Month: February 2012

Categories
Updates

USCIS Published Final Rule to Make Changes to Schedule of Fees for Consular Services

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USCIS has published a final
rule to make changes to the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services for a
range of immigration-related fees. This final rule adopts as final
changes made in an interim final rule published in the Federal Register
on June 28, 2010. The rule took effect on February 2, 2012. This final
rule was implemented after taking into consideration nearly 1,800
comments on the June 28, 2010 final rule.

The following fees have been established for a range of immigration categories:

  • Passport Book Application Services for Applicants Age 16 or Over (including renewals): from $55 to $70
  • Additional Passport Visa Pages: from $0 to $82
  • Passport Book Security Surcharge (Enhanced Border Security Fee): from $20 to $40
  • File Search and Verification of U.S. Citizenship: from $60 to $150
  • Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States: from $65 to $100
  • Administrative Processing of Formal Renunciation of U.S. Citizenship: from $0 to $450*
  • Passport Card Application Services for Applicants Age 16 or Over (including renewals): from $20 to $30
  • Passport Card Application Services for Applicants Under Age 16: from $10 to $15
  • Making
    arrangements for a Deceased Non-U.S. Citizen Family Member: from a
    charge of Consular time spent on the service, previously $265 an hour
    plus expenses to $200 plus expenses
  • Immigrant Visa Application for Immediate Relative and Family Preference Applications: from $355 to $330
  • Immigrant Visa Application for Employment-Based Applications: from $355 to $720
  • Immigrant Visa Application for Other Visa Classes: from $355 to $305
  • Diversity Visa Program Fee: from $375 to $440
  • Affidavit of Support Review (only when reviewed domestically): from $70 to $88
  • Determining Returning Resident Status: from $400 to $380
  • Immigrant Visa Security Surcharge: from $45 to $74
  • Providing Notarial Service: First service (seal): from $30 to $50
  • Providing Notarial Service: Each additional seal: from $20 to $50
  • Certification of a True Copy or That No Record of an Official File Can be Located: First copy: from $30 to $50
  • Certification of a True Copy or That No Record of an Official File Can be Located: Each additional copy: from $20 to $50
  • Provision
    of Documents, Certified Copies of Documents, and Other Certifications
    by the Department of State (domestic): from $30 to $50
  • Authentications (by posts abroad): from $30 to $50
  • Processing Letters Rogatory and Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act 275 (FSIA) Judicial Assistance Cases: from $735 to $2,275
  • Scheduling/Arranging Appointments for Depositions: from $475 to $1,283
  • Attending
    or Taking Depositions, or Executing Commissions to Take Testimony: from
    $265 per hour plus expenses to $309 per hour plus expenses
  • Providing Seal and Certification of Depositions: from $70 to $415
  • Consular Time Charges: from $265 to $231
Categories
Updates

Pending Final Rule Would Enable the Issuance of L Visas Based on the Visa Reciprocity Schedule

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A new pending final rule published by the Department of State would
permit the issuance of L visas with validity periods based on the visa
reciprocity schedule. The current rule limits such visas to the petition
validity period. The validity period, which is determined by USCIS,
cannot exceed three years. Petitioners are allowed to apply to USCIS for
extensions of validity in two year increments; the total period of
stay, however, cannot exceed five years for immigrants employed in a
special knowledge capacity or seven years for immigrants employed in a
managerial or executive capacity.

The pending final rule would change regulations so that the L visa
validity period would be based on schedules provided to consular offices
by the Department of State. These schedules would “reflect the
reciprocal treatment the applicant’s country accords U.S. nationals,
U.S. permanent residents or aliens granted refugee status in the United
States,” reports the Department of State. Nationals from countries for
which the reciprocity schedule prescribes visa validity for a longer
period of time that the initial validity period indicated in the
petition that was approved by the Department of Homeland Security and
who have extended their stay in the U.S. would benefit from the pending
rule. They would not need to re-apply for an L visa at a U.S. Embassy or
Consulate overseas if they travel outside the U.S. during the period
specified in the relevant reciprocity schedule.