On 7/31/2020, USCIS announced that, effective 10/2/2020, its fee structure would change and that the permissible processing time for petitions and applications filed under Premium Processing would increase from 15 calendar days to 15 business days. Due to several legal challenges and the resulting court orders, the new fee rule is on hold. On 1/29/2021, USCIS announced it continues to “[comply] with the terms of these orders and is not enforcing the regulatory changes set out in the [fee rule]. USCIS will continue to accept the fees that were in place prior to October 2, 2020”. The fee schedule below is correct as of 1/29/2021.
Department Responsibility
- Departments are responsible for paying the USCIS filing fees and U-M International Center processing fees associated with an immigrant or nonimmigrant petition.
- If the department requires a quick decision from USCIS, the department is responsible for paying the USCIS expedited processing fee.
- Departments must pay the U-M International Center case processing fee by University shortcode. The USCIS filing fee must be paid by U-M check made out to Department of Homeland Security and sent to the U-M International Center. Specific instructions will be provided at the point a department submits a case request.
- In the case of a cancelled request, FSIS may issue a partial refund of the IC processing fee. The amount of the refund depends on at what stage the request is cancelled.
Foreign National Responsibility
- Foreign national employees are responsible for paying USCIS filing fees associated with their dependents, and may pay this fee by credit card (if filed online), personal check, certified check or money order made out to Department of Homeland Security. The hiring unit may elect to cover this cost.
- If the foreign national elects USCIS expedited processing for his/her own (non work-related) convenience, s/he is responsible for providing a personal check to cover the fee.
- The foreign national is responsible for paying the fees related to the visa application at the U.S. consulate. Note that citizens of certain countries may have to pay a visa application fee (MRV fee) as well as an additional reciprocity fee, as listed in the Department of State’s “US Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country”
Fee Schedule for Employment Based Visas
- On 10/30/19, USCIS announced that, effective 12/2/19, the fee for Premium Processing will be adjusted from $1,410 to $1,440. All petitions postmarked on or after 12/2/19 will need to include the new fee.
- On 7/31/2020, USCIS announced that, effective 10/2/2020, its fee structure would change and that the permissible processing time for petitions and applications filed under Premium Processing would increase from 15 calendar days to 15 business days. All petitions postmarked on or after 10/2/2020 will need to include the new filing fees, as listed below
- On 10/16/2020, USCIS announced that, effective 10/19/2020, the fee for Premium Processing will be adjusted from $1,440 to $2,500. All petitions postmarked on or after 10/19/2020 will need to include the new fee.
- On 2/24/2021, USCIS announced that, effective immediately, E-3 petitions are eligible for Premium Processing.
| Type | Preparer | Legal or International Center Processing Fee | US Government Filing Fees | Total Hiring Unit Expenses | Other/ Dependent Costs (excl. cost associated w/ visa application). These costs are not a department responsibility. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-1B | International Center | New/Transfer: $1,300 | $960 | Standard new/transfer: $2,260 |
$370 for in-country application for all dependents + $85 per dependent family member (biometrics fee) ($85 fee suspended for H-4 and E-3) |
| Optional premium processing: $2,500 | Premium new/transfer: $4,760 | ||||
| Extension/Amendment: $1,300 | $460 | Standard extension/amendment: $1,760 | |||
| Optional premium processing: $2,500 | Premium extension/amendment: $4,260 | ||||
| TN Limited to Canadian/Mexican citizens |
International Center | In Country Petition: $1,000 | $460 | Standard: $1,460 | |
| Optional premium processing: $2,500 | Premium Processing: $3,960 | ||||
| Travel Letter: $250 | 0 | $250 | |||
| E-3 Limited to Australian citizens |
International Center | In Country Petition: $1,000 | $460 | Standard: $1,460 | |
| Optional premium processing: $2,500 | Premium Processing: $3,960 | ||||
| Travel Petition: $400 | 0 | $400 | |||
| H-1B1 Limited to Chilean/Singaporean citizens |
International Center | In Country Petition: $1,000 | $460 | $1,460 | |
| Travel Petition: $400 | 0 | $400 | |||
| J-1 | International Center | 0 | 0 | 0 | $220 SEVIS fee |
| O-1 | Retained Counsel |
Initial petition: $4,200 IC case management fee: $390 |
$460 | Standard initial: $5,050 | $385 for all dependents |
| Optional premium processing: $2,500 | Premium initial: $7,550 | ||||
|
Extension: $2,750 IC case management fee: $390 |
$460 | Standard extension: $3,600 | |||
| Optional premium processing: $2,500 | Premium extension: $6,100 | ||||
|
Green Card Special Handling Labor Certification All Positions w/ Teaching Duties |
International Center |
IC Processing: $1,825 AOS legal fee: $1,650 IC case management fee: $390 |
I-140: $700 I-485: $1,140 + $85 Total: $1,925 |
$5,790 |
|
| Retained Counsel for Adjustment of Status (AOS) component | Plus cost of recruitment, if applicable | ||||
|
Green Card Basic Labor Certification filed by FSIS Research Faculty |
International Center |
IC Processing: $2,000 AOS legal fee: $1,650 IC case management fee: $390 |
I-140: $700 I-485: $1,140 + $85 Total: $1,925 |
$5,965 | |
| Retained Counsel for Adjustment of Status (AOS) component | Plus cost of recruitment | ||||
|
Green Card filed by Retained Counsel* EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 |
Retained Counsel |
$4,000 + hourly rate for substantive Request for Evidence (RFE) or Audit AOS legal fee: $1,650 IC case management fee: $390 |
I-140: $700 I-485: $1,140 + $85 Total: $1,925 |
$7,965 | |
| Plus cost of recruitment, if applicable | |||||
| * The University of Michigan generally does not sponsor green card applications that do not require employer sponsorship, such as EB-1a, NIW or family-based applications. | |||||
| Green Card (PERM) Upgrade/Downgrade | International Center | $250 | $700 | $950 | N/A |
| J-Waiver (IGA/Conrad) | Retained Counsel |
Legal fee: $5,000 IC case management: $390 |
$120 | $5,510 | N/A |
| Renewal of Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Advance Parole Travel Document - based on AOS | Retained Counsel | Legal fee: $385 | $0 | $385 | $385 per dependent; form filing fees may be paid by the unit |
For printable PDF version of the table, refer to the Fee Schedule for Employment Based Visas.