The fee increases will range from 22 percent for an orphan petition to more than 700 percent for those adjusting from temporary to permanent residence under a 1986 program.

The standard fee to adjust status to permanent residency will increase by more than 150 percent to $1,010.

In some cases, petitions require more than one application with a fee, Gonzalez said. For example, most people who want to sponsor a relative's green card will also have to file an I-130 petition for an alien relative. If that relative wants to work while the green card application is pending, she'd need an I-765 application for work authorization. That green card package currently costs $765. On July 30 it will more than double to $1,705.

"If you are computer savvy, you probably don't need an attorney," Gonzalez said of the applications that are online at www.uscis.gov. However, she suggested people consult an attorney if their case is complicated by something like a criminal record, even for minor offenses.

The last comprehensive fee adjustment was in 1998, when fees rose by an average of 76 percent. The only exception is the fee for a T visa for human trafficking victims, which is being eliminated.

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com

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