uscis filing fee hike 66%

[rebeccajo 14]

Sorry, not sure where you come up with the idea that 'taxpayer money' runs DHS. The whole thing is run from fees collected for petitions.

If they don't collect enough fees to meet their costs, where does the shortfall come from? Where it always comes from....taxpayers' pockets.

What shortfall are you speaking of?

Welcome back, btw.

[homesick_american 1]

Sorry, not sure where you come up with the idea that 'taxpayer money' runs DHS. The whole thing is run from fees collected for petitions.

If they don't collect enough fees to meet their costs, where does the shortfall come from? Where it always comes from....taxpayers' pockets.

What shortfall are you speaking of?

Welcome back, btw.

It costs them money to process applications. They have overhead and infrastructure and people to pay. If their operating costs exceed their budget, where does the extra money come from? Taxpayers.

[rebeccajo 14]

Sorry, not sure where you come up with the idea that 'taxpayer money' runs DHS. The whole thing is run from fees collected for petitions.

If they don't collect enough fees to meet their costs, where does the shortfall come from? Where it always comes from....taxpayers' pockets.

What shortfall are you speaking of?

Welcome back, btw.

It costs them money to process applications. They have overhead and infrastructure and people to pay. If their operating costs exceed their budget, where does the extra money come from? Taxpayers.

Honestly, they really don't get taxpayer money. EXCEPT for a one-time appropriation granted to them when DHS was created after the Trade Center tragedy. That money was supposed to be used to clear the backlog, and they have made great strides.

As I understand it, they don't really have a shortfall. They operate within the confines of their budget. What they DON'T do - can't do - is modernize. Their technology is pathetic - close to non existent actually by modern terms. And they aren't able to pay the FBI enough to be put ahead of other 'customers' so that background checks get cleared in a timely manner.

When you paid for your husband's visa, you paid the State Department. And that's a different budget. Stateside adjustees are paying USCIS. While they are under the umbrella of DHS, they have different budgets and their money is used in different ways. DOS is also an 'older' organization - they've had more time to get the kinks out. You can see this in the 'timeliness' of their security checks compared to USCIS.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Thanks for that information, Rebeccajo. I never knew that, but always wondered.

[John & Annie 0]

Maybe the service will be faster as well with the new rate hikes, they may employ more workers or something. I know that Id rather pay more if the process would be faster. Though, either way, it does seem that $395 is pretty cheap for all the wages lost.

I agree, but it is still Gov. work and they do not have to hurry for anything.

The only thing it will do is give them fewer places to blame.

[Lucky7 0]

Sorry, not sure where you come up with the idea that 'taxpayer money' runs DHS. The whole thing is run from fees collected for petitions.

If they don't collect enough fees to meet their costs, where does the shortfall come from? Where it always comes from....taxpayers' pockets.

I disagree. I don't think it comes from taxpayer's pockets......

[Lucky7 0]

Maybe the service will be faster as well with the new rate hikes, they may employ more workers or something. I know that Id rather pay more if the process would be faster. Though, either way, it does seem that $395 is pretty cheap for all the wages lost.

I agree, but it is still Gov. work and they do not have to hurry for anything.

The only thing it will do is give them fewer places to blame.

Actually ridejewel might be right. Applying greencard from employment based visa got so much easier since 2006 and the process is so much faster than the prevous year since USCIS uses updated technology (some kind of software/system) for processing, but the fee has been incresed. It might be the same case for the family based AOS/Greencard. Because of the new system, they can cut the labor..........our case will be processed by machine.

[homesick_american 1]

Sorry, not sure where you come up with the idea that 'taxpayer money' runs DHS. The whole thing is run from fees collected for petitions.

If they don't collect enough fees to meet their costs, where does the shortfall come from? Where it always comes from....taxpayers' pockets.

I disagree. I don't think it comes from taxpayer's pockets......

*shrug* All the better, then; I don't like paying for other peoples' lifestyle choices. Not that the fee hike bothers me; we've already got the visa.

[DARUMA07 25]

One solution to this. Let the 11 to 12 million Illegal Aliens in the US to pay for these higher Fees! I think that all of us here that go through the process legally are getting shafted!!! I have seen recent Immigration Articles about a Proposed $10,000.00 fine and a $3,500.00 Fee for a Greencard! I know this is another issue, but I think we all have a right for the whole Visa Process to be fair for all of us!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bush to renew effort on immigration plan

By BEN FELLER, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 17 minutes ago

CRAWFORD, Texas -

President Bush returns to work Monday on the volatile issue of immigration, where his hope for a legislative breakthrough is complicated by cold relations with Congress.

ADVERTISEMENT

Bush will be back in Yuma, Ariz., to inspect the construction of border fencing and to push for the creation of a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. The trip serves as a bookend to the visit Bush made to the same southwest desert city last May.

It also comes as tension rises over a new immigration proposal tied to the White House.

Bush's team is privately working hard to rally votes for what Bush calls comprehensive reform — a mix of get-tough security with promises of fair treatment for undocumented residents.

The Democratic-led Congress, eager to show some accomplishment on a core issue, wants to get a law passed. So does Bush, who is seeing opportunities to advance his agenda shrink.

Yet immigration is a sticky issue, and the fault lines don't fall along party lines.

With up to 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., lawmakers haven't agreed on how to uphold the law without disrupting lives, eroding the workforce and risking political upheaval.

Bush is hopeful for a legislative compromise by August. He will make his case at a point along the Yuma Sector Border, a 125-mile stretch overlapping Arizona and California.

The president's relations with Congress these days have been soured by the war in

Iraq. He is at odds with Democratic lawmakers over a bill to extend war funding in Iraq and

Afghanistan.

On immigration, the White House has been quietly trying to build momentum.

Administration officials, led by

Homeland Security Secretary

Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary

Carlos Gutierrez, have been meeting privately for weeks with Republican senators. That expanded to a meeting in late March with key senators from both parties.

Out of that session, a work-in-progress plan emerged — one described as a draft White House plan by officials in both parties and advocacy groups who got copies of the detailed blueprint.

The White House disputes that characterization. Spokesman Scott Stanzel said it was only a starting point, an emerging consensus of Republican senators and the White House.

Regardless, the floated proposal has already met opposition. Thousands of people marched through Los Angeles on Saturday, fueled in part by what they called a betrayal by Bush.

The plan would grant work visas to undocumented immigrants but require them to return home and pay hefty fines to become legal U.S. residents. They could apply for three-year work visas, dubbed "Z" visas, which would be renewable indefinitely but cost $3,500 each time.

The undocumented workers would have legal status with the visas, but to become legal permanent residents with a green card, they'd have to return to their home country, apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate to re-enter legally and pay a $10,000 fine.

That's far more restrictive than the bipartisan bill the Senate approved last year.

So far, Bush has only gotten part of what he wants — border legislation. He signed a bill last October authorizing 700 additional miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The president has spent much of the last four days on vacation at his Texas ranch. He returns to Washington Monday after the Arizona visit.

[rebeccajo 14]

Sorry, not sure where you come up with the idea that 'taxpayer money' runs DHS. The whole thing is run from fees collected for petitions.

If they don't collect enough fees to meet their costs, where does the shortfall come from? Where it always comes from....taxpayers' pockets.

I disagree. I don't think it comes from taxpayer's pockets......

*shrug* All the better, then; I don't like paying for other peoples' lifestyle choices. Not that the fee hike bothers me; we've already got the visa.

Well, you'll pay a higher fee for naturalization - if he ever decides to go that route.

[rebeccajo 14]

One solution to this. Let the 11 to 12 million Illegal Aliens in the US to pay for these higher Fees! I think that all of us here that go through the process legally are getting shafted!!! I have seen recent Immigration Articles about a Proposed $10,000.00 fine and a $3,500.00 Fee for a Greencard! I know this is another issue, but I think we all have a right for the whole Visa Process to be fair for all of us!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bush to renew effort on immigration plan

By BEN FELLER, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 17 minutes ago

CRAWFORD, Texas -

President Bush returns to work Monday on the volatile issue of immigration, where his hope for a legislative breakthrough is complicated by cold relations with Congress.

ADVERTISEMENT

Bush will be back in Yuma, Ariz., to inspect the construction of border fencing and to push for the creation of a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. The trip serves as a bookend to the visit Bush made to the same southwest desert city last May.

It also comes as tension rises over a new immigration proposal tied to the White House.

Bush's team is privately working hard to rally votes for what Bush calls comprehensive reform — a mix of get-tough security with promises of fair treatment for undocumented residents.

The Democratic-led Congress, eager to show some accomplishment on a core issue, wants to get a law passed. So does Bush, who is seeing opportunities to advance his agenda shrink.

Yet immigration is a sticky issue, and the fault lines don't fall along party lines.

With up to 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., lawmakers haven't agreed on how to uphold the law without disrupting lives, eroding the workforce and risking political upheaval.

Bush is hopeful for a legislative compromise by August. He will make his case at a point along the Yuma Sector Border, a 125-mile stretch overlapping Arizona and California.

The president's relations with Congress these days have been soured by the war in

Iraq. He is at odds with Democratic lawmakers over a bill to extend war funding in Iraq and

Afghanistan.

On immigration, the White House has been quietly trying to build momentum.

Administration officials, led by

Homeland Security Secretary

Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary

Carlos Gutierrez, have been meeting privately for weeks with Republican senators. That expanded to a meeting in late March with key senators from both parties.

Out of that session, a work-in-progress plan emerged — one described as a draft White House plan by officials in both parties and advocacy groups who got copies of the detailed blueprint.

The White House disputes that characterization. Spokesman Scott Stanzel said it was only a starting point, an emerging consensus of Republican senators and the White House.

Regardless, the floated proposal has already met opposition. Thousands of people marched through Los Angeles on Saturday, fueled in part by what they called a betrayal by Bush.

The plan would grant work visas to undocumented immigrants but require them to return home and pay hefty fines to become legal U.S. residents. They could apply for three-year work visas, dubbed "Z" visas, which would be renewable indefinitely but cost $3,500 each time.

The undocumented workers would have legal status with the visas, but to become legal permanent residents with a green card, they'd have to return to their home country, apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate to re-enter legally and pay a $10,000 fine.

That's far more restrictive than the bipartisan bill the Senate approved last year.

So far, Bush has only gotten part of what he wants — border legislation. He signed a bill last October authorizing 700 additional miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The president has spent much of the last four days on vacation at his Texas ranch. He returns to Washington Monday after the Arizona visit.

blah blah blah

The White House plan is ####### and full of that 'feel good' ####### about a ridiculous fence.

[Yodrak 7]

meow mix,

The increase is significantly more than 18% for someone who does not want AP or EA. Not every adjustment applicant wants or has any use for these optional benefits.

Yodrak

This has been discussed ad nauseum, and the new AOS fees are going up to 905 including AP and EAD, so for AOS it's only an 18 percent increase.

[homesick_american 1]

Well, you'll pay a higher fee for naturalization - if he ever decides to go that route.

True, but we can afford it. Right now he's not looking to go down that road.

[luv2uallday 1]

but what you are not realizing is that the new fee for AOS is inclusive of the fees for EAD and AP and their subsequent renewals if need be.

If you read the reports thoroughly on this you would realize that id costs the USCIS $828.00 to Process an AOS, therefore the value you are getting with this increase is quite substantial.

The report I read was unclear if this inclusive of Biometrics, Being that EAD does include the biometric fee and AOS does not currently, I do not know which way they will go with that.

the biometric fee is seperate and NOT inclusive of the 905 fee for aos... it will go from 70 to 80 dollars.. it is not a deal... under current fee structure you will pay a max of 600 or less for AOS and interim benifits the new fee will top that by 300 dollars i don't see a deal in that equation also,, mind u USCIS was questioned if the 905 fee will go any higher USCIS would not deny it but skate around the issue... this new fees will hurt those who are financially low income.... i wonder when it will hit the 2,000 dollar mark

[KHURRAM SERAJ 0]

Unfortunately we won't have an option here