Question about upcoming fee changes

[MissLadyRea 206]

To be clear I am asking this for a friend, as you can see by my timeline i've already applied but the friend has the same location (Canada-USA)

I've been told the proposed I-129f filing fees are going through May 30th

So if someone were to send their petition May 26th for example with the $535 original fee, and it arrives at the lockbox on May 31st or slightly later, will that petition be rejected for having the original fee listed on the website at the time of sending it? Or is there some leeway for those who are applying this week? 

Thanks in advance!

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by MissLadyRea
Incorrect wording of important terms like "Petition" and "filing fees"

[SalishSea 16,846]

1 hour ago, MissLadyRea said:

To be clear I am asking this for a friend, as you can see by my timeline i've already applied but the friend has the same location (Canada-USA)

I've been told the proposed I-129f filing fees are going through May 30th

So if someone were to send their petition May 26th for example with the $535 original fee, and it arrives at the lockbox on May 31st or slightly later, will that petition be rejected for having the original fee listed on the website at the time of sending it? Or is there some leeway for those who are applying this week? 

Thanks in advance!

 

If it arrives after the fee change, it will absolutely be rejected.  There is no leeway, or mailing date or anything - it's 100% receipt date.

[MissLadyRea 206]

11 minutes ago, SalishSea said:

If it arrives after the fee change, it will absolutely be rejected.  There is no leeway, or mailing date or anything - it's 100% receipt date.

Gotcha, they'll wait till the first to send it then just to be sure it goes through fine. Thank you!

Edited May 25, 2023 by MissLadyRea

[SalishSea 16,846]

1 minute ago, MissLadyRea said:

Gotcha, they'll wait till the first to send it then just to be sure it goes through fine. Thank you!

Wait......I'm confused.  Are they trying to pay the higher fee?

[MissLadyRea 206]

4 minutes ago, SalishSea said:

Wait......I'm confused.  Are they trying to pay the higher fee?

No. But monday is a holiday. They were planning on mailing it a the very end of the month, so they're not prepared to send everything tomorrow. If they did though manage to get everything by tomorrow, it would be sent into transit on the 26th (mail pickup is usually at the start of the day if im not mistaken?). 27th and 28th are weekends, the 29th is a holiday. 
30th the change goes into affect. Not really much time to send it and have it be guaranteed to get there before the 30th at this point. 
 

Edited May 25, 2023 by MissLadyRea

[Ellie_7 99]

@MissLadyRea would you provide the link or source showing that the USCIS is increasing filing fees starting May 30th? I haven't been able to find anything yet on the USCIS website about fees increasing next week; if you have a link or source, that would be helpful!

[MissLadyRea 206]

5 minutes ago, Ellie_7 said:

@MissLadyRea would you provide the link or source showing that the USCIS is increasing filing fees starting May 30th? I haven't been able to find anything yet on the USCIS website about fees increasing next week; if you have a link or source, that would be helpful!

I can't find anything either : / Ive only been able to find the source that shows all the proposed fees, but as for when the changes come in affect I can only find non-official sources. Hopefully someone else who sees this thread will have it, I asked the person who had first said to me they were changing shortly and they didnt have it either 

So.. big grain of salt.

Edited May 25, 2023 by MissLadyRea

[SalishSea 16,846]

6 minutes ago, MissLadyRea said:

I can't find anything either : / Ive only been able to find the source that shows all the proposed fees, but as for when the changes come in affect I can only find non-official sources. Hopefully someone else who sees this thread will have it, I asked the person who had first said to me they were changing shortly and they didnt have it either 

So.. big grain of salt.

Maybe your friends are in luck....I've seen the VJ references to the May 30 date for the fee increases, but there is nothing official to be found.  Other speculations I've seen online are "by the end of 2023" and "this summer."

[telso 16]

They will pay the old fee. The last USCIS fee change was scheduled to go into effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register (and I don't see anything in there yet about the new final rule being adopted). Note that it also says that submissions postmarked on or after the effective date must use the new few, so it is not the receipt date, but the postmark date. Rulemaking generally requires a minimum 30-day period between publication and effective date so that the public can become aware of the changes, with limited exceptions for removals of restrictions and other good cause (think something with imminent harm, like security changes after 9/11, or making it harder to deport someone). Raising fees will never be the kind of rule that would be effective in less than 30 days.

[jan22 2,907]

I believe people are confusing the USCIS and State Department parts of the process.  Certain non-immigrant visa fees will increase on May 30, 2023.  That increase does not have anything to do with USCIS petition fees or immigrant visas.

[Vickys_Mom 191]

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/g-1055.pdf

 

The fee schedule has a publication date of 5/15/23.

 

There's nothing on the USCIS Fee Schedule page about an upcoming increase.

 

Regards,

Vicky's Mom

[JeanneAdil 6,234]

1. Fees are expected to increase but the last time they wanted to raise them,  they were to go into effect 1st business day in October  /as fiscal year ends September 30th so i am thinking the same 2023 but next fiscal year
2. May 30th is for certain non immigrant  fees
3. The Department of State published a Final Rule regarding increases to certain nonimmigrant visa application (NIV) processing fees and the Border Crossing Card (BCC) for Mexican citizens age 15 and over. These increases were published in the Federal Register on March 28, 2023 and will be effective on May 30, 2023. The fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s and BCCs), and other non-petition based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas, will increase from $160 to $185. The fee for certain petition-based nonimmigrant visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) will increase from $190 to $205. The fee for a treaty trader, treaty investor, and treaty applicants in a specialty occupation (E category) will increase from $205 to $315.
4. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/01/04/2022-27066/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-fee-schedule-and-changes-to-certain-other-immigration
5. page 407 of the above federal register shows the proposed new fee schedule for USCIS

Edited May 25, 2023 by JeanneAdil

[mam521 1,770]

If your friend hasn't yet filed for the K1 and is concerned about costs, I'd honestly reconsider the K1, do a quick courthouse wedding and file for the CR-1.  It's going to take a similar amount of time as the K1, but will mean your friend can enter the US with greencard in hand (no adjustments = cost savings), able to work (no waiting on EAD = can get a job if they want) and able to travel internationally (no AP).  

[MissLadyRea 206]

14 minutes ago, mam521 said:

If your friend hasn't yet filed for the K1 and is concerned about costs, I'd honestly reconsider the K1, do a quick courthouse wedding and file for the CR-1.  It's going to take a similar amount of time as the K1, but will mean your friend can enter the US with greencard in hand (no adjustments = cost savings), able to work (no waiting on EAD = can get a job if they want) and able to travel internationally (no AP).  

The concern isn't the cost. It's the fact that if the price were to change on the 30th, filing at the current fee wouldn't be possible and the case would be rejected. Instead it was wanting to ensure theres the correct fee, so it won't get rejected. He didn't mind paying more at all really. However since the prices are not changing based on what others said here (yet) its not an issue! But yeah.. only concern was timing and ensuring the petition would be solid! 

 

They do know all the drawbacks with the full k1 process, including what the updated costs will be. Thank you for the concern though Id definitely have gone with spousal if it had been possible so I get it

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by MissLadyRea