Should I pay my wife's 230.00 fee now or wait?

[jasonfx 0]

Hello, I am a little confused on a few things. 12 days ago I sent an email for choice of agent for my wife, I received an email yesterday saying that I am approved as the choice of agent for my wife and an invoice for $230.00 for the next step. I thought that since my minor child (3 yr old son) was a dependent I didn't have to do a choice of agent for him or a seperate I-864 but now I realize I may be mistaken. If this is true I will need to send another email for choice of agent for my minor child (3 yr old son's) I-130. Will I need to send a copy of the I-864 I sent for my wife for my son also? If so, what cover sheet do I used for the son since I already used the cover sheet for my wife's I-864. Should I pay my wife's $230.00 fee before I get my son's? or should I wait until I receive my son's choice of agent confirmation and bill for 230.00? Thanks much for clearing up my confusion I have read and googled these things but can't seem to find the answers I am looking for yet.

[Ryan H 3,810]

Duplicate thread asking the same questions with no replies removed.

**Organizer hat off**

Hello, I am a little confused on a few things. 12 days ago I sent an email for choice of agent for my wife, I received an email yesterday saying that I am approved as the choice of agent for my wife and an invoice for $230.00 for the next step. I thought that since my minor child (3 yr old son) was a dependent I didn't have to do a choice of agent for him or a seperate I-864 but now I realize I may be mistaken. If this is true I will need to send another email for choice of agent for my minor child (3 yr old son's) I-130. Will I need to send a copy of the I-864 I sent for my wife for my son also? If so, what cover sheet do I used for the son since I already used the cover sheet for my wife's I-864. Should I pay my wife's $230.00 fee before I get my son's? or should I wait until I receive my son's choice of agent confirmation and bill for 230.00? Thanks much for clearing up my confusion I have read and googled these things but can't seem to find the answers I am looking for yet.

Minor child will require a separate I-864, the coversheet from the payment portal for the affidavit of support for your wife can be used for your son as well since the fee for AOS only needs to be paid once (i.e. two forms, one fee). I don't know if you need to send another DS-3032 or not, hopefully someone else can answer that question.

Go ahead an pay the DS-230 fee for your wife now, pay the fee for your son's when you receive it. Once both bills have been paid, you can send the paperwork at the same time.

Edited October 1, 2012 by Ryan H

[jasonfx 0]

Thanks Ryan

[Darnell 8,478]

did you have a seperate casefile # on the child?

ie - you file 2 I-130's - one for spouse, one for child?

if that's the case,

then call into NVC on Monday, ask for AOS fee bill for the child's casefile #.

Now, you not need to pay his AOS fee bill, but the GENERATION of this aos fee bill for the child,

actually 'turns on' the switch at NVC for the child's processing.

Ultimately, it's just one AOS fee bill for the two people, 88 bucks total, but

it helps when/if the casefiles are 'joined up' at NVC, ultimately having the interview date set on both of them for the same day.

So, it makes sense to stall a bit on the spouse's casefile, till you have some stuff in play on the child's casefile.

Good Luck !

Edited October 1, 2012 by Darnell

[velrich 50]

Aren't you a USC? Wouldn't your child be a USC born aboard? Or is he your stepchild?

If you did not file a separate I-130 for him and he is a USC by virtue of being born abroad as the child of a USC then you should do the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) documentation.

If he is your stepchild then you need to do the same things which you did for your wife.