FACT
Publication: 11/14/2019 by
Department of Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees charged by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS conducted a comprehensive biennial fee review and determined that current fees do not recover the full costs of providing adjudication and naturalization services. DHS proposes to adjust USCIS fees by a weighted average increase of 21 percent, add new fees for certain benefit requests, establish multiple fees for petitions for nonimmigrant workers, and limit the number of beneficiaries on certain forms to ensure that USCIS has the resources it needs to provide adequate service to applicants and petitioners. Adjustments to the fee schedule are necessary to recover the full operating costs associated with administering the nation’s immigration benefits system, safeguarding its integrity, and efficiently and fairly adjudicating immigration benefit requests, while protecting Americans, securing the homeland, and honoring our country’s values. USCIS also is proposing changes to certain other immigration benefit request requirements. >> Read the entire proposed rule
CHANGE
Comments Close: 12/16/2019
| Immigration Form | Current Fee | Proposed Fee | $ Change | % Change |
| I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status | $1,140 (the $85 biometrics fee is charged separately) | $1,120 | -$20 | -2 |
| I-765, Application for Employment Authorization | $410 | $490 | +$80 | +20 |
| I-131, Application for Travel Document | $575 | $585 | +$10 | +2 |
| N-400, Application for Naturalization | $640 | $1,170 | +$530 | +83 |
| I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker | $700 | $545 | -$155 | -22 |
| I-129H1, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker: H-1 Classification (H-1B, H-1B1) | $460 | $560 | +$100 | +22 |
| I-129L, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker: L Classification (L-1A, L-1B, Blanket L) | $460 | $815 | +$355 | +77 |
| I-129E&TN, Application for Nonimmigrant Worker: E or TN Classification | $460 | $705 | ||
| I-129O, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker: O Classification | $460 | $715 | +$255 | +55 |
| I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Renewal) | $0 | $275 | +$275 | N/A (USCIS has never charged a fee for Form I-821D.) |
Compare
Other countries citizenship Fee:
- UK: £1,330+ (USD $1, 761.98+)
- Canada: CAD $630 (USD $485.04)
- Germany: € 255 (USD $286.30)
- South Korea: KRW 100,000 (USD $88)
Global Passport Power Ranking 2019
The Henley Passport Index is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information, and enhanced by ongoing research by the Henley & Partners Research Department.
| Rank | Access | |
| Japan | 1 | 190 |
| Singapore | 1 | 190 |
| South Korea | 2 | 188 |
| Germany | 2 | 188 |
| Finland | 2 | 188 |
| Denmark | 3 | 187 |
| Italy | 3 | 187 |
| Luxembourg | 3 | 187 |
| France | 4 | 186 |
| Sweden | 4 | 186 |
| Spain | 4 | 186 |
| Austria | 5 | 185 |
| Netherlands | 5 | 185 |
| Portugal | 5 | 185 |
| Norway | 6 | 184 |
| Switzerland | 6 | 184 |
| United Kingdom | 6 | 184 |
| United States | 6 | 184 |
| Belgium | 6 | 184 |
| Canada | 6 | 184 |
IDEAS
It would be nice if USCIS can waive new US passport fee and provide free pass to visit the statue of liberty national monument and Ellis Island Immigration Museum.