This sponsored column is by Law Office of James Montana PLLC. All questions about it should be directed to James Montana, Esq., Doran Shemin, Esq., Janice Chen, Esq., and Austen Soare, Esq., practicing attorneys at The Law Office of James Montana PLLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Falls Church, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact us for an appointment.
USCIS’s fees for most applications are increasing on Monday, April 1st.
This article is a PSA on how not to pay more for the same service. Green card application fees are increasing from $1,760, for an ordinary marriage-based case, to $3,005! We addressed this in additional detail in February, but today, we’re here to talk mechanics.
1. Don’t file if you aren’t eligible…
If you file for a benefit, and you don’t qualify, you’ll eventually find yourself in immigration court facing deportation. That will cost you many, many thousands of dollars, and several years of sleepless nights. So, if you aren’t sure that you’re eligible, don’t file!
2. If you are eligible, file at the right address…
It isn’t obvious where to file these things! If you’re filing a green card application, start here, and work your way through the options to find the correct address for you.
3. Enclose a check or money order…
Make your check or money order out to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.” Don’t make it out to “DHS” or “USCIS” or anything else. (Here are detailed instructions on how to make out your check)
Can you pay by credit card instead? Yes, using Form G-1450. We don’t generally recommend that.
4. In the correct amount…
The correct amount depends on the application. The current fee schedule (valid through March 31st) is eleven pages long. The new fee schedule, valid from April 1, 2024 on, is forty-five pages long.
5. And get a postmark!
USCIS says: “We will use the postmark date of a filing to determine which form version and fees are correct, but will use the received date for purposes of any regulatory or statutory filing deadlines.” Okay! Go to a U.S. post office, as late as Saturday morning, and ask for a physical postmark. Pay for a service, like Ground Advantage or Priority Mail, which allows for tracking of your package.
As always, we welcome your comments and will do our best to respond.