By Debbie McGoldrick

HAS your salary doubled, or more, since October of 2005?

Unless you’re very fortunate the answer is no, but the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) maintains that those needing to file applications for the majority of the agency’s services, including naturalization and green card processing, will be able to afford a huge increase in fees set to take effect in the next few months.

The new fee structure, which USCIS published last week, would see the filing fee for services such as naturalization (Form N-400) rise from $330 to $595. Those needing to replace a green card (I-90) will pay $290, up from $190, while those in line for an adjustment of status permanent resident application (I-485) will be hit with the biggest sticker shock – $905 from $325. (This new fee, it must be said, also covers employment permits and travel documents that the applicant would also have to file and pay separately for.)

The increases, USCIS points out, are the first “comprehensive fee adjustments” since 1998, though there have been hikes since then, most recently in October of 2005 when most application costs were raised by an average of $10.

Because USCIS aims to reduce processing times by 20% by the end of fiscal year 2009, the proposed increases are necessary, the agency says. Seeking more money from its customers is also the only way USCIS can ensure its survival, says the agency’s director Emilio Gonzalez, because USCIS receives no money from Congress.

“As a fee-based agency, we must be able to recover the costs necessary to administer an efficient and secure immigration system that ultimately improves service delivery, prevents future backlogs, closes security gaps, and furthers our modernization efforts,” said Gonzalez. “We’re confident that this fee adjustment will enable the type of exceptional immigration service our nation expects and deserves.”

Given that USCIS – formerly known as the BCIS, and before that the oft-criticized INS – has made promises of better service for more money before, why should the newest hikes make customers feel as if they’ll receive more value for their dollars?

“USCIS has delayed this comprehensive fee review because we listened to our stakeholders who asked us to improve service levels first,” an agency statement said. “USCIS has already substantially improved service levels, achieving the president’s goal of six months processing times for immigration applications in October of 2006. Even in the absence of full funds to do so, USCIS has undertaken to improve its customer service and national security processes.”

Not surprisingly, the reaction to proposed hikes has been met with resistance, particularly by Latino groups that maintain the increases will make naturalization unaffordable to a large number of its citizens.

Senator Edward Kennedy also gave the plan a thumbs-down. “This drastic increase will price the American dream out of reach for qualified immigrants wanting to be citizens of our country. We must look to other solutions for funding the necessary work of USCIS, which is currently fee funded. We are a nation of immigrants and Congress should recognize its responsibility to support the vital work of immigration services by appropriating the necessary funds,” he said.

As of February 1, USCIS commenced a 60-day comment period for those wishing to offer opinion on the proposed fees. Visit Federal www.regulations.gov to do so online. Once this period is over USCIS will put together its final plan for implementation. Though the agency can expect to receive plenty of negative feedback, it’s virtually certain that increases will go into effect.

In the meantime, those who have been putting naturalization on the long finger should strongly consider filing the paperwork now, and pocketing the $265 extra that the process will cost later this year.

HAS your salary doubled, or more, since October of 2005?