U.S. VISA FEE INCREASE BLOCKED BY COURT
It’s been a dizzying few months in the world of U.S. immigration. The latest whiplash-inducing event occurred last Tuesday night when a court blocked USCIS’s planned fee increases and other unwelcome changes, about which we notified you earlier. This is good news, but it may be temporary.
USCIS was set to raise the filing fees for most visa petitions and applications, impose additional costs for groups larger than 25, and increase the processing time for its Premium Processing expediting service starting October 2. However, on September 29th a federal court issued a ruling that prevents USCIS from implementing these changes for now. The government will almost certainly appeal, but it’s difficult to predict when that will happen or how it will play out. If the government prevails, the fee increases and other changes could take effect at any time. We will keep you updated.