February 2024 Update: See the chart below for updated increases for certain visas and adjustment of status in 2024.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is gearing up for substantial modifications to its fee structure. The recent update from the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) reveals that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) completed its review of the USCIS Final Fee Rule on January 19, 2024.
This final rule, proposing notable increases in immigration fees, reached OIRA on January 8, 2024. With eight years since the last fee adjustment, there’s a possibility of the Administration expediting the rule’s finalization.
Updated Fee Increases 2024: Which US Visa Fees Are Changing?
On January 4, 2023, a draft rule was released that called for an average 40% increase in application fees. The American Immigration Council and AILA have voiced concerns, pointing out that this new price structure may result in much higher costs for both applicants and employers. For example, the total expenses for marriage-based green card applications might double to more than $3640, which would include the required I-130 petition for a family member.
Fees for accompanying children will no longer be reduced, aligning with adult application costs. This could result in an immigrant family of four paying over $10,000 to bring a spouse and two children to the United States under the proposed fee changes.
Other immigration applications are also expected to see price hikes. The relative petition might increase by 53%, from $535 to $820, and the removal of conditions application by 76%, from $680 to $1,195.
Here are the updated immigration fee increases we can expect to see in April, 2024:
| Visa/Adjustment of Status | Current Fee | New Fee | Fee Increase |
| K-1 Fiancé Visa | $535 | $675 | $140 |
| CR-1 Spousal Visa | $535 | $675 | $140 |
| Adjustment of Status (without Work or Travel Permits) | $1,225 | $1,440 | $215 |
| Adjustment of Status Work Permit (Optional) | $0 when filed with an Adjustment of Status | $630 | $630 |
| Adjustment of Status Travel Permit (Optional) | $0 when filed with an Adjustment of Status | $260 when filed with an Adjustment of Status | $260 |
| Adjustment of Status (with Work and Travel Permits) | $1,760 | $3,005 | $1,245 |
When Will the Changes Take Effect?
Following OIRA’s review, the publication of the final rule is imminent, and the new fees are set to take place in April 2024. Applications postmarked before the rule takes effect will remain unaffected by the price increases.
Background and Public Feedback
Originally proposed in January 2023, USCIS aimed to raise application fees across almost every immigrant category. The proposal included substantial increases for both employment-based and family-based immigrant applications. Amid a mandated process involving a 60-day public comment period, the agency received over 6,000 public comments expressing concerns about the proposed cost hikes and their potential impact on U.S. businesses, the workforce, and families. The fee increases will only be implemented once the final rule is published, and it remains uncertain whether the agency will proceed with the initially proposed fee hikes or consider modifications based on public feedback.
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