Doh! I Forgot to Send the Check!

[phewall 0]

James

With all respect...you just started the process, why call them "bastards" already?

aaand...

is it too much to ask for you to add the check to your application in the first place? I think the mistake is clearly on your side, why should they take action in your behalf?

I know they make it difficult at times, but if you forget to add your check, sorry, It think there is no reason to get mad at them for not calling you for a reminder.

I hope though that somehow you will get around to pay the higher fees, but I honestly doubt it. From what I have read so far when people have forgotten the check, the application got rejected and they had to resend it. I don't think they have much sympathy for that, not normally and not regarding the fee increase you might face.

Good luck on your journey!!

Thanks for the post. Yes I did use the term "bastards." My intent was using it in the "generic" sense as in "Don't let the bastards get you down." Yes, the mistake is "clearly on my side." That is not the issue. The issue is how this type of simple mistake is handled by the USCIS.

Begin Rant.

1. If the USCIS had even the slightest shred of customer service orientation, this scenario would be handled as follows... The person opening my package would see that I forgot to add the check. They would send me a form email to the address I displayed prominently on the cover of my application, notifying me of the discrepancy and asking for payment by a date certain perhaps 7 days, which if not received, the package would be rejected and returned to me.(total time for this arduous task approx, 15 seconds).

2. If they were conducting themselves in a customer oriented manner as suggested above and I failed to respond promptly, by all means I would have no room to be angry with them or their process.

3. So the fact that I am going to suffer a $285 penalty for a simple mistake that could be EASILY rectified does make me angry. I don't think I'm asking for the moon to have a process to send a payment for an already received application.

4. I am certainly kicking myself after taking so much time and effort to put this application together and making a dumb mistake such as I have described. But there is NO good reason why they could not afford me an opportunity to send the missing payment in good faith. NONE whatsoever. That makes them "bastards."

End Rant.

So with all that said, I am most likey going to have to "take my medicine" and pay the higher fee, but I don't have to like it.

Good Luck on Your Journey As Well,

James

[nane1104 146]

I hear you.

Yes, of course they could do that, as a matter of fact, for all the money they ask for, you could expect a better customer service, but we are talking about the USCIS here...don't expect anything!

I am sure you are mad enough about yourself for forgetting to add the check so no need to get into it even further, I guess things happen for a reason and I hope, there is a good outcome for you in all this.

All the best!

[Jaseball 0]

Yeah I personally think these recent price increases and having to wait 6-12+ months is complete and utter bull. I don't know how many cases each person over there screens per day or how things work, but customer service and helping people is not high on their list of priorities.

Heck, my fiancee in China applied for a passport over there while I was visiting. She got the process done in one day and the passport was ready for her in 10 business days. It can take months and months for the US to process a passport here and for 10x the cost.

It is ridiculous and sad that China can perform this task so fast and it takes the US so long.

Also I went to the Chinese embassy to get a multiple entry visa. They had it ready for me in 5 business days.

The only valid reason the US has is to prevent immigration fraud, but then each application is tied to a citizen and it isn't like we're out there applying for 2-5 other people. It can't be too difficult to process, but then again they are still doing everything with paper and shipping packets in trucks and such.

It's 2007 and even third world countries have cell phones, email, and computers, but the US government's processing is the same as back in the early 1900's.

[phewall 0]

Thanks,

After reading the posts, I think I may go with option #2 and just deal with it.... The $285 penalty sucks, but I am more worried about the time involved.

If I thought the USCIS was a well run and competent institution, I would not even mind the fee increase. But I HIGHLY doubt that the almost 300% increase in fees will result in a 300% decrease in the wait time or the hassles. The US Immigration system from top to bottom is a national DISGRACE.

And some people actually want to turn over the health care for themselves and their families to the same people who are brining us the USCIS? Madness.

James

PS Yeah I sound like I'm all mad, but I'm actually quite calm. I've been corresponding with my fiancee for almost 2 years now and this "dumb" mistake won't stop me... but my backside does hurt from kicking myself so much!

[nane1104 146]

LOL. I think this process is a true eyeopener for many of the USCs on here. I was so shocked that in some Staes you elect with paper and pencil!?!?!

I always have to laugh when people ask me if it is not very overwhelming to come to the US with all its opportunities and new technology and stuff and I have to bite my lips not to ask what they are actually talking about.

Geez, the city I live in right now doesn't even have a functioning drainage/canal system...lol

but thats

[Caladan 19]

You know, I sent off the I-129F originally with the check accidentally post-dated, so they bounced it back to me. They can't accept it, because they can't generate a number until there's proof of payment. Which means your packet would be sitting in an office somewhere with no tracking information. You're better off having it returned! Sorry about the fee increase, but hopefully this is your one mulligan in this process.

[pj1959us 0]

It does specifically state in the form's instructions in BOLD letters: Any Form I-129F that is not signed or accompanied by the correct fee, will be rejected with a notice the Form I-129F is deficient. You may correct the deficiency and resubmit the Form I-129F. An application or petition is not considered properly filed until accepted by USCIS.

I realize you're frustrated and understandably so, but they do issue a warning upfront of what will occur if certain basic things are not included with the submission.

[Mags 112]

Thanks for the quick responses... Does someone have the phone number I can call???

I hope these bastards don't reject the doggone application. Is it too much to ask for someone to send and email or even call me and say, hey you forgot the check, send to address etc etc...???

USCIS is not known for it's understanding and tolerance but in this case they do have every right to send the application back. As much as we hate it, they are providing a service and in most places you don't get things done without being paid.

For example, say they process your file and then request the fee; how can they then guarantee you WILL pay them? Even the initial processing would have been a waste of manpower; they could have been processing someone who DID enclose the cheque instead. They could also do the initial processing and then stop if they didn't receive a payment but, again, they will have still wasted manpower up until that point.

Yes, it's a pain that you've forgotten the cheque and even more of a pain that you'll more than likely have to pay the higher fee; but at the end of the day it is up to US to make sure we have submitted everything properly; they are not at fault here, whichever way you look at it.

[phewall 0]

USCIS is not known for it's understanding and tolerance but in this case they do have every right to send the application back. As much as we hate it, they are providing a service and in most places you don't get things done without being paid.

For example, say they process your file and then request the fee; how can they then guarantee you WILL pay them? Even the initial processing would have been a waste of manpower; they could have been processing someone who DID enclose the cheque instead. They could also do the initial processing and then stop if they didn't receive a payment but, again, they will have still wasted manpower up until that point.

Yes, it's a pain that you've forgotten the cheque and even more of a pain that you'll more than likely have to pay the higher fee; but at the end of the day it is up to US to make sure we have submitted everything properly; they are not at fault here, whichever way you look at it.

Just to clarify. I am not asking them to process the fee without payment. They are going to "waste" manpower in rejecting and sending this application back anyway. What I am saying is that if they were customer oriented they should be able to handle a case like this without sending the application back. It's not that hard people....

If USCIS had any imagination, innovation or flexibility, they would have a bar code that you could print from the internet that you would put on your application with all the basic information available. The person who opens your application would scan the bar code and have all your contact data etc. In this case, upon seeing that the check is missing, this person could, with the click of a mouse, notify you by email that your application cannot be further processed until payment is made and to send payment to XXX address with said reference # YYY (Or better still make an onlie Visa Payment) so when payment arrived the envelope could be routed to the proper person and the application would be back on track. This is not Buck Rodgers!! This is not Star Wars!!! This is the 21st Century.

Just because they say on the form that "Your application will be sent back if you don't do EXACTLY what we say and how we say to do it." Does not mean that their systems or their processes don't SUCK.

None of this is going to change the fate of my application, and you are correct, it is not their "fault" that I forgot the check, but it IS their fault that their managment, systems and processes are antiquated, user-unfriendly, and grossly inefficient.

I love a good discussion! Cheers to you all!

James

[*julez* 124]

Something my Dad always said to me as a child comes to mind! "If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, oh what a Christmas we'd have!"

And what you are proposing are some pretty big ifs!

[Jaseball 0]

Personally I'm with James. He did screw up with not mailing the check, but USCIS and this entire process is a freaking joke. Their process and speed and accuracy now is no better than the 1960's and 1970's and we're the ones paying with separation from our significant others as well as these insane fees of $2000+

Maybe they can spend all the fee increases and buy some servers and pay for some OC-3 or better connections and really digitize the process. However we all know they will grant a few contracts to some contractors with Senate connections, spent 10 years on 'modernizing,' and then tell us the project is a total failure, their budgets were off, it was far more complicated, and we'll need $5,000,000,000 more and 10 extra years to finish.

[Cassie 8]

When people realize that they are one of thousands upon thousands of customers at any one given time using the services of USCIS, they might cut them a bit of slack. Not a ton of slack, but at least a wee bit. Expecting individualized service is asking too much considering the scope of operations, IMHO.

I managed to forget to sign one of the three cheques in the AOS packet, and forget to check a box on my I-751 form when lifting conditions. Both times the entire packet was sent back to me very promptly with a cover letter indicating my goof-ups.

[phewall 0]

Something my Dad always said to me as a child comes to mind! "If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, oh what a Christmas we'd have!"

And what you are proposing are some pretty big ifs!

Yes, of course based on what we now know as the USCIS, my ideas are like Santa Claus. But nothing I mentioned is science fiction.

1. Why on God's green Earth, can't USCIS accpet electronic payment?

2. Have you ever bought concert tickets or movie tickets online? Bar code prints out like a charm and you go right to the show, the ticket taker scans it and away you go.

3. We are so accustomed to crappy, slow and de-humanizing bureaucratic treatment, but it needn't be so.

James

[Jaseball 0]

When people realize that they are one of thousands upon thousands of customers at any one given time using the services of USCIS, they might cut them a bit of slack. Not a ton of slack, but at least a wee bit. Expecting individualized service is asking too much considering the scope of operations, IMHO.

I managed to forget to sign one of the three cheques in the AOS packet, and forget to check a box on my I-751 form when lifting conditions. Both times the entire packet was sent back to me very promptly with a cover letter indicating my goof-ups.

Which comes back to the point of the modern age. If you were issued a case# and electronic signature and could modify and sign your forms online you could avoid them sending back your packet, you making these minor changes, then you sending it all back again.

James could pay by credit card and have a record of the transaction.

I mean I can just imagine their offices and where they process these things and I just can't get the idea of warehouses of paper, dot matrix printers, punch in and out time clocks, 1970's lime green furniture and paint, rows of desks with piles and piles of petitions, and countless employees who process 5-7 a day and when they process 10-14 they feel overworked and need raises.

Remember, it's 2007. We were supposed to have flying cars by now! Heck, no flying cars, then you can at least use computers, automate processes, and figure out some way to process these services in a reasonable time frame. That isn't too much to ask.

[phewall 0]

Jaseball,

Right on my brother! Power to the people. And you are right, to imagine what the "California DisService Center" looks like is too much to bear....

I'm not asking for individualized, personalized service from USCIS. God forbid. I'm only asking for these folks to put together a system that reflects today's technology and can handle the small minority of cases like mine which have an easily fixable "problem" with some degree of common sense and responsiveness and not make me start from scratch when its not necessary.

James