LETS DO THE MATH

[joyjohn 18]

hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......sadly but you will never make any sence out of the numbers, its the US Government, dont you remember the old military days.........cost #2 lead pencil...$9.28... but its a good way to kill time huh????

[John+Lourdelie 28]

Your math is correct; I read what you wrote and want to laugh or cry or something??? HOWEVER look on the bright side, look at the high quality speedy service you are getting!! The time between NOA #1 and NOA #2 is only 5 months. Wait, did you say that whole I-129f approval thing really only takes 20 minutes??? Hahahahahahaha I will stop now. Have a good weekend all! Lee PS: do you think CO's read these posts?

Unless you filed in February. Then either you have it now or will have it very shortly.

John

[james&olya 1,121]

[quote name=Matt ' timestamp='1299274093' post='4519631]

sadly thats what you get when govt runs things... post office, medicare,... GM!

You are waaaaaaayyyyyy off the mark when you include medicare in this bashing! Medicare operates with a MUCH lower overhead than private insurance! And for relative value for the dollar spent, the VA gets much more in results for the dollars spent! But don't let the facts interfere with a mindless tea-party mentality rant!

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Just thinking about the process. Food for thought!!!

And on your menu, are all the glasses half full?

[extremerecluse 32]

Everybody in this website always states that the fees they are required to pay are high. So, I decided to do some simple calculations. I have filed my I-129F for my fiance as well as her three kids. First, I paid $340 in December 2010 to USCIS. I have read posts from senior VJ members that each petition takes about 20 minutes to review and approve or deny. $340 for 20 minutes of service, after the file sits in a pile for 6 months. The case gets transferred to NVC. NVC performs one manhour of work on the file. Then the case gets transferred to the Embassy where two manhours are spent working on my file. I then pay $1,400 for the visa fees and $800 dollars for the medical. After the POE I pay $3,400 for the Adjustment of Status which takes another 2 manhours. Then I pay $400 for lifting of conditions which takes 1 manhour. Now lets add it all up! I come up with $6,320 in fees. Now lets add up the services that were provided. I come up with a whopping 14.3 manhours to provide all services. I will round up to 15 manhours required to perform all services concerning my entire case. I then come up with $421 per manhour. Keep in mind that everything that USCIS and DOS provides is done so without intent to make any profit; a zero sum balance. Lets say that on average that each US Government Employee who handled the case makes an average of $30 per hour. Now, we know that the US Government is taking in $421 for every $30 that is going out. That leaves a net positive cash flow of $391 per manhour worked. Remember that the US Government operates on a zero sum balance sheet; no profit. I am not making any judgements. I am only doing simple math calculations. Can anybody disagree with my numbers? Let me know if you come up with different numbers. Am I making the process too simplistic? Am I not conservative enough in my calculations? Input please.

Now, multiply that times maybe 800,000 various petitions, because last year they processed 1.4 million. Of course there is overhead, but no where near approaching the amount taken in during the process. My question is, where is all the money going? Does it go into the general fund? Does it go into an escrow account for later use? Can USCIS use these massive overpayments to fund new hires? Are we allowed, as paying customers and stake holders to see where funds are going? Transparency is lacking here. The numbers weigh heavily as huge surpluses. What matrix does the USCIS director use in calculating the budget and adjusting various fees? I think we would all like to know. If there are huge surpluses, let us see them. Then justify the agency wide manpower shortage in simple terms so that we all may know. They at least owe us that much, don't you think?

[Anh map 2,098]

*Moved from K1 forum to General Immigration Related forum*

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/library/P460.pdf

Go to page 7 (of 56) of the PDF. Read the first full paragraph.

[ecce 20]

Everybody in this website always states that the fees they are required to pay are high. So, I decided to do some simple calculations. I have filed my I-129F for my fiance as well as her three kids. First, I paid $340 in December 2010 to USCIS. I have read posts from senior VJ members that each petition takes about 20 minutes to review and approve or deny. $340 for 20 minutes of service, after the file sits in a pile for 6 months. The case gets transferred to NVC. NVC performs one manhour of work on the file. Then the case gets transferred to the Embassy where two manhours are spent working on my file. I then pay $1,400 for the visa fees and $800 dollars for the medical. After the POE I pay $3,400 for the Adjustment of Status which takes another 2 manhours. Then I pay $400 for lifting of conditions which takes 1 manhour. Now lets add it all up! I come up with $6,320 in fees. Now lets add up the services that were provided. I come up with a whopping 14.3 manhours to provide all services. I will round up to 15 manhours required to perform all services concerning my entire case. I then come up with $421 per manhour. Keep in mind that everything that USCIS and DOS provides is done so without intent to make any profit; a zero sum balance. Lets say that on average that each US Government Employee who handled the case makes an average of $30 per hour. Now, we know that the US Government is taking in $421 for every $30 that is going out. That leaves a net positive cash flow of $391 per manhour worked. Remember that the US Government operates on a zero sum balance sheet; no profit. I am not making any judgements. I am only doing simple math calculations. Can anybody disagree with my numbers? Let me know if you come up with different numbers. Am I making the process too simplistic? Am I not conservative enough in my calculations? Input please.

Just wondering where you get the $3400 for AOS. The I-485 + biometrics is $1070. Where's the rest? I don't doubt that's what it costs, just wondering what else you included there.

ALSO, consider yourself lucky. When I filed in SEPTEMBER 2010 the I-129F fee was $455...and it wasn't like I got faster service or anything - I am still waiting for my NOA2. They cut the cost by a third, but a lot of us got screwed on that.

[TeddyHoney 42]

Don't we and all other US citizens that pay our federal taxes pay for to whole machine already?

[coraliesolms 47]

Well, there are 3 different service centres. These all use power, water, trash removal. The cost of postage, the cost of the janitors,and cleaning products that go with said janitor, the cost of the background checks and computers (and the techs that go along with computers breaking), the stationary they use, the cost of mailing petions to the NVC and forewarding those to the various consulates around the world (these are extremely thick petitions.. take the cost of what it cost you to mail your petition and multiply that by 2, NVC and consulate, and then multiply that number by 1.4 mil, all petitions mailed last year). These government employees are also fulltime, and they receive healthcare, and vacation and dental and vision, this is funded by our application costs.

When you start adding it all up, it makes sense.

Edited March 5, 2011 by coraliesolms

[extremerecluse 32]

Just wondering where you get the $3400 for AOS. The I-485 + biometrics is $1070. Where's the rest? I don't doubt that's what it costs, just wondering what else you included there.

ALSO, consider yourself lucky. When I filed in SEPTEMBER 2010 the I-129F fee was $455...and it wasn't like I got faster service or anything - I am still waiting for my NOA2. They cut the cost by a third, but a lot of us got screwed on that.

I am sorry. My fiance already has three kids who are accompanying her. That is how I come up with the high AOS figures. I think I stated such in my initial post. Actually, I did the same thing back in 1984 when my ex filipina (of 20 years) wife brought her four kids here. I know what you are all saying. I know that not many guys would take on that challenge. I have already done it once with four and they are all law abiding, tax paying citizens. That is what I don't understand with the vast majority of guys. They are all scared to death of kids. To me, you learn so much from them. They make you grow up fast. There is no way that I would allow the one I love to be separated from her kids; NO WAY!!!!!!!! I consider them as my own right now. Seems impossible, right? Well, you will get over it. As the old saying goes "Different Strokes for Different Folks". Plus one added benefit of taking on kids; NO DIAPERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bec_Dipu 103]

The following link is the USCIS financial report for 2008. It provides a basic breakdown of their goals, their income and their expenses.

http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Resources/Reports/uscis-annual-report-2008.pdf

The following link takes you to the Budgeting, Planning and Performance section of the USCIS.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=d84c0b89284a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d84c0b89284a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD

Also interesting is the ombudsman report for 2010 that outlines the process improvements going into place:

http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Resources/Ombudsman%20Liaison/Responses%20to%20Annual%20Reports/cisomb-2010-annual-report-response.pdf

Please bear in mind that just because an organization is non-profit doesn't mean it doesn't make and require a profit. It means there are no "owners" (e.g. stockholders, investors) who are expecting to receive their investment back either through dividends or payouts. Most times, a profit is still required so that equity/surplus can be beefed up to prepare for future projects. Think of it like your savings account; would you really want to finance every vacation or major purchase through credit that will cost you a ton more in the long run or would you rather save some now and let your investments grow so when you go to buy your first home, you have enough of a down payment to get a good deal? And what if you get fired, wouldn't you want to make sure you have some reserves?

If every dollar in went right back out the door, they'd have no way to cover themselves if, say, all of the March petitioners sent in bad checks.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Don't we and all other US citizens that pay our federal taxes pay for to whole machine already?

Nope, USCIS is supposed to be self funded through the fees they charge to everyone using their services.

[KittyPollitt 284]

Nope, USCIS is supposed to be self funded through the fees they charge to everyone using their services.

Yup! USCIS is one of the only government agencies that is self funded by fees, with only about 1% of their budget funded by taxes.

[ER Team :) 5]

Well...lucky you - they don't have to get their medical in Dublin.... cost per 1 medical/ 350 euro= 490USD !!!!!!!!