Posted on Tue, Nov. 01, 2005
BY ALFONSO CHARDY
Immigration authorities have raised fees for naturalization and work permits, but applicants who can't afford them can request a waiver.
Applying for citizenship, a green card or a work permit now costs more.
Fees for naturalization, permanent residence, employment authorization documents and all immigration benefits increased last week -- on the average about $10 more than prior rates.
The reason: inflation, according to immigration authorities.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said that fees for about 36 different immigration applications and petitions went up, but applicants unable to pay the higher fees can request a waiver.
Exemptions will be granted, however, on a case-by-case basis.
According to a new fee schedule, an application for naturalization now costs $330 instead of $320, a green card replacement $190 instead of $185 and a work permit $180 instead of $175.
Another major immigration change requires that foreign visitors who enter the United States without visas have digital photos in their passports -- or they may not be admitted unless they have a visa. A digital photo is printed on the passport page.
In a statement Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security said that the majority of the 27 countries whose citizens do not need visas to enter the United States will be able to comply with the digital photo requirement.
Homeland Security warned that airlines will be fined up to $3,300 per violation for transporting any foreign visitor who does not meet the digital photo requirement.
The requirement affects travelers from Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
