Immigration fees will increase to prevent backlog By ANABELLE GARAY DALLAS (AP) - The fees immigrants pay for citizenship, permanent residence and other petitions will increase to prevent more backlogs in the system, the director of the nation's immigration service has said. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Emilio Gonzalez said the amount of the increases is still being determined, but he expected it to be significant. ``I envision that it'll go up a fair amount,'' he said during a visit to Dallas. ``We're a business. We're not allowed to be deficient.'' Currently, immigrants applying for citizenship pay $330 and $325 for permanent residency documentation known as a ``green card.'' Applicants also pay a $70 fingerprinting fee. They could see the new prices for immigration petitions by April, Gonzalez said. Citizenship and Immigration Services process applications for citizenship, permanent residence, work permits and other immigration documents. Over the last few years, the agency has been working through a backlog that kept some immigrants waiting up to three years for green cards or citizenship. Gonzalez contends the agency has basically eliminated the backlog for applications. The agency is mainly funded by application fees and some appropriations from the federal government, which usually target specific programs. It has a $2 billion dollar budget, but Gonzalez said that's not enough. The additional money from higher fees would fund hiring more staff to work through applications, training current employees, renovating buildings and improving technology, Gonzalez said. Advocates have said they're worried rising application fees will stall people from filing for citizenship and other immigration benefits. ``When it jumped this last time, we were all gasping,'' said Vanna Slaughter, director of the Immigration and Legal Services Division of Catholic Charities of Dallas. ``Once we have that fee lift, there's no turning back. We still have to put a happy face on it and say 'Find the money.''' Gonzalez said he doesn't think sticker shock will keep immigrants from filing. ``I don't think it will be dissuading,'' he said. ``American citizenship is priceless.'' Once increases to fees are made, immigration officials can review them for cost of living adjustments every two years, Gonzalez said. The agency also is reviewing waiving charges for some rarely used immigration petitions, such as visas for victims of trafficking and humanitarian visas, Gonzalez said.

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