§1003.24. Fees pertaining to matters within the jurisdiction of an Immigration Judge. — Inbound Citations

(a) Fees for proceedings before immigration judges and the Board of Immigration Appeals are described in 8 CFR 1003.8, 1003.24, and 1103.7.

(1) Except as provided in 8 CFR 1003.8, or as the Attorney General otherwise may provide by regulation, any fee relating to any EOIR proceeding may be paid to USCIS. Payment of a fee under this section does not constitute filing of the document with the Board or with the immigration court. DHS will provide the payer with a receipt for a fee and return any documents submitted with the fee relating to any immigration court proceeding.

(2) Fees paid to and accepted by DHS relating to any immigration proceeding as provided in 8 CFR 1103.7(a) must include an additional $30 for DHS to collect, store, and use biometric information.

(3) An immigration judge may waive any fees prescribed under this chapter for cases under their jurisdiction to the extent provided in 8 CFR 1003.8, 1003.24, and 1103.7.

(4) The provisions relating to the authority of the immigration judges or the Board to waive fees prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section in cases under their jurisdiction can be found at 8 CFR 1003.8 and 1003.24.

(b) If EOIR's electronic filing application is unavailable due to an unplanned system outage on the last day for filing in a specific case, then the filing deadline will be extended to the first day that the electronic filing application becomes accessible that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. For planned system outages, parties must electronically file documents during system availability within the applicable filing deadline or paper file documents within the applicable filing deadline. EOIR will issue public communications for planned system outages ahead of the scheduled outage. Any planned system outage announced five or fewer business days prior to the start of the outage will be treated as an unplanned outage. In all other situations in cases eligible for electronic filing, an immigration judge retains the discretion to accept paper filings in all cases.

(2) For filing a motion to reopen or a motion to reconsider, when a fee is required pursuant to 8 CFR 1003.8 or 1003.24, as follows:

(3) An asylum application under paragraph (a)(1) of this section must be properly filed in accordance with the form instructions and with §§ 1003.24, 1003.31(b), and 1103.7(a)(3) of this chapter, including payment of a fee, if any, as explained in the instructions to the application. For purposes of filing with an immigration court, an asylum application is incomplete if it does not include a response to each of the required questions contained in the form, is unsigned, is unaccompanied by the required materials specified in paragraph (a) of this section, is not completed and submitted in accordance with the form instructions, or is unaccompanied by any required fee receipt or other proof of payment as provided in § 1208.4(d)(3). The filing of an incomplete application shall not commence the period after which the applicant may file an application for employment authorization. An application that is incomplete shall be rejected by the immigration court. If an applicant wishes to have his or her application for asylum considered, he or she shall correct the deficiencies in the incomplete application and refile it within 30 days of rejection. Failure to correct the deficiencies in an incomplete application or failure to timely refile the application with the deficiencies corrected, absent exceptional circumstances as defined in § 1003.10(b) of this chapter, shall result in a finding that the alien has abandoned that application and waived the opportunity to file such an application;

(i) Fees for applications for relief shall be paid in accordance with 8 CFR 1003.8(b) and 1003.24(c) as follows:

(ii) The fees for applications published by the Department of Homeland Security and used in immigration proceedings are governed by 8 CFR 103.7 and 8 CFR part 106. Consistent with 8 CFR 106.2, no fee shall apply to a Form I-589 filed with an immigration judge for the sole purpose of seeking withholding of removal under section 241(b)(3) of the Act or protection under the Convention Against Torture regulations.

(iii) Aliens are required to pay an annual fee for each calendar year that an alien's asylum application remains pending administrative review. This fee cannot be waived or reduced.

(b) When a motion before the Board is based upon an application for relief, only the fee for the motion to reopen shall be paid to the Board, and payment of the fee for the application for relief shall not accompany the motion. If the motion is granted and proceedings are remanded to the immigration judge, the application fee shall be paid in the manner specified in 8 CFR 1003.24(c)(1).