U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY <CFR>8 CFR Parts 103, 106, 204, 212, 214, 240, 244, 245, 245a, 264, and 274a</CFR> <DEPDOC>[CIS No. 2687-21; DHS Docket No. USCIS 2021-0010]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 1615-AC68</RIN> <SUBJECT>U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> This final rule adjusts certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees charged by USCIS. This rule also provides additional fee exemptions for certain humanitarian categories and makes changes to certain other immigration benefit request requirements. USCIS conducted a comprehensive biennial fee review and determined that current fees do not recover the full cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services. DHS is adjusting the fee schedule to fully recover costs and maintain adequate service. This final rule also responds to public comments received on the USCIS proposed fee schedule published on January 4, 2023. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> This final rule is effective April 1, 2024. Any benefit request postmarked on or after this date must be accompanied with the fees established by this final rule. <E T="03">Public Engagement date:</E> DHS will hold a virtual public engagement session during which USCIS will discuss the changes made in this final rule. The session will be held at 2 p,m. Eastern on Feb. 22, 2024. Register for the engagement here: <E T="03">https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCIS/subscriber/new?topic_id=USDHSCIS_1081.</E> USCIS will allot time during the session to answer questions submitted in advance. Please email questions to <E T="03">public.engagement@uscis.dhs.gov</E> by 4 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, and use “Fee Rule Webinar” in the subject link. Please note that USCIS cannot answer case-specific inquiries during the session. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> <E T="03">Docket:</E> To view comments on the proposed rule that preceded this rule, search for docket number USCIS 2021-0010 on the Federal eRulemaking Portal at <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov.</E> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Carol Cribbs, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, 5900 Capital Gateway Dr., Camp Springs, MD 20746; telephone 240-721-3000 (this is not a toll-free number). </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Executive Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Purpose of the Regulatory Action</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Legal Authority</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Changes From the Proposed Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Summary of Final Fees</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Summary of Costs and Benefits</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the USCIS Fee Review and Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. History</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Authority and Guidance</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Changes From the Proposed Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Corrections</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Status of Previous USCIS Fee Regulations</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Severability</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Related Rulemakings and Policies</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. New Processes</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Effects of Temporary Programs or Discretionary Programs and Processes</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Lawful Pathways Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Premium Processing—Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Premium Processing Inflation Adjustment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and Related Rules</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Modernizing H-1B Requirements, Providing Flexibility in the F-1 Program, and Program Improvements Affecting Other Nonimmigrant Workers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Citizenship and Naturalization and Other Related Flexibilities</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. 9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee for H-1B and L-1 Nonimmigrant Workers (Pub. L. 114-113 Fees)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Response to Public Comments on the Proposed Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Summary of Comments on the Proposed Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. General Feedback on the Proposed Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Basis for the Fee Review</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. FY 2022/2023 IEFA Fee Review</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Fee Waivers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Fee Exemptions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Fee Changes by Benefit Category</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. Out of Scope</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review), Executive Order 13563 (Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review) and Executive Order 14094 (Modernizing Regulatory Review)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Regulatory Flexibility Act—Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Congressional Review Act)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Executive Order 12132 (Federalism)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Executive Order 12988 (Civil Justice Reform)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Executive Order 13175 (Consultation and Coordination With Tribal Governments)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Family Assessment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">J. Paperwork Reduction Act</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">List of Acronyms and Abbreviations</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">AAO Administrative Appeals Office</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ABC Activity-Based Costing</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ACWIA American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">APA Administrative Procedure Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">APD Advance Parole Documents</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ASVVP Administrative Site Visit and Verification Program</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">BFD Bona Fide Determination</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CAA Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CBP U.S. Customs and Border Protection</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CFO Chief Financial Officer</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CFR Code of Federal Regulations</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CIS The Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">COVID Coronavirus Disease</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CPI-U Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DACA Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DHS Department of Homeland Security</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DOD Department of Defense</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DOJ Department of Justice</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DOL Department of Labor</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DOS Department of State</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EAD Employment Authorization Document</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EB-5 Employment-Based Immigrant Visa, Fifth Preference</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EIN Employer Identification Number</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">E.O. Executive Order</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EOIR Executive Office for Immigration Review</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FDNS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FOIA Freedom of Information Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FPG Federal Poverty Guidelines</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FR Federal Register</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FRFA Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FTE Full-Time Equivalent</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FY Fiscal Year</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">GAO Government Accountability Office</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HHS Department of Health and Human Services</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HRIFA Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IEFA Immigration Examinations Fee Account</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IFR Interim final rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">INA Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">INS Immigration and Naturalization Service</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IPO Immigrant Investor Program Office</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IRS Internal Revenue Service</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ISAF International Security Assistance Forces</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IT information technology</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IOAA Independent Offices Appropriations Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">LPR Lawful Permanent Resident</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NACARA Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NAICS North American Industry Classification System</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1"> NARA National Archives and Records Administration </FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NEPA National Environmental Policy Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NOID Notice of Intent to Deny</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NRC National Records Centers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">OAW Operation Allies Welcome</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">OIG DHS Office of the Inspector General</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">OIRA Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">OMB Office of Management and Budget</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">OPT Optional Practical Training</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">PRA Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2"> PRC Permanent Resident Card or Green Card   DHS uses the informal term “Green Card” interchangeably with or to refer to a Permanent Resident Card, USCIS Form I-551. See, <E T="03">e.g.,</E> Green Card, at <E T="03">https://www.uscis.gov/green-card</E> (last viewed Dec. 5, 2023). </FTNT> < ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 1109k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━