USCIS Raising Filing Fees on Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relatives

Currently, filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relatives, with the USCIS costs $355. After November 23, 2010, it will cost $420 to file it with the USCIS. To understand why fees were raised, one first has to know about the USCIS revenue structure. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) October 13, 2010 - On November 23rd of this year, it will cost almost 20% more to help a relative become a lawful permanent resident of the United States!

Currently, filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relatives, with the USCIS costs $355. After November 23, 2010, it will cost $420 to file it with the USCIS. The USCIS decided to raise it's filing fees for some of their applications and petitions after a comprehensive review that was started in 2009. To understand why fees were raised, one first has to know about the USCIS revenue structure. About 90% of the USCIS' budget revenue comes from fees collected from applicants who file US immigration application and petition forms. They are also required by law to review their filing fee structure every two years.

In 2008 and 2009 fiscal years, the USCIS' revenue collected from fees was much lower than projected, and the outlook for the 2010 fiscal year does not look good either. And even though the USCIS received some funding from Congress and made budget cuts totaling $160 million, this did not fill the revenue deficit. Therefore, the USCIS' justification for fee increases is to ensure that the USCIS recovers the costs of its operations while also meeting the application processing goals identified in the 2007 fee rule. Therefore, it was decided that on November 23, 2010, USCIS filing fees had to be raised for some US immigration forms to make sure that the USCIS recovers costs for its operations.

As a United States citizen, you may want to help a relative become a lawful permanent resident of the United States by obtaining a "green card." In order to do so, you need to sponsor your relative and be able to prove that you have enough income or assets to support your relative(s) when they come to the United States. The process begins by first filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with the USCIS.

If you want to sponsor a relative living abroad to become a US Green Card holder, start the process now before USCIS filing fees for Form I-130 go up 20% on November 23, 2010.

Let us at ImmigrationDirect.com help you. We provide a valuable service, ensuring that the petition is done correctly, minimizing the number of rejected applications each year. ImmigrationDirect.com is your one-stop U.S. immigration destination. Our easy-to-use Form Navigator will guide you through U.S. Citizenship, Green Card and Visa applications. We reduce complicated requirements to instructions customized for you and offer a cost-effective alternative to expensive lawyers.

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