New fee allows USCIS to recover the costs of processing
immigrant visas after individuals receive their visa packages from the
Department of State abroad
WASHINGTON—On Feb. 1, 2013,U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) will begin collecting a new USCIS Immigrant Fee of $165 from foreign
nationals seeking permanent residence in the United States. This new fee was
established in USCIS’s final rule adjusting fees for immigration
applications and petitions announced on Sept. 24, 2010.
USCIS has worked closely with the Department of State (DOS)
to implement the new fee which allows USCIS to recover the costs of processing
immigrant visas in the United States after immigrant visa holders receive their
visa packages from DOS. This includes staff time to handle, file and maintain
the immigrant visa package, and the cost of producing and delivering the
permanent resident card. The implementation of this new fee is further detailed
in a Federal Register notice.
In order to simplify and centralize the payment process,
applicants will pay online through the USCIS website after they receive their
visa package from DOS and before they depart for the United States. DOS will
provide applicants with specific information on how to submit payment when they
attend their consular interview. The new fee is in addition to fees charged by
DOS associated with an individual’s immigrant visa application.
USCIS processes approximately 36,000 immigrant visa packages each
month. Prospective adoptive parents whose child will enter the United States
under the Orphan or Hague processes are exempt from the new fee.
