There is a chance that the cost of immigrating to the United States will get more expensive in the upcoming months. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a fee-supported agency, which means that it relies solely on the money it earns to support it. As things stand now, the agency will be grossly underfunded in the upcoming year.
The most recent update to the fee schedule occurred in 2017. Those fees mean that the government will have a funding shortage of around $1.3 billion annually. Because of a proposed rate change, people could face the possibility of paying $1,170 for a citizenship application that currently costs $640. The cost of an application for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) will increase to $765 from $495.
The cost of an Application for Suspension of Deportation or Special Rule of Cancellation of Expulsion faces a huge increase. Currently, it costs $570 per family or $285 per person. It will increase to $1,800 for either application.
Even an asylum application is going to be costly for people who are trying to run toward the United States from an unsafe area. Currently, there isn’t a cost for it, but the price would go up to $50 if the rate increase passes. This could mean that these individuals can’t seek protections here.
It is difficult to think about these exorbitant costs but knowing what to expect before you have to pay is critical. This enables you to prepare for the cost while you’re getting everything together to file the petition. While these increases haven’t officially passed yet, they are likely coming, so be sure to double check the cost on the day you submit the form.