FEE INCREASES SUBMIT COMMENTS NOW PLEASE!!

[Tech-MoLeidy 1]

FEE INCREASES

Not everyone is aware that there is soon to be increases accross the board. Fees such as passport pages being added are going from free to $82 and DS-156 visa application fees (fee you pay to get interview) are to be increased by $219 to a total of $350.

When Will the Department of State

Implement This Proposed Rule?

The Department intends to implement

this proposed rule, and initiate

collection of the fees set forth herein, as

soon as practicable following the

expiration of the 30-day public

comment period following this

proposed rule’s publication in the

Federal Register, and after the

Department has had the opportunity to

fully consider any public comments

received.

This 30 window closses on March 11th. The more comments they have to consider the longer the increase will take to implement. It's in your best interest to submit comments in opposition to these increases, many of which will affect all of us in some form or another.

Please take a moment to glance over the proposal and sumbit your comments here:

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/hom...R=DOS-2010-0035

For them to impose these fee increases at a time when the US goverment is spending money like it grows on trees and our economy has people scrounging for every cent is ludicrous! Especially when the increases are so astromical. One fee in particular is increasing from $735.00 to $2,275.00 for God sakes!

Tell these people you would rather see them sell Pelosi's jet and use that money to pay for their BS.... Tell them something!

Please?

[pushbrk 13,133]

Is there some reason you think the fee increases are not justified or should be delayed?

[SuperDuper! 230]

FEE INCREASES

Not everyone is aware that there is soon to be increases accross the board. Fees such as passport pages being added are going from free to $82 and DS-156 visa application fees (fee you pay to get interview) are to be increased by $219 to a total of $350.

When Will the Department of State

Implement This Proposed Rule?

The Department intends to implement

this proposed rule, and initiate

collection of the fees set forth herein, as

soon as practicable following the

expiration of the 30-day public

comment period following this

proposed rule’s publication in the

Federal Register, and after the

Department has had the opportunity to

fully consider any public comments

received.

This 30 window closses on March 11th. The more comments they have to consider the longer the increase will take to implement. It's in your best interest to submit comments in opposition to these increases, many of which will affect all of us in some form or another.

Please take a moment to glance over the proposal and sumbit your comments here:

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/hom...R=DOS-2010-0035

For them to impose these fee increases at a time when the US goverment is spending money like it grows on trees and our economy has people scrounging for every cent is ludicrous! Especially when the increases are so astromical. One fee in particular is increasing from $735.00 to $2,275.00 for God sakes!

Tell these people you would rather see them sell Pelosi's jet and use that money to pay for their BS.... Tell them something!

Please?

Care to be just a little more specific? What is your source? And just how did you think Obama's big spending would be paid for?

[Tech-MoLeidy 1]

Is there some reason you think the fee increases are not justified or should be delayed?

Yes I do believe they are not justified and should, in fact, not be implemented at all not only just delayed. The fact that our government is spending money hand over fist and growing exponentially is reason enough for me to object.

Below are some fun facts for you to ponder while you consider that I am unemployed right now do to the sole fact that in all of this spending and growth Obama has found it necessary to, due to lack of funds, nix our human space flight program and NASA has decided implement the shutting down of the Constellation Program prior the stipulated approval of congress. Not only this but the fact our government has already spent upwards of a trillion dollars to stimulate the economy and has in all sense of the word done so in a manner that has obviously been a complete failure. I also don't feel that I should have to pay for reckless government spending that has done little or nothing to reduce the numbers of illegal immigrants that are afforded privileges and benefits I pay for with my taxes. While at the same time, my being charged more of my hard earned money to obtain these privileges and benefits legally for my loved one. To raise the fees dealing with legal and proper immigration is a huge slap in the face.

Fun Facts:

Under President Bush the federal US government spent a total of $21 trillion in the 8 years from 2000 through 2008, this number is higher than the expenditures of all US governments combined during the 204 (!!) years from 1789 through 1993

Already, according to the Obama administration’s estimates, the federal government is planning to spend a total of $22 trillion only over the 6 years from 2009 through 2014, which would probably compute to about $30 trillion over the entire 8 year period, a number that would top all combined federal government expenses from 1789 through 1999.

Please tell my why I shouldn't feel justified to object, if in fact that is your opinion.

Care to be just a little more specific? What is your source? And just how did you think Obama's big spending would be paid for?

I posted the link to my source, which in turn is a link provided by the U.S. State Department.

I know this and other fee increases elsewhere are exactly how Obama and our wholly corrupt congress is intending to pay for their BS spending and I object whole heartedly.

I wasn't intending this to be a political discussion. I thought that those of you out there would clearly see that these increases are just another way to smother us with government and make us pay for it and treating us as bunch of clueless lemmings.

Edited March 7, 2010 by Tech-MoLeidy

[pushbrk 13,133]

Yes I do believe they are not justified and should, in fact, not be implemented at all not only just delayed. The fact that our government is spending money hand over fist and growing exponentially is reason enough for me to object.

Below are some fun facts for you to ponder while you consider that I am unemployed right now do to the sole fact that in all of this spending and growth Obama has found it necessary to, due to lack of funds, nix our human space flight program and NASA has decided implement the shutting down of the Constellation Program prior the stipulated approval of congress. Not only this but the fact our government has already spent upwards of a trillion dollars to stimulate the economy and has in all sense of the word done so in a manner that has obviously been a complete failure. I also don't feel that I should have to pay for reckless government spending that has done little or nothing to reduce the numbers of illegal immigrants that are afforded privileges and benefits I pay for with my taxes. While at the same time, my being charged more of my hard earned money to obtain these privileges and benefits legally for my loved one. To raise the fees dealing with legal and proper immigration is a huge slap in the face.

Then by all means, exercise your right to make your thoughts and feelings known. I agree with many of them. However, it would be foolish, IMO to think you'll make a difference. I'd be budgeting for the new fees if I were you.

[Tech-MoLeidy 1]

Then by all means, exercise your right to make your thoughts and feelings known. I agree with many of them. However, it would be foolish, IMO to think you'll make a difference. I'd be budgeting for the new fees if I were you.

Oh I am budgeting.... and you are correct that for me to think I'll make a difference would be foolish but I can't just roll over and play dead. It's not in my nature.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

FEE INCREASES

Please take a moment to glance over the proposal and sumbit your comments here:

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/hom...R=DOS-2010-0035

I took a moment to glance over this webpage, and the information was not immediately available. Where is the info on the increased passport pages, for example? This website is cumbersome to say the least.

-Ken

[Tech-MoLeidy 1]

I took a moment to glance over this webpage, and the information was not immediately available. Where is the info on the increased passport pages, for example? This website is cumbersome to say the least.

-Ken

So cumbersome that I have made a huge mistake.

Apparently I understood that these fee increases pertained to non-immigrant visas also. But it turns out that the particular proposal that covered non-immigrant fees had a comment submission period that ended on February 12th 2010 and are soon to be implemented.

The fees that are increasing in the current proposal with the comment submission period still open will still affect many of us. They however, pertain to such things as U.S. passport and passport card applications, immigrant visas, and other services provided to U.S. and foreign citizens.

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/hom...900006480a8ffe8

I read this page: http://travel.state.gov/news/press/press_4660.html

I read it wrong and somehow missed this statement: This proposed rule to change fees is distinct from the proposed rule to increase non-immigrant visa application fees published on December 14, 2009. The comment period on that proposed rule will end February 12, 2010

http://www.travel.state.gov/news/press/press_4603.html

I admit the fact that I was not nearly as informed as I thought I was when I made this post. I do still feel begrudged and over burdened with fees though.

My bad!.... Damn I hate looking stupid but oh well.................

Here is a link to the proposal no longer open for comments and will soon be imposed.... The proposal I was actually referring to: http://www.travel.state.gov/news/press/press_4603.html

[Old Dominion 26]

Raising any of the fees involving USCIS/Immigration merely shifts more of the cost of these operations away from the taxpayers and puts more of a burden on those who want these services. I am sure that the fee increases, whatever they will be, have been costed out carefully. They should probably be even higher, truth be told. Processing government paper is expensive, as the work is done by well-paid people with sizeable support staffs. Given the environment of terrorism and fraud, it is more expensive than ever for the government to be sure that those involved are "safe."

These things have nothing to do with President Obama's leadership, but rather with the general priority of protecting our homeland security. That was brought on us by others nearly ten years ago.

I, for one, would rather that the taxpayers' money be invested in ways to improve our lives as Americans, than to subsidize the process of admitting people from overseas.

[pushbrk 13,133]

Raising any of the fees involving USCIS/Immigration merely shifts more of the cost of these operations away from the taxpayers and puts more of a burden on those who want these services. I am sure that the fee increases, whatever they will be, have been costed out carefully. They should probably be even higher, truth be told. Processing government paper is expensive, as the work is done by well-paid people with sizeable support staffs. Given the environment of terrorism and fraud, it is more expensive than ever for the government to be sure that those involved are "safe."

These things have nothing to do with President Obama's leadership, but rather with the general priority of protecting our homeland security. That was brought on us by others nearly ten years ago.

I, for one, would rather that the taxpayers' money be invested in ways to improve our lives as Americans, than to subsidize the process of admitting people from overseas.

[walls1010 3]

huh??? who do you think the president when they increased the filing fee of AOS, K1, etc...in the year 2007?

Care to be just a little more specific? What is your source? And just how did you think Obama's big spending would be paid for?

[Tech-MoLeidy 1]

Raising any of the fees involving USCIS/Immigration merely shifts more of the cost of these operations away from the taxpayers and puts more of a burden on those who want these services.

You think that because the fees are higher that this agency will require less tax payer money to function? Are you kidding me? Please let me know when they agency budget requests and fund allocations diminish.

I am sure that the fee increases, whatever they will be, have been costed out carefully. They should probably be even higher, truth be told.

This is what baffles me.... People honestly believe that the government does these things with efficiency and careful scrutiny. Instead of working diligently to cut costs and streamline the process they throw more and more money at these things while contending that the costs have increased. In many cases, as with administrative type duties, as technology advances and information become more readily available and more easily accesed the process can be affected with fewer burdens. For example in the case of passport cost increases the government has stated that since there are more people requiring passports these days that the cost to process has increased. Anyone with good business sense would understand that the more a process is done the more efficiently is can be done. This is never the case with our government. I've worked with wasteful government entities and I say that if they were to better manage their systems they have in place that they could save gobs of money. Instead they ignore their wasteful practices and place the burden on the tax payer every time their highly inefficient methodology become too cumbersome and expensive. You honestly believe that they look at the system and said "Wow we could save a bunch of money if we do this that or the other thing."? Nooo they say "Wow look at this...it's expensive to do this stuff. We had better charge the tax payer more money...... They'll have no choice in the matter." Where is the incentive to streamline and reduce costs when they can simply increase fees? Where else are you to go and get these services?

Don't get me wrong, I am not anti government and wish for anarchy or anything. These government agencies and the services they provide are much envied in many countries around the world. I am thankful for their existence and services. I just don't like how much waste and inefficiency takes place and that the burden created by this is being shifted so readily to the shoulders those who utilize the system.