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Understanding Legal Fees and Payment Plans · · 19 min read

What is the Adjustment of Status Filing Fee and Why It Matters

This video teaches you about the application fee for an Adjustment of Status application and how it can affect your jour...

What is the Adjustment of Status Filing Fee and Why It Matters

Introduction

As an organization that supports families who have a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident relative at Home In America, we believe that the dramatic increase in the fee to file an Adjustment of Status application will place an unfair burden on many families who are attempting to complete the process for their family member’s permanent residency.

Even before the dramatic increase in the application fee, the family had been expending to help pay for the relative’s journey to permanent residency, which would likely be exceeded by the increased fee as well as processing delays that have already been experienced by the family in attempting to process their application in a timely and accurate manner.

Define the Adjustment of Status Filing Fee

To start your process of becoming a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. by starting an adjustment of status application, it would be helpful to know the current adjustment of status filing fee for Form I-485.

The Form I-485 filing fee for the adjustment of status processing for applications filed by a 14 years old or older as of April 1, 2024 will be $1,440.

This fee will be used for processing the application as well as for conducting background checks of applicants and their family members of any age to ensure safe processing.

Knowing these fees will help to properly prepare the application and proceed with the process.

This mindmap outlines the key details about the adjustment of status filing fee. The central node shows the fee, while branches explain its amount and what the fee covers. It's a simple way to see how this fee fits into the overall application process.

Contextualize the Fee in the Immigration Process

As many people are aware, there are expenses associated with legal residency processes for individuals who are residents in the U.S. and seeking permanent residency through the Green Cards. Recently, the filing fee for adjustment of status for individuals applying for permanent residency has increased, and many individuals are unaware that this fee even existed. The expenses related to the process of legal residency for individuals residing in the U.S. seeking Green Cards can be expensive, and many individuals are struggling to cover these expenses. Recently, a new fee surfaced that individuals were not aware of until it was time to pay it, and the late payment of this new fee for the filing of the application for the adjustment of status can have negative consequences on the approval of the Green Cards for the individuals applying through this process. The Vasquez Law Firm will explain the payment of this new required fee for the process of legal residency.

We have also taken the time to update the fees for the cost to complete the legal residency processes of individuals who are U.S. residents seeking to obtain permanent residency for themselves and their loved ones through Green Cards. The cost to complete the filing of the adjustment of status application has increased to $1,440 as of April 1, 2014. At Vasquez Law Firm, our staff understands the struggles of many of our clients to make ends meet by working to support their respective families while trying to achieve their dream of obtaining permanent residency. This is why we offer our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that there will be no charges or costs for our services until we have obtained a settlement or award for our client. We also offer our immigration services clients very affordable payment plans to complete the payment of their legal fees. We hope that with these alternatives, everyone will have quality legal representation regardless of their economic status.

Charges imposed on immigrants applying for permanent residence in the U.S. or seeking asylum/protection of some kind in the U.S. include the annual Asylum Fee of $100 per year on pending asylum applications and those seeking to extend their protection under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) with increased charges of $500 from $50 annually. These higher fees to process applications will place a greater strain on already financially struggling immigrants.

The payment of the adjustment of status filing fee will be the key to your journey for obtaining permanent residency and living your dream in the U.S. While this is one of the payment requirements along your journey, it is a Gateway to Stability and Opportunity. The cost of the filing of the adjustment of status application and the processing of the application has been a source of discouragement to many individuals. It seems that with every turn in the process, there are more complexities and more uncertainty regarding additional fees for the processing of the application for the adjustment of status. We can assist you through this difficult process to ensure that your application is prepared and filed correctly to ensure a positive outcome. The filing of the adjustment of status application and payment of the required filing fees is an important step in the process for individuals striving for permanent residency in the U.S. The experienced and qualified staff at Vasquez Law Firm will work with you through this complex process to ensure that your application is filed correctly and that you receive the individualized attention that you need.

This pie chart shows the different fees you might encounter when applying for permanent residency. Each slice represents a specific fee, helping you understand how much each part contributes to the total cost of the immigration process.

Trace the Origin and Evolution of the Fee

Why would application costs for Legal Permanent Resident status be so far out of reach for many recent immigrants? The required application fees have gone up significantly in the last couple of years, in part to address the budget of USCIS while trying to process applications of immigrant candidates. For the application for Adjustment of Status to Lawful Permanent Resident, the filing fee increased to $1,440 on April 1, 2014.

Another cost that applicants need to be aware of, and can potentially save, is that of application timing. We at Immigration Connection are dedicated to making available to our clients high quality and competent immigration legal services. Our payment plans are flexible and can be structured to best fit the individual financial circumstances of our clients.

We are trying our best to spread out the costs of the applications over time in order to make our services available to everyone. We are happy to assist you with your application as well as try to make the process as smooth and stress-free for you as possible. All of the Immigration applications that we process are in English and Spanish.

This flowchart shows how application fees have changed over time and the options available to help manage these costs. Start with the original fee, see the increase, and explore how flexible payment plans can make the process easier for applicants.

Identify Key Characteristics and Components of the Fee

New Filing Fees for the Adjustment of Status Process Go into Effect on April 1, 2024. The cost to file Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status) for a person over 14 years of age will be $1,440. In addition to filing Form I-485, the required fee to file Form I-765 (Application for Status as a Temporary Protected Status Recipient) and Form I-131 (Application for Replacement of Permanent Resident Card) for 14 year old and older individuals will cost $2,330.00. Other costs include, but are not limited to, the cost for USCIS to take your biometrics.

As can be seen by these extreme cost increases to file the necessary paperwork to become a lawful permanent resident of the US, the fees to hire an experienced immigration lawyer could pose a significant challenge to many individuals and families who are trying to go through the legal process to live and work in the US.

At Vasquez Law Firm, we try to make our legal services more accessible to individuals and families from all over the world by offering different payment plans to our clients as well as working on a contingency fee basis for our personal injury clients (where we only get paid for our services if we obtain compensation for our clients) and charging our clients a set fee for our immigration services.

We have 4 offices located in Charlotte, NC, Concord, NC, Huntersville, NC, and also in Florida. We can serve clients from all parts of the country and world as we have a team of experienced immigration lawyers at each location that can speak with clients by phone and or by video conferencing.

This pie chart shows the different fees you need to consider when applying for Adjustment of Status. Each slice represents a specific fee: the larger the slice, the more significant that fee is in relation to the total costs. This helps you understand where your money goes in the application process.

Conclusion

The financial requirements for U.S. immigration applications can bring a lot of stress and affect Green Card applications. Many of the U.S. immigration applications require filing fees to process the applications. Currently, the fee for the Adjustment of Status application is $1,440. This is just one of the many steps to complete for family-based immigration applications as well as for workers currently in the U.S. Below we will go through the steps to complete the Application for Adjustment of Status.

This article goes into extreme detail about the costs of filing the Adjustment of Status application. Timely payment of the filing fee for an Application for Adjustment of Status is crucial as any delay may cause severe harm to pending approval of your application. At the Vasquez Law Firm, we represent clients in their greatest time of need. That is why we offer our clients very flexible payment plans. Also, we take cases on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases and strive to provide the absolute best legal representation to everyone.

Ultimately, the American immigrant process needs to fully educate and apprise prospective Green Card applicants of all costs involved with immigrant processes so that the applicants will be sufficiently prepared in reaching their objectives. At the Vasquez Law Firm, we can take you one step closer to attaining the American dream by rendering effective assistance in completing the Adjustment of Status application processes so as to ultimately attain their respective goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the adjustment of status filing fee for Form I-485?

The adjustment of status filing fee for Form I-485 is $1,440 for applicants who are 14 years old or older as of April 1, 2024.

What does the adjustment of status filing fee cover?

The filing fee covers the processing of the application as well as conducting background checks for applicants and their family members of any age.

Why is it important to know the adjustment of status filing fee?

Knowing the filing fee is important for properly preparing the application and proceeding with the adjustment of status process.

List of Sources

  1. Define the Adjustment of Status Filing Fee
    • Constangy | Labor, Employment, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Law (https://constangy.com/newsroom/newsletters/USCIS-filing-fees-increase-substantially-effective-April-1)
    • Fee Increases for Form I-485, Form I-765, and Form I-131 | Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) (https://cliniclegal.org/resources/religious-immigration-law/fee-increases-form-i-485-form-i-765-and-form-i-131)
    • What Will Change Under the USCIS Fee Schedule Final Rule? | Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) (https://cliniclegal.org/resources/fee-waivers-uscis/what-will-change-under-uscis-fee-schedule-final-rule)
    • USCIS Announces Significant Fee Increases Effective on April 1, 2024 (https://seyfarth.com/news-insights/uscis-announces-significant-fee-increases-effective-on-april-1-2024.html)
    • Client Advisory: USCIS Set to Increase Fees Effective April 1, 2024 - FordMurray Law (https://fordmurraylaw.com/client-advisory-uscis-fee-increases-2024)
  2. Contextualize the Fee in the Immigration Process
    • New USCIS Memo May Force More Green Card Applicants to Apply from Abroad, Causing Chaos and Confusion - American Immigration Council (https://americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/green-card-news-uscis-memo)
    • Reminder: Updated Fees Based on H.R. 1 (https://uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-updates-fees-based-on-hr-1)
    • Immigration Filing Fees Increasing | Austin Immigration Attorney | Jason Finkelman, PLLC (https://finkelmanlaw.com/blog/immigration-filing-fees-increasing)
    • What Will Change Under the USCIS Fee Schedule Final Rule? | Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) (https://cliniclegal.org/resources/fee-waivers-uscis/what-will-change-under-uscis-fee-schedule-final-rule)
    • USCIS Finalizes Increase in Fees for Immigration-Related Applications - American Immigration Council (https://americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/uscis-increases-fees-immigration-applications)
  3. Trace the Origin and Evolution of the Fee
    • What Will Change Under the USCIS Fee Schedule Final Rule? | Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) (https://cliniclegal.org/resources/fee-waivers-uscis/what-will-change-under-uscis-fee-schedule-final-rule)
    • USCIS to Increase Filing Fees on April 1st - Kauff McGuire & Margolis LLP (https://kmm.com/uscis-to-increase-filing-fees-on-april-1st)
    • USCIS Announces Significant Fee Increases Effective on April 1, 2024 (https://seyfarth.com/news-insights/uscis-announces-significant-fee-increases-effective-on-april-1-2024.html)
    • USCIS Finalizes Increase in Fees for Immigration-Related Applications - American Immigration Council (https://americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/uscis-increases-fees-immigration-applications)
    • Mark Your Calendars: Significant USCIS Fee Increases Effective April 1, 2024 (https://ryanswansonlaw.com/significant-uscis-fee-increases)
  4. Identify Key Characteristics and Components of the Fee
    • USCIS Removes Biometrics Fee for Most Immigration Cases (https://boundless.com/blog/uscis-removes-biometrics-fee-for-most-immigration-cases)
    • USCIS Issues Final Rule Increasing the Filing Fees for Most Applications and Petitions | Tafapolsky & Smith LLP (https://tandslaw.com/uscis-issues-final-rule-increasing-the-filing-fees-for-most-applications-and-petitions)
    • Constangy | Labor, Employment, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Law (https://constangy.com/newsroom/newsletters/USCIS-filing-fees-increase-substantially-effective-April-1)
    • USCIS Announces Significant Filing Fee Increases, Effective April 1, 2024 (https://hunton.com/business-immigration-insights/uscis-announces-significant-filing-fee-increases-effective-april-1-2024)
    • Immigration Filing Fees Increasing | Austin Immigration Attorney | Jason Finkelman, PLLC (https://finkelmanlaw.com/blog/immigration-filing-fees-increasing)
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