New USCIS Fee for Immigrants

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USCIS has announced that the foreign nationals who look forward to obtain Green Cards and become lawful permanent residents will be required to pay an immigrant fee of $165. Immigrants who receive their immigrant visas from the USCIS on or after the 1st of February, 2013, must pay this immigrant fee. USCIS and the US Department of State worked together and implemented this immigrant fees. USCIS spends a lot to process the immigrant visa applications and USCIS now will use this immigrant fees to recover that processing cost. This fee also covers the cost of producing Green Cards and delivering those cards to the applicants.

From February 1, 2013, immigrant visa applicants must pay the application processing fee and the immigrant fee. They must pay the application processing fee to the DOS and the immigrant fee to the USCIS. Foreign nationals, who receive their immigrant visas from an overseas US consulate or embassy, must pay this immigrant fee. However, individuals participating in the intercountry adoption programs may not be required to pay the USCIS immigrant fee. Residents of the United States, who adopt children from foreign countries, under the Orphan or Hague Adoptions Process, need not pay the immigrant fee.

You can pay this fee online and you need go directly in person to pay the immigrant fee. After the applicants receive their immigrant visa packages from the US Department of Homeland Security, they must pay these fees before they travel to the United States. While paying the fee online, applicants must answer few questions and they must provide information about their accounts or details about their credit or debit cards must be provided. If you cannot pay the immigrant fees, you can ask someone else to pay this fee on your behalf.

This fee is important and you will be issued a Green Card only after you pay the immigrant fee. However, this fee will not affect your lawful status in America and you will be granted entry into the United States, even if you do not pay the immigrant fee. The I-551 stamp on your passport will help you to demonstrate that you are a permanent resident and you may use this for one year as this stamp is valid for one year. However, it is mandatory to hold a valid Green Card and you must pay the immigrant fee as soon as possible and receive your Green Card.