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US planning hike in immigration fee
Washington, Sept 30: Immigration officials are planning to raise fees for US citizenship applications and other services, hoping to offset the costs of increased security checks.
Washington, Sept 30: Immigration officials are planning to raise fees for US citizenship applications and other services, hoping to offset the costs of increased security checks.
Russ Knocke, citizenship and immigration services spokesman, said the agency has told immigration groups to anticipate a fee increase, but he said the final amount has not been decided.
Immigration advocates said the agency told them that an increase of about USD 15 in application fees would be announced in the first or second week of October and take effect about a month later. A permanent resident currently pays USD 260, plus a USD 50 fingerprinting fee, to become a citizen. An immigrant over the age of 14 must pay USD 255 to apply for permanent residency or what is known as a green card, and the USD 50 fingerprinting fee.
The increases will help cover additional costs for checking names and fingerprints against intelligence databases and to cover cost of living increases, Knocke said.
Since January, the agency has been rechecking names of immigrants who are nearing naturalisation for any new information since they first applied. Applicants often wait a year or more for their applications to be completed. "We are not cutting any corners on national security and we are not cutting any corners on background checks. We are doing the job and we are doing it right. There is a need for resources and this fee increase or potential fee increase is one possible remedy," Knocke said.
Bureau Report
Immigration advocates said the agency told them that an increase of about USD 15 in application fees would be announced in the first or second week of October and take effect about a month later. A permanent resident currently pays USD 260, plus a USD 50 fingerprinting fee, to become a citizen. An immigrant over the age of 14 must pay USD 255 to apply for permanent residency or what is known as a green card, and the USD 50 fingerprinting fee.
The increases will help cover additional costs for checking names and fingerprints against intelligence databases and to cover cost of living increases, Knocke said.
Since January, the agency has been rechecking names of immigrants who are nearing naturalisation for any new information since they first applied. Applicants often wait a year or more for their applications to be completed. "We are not cutting any corners on national security and we are not cutting any corners on background checks. We are doing the job and we are doing it right. There is a need for resources and this fee increase or potential fee increase is one possible remedy," Knocke said.
Bureau Report