United States | Congress passes reconciliation bill that includes major immigration provisions

The reconciliation bill H.R.1, aka “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed into law on July 4, includes several immigration-related provisions, including new fees, as well as more than $140 billion allocated to border security and enforcement measures.

Key Points:

• Titles IX and X include various immigration-related provisions.
• The bill introduces a range of new immigration fees, including the following notable fees:
  • An additional $250 visa integrity fee for anyone issued a nonimmigrant visa
  • $24 Form I-94 fee
  • $100 asylum filing fee, plus an annual fee of $100 for each year the asylum application remains pending
  • $500 fee for filing for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
  • $550 initial filing fee for filing for employment authorization for asylees, parolees and TPS beneficiaries, and a $275 renewal or extension of employment authorization
  • $1,000 immigration parole fee
  • Other fees related to challenging agency decisions and/or applications adjudicated by an immigration court
• The bill also limits employment authorization for asylee, parolees and TPS beneficiaries.
• In addition, the bill allocates more than $140 billion to border security and enforcement measures.

Additional Information: Many of the new immigration fees are minimum fees, allowing the agencies to set higher amounts, and are subject to annual inflation adjustments. The nonwaivable visa integrity fee applies to all temporary travelers issued a nonimmigrant visa, including business travelers, tourists, international students, exchange visitors and foreign workers.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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