Please remember that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (US CIS) will implement a new fee schedule for all immigration benefit applications on Monday, July 30^th, 2007. This may mean that today is the last day to file applications under the old fee schedule. US CIS has announced that applications or petitions postmarked or otherwise filed on or after that date must include the new fee. If applications are postmarked or otherwise filed after July 30^th containing filing fees under the old fee schedule, those applications will be rejected and returned to you.

On May 30^th of this year US CIS published an across the board increase in filing fees under a new fee schedule that would be effective July 30^th. This increase in filing fees is approximately a 66% increase for all those applications affected. To find out the specific filing fee for applications that will apply on Monday and after that date go to the US CIS Web site at www.uscis.gov/21stCenturyService.

This information is especially important for all those employment-based adjustment applicants who wish to take advantage of the filing window between now and August 17^th.  Please be advised that current filing fees will apply to all adjustment applicants who are eligible under the July Visa Bulletin. On the other hand, the new filing fees will apply to all I-140, Immigrant Visa Petitions whether or not they are filed concurrently with an employment-based I-485, Application to Adjust Status filed on or after July 30, 2007.  Eligible applicants must have priority dates before July 31, 2007.  Those with priority dates after July 31, 2007 cannot yet file for adjustment but can only proceed to the I-140, Immigrant Visa stage. That is, US CIS will reject any applications for adjustment of status that are filed by applicants having a priority date on or after August 1, 2007.