From Deseret News archives:
Cost of seeking citizenship rises
Higher fees will cut processing time for paperwork, agency says
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is hiking fees for immigration applications on July 30. The cost of applying for citizenship, including a biometrics fee, will rise from $400 to $675.
"Sooner or later I'm going to be a citizen, why not now?" Kaiser said. "This kind of pushed me."
Kaiser, a native of Japan, said there would be advantages to becoming a citizen of the same country as her husband and two children.
"I feel like if I live here for the rest of my life, I should be able to voice my opinion," she said, referring to the right to cast a vote.
Another advantage would be an American passport and the protection of the U.S. embassy when she travels overseas.
Kaiser recently attended a seminar hosted by the Multicultural Legal Center to find out if she could file her application before the fees go up.
"We're hoping people will be able to save themselves some money by filing before July 30," said Marlene Gonzalez, the center's executive director.
She said applicants should file by July 27 to pay the current fees.
Those are the I-90 to renew or replace a green card, the I-140 immigration petition for an alien worker, the I-485 to adjust status to permanent residency and the N-400 naturalization.
"We're doing very well at keeping that where it is now," said agency spokeswoman Maria Elena Garcia-Upson. "With the fee increase, the goal is to reduce the processing time by 20 percent. That's part of the fee increase."
Petitions for citizenship, for example, are expected to decrease from the current average six months to under five months. However, that doesn't include the 1 percent of applications that are delayed when FBI name checks take longer than six months, she said.
"They're trying to process those as fast as they can," she said. "We need to make sure we're bestowing a benefit to someone who does not want to cause us harm."
In advance of the hike, U.S. CIS has seen a 60 percent increase in applications for naturalizations, Garcia-Upson said.
In Utah alone, 2,359 people applied for naturalization in the first five months of 2007. During the same period last year, 1,510 people applied, according to the agency.
Comments
- Try this chicken two-fer 6:54 p.m.
- Cats are trainable — no joke 6:47 p.m.
- Oscar gets 20 animated submissions 6:38 p.m.
- Semifinal slate sealed on 'Dancing' 6:30 p.m.
- Records: MJ's funeral cost about $1M 6:28 p.m.
- Yardsmart: Flowers honor veterans 6:26 p.m.
- Lining up for 'Modern Warfare 2' 6:22 p.m.
- Ronnie Wood divorced over adultery 6:21 p.m.
- Warhol's MJ portrait sells for $812K 6:17 p.m.
- MacIntyre wins literature award 6:16 p.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Cougars' defensive hoops clinic
- Wyoming writer amazed by BYU
- Gays get Mormon support in SLC
- House passes health care bill
275 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
234 - TCU showdown has big implications
192 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
109 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
108 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
100
This week, I'm compiling my annual list of restaurants serving...
C'mon we worked hard for the championship in 1983. It has been the only one...
Well, I first wanted to write - WHO CARES??? But, I realized that is unkind...
thank you, a fine article and great for our own introspect.
Its no secret people..... Why is it Alta, Bingham and Davis in the Final...
Since Joseph Smith never had anything to do with polygamy, it is no wonder...
"As an ex member of the church and CURRENT homosexual, i believe that...
I am so thrilled to hear that the money was raised and the kids get to have a...
Lets remember who said the America was stupid, and that we should just have...
Remember last year? 13-10 babbbbbyyyyyy!! Can't deny the fact that the Utes...
Your tears have been delicious. Here's to another year of bathing in your...



You can be the first to comment on this story.