful Permanent Residency – Currently, an adjustment of status application (Form I-485) costs $1,225 for most applicants, which includes the cost of concurrently filed applications for work authorization (Form I-765) and a travel document (Form I-131). USCIS will unbundle the filing fees for these applications resulting in the total price of that package increasing to $2,270.
Work Authorization – The application for work authorization (Form I-765) will increase from $410 to $550, with the exception of I-765s filed by recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which will remain the same.
Naturalization – USCIS will increase the naturalization application (Form N-400) fee from $640 to $1,170. Additionally, it will eliminate the option to request a reduced fee of $320 using Form I-942 as well as fee waivers for the N-400. This will increase the burden on low-income immigrants seeking to naturalize, further delaying their access to citizenship.
Provisional Waivers – The Form I–601A application for a provisional unlawful presence waiver will increase from $630 to $960.
Nonimmigrant Worker Petitions – USCIS is separating the former Form I-129 into several new I-129 forms by worker type, for example, an I-129MISC for classification as a P, Q, R and H-3 nonimmigrant. The filing fee will increase fee from $460 to $695.
Affirmative Asylum – USCIS will impose a new fee of $50 on applications for asylum (Form I-589), making the United States one of only four countries in the world that levy such a fee on asylum seekers.
Fee Waivers – USCIS will slash existing fee waivers except for those enumerated by statute. Among the fee waivers largely eliminated are those for applications for naturalization, adjustment of status, green card replacement and renewals (Form I-90) and employment authorization. USCIS will disallow fee waivers for any applicant who is subject to an affidavit of support requirement, is already a sponsored immigrant, or is subject to public charge inadmissibility.
Online Filing – The fee for forms filed online will be $10 lower than the fee for the same form filed by mail, where online filing is available.