[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 241 (Friday, December 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74490-74491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30226]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
[CIS No. 2523-12; DHS Docket No. USCIS-2009-0033]
RIN 1615-ZB13
Implementation of Immigrant Visa DHS Domestic Processing Fee
AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of
Homeland Security.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announces
that as of February 1, 2013, USCIS will begin to collect a $165
Immigrant Visa DHS Domestic Processing Fee (USCIS Immigrant Fee) from
individuals who have been issued immigrant visas by the U.S. Department
of State (DOS) and are applying for admission to the United States.
Prospective adoptive parents whose child(ren) is/are seeking admission
to the United States under the Orphan or Hague Process will be exempt
from the USCIS Immigrant Fee. The USCIS Immigrant Fee covers the cost
of processing that is performed in the United States after immigrant
visa holders receive their visa packages from DOS and are admitted to
the United States. This notice provides instructions on how individuals
who have been issued immigrant visas from DOS can pay the fee.
DATES: On February 1, 2013, USCIS will begin collecting the USCIS
Immigrant Fee from individuals who have been issued immigrant visas by
DOS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lyndon Lewis, U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services, Financial Management Division, 20 Massachusetts
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20529-2060; or by phone at (202) 272-9675
(this is not a toll-free number). You may also visit www.USCIS.gov/immigrantfee where a news release and a detailed payment Web page,
including a set of questions and answers about the USCIS Immigrant Fee,
are available.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background on Fee
On September 24, 2010, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
published the final rule titled, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services Fee Schedule. 75 FR 58962. That final rule became effective on
Nov. 23, 2010. The final rule, among other things, established the
USCIS Immigrant Fee at $165 to recover the cost of processing that is
performed in the United States after immigrant visa holders receive
their immigrant visa packages from DOS at overseas consulates and are
admitted to the United States. See 8 CFR 103.7(b)(1)(i)(D); see also 75
FR at 58979 (public comments on the Immigrant Visa DHS Domestic
Processing Fee and DHS response). USCIS established this fee to recover
its costs associated with processing, filing and maintaining the
immigrant visa package, and producing and mailing required documents.
USCIS has not collected the fee from immigrant visa holders
applying for admission to the United States because implementing
procedures have only recently been developed in conjunction with DOS.
Since the fee has not been collected since it was established, USCIS is
publishing this Notice to announce that the USCIS Immigrant Fee
collection process is now in place and that USCIS will begin collecting
the fee in accordance with this Notice and the USCIS fee regulation at
8 CFR 103.7(b)(1)(i)(D).
The USCIS Director, however, is exempting from this USCIS Immigrant
Fee prospective adoptive parents whose child(ren) is/are seeking
admission to the United States under the Orphan or Hague Process. In
addition, the Director has determined that the public interest of
encouraging adoption of international orphans is served by exempting
these new adoptive parents from this fee. USCIS will include the cost
of processing immigrant visas for overseas adoptees in the next fee
study conducted for adjustment of the USCIS fee schedule.
II. Fee Collection Process
To simplify and centralize the new fee collection process,
immigrant visa holders applying for admission to the United States must
pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee online at Pay.gov. Immigrant visa holders
can electronically submit the fee by answering the questions on the
USCIS intake page on Pay.gov and providing their checking account,
debit or credit card information. Check payments must be drawn on a
U.S. bank. If the immigrant visa holder is unable to make this payment,
another person can make this payment on the immigrant visa holder's
behalf.
Immigrant visa holders must submit payments online after they
receive their immigrant visa package from DOS. DOS will issue the
applicant:
A USCIS handout which will include the immigrant visa
holder's Alien number and Case ID number; and
[[Page 74491]]
Instructions on how to submit payment.
Payment should be made before traveling to the United States.
Immigrant visa holders should keep a copy of their receipt for their
records. More details are available at www.USCIS.gov/immigrantfee.
Failure to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee will not directly result in
denial of admission to the United States as an immigrant or the loss of
status as an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. However,
USCIS will not issue a Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) to an
individual who is subject to the USCIS Immigrant Fee until the
individual has remitted the fee. Failure to obtain the Form I-551 will
make it difficult for the individual to show that he or she has
complied with the alien registration requirements in sections 261-266
of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1301-1306. It may also
make it difficult for the individual to show that he or she is
authorized to accept employment in the United States or to return to
the United States from temporary foreign travel.
Alejandro N. Mayorkas,
Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
[FR Doc. 2012-30226 Filed 12-13-12; 8:45 am]
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