August 6, 2001 INS Seeks Public Comments on Proposed Fee Adjustments WASHINGTON – The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) today announced its plans to seek public comments on its intentions to change its fee structure for immigration and naturalization services. INS is required by law to review fees every two years to ensure that it is recovering the full cost of processing benefits petitions and applications. The proposed fees will be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, August 8, 2001. Federal guidelines require INS to establish and collect application fees to recover the cost of providing immigration adjudication and naturalization services, rather than supporting these services with tax revenue. This proposal is key to INS’ commitment to provide immigration information and benefits to our customers in a timely, accurate, consistent, courteous, and professional manner. The proposed rule provides for a 60-day public comment period. After receipt and analysis of the comments, INS will draft a final rule. Sixty days after publication of the final rule in the Federal Register, the new fees will go into effect. The INS expects the new fees will go into effect in January 2002. A proposed rule does not and cannot by itself raise any immigration and naturalization application fees. It is only the beginning of the regulatory process where an agency announces its intentions to change its regulations, and solicits public comments on the effect of these changes. To comment on the proposed rule, INS requests that applicants submit written comments in triplicate (one original and two copies) to the Director, Policy Directives and Instructions Branch, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), 425 I Street, N.W., Room 4034, Washington, D.C., 20536, Attention: Public Comment Clerk. The public may also submit comments electronically at insregs@usdoj.gov. To ensure proper handling, please reference INS Number 2072-00 on all correspondence. All comments received are available for public inspection at the above address. To arrange an appointment to review the comments, please call (202) 514-3048. – INS –