Summary

Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the Immigration and Naturalization Service's (INS) new rule on the adjustment of certain fees of the Immigration Examinations Fee Account (IEFA). GAO noted that: (1) the rule would adjust the fees schedule of the IEFA for certain immigration adjudication and naturalization applications and petitions; (2) fees collected from persons filing these applications and petitions are deposited in the IEFA and are used to fund the cost of processing immigration adjudication and naturalization applications and petitions and associated support services; the cost of providing similar services to asylum and refugee applicants; and the cost of similar services provided to other immigrants at no charge; (3) the rule would ensure that the fees that fund the IEFA generate sufficient revenue to recover the full cost of providing these services; and (4) INS complied with the applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.