[author: Laura Anne Schierhoff]

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finalized a rule that will increase immigration fees. The proposed rule was issued on May 4, 2016, and the final rule will go into effect on December 23, 2016 (60 days after publication). The fees in the final rule remain unchanged from the fees originally proposed. DHS says the new fees are needed to maintain adequate services and recover costs and proposed after a comprehensive fee review. The fee hike will affect many, including those most commonly applying for a Form I-140, where the fee will go up more than 20%. Other significant increases include the Form I-129, Petition for a Non-Immigrant Worker, which will go from $325 to $460; the Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence of Adjust Status, which will go from $985 to $1140; and the Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Non-Immigrant Status, which will go from $290 to $370. In July, the U.S. Government of Accountability Office released a report that found that better oversight, monitoring and reporting of DHS programs are needed in order to show how the Agency’s collection programs are operating. To see all the new fee changes, see the “Summary of Final Fees” chart in the Federal Register.