US Immigration Proposes to Increase Filing Fees

The latest news from US Immigration is that fees are proposed to increase in the coming few months.  I am providing our readers with a link to a chart for applications and petitions for which fees are proposed to increase.  The chart illustrates the current filing fees and the proposed filing fees side by side for easy comparison.  A press release was issued by the USCIS explaining the need for the fee increase based upon several factors including increased cost of processing applications and the fact that prior fees were based upon an older model.  One interesting proposal relates to the fee increase for adjustment of status (form I-485).  The current fee (excluding the biometrics cost) is $325.00.  The proposed fee is $905.00.  However, the fee is to include ancillary applications such as the applications for employment authorization and advance parole.  This is all well and good.  However, some people do not want or need these benefits and many others are not even eligible for advance parole (at least not without seriously jeopardizing their case).  It is also not clear whether renewals of those benefits are included based upon long processing times for adjustment of status.  The overall reason for the fee increase is to improve customer service and to shorten processing times while ensuring security.  If this is the result, then I would not have a problem with it.  If applicants are to pay much higher fees without seeing improved results, then applicants will really be at a disadvantage.