Hey, how much is that Green Card?

Understanding the true cost of immigration applications

It’s a gut wrenching feeling to pay more for something than you feel it’s worth. Especially when your options are limited or you don’t have a choice. That’s how many people feel as they navigate their way through the twists and turns of the US immigration system. Immigrants choose from a menu of benefits with prices ranging from nothing to thousands of dollars depending on the service provided. This can be a tough pill to swallow for some, especially for those with large families with the end goal of becoming US citizens.

That being said, the agency that provides these benefits, the Department of Homeland Securities’ Citizenship and Immigration Services (that’s a mouthful so we’ll just call them CIS), has the tough job of processing millions of applications with almost no federal funding. This leaves them high and dry unless they charge their customers. They do so by figuring out how much money they need to operate effectively and how they are going to get it. Their goal is to provide quality service at a fair price while ensuring compliance with federal guidelines.

That’s where Vergys fits in. We help CIS figure out what to charge for immigration benefits based on the amount of work that goes into them. In other words, we help CIS make sure you get what you pay for. We do so by finding the right information and putting it together in a way that makes sense. CIS is a business and Vergys helps make them smarter, or more intelligent. We do this using Business Intelligence. Our consultants are expertly qualified to guide CIS and other clients through the data collection, modeling and reporting needed to achieve their goals…and look good doing it.

We have a long standing relationship with CIS. In fact, we have been with them since we started Vergys. We have come a long way since then and so have they. CIS is on track to be the premier fee-setting agency in the federal government. They generate over $3 billion in annual fee revenue and they tick all the required boxes when doing so. We feel good knowing that we’ve been there to help them through this process and we plan to stick around and keep helping them improve. Vergys is helping CIS achieve balance…and look good doing it.

Photo: Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas delivers remarks and gives the Oath of Allegiance at a Naturalization Ceremony in Washington, D.C., Oct. 6, 2015.