These new fees are so unfair !!

[almaty 19]

The fees paid to the USCIS are user fees. Just like the taxes you pay on gasoline go to pay for the roads, the taxes you pay on your property go to pay for local services. Basically the principal is, you use the service, you pay for it. The fee increases reflect inflation, higher costs due to more stringent background checks and higher security, and to help speed up processing.

The fee increases have zero to do with illegal immigration. Enforcement of immigration money comes from taxpayers. In other words, everybody pays, not just the users of the USCIS immigration services.

i agree..but at vj..it is easy to blame all the problems on the illegals

[mawilson 2,133]

What visa can they apply for? Unless you have family here that are LPR's or Citizens, there isn't one.

There isn't a visa for them for a reason -- they are not needed (or apparently wanted) here.

[Ban Hammer 12,876]

What visa can they apply for? Unless you have family here that are LPR's or Citizens, there isn't one.

There isn't a visa for them for a reason -- they are not needed (or apparently wanted) here.

yeah i got a visa for them....they send me $10,000 and i'll send them back a plane ticket "visa" to go the f____ home.

[Marc and Olga 0]

Sheriff Uling,

Do you realize that the new AOS fee does include the EA and AP fees?

Not everyone needs or wants those associated benefits, but for those who do it does take some of the sting out of the increase.

Yodrak

OMG! I had not realized that the AOS fee went from $325.00 to $1,010.00 (and it does NOT include the biometrics fee of $70.00). .....

Yes the new fees include both EAD and AP, while we filed EAD we had no need for AP and in hindsight no real need for EAD!

Application Type: I485 , APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On July 10, 2007, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. Just follow the link below to register.

[TimsDaisy 0]

New fees or a return of the backlog.

Or convince the American public to fund USCIS with taxes.

Other than that, there aren't many alternatives.

We'll just have to wait and see if the new fees can actually help speed up the process. Or perhaps all USCIS employees will soon be driving Escalades.

However, I do know what the US Government spends 550 billion dollars a year on Military Defense. Maybe USCIS can just pinch off a very small portion that.

The fees aren't supposed to speed it up. They are supposed to maintain the current processing time and prevent the reemergence of a backlog. The backlog was only able to be cleared because of special funding from the president's discretionary budget. once that money was gone, they were back to operating with only their revenue again. So if they don't get more money, there WILL be another backlog. Read the USCIS's document that addresses the fee increase proposal. All agencies are required to present their reasons for enacting a rule change - which is what this is - and to allow a sufficient period for public comment. All of that has occured. You may or may not agree with their reasons, but it helps to know what they are.

Also - as for government employees and nice cars - all government salaries are a matter of public record. And they probably won't be high-rollers because of this or any other fee increase.

Like I said before - if you really want processing times to improve, we'll need to all be willing to pay more taxes to do so - and more importantly and less likely - convince the rest of America to pay more taxes to start funding USCIS.

[Fandango 1,439]

I think there's a sense of entitlement that's running rampant lately. It'd be great to be able to have everything a certain way, but most times, life isn't like that. I'd use the phrase 'have your cake and eat it too' but it doesn't make too much sense to me cos what's the point of having cake if you can't eat it? lol But you get my drift. Maybe along the lines of 'I want it all and I want it delivered'

One can't complain about gov't not having resources to process apps fast enough, but then complain when taxes/fees go up. The fees imo were ridiculously low to begin with...come on...$170. When comparing that to all the other fees involved in an emigration, it's a pittance.

Still at under $500 for a K-1, it's silly low. Yes, there's AOS after, but still.

The gov't shouldn't pay for this. You want your non-USC here? Pay for it. The general American public shouldn't have to. What's spent on defense/this/that/the other is completely irrelevant to this. You can't afford it? Either move there or get a better or second job.

This country started on the backs of people who worked hard and saved money to make a living for themselves and their families. I'd love a $10 million beach house, but it's not unfair that I don't have one. It is what it is.

[isleta521 5]

New fees or a return of the backlog.

Or convince the American public to fund USCIS with taxes.

Other than that, there aren't many alternatives.

We'll just have to wait and see if the new fees can actually help speed up the process. Or perhaps all USCIS employees will soon be driving Escalades.

However, I do know what the US Government spends 550 billion dollars a year on Military Defense. Maybe USCIS can just pinch off a very small portion that.

The fees aren't supposed to speed it up. They are supposed to maintain the current processing time and prevent the reemergence of a backlog. The backlog was only able to be cleared because of special funding from the president's discretionary budget. once that money was gone, they were back to operating with only their revenue again. So if they don't get more money, there WILL be another backlog. Read the USCIS's document that addresses the fee increase proposal. All agencies are required to present their reasons for enacting a rule change - which is what this is - and to allow a sufficient period for public comment. All of that has occured. You may or may not agree with their reasons, but it helps to know what they are.

Also - as for government employees and nice cars - all government salaries are a matter of public record. And they probably won't be high-rollers because of this or any other fee increase.

Like I said before - if you really want processing times to improve, we'll need to all be willing to pay more taxes to do so - and more importantly and less likely - convince the rest of America to pay more taxes to start funding USCIS.

So True! Good post. Our next step is removing conditions in about 13 months or so and that will be $$ X 3. I don't like it but I'll do it because I have to.

[JASONandDAA 0]

Who wants to pay the workers taking care of your case? huh? money bags?

[eric&gen 0]

All well cant do nothing about it.

[Fandango 1,439]

Hellacious bump!

But I feel the same now as I did then, it seems!