U.S. to raise citizenship, green card fees

“The Bush administration will announce increases in immigration application fees today that will double the cost of citizenship and almost triple the cost of becoming a permanent resident.

The new fees, reflecting an average 66% increase, led immigrant advocates and some members of Congress to criticize them as a “wall” that could bar poorer immigrants from citizenship. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials countered that the increases were essential to help the overloaded agency reduce its backlog and speed service.

“The reason were raising the fees, short answer, is that we need the money,” said Emilio T. Gonzales, director of Citizenship and Immigration Services. “A lot of people are going to be affected by this, theres no sugarcoating it.”"

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