On Monday, January 8, the Department of Homeland Security USCIS final rule that would increase USCIS application fees for the first time in seven years was sent to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The Biden administration had proposed the significant increases to USCIS’s fees last year.
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What’s next: The OIRA review process is the last step before USCIS can finalize the new fee schedule. The Biden administration is aiming for April for the final fee schedule’s release.
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Why it matters: USCIS is fully fee funded, and the agency last updated its fees in 2016. To remain solvent, USCIS proposed fee increases with a weighted average of 40%, and some fees will have a much higher fee.
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Background: The proposal has drawn criticism from employers across industries and from immigration service providers and advocates, in addition to nearly 8,000 public comments.
Erickson Insights
Erickson Immigration Group, in concert with our government affairs team and resources on Capitol Hill, will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.