Immigration software fees, including those for DACA, natural cards, citizenship certificates, u- permits, work permits and renewals, substantially increased Monday. This shift deals a significant blow to San Francisco’s reduced- income immigrants, who currently struggle with job instability and high cost of living.
The USCIS has made the first significant cost adjusting since 2016 to lower operating costs and shorten the processing times for new programs.  ,
” It’s very unfortunate”, said Bay Area immigration attorney Natalia Vieria Santanna. ” I do hope]the change ] translates to faster processing times, but I’m a little skeptical because all the petitions are taking so long … I have to see it to believe it” . ,
Here are some emigration programs whose fees have significantly increased:
- Form I- 130 ( Petition for Alien Relative ), used for family reunification, increased by 26 % to$ 675
- Form I- 129F ( Petition for Alien Fiancé ( e ) ), used for people who want to bring their fiance to the U. S., increased by 26 % to$ 675
- Form I- 485 ( Adjustment of Status ), used by people seeking green cards or permanent residency, increased by 18 % to$ 1, 440. Additionally, two formally free applications used in this process now cost an extra$ 260 ( Form I- 765 ) and$ 630 ( Form I- 131 )
Santanna, who claimed these changes would have a negative impact on people seeking friends and preventing workers from applying for work permits, said,” In my opinion, the household petition should not be raised.” Because there is n’t much we can do after April 1, we’ll work with better payment plans in my office.
To save$ 50 per application, Santanna advises submitting online petitions rather than paper ones. She even advises that individuals submitting Form N- 400, the Application for Naturalization, may increase test their eligibility for a fee waiver. You individuals who can demonstrate that their household income falls below the national poverty threshold of 150 % qualify?
” For other kinds of situations that we work with, U card plea, a T card petition or a special refugee juvenile complaint, all the expenses are exempt”, Santanna said.
Santanna suggests reaching out to local businesses that you pay the high costs, such as the Mission Asset Plan or the City of San Francisco, for those who are unable to afford the high costs.
