Bush wants to raise fee to $905!!!!

[Yodrak 7]

jenn,

Note that the article specifically mentions raising the biometrics fee from $70 to $80.

Yodrak

The $905 will be for AOS only, not EAD/AP. The article says $905 up from $325. $325 is AOS only.

OMG... When? On 2009? Or did I misunderstand because of the shock??? WOW that's a HUGE increase....

.....

They do say that they will eliminate "other fees" associated. I highly doubt that means AP and EAD though, since those are separate applications altogether. Maybe (*maybe*), they will include biometrics in the $905.

Edited January 31, 2007 by Yodrak

[akdiver 3]

Well, it's not George raising the fees, it's DHS. And if that includes biometrics and the EAD and AP fees, then it's not that much more. They could make it a real bargain by not charging to renew EAD and AP, which is what they morally should do, IMO.I'm gonna wait and see what you get before I get my panties bunched.

"The Bush administration" doesn't make a move without orders from Bush - that should be pretty clear to everyone by now. And no, it doesn't appear it will include EAD or AP. It does say " But the agency plans to eliminate other costs those legal residency applicants often pay while they are waiting for their permanent residency to be final" but it doesn't say what "other costs" they are talking about.

Whatcha gonna do about it anyway? Not file?

Doesn't affect me - my wife already has her PR card.

Note that the article specifically mentions raising the biometrics fee from $70 to $80.

Yeah, but it's only $10 - not much to write home about there.

Cheers!

AKDiver

[Yodrak 7]

akdiver,

The point is, it's not one of the other costs that USCIS plans to eliminate in conjunction with raising the adjustment application fee.

Yodrak

Note that the article specifically mentions raising the biometrics fee from $70 to $80.

Yeah, but it's only $10 - not much to write home about there.

Cheers!

AKDiver

[Jasman0717 9]

I'm gonna wait and see what you get before I get my panties bunched. Whatcha gonna do about it anyway? Not file?

Good point

[rebeccajo 14]

I'll agree that I'd like to see what gets included in the entire process for such a huge increase in cost. Although I'll admit, as someone who may be filing for AOS near that time period, I am not looking forward to dishing out that much extra money, especially as we weren't planning on getting an EAD or AP and thus weren't going to be paying for those fees.

I sat and thought about this a while and got to wondering something.

If someone files their I485, and is doing what the US Government AND John Q. Public wants them to do - ie be an immigrant with LEGAL status in this country - isn't it just the right thing to do to confer upon that applicant the ability to work and travel freely?

[irishgirl73 0]

I'll agree that I'd like to see what gets included in the entire process for such a huge increase in cost. Although I'll admit, as someone who may be filing for AOS near that time period, I am not looking forward to dishing out that much extra money, especially as we weren't planning on getting an EAD or AP and thus weren't going to be paying for those fees.

I sat and thought about this a while and got to wondering something.

If someone files their I485, and is doing what the US Government AND John Q. Public wants them to do - ie be an immigrant with LEGAL status in this country - isn't it just the right thing to do to confer upon that applicant the ability to work and travel freely?

YES

IMO

[Jenn! 918]

akdiver,

The point is, it's not one of the other costs that USCIS plans to eliminate in conjunction with raising the adjustment application fee.

Yodrak

Note that the article specifically mentions raising the biometrics fee from $70 to $80.

Yeah, but it's only $10 - not much to write home about there.

Cheers!

AKDiver

You're right. So I'm all out of ideas about what costs they're talking about.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I wonder if the related expenses may be referring to the application to remove conditions on conditional AOS recipients . . .it would be nice not to have to pay the additional fee after paying the AOS fee while those who don't have a conditional AOS have no additional fees.

[Ladylethal 12]

I doubt this increase will actually make the service better.

I'm glad I already applied and I hope I'll be rich by the time I have to lift conditions.

[together2love 0]

I wonder if the related expenses may be referring to the application to remove conditions on conditional AOS recipients . . .it would be nice not to have to pay the additional fee after paying the AOS fee while those who don't have a conditional AOS have no additional fees.

True, but at least at this point in most people's journeys they both are working and can at least afford the cost of removing conditions, etc. When it is right in the beginning (adjusting status) usually the intending immigrant isn't able to work and therefore it is not as affordable to pay this $905 cost at this time. Of course, we don't have much of a choice anyways.

[TracyTN 237]

Here's hoping I can get my fiance here and have a courthouse 'wedding' before October and save myself $600.

I hope we get more details about what is going to be combined in this $900 - or if its just the fee for the I 864 going up that much.

If there's NOT some kind of 'combining' (of EAD/AP), its going to be even more of a strain on couples who initially only have one income to afford it (not that you have much of a choice). May make some people reconsider what visa type they go for - so at least the foreign spouse can get here and have the ability to work right off the bat.

Edited January 31, 2007 by TracyTN

[Killer_Clown_2009 0]

I recently read a USCIS response to the ombudsman regarding service times. In it, they said that the plan was to automatically issue EAD/AP to those who wait more than 90 days for their green card interview. I imagine that people will no longer need to apply for these benefits and that they will be part of the whole $905.00 AOS fee.

[brtlmj 0]

I recently read a USCIS response to the ombudsman regarding service times. In it, they said that the plan was to automatically issue EAD/AP to those who wait more than 90 days for their green card interview.

Except in obviously frivolous cases, those should be sent along with NOA1. I am allowed to dream, am I not?

Bartek

[TracyTN 237]

Reading one of the PDFs about it on USCIS' site, it says the fee for I 129fs is proposed to go from $170 to $455.

I'm glad I'm already in the system for $170, regardless of how much more AOS will cost me!

[TracyTN 237]

Tried to edit my last reply but it was too late.

Ok, upon reading one of the PDFs about it on USCIS' site:

http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/ProposedRule.pdf

It says the fee for I 129fs is proposed to go from $170 to $455. BUT apparently they will eliminate the fee for K3 associated I 129fs. Guess they have to make up the difference somewhere...!

Also, for AOS, it says it "eliminates separate fees for 'interim' benefits" - which they list as AP and EAD.

Basically, the current fees are $325 for AOS, $170 for EAD and $180 for AP, which totals $675. The proposal is to get all three for $905 going forward - an increase of $230. Still not chump change, but I suppose it could be worse.

Maybe someone else will give that PDF a read and see if I'm understanding it correctly.