Congress has repealed a Section of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 that d ram a tically cut INS filing fees. Congress had removed the b udget authorization for the INS surcharges to support refugee and asylum processing. Congress recently repealed that change and the INS has now announced in the Federal Register the immediate restoration of filing fees to their earlier levels. Earlier concerns that the INS would try and charge people who filed cases b efore the Federal Register announcement the difference b etween the reduced fee and the current fee appear to b e unwarranted.

Effective Fe b ruary 27th, all fees must now b e the higher level.

On a related note, as of this weekend, filing fee checks may b e made out to either the Immigration and Naturalization Service or the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.