US Entry Waiver Fees Announcement
US Entry Waiver fees will not be going up according to an announcement posted on the Federal Register last week. Most clients won't have to pay a higher fee.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed to raise the fee from $585 to $930. (Fees are in US dollars.) DHS said this was to recover their costs. Before raising the fee, they held a public consultation earlier this year. As a result, they considered a submission stating Customs and Border Protection processes the forms. Therefore, costs do not affect US Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS).
USCIS does process the forms in limited circumstances, in which case the fee will increase. However, these circumstances don’t apply to our clients who are inadmissible due to their criminal records or similar grounds.
The commentator also argued that the fee increase was unfair to Canadians. Waivers are processed at no additional charge for citizens of countries that also need visas. Canadians don't need visas. Therefore, we have to pay the entire fee.
The basic fee for applications to overcome criminal inadmissibility will remain at $585. However, there are two fee increases that might affect our clients:
I-212: If you have ever been deported from the US, the fee is increasing to $930.
I-131: If you require entry for humanitarian reasons, the fee is increasing from $360 to $575.
These fees take effect on December 23, 2016.
US Entry Waiver Fees and the Economy
The Department also considered a submission that the higher fee would harm the economy in US border towns. The commentator stated, “every dollar spent on a waiver application is a dollar not spent on tourism or retail.”
If you require a waiver to enter the United States, we can help. Contact us today about how we can assist you with your application at 1-866-972-7366.
