Chicago – April 01, 2024
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published its final rule and is moving forward with significant fee increase’s for various immigration applications. This change represents the first major fee adjustment since 2016 and addresses the agency’s operational and financial challenges. The new prices are set to take effect April 1, 2024, meaning all applications postmarked after this date will be charged the new, higher costs.
This increase has substantial implications, particularly for family-based immigration applications, among the most affected categories. This article outlines new application costs, the timeline, and strategies to avoid higher fees for prospective applicants.
On March 19, 2024, a group of immigrants and employer groups filed a lawsuit to block the USCIS fee hike from taking effect April 1, 2024. The lawsuit (a motion for a temporary restraining order filed in the U.S. District Court Tenth Circuit) argues that the fee hike should be halted because it was issued without due notice and places an unnecessary burden on certain employers and foreign investors seeking permanent residence in the U.S.
As of now, the new USCIS fees will still take effect on April 1, unless the U.S. district court judge grants the motion for a request for a preliminary injunction.
