I-539 Instructions Table of Changes

TABLE OF CHANGES – INSTRUCTIONS

Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status

OMB Number: 1615-0003

10/30/2019

Reason for Revision:

Legend for Proposed Text:

• Black font = Current text

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Expires 08/31/2020

Edition Date 02/04/2019

Current Page Number and Section	Current Text	Proposed Text
Pages 13-14, What Is the Filing Fee?	[Page 13] What Is the Filing Fee? The filing fee for Form I-539 is $370, except for certain A and G nonimmigrants who are not required to pay a fee, as noted in these Instructions. An additional biometrics services fee of $85 is required for you and for each person included on a Form I-539A, except for certain A, G, and NATO nonimmigrants who are not required to pay a fee. After you submit Form I-539, USCIS will notify you about when and where to go for biometrics services. The following nonimmigrants are not required to submit either the filing fee or the biometrics fee: 1. Individuals changing into or out of A-1, A-2, A-3 status; 2. Individuals changing into or out of G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, G-5 status; and 3. Individuals changing into or out of NATO-1, NATO-2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, NATO-6 status. NOTE: The filing fee and biometric services fee are not refundable, regardless of any action USCIS takes on this application. DO NOT MAIL CASH. You must submit all fees in the exact amounts. NOTE: A fee waiver request will be accepted in accordance to 8 CFR 103.7(c)(3)(xviii) for T and U nonimmigrants. Payments by Checks or Money Orders Use the following guidelines when you prepare your checks or money orders for the Form I-539 filing fee and biometrics services fee: 1. The checks or money orders must be drawn on a bank or other financial institution located in the United States and must be payable in U.S. currency; and 2. Make the checks or money orders payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security. NOTE: Spell out U.S. Department of Homeland Security; do not use the initials “USDHS” or “DHS.” [page 15] Notice to Those Paying by Check. If you send USCIS a check, we will convert it into an electronic funds transfer (EFT). This means we will copy your check and use the account information on it to electronically debit your account for the amount of the check. The debit from your account will usually take 24 hours and your bank will show it on your regular account statement. You will not receive your original check back. We will destroy your original check, but will keep a copy of it. If USCIS cannot process the EFT for technical reasons, you authorize us to process the copy in place of your original check. If your check is returned as unpayable, we will re-submit the payment to the financial institution one time. If the check is returned as unpayable a second time, we will reject your application and charge you a returned check fee. Payments by Credit Card If you are filing your application at a USCIS Lockbox facility, you can pay your filing fee and biometric services fee using a credit card. Please see Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, at www.uscis.gov/G-1450 for more information. How To Check If the Fees Are Correct Form I-539’s filing fee and biometric services fee are current as of the edition date in the lower left corner of this page. However, because USCIS fees change periodically, you can verify that the fees are correct by following one of the steps below. 1. Visit the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov, select “FORMS,” and check the appropriate fee; or 2. Call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 and ask for the for fee information. For TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) call: 1-800-767-1833. [new]	[Page 14] What Is the Filing Fee? The filing fee for Form I-539 is $400. There is no filing fee for A and G and NATO nonimmigrants. [delete] The following nonimmigrants are not required to submit a filing fee: [no change] NOTE: The filing fee is not refundable, regardless of any action USCIS takes on this application. DO NOT MAIL CASH. You must submit all fees in the exact amounts. [delete] Payments by Check or Money Order Use the following guidelines when you prepare your checks or money orders for the Form I-539 filing fee: [no change] You will not receive your original check back. We will destroy your original check, but will keep a copy of it. If USCIS cannot process the EFT for technical reasons, you authorize us to process the copy in place of your original check. If your check is returned as unpayable, USCIS will re-submit the payment to the financial institution one time. If the check is returned as unpayable, we may reject your application. Payments by Credit Card If you are filing your application at a USCIS Lockbox facility, you can pay your filing fee using a credit card. Please see Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, at www.uscis.gov/G-1450 for more information. How To Check If the Fees Are Correct Form I-539's filing fee is current as of the edition date in the lower left corner of this page. However, because USCIS fees change periodically, you can verify that the fees are correct by following one of the steps below. [no change] Fee Waiver For information on fee waivers under 8 CFR 106.3 please review the instructions for USCIS Form I-912 found at www.uscis.gov.
Page 15, Where To File?	[page 15] Where To File? Please see our website at www.uscis.gov/I-539 or call our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 for the most current information about where to file this application. For TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) call: 1-800-767-1833. Special Information for Applicants Residing in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) If the applicant is lawfully present in the CNMI, the applicant may be eligible to apply for a grant of status with this form without having to seek consular processing. The request for the initial grant of status must be accompanied by an additional biometrics service fee as described in section 8 CFR 103.7(b)(1) and evidence of the applicant's lawful presence. The applicant will be required to submit biometric information before the application for a grant of status is approved. Although this is a request for an initial grant of status rather than a change of nonimmigrant status, in Part 2., the applicant should select Item Number 3.a., and identify the nonimmigrant status he or she is initially requesting in Item Number 3.c.	[page 15] [no change] Special Information for Applicants Residing in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) If the applicant is lawfully present in the CNMI, the applicant may be eligible to apply for a grant of status with this application without having to seek consular processing. The request for the initial grant of status must be accompanied by evidence of the applicant’s lawful presence. The applicant will be required to submit biometric information before the application for a grant of status is approved. Although this is a request for an initial grant of status rather than a change of nonimmigrant status, in Part 2., the applicant should select Item Number 3.a., and identify the nonimmigrant status he or she is initially requesting in Item Number 3.c.

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