Plan to Hike Visa Application Fees Under White House Review

A rule updating visa application fees for immigrants and temporary foreign workers for the first time since 2016 is under review at the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Draft regulations released last year included proposed fee increases of 40% across the board, with most of the new costs born by companies seeking to sponsor workers for employment-based visas. Pre-registration fees for H-1B specialty occupation visas, for example, would rise to $215. The proposal garnered nearly 8,000 public comments from businesses, individuals, and trade organizations, with many warning of significant new cost barriers for businesses and organizations in the arts. US Citizenship and Immigration Services sent the final rule to OIRA for clearance Monday, the last regulatory hurdle before the rule is published in the Federal Register. The Biden administration is targeting April for the final fee schedule’s release. For more information, visit us at https://www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com/.