Federal User Fees: Fee Design Characteristics and Trade-Offs Illustrated by USCIS's Immigration and Naturalization Fees
Author: Susan J. Irving
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Published: 2010-11
Total Pages: 27
ISBN-13: 1437931332
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe author developed a framework for examining user fee design characteristics that may influence the effectiveness of user fees. Specifically, she examined how the four key characteristics of user fees -- how fees are set, collected, used, and reviewed -- may affect the economic efficiency, equity, revenue adequacy, and admin. burden of cost-based fees. U.S. Citizenship and Immig. Services (USCIS) charges fees. In 2007, USCIS completed a fee review and increased application fees by an average of 86 percent. This testimony focuses on: (1) user fee design and implementation characteristics and criteria; (2) cost assignment and trade-offs identified in USCIS's 2007 fee review; and (3) additional considerations for fee-funded agencies. Illus.