Legal News

Advocates protest US immigration fee hikes

By (Breaking Legal News)

Immigrant rights advocates said the proposed fee increases by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) send a message to immigrants that they are not wanted here.

?Things like these fee increases are only going to further discourage the sentiment that immigrants are a major part of this country,? said Terry Valen of the Filipino Community Center

The USCIS plans to increase fees on permanent residency, also known as green card applications.

The green card application fee would increase by $50, bringing it to $985. Biometric fingerprinting, which is required for most applications, including the green card, will also increase from $80 to $85 dollars.

This means out- of- pocket cost for a green card application would be $1,070. That would make it an increase of $60.

An application for temporary residence, such as students will go up drastically by $420 dollars to $1,030.

The USCIS is also proposing a new fee of $6,230 dollars for an investor?s visa. It used to be free. There is also a proposal for an added $165 dollar processing fee for immigrant family.

SAN DIEGO IMMIGRATION LAWYER

Full post as published by Breaking Legal News on June 11, 2010 (boomark / email).