Michelle, who does waivers in Saskatchewan said she saw a bulletin stating that the US Waiver fee will be up for review again. I do get the emails they send out, but many of them are simply about "busts" they make of drugs. So I don't read all of them.
Does anyone have any information about this review? When it will take place?
This does not mean it will automatically be raised by the way.
Hi John, My first time here in many months, I am watching for this, the email that I received stated the fee increase is under review as it was been previous approved, but was stopped by the Supreme Court "stating hardship in the middle of a world wide panemdic." Since COVID for the most part is less of a concern, I imagine the fee increase will be here by summer. North Portal Custom Officers have told a few of my clients that a fee increase is on the way. If it is approved again it would change from the current $585 to approximately $1400 USA Funds. Hopefully, there will be a 60 day notice.
My understanding of that fee increase was because Homeland Security MUST not have a profit or a loss and Trump was cutting their budget by 25% and giving that money to ICE. Therefore Homeland Security was going to have to raise the fees for everything to "break even" under that scenario.
This was at first stopped, but has since been repealed when Trump lost.
So my assumption would be that if the fee was to increase, it would simply be with an increase to cover their operating budget.
I don't THINK any fee increase would be that dramatic. The information on this was on a threat a couple of years ago, and I actually read the Homeland Security submissions coving this.
I have not heard anything since.
It was proposed to be $1,100 USD by DHS this past Jan.
@BM Can you provide a link? Or at least where you remember seeing it?
