USCIS Alert Regarding Fee Increase

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued an alert reminding customers of a recent fee increase. The increase affects some H-1B and L-1 petitions, and took effect on December 18, 2015.

The fees affect employer petitioners with 50 or more employees in the United States, when over 50%  of those employees are in H-1B or L nonimmigrant status. Affected H-1B petitioners must now pay $4000 (up from $2000) and L-1 employers pay $4,500 (up from $2250). This means that some H-1B petitions could have a combined total of $7,550 in filing fees if Premium Processing is used.

USCIS has advised that it is revising the Form I-129 to reflect the changes. Petitioners who file before the new forms are released may get a Request for Evidence from USCIS to determine whether the new fee applies.

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