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International
Institute of Rhode Island's mission is to enable all area residents, especially
immigrants and refugees, to become self-reliant, invested participants in
our communities, while fostering respect and understanding among all people.
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February 16, 2007
Could you afford $700 to apply for u.s. citizenship, plus legal fees?
Achieving the American Dream is about to become unaffordable for many. What would President Washington and President Lincoln have to say?On February 1, 2007, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a proposal to increase immigration application and petition fees by 66%. This proposal, which will nearly double the cost of applying for U.S. citizenship, is anticipated to go into effect in June 2007.
Anyone eligible and interested in applying for a change in immigration status may want to seriously consider applying as soon as possible before the new fees go into effect in June. The best way to make an appointment is to come to the International Institute of Rhode Island at 645 Elmwood Avenue in Providence between the hours of 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Monday – Friday.
The proposed fee increase will raise the cost of applying for U.S. Citizenship from $400 (up from $260 in 2003) to nearly $700 not including the costs for any legal assistance that one typically incurs in this process. The proposal will also increase all other fees associated with legal immigration status including the “Adjustment of Status” package proposed to go from its current rate of $675 to $905, the “Petition to Sponsor Relatives” proposed to go from $190 to $355, and the “Fiancée Petition” proposed to more than double from $170 to $455.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services claims that the fee increases are necessary to administer an efficient and secure immigration system that ultimately improves service delivery, prevents future backlogs, closes security gaps, and furthers modernization efforts.
Unfortunately for many clients served by International Institute Rhode Island, this significantly high increase in federal fees will be an enormous barrier for them in reaching U.S. citizenship. It is heartbreaking to think that hardworking families who have been studying U.S. history in preparation for taking the naturalization text will now realize that achieving their dream has become almost unaffordable.
Alarmed by this increase? Send your comments to www.regulations.gov using ID# USCIS-2006-0044
by April 2nd.
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