President Obama signed The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114-113) into law on December 18, 2015, which mandates an increase in fees for some H-1B and L-1 petitioners. If these changes affect you, you’ll need to work with an experienced H-1B lawyer to ensure you are paying the right fees for any nonimmigrants you plan to employ. The New York City immigration attorneys at Berd & Klaus, PLLC, offer full-service legal assistance to individuals seeking permanent residence in the United States and can help you make sense of the new changes affecting potential employees.

What You Need to Know About the Fee Increase

Employers with 50 or more employees in the United States that have more than 50% of employees in H-1B, L-1A, or L-1B nonimmigrant status are responsible for paying an additional fee for certain petitions postmarked on or after December 18, 2015, according to the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. Petitioners will pay an additional $4,000 for H-1B petitions and $4,500 for L-1A and L-1B petitions.

Other fees associated with the petitioning process include a base processing fee, Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee, American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998, and a premium processing fee, in some cases.

Working with an H-1B Lawyer

Since the USCIS is also in the process of revising petition forms, petitioners need to know what items to fill out and how to submit their paperwork appropriately. Working with an H-1B lawyer can clear up any confusion associated with this process and ensure all fees and documents are sent to the correct office at the right time. A business immigration lawyer can assist with this process and also answer any questions you have about an employee’s immigration status and recent law changes.

If you are looking for a business immigration lawyer in New York, talk to an experienced H-1B lawyer at Berd & Klauss, PLLC. Visit their website or call (212) 461-7152 for a consultation.