The government agency responsible for reviewing applications for citizenship, green cards, employment permits and other immigration-related documents will raise the fees for most applications beginning July 30 but will also expand the availability of fee waivers and exemptions. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the changes Tuesday. They were scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday. Among the changes: -The cost for a permanent resident application, form I-485, will rise from $325 to $1,010, including charges for biometric identification — verifying personal identity based on unique physical attributes such as fingerprints. Applicants under age 14 filing with at least one parent will pay $600, and those 79 and older $930. There is no fee for those admitted as refugees. -An employment authorization application, form I-765, will cost $340, up from $180. -An application to become a U.S. citizen, form N-400, will jump in price from $330 to $675, including biometric information. There is no fee if applying through service in the armed forces. The agency says it will use the additional revenue to fund the heavier load of background checks required after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, to upgrade equipment and facilities and to train officers and hire additional personnel. The money will also be used to shorten processing times. Wait times currently can take much longer than the agency’s six-month goal. An agency statement said officials expect the additional funds to lead to a 20 percent reduction in average application processing times by the end of fiscal year 2009. The extra money will also cut processing times by the end of fiscal year 2008 for four application types that represent a third of all filed: the green card renewal or replacement application, form I-90, which will jump in price from $190 to $370, including biometric information; the immigrant worker petition, form I-140, which will increase from $195 to $475; and the permanent resident and citizenship applications. The immigration services agency made the decision to asses its fee structure and ultimately raise the charges after a government report showed it was underfunded, the agency spokesperson said. The agency relies on fees it charges the public. Critics said the increase will prevent many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. from trying to gain legal status.