Visa in the Mail!!! But more Questions...

[saphina 7]

Hey everybody!!

We made it through the K1 process all the way to the Visa, which came in the Mail today! YAY

BUT I am a little confused about a few things. First of I didn't know we had to pay another $165 Dollars before I leave to go to the states? I was going to leave right away (like tomorrow) but can I do that the day after I wired the money? And I am so confused that I haven't heard about it before, since I feel like I read soooo much and just abou everybodys posts.

Then, theres the big sealed envelope with the cut of edge and the smallsealed one and the note that came with it says to give one sealed envelope and the enclosed letter?? There's no letter enclosed, onle the note saying what to do and the note saying to pay $165. Please tell me I ain't missing something... :-(

And last but not least...custom form! What do I write on the custom form? Obviously everything I have in my bags is staying with me in the US when I fly over for good...but there's only 6 lines and I have 2 bags with all sorts of things. Did y'all write every item on there or just a general sum?

Thanks so much!

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

So you have the passport with your visa in your hand?

If so who wants $165 and for what?

The big envelope usually has a piece of paper attached to the front, and you give the whole thing to the immigration officer at your POE to the USA when you immigrate. DO NOT open the envelope.

Just write a general sum, the form is meant for tourists.

[Lucy and David 0]

I'm 99.9% sure you do not have to pay this fee for a K1 visa as it only applies to immigrant visas which K1 is not. On the London US Embassy website there is a note about this so I would recommend checking the website for the Embassy you have gone through to see if there is something similar.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong though.

Found the text on the UK website, it states as follows:

Effective February 1, 2013, all individuals issued immigrant visas overseas must pay a $165.00 USCIS Immigrant Fee before traveling to the United States. Only prospective adoptive parents whose child(ren) is/are entering the United States under either the Orphan or Hague Process, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants who were employed by the U.S. government, returning residents, and those issued K visas are exempt from the new fee. The fee must be paid after the immigrant visa has been issued but before the applicant travels to the United States on the visa.

Edited February 22, 2013 by Lucy & David

[saphina 7]

There is no Paper attached to the big envelope? Now what?

This is the only info on the german embassy page that I can find...

The Department of State and Department of Homeland Security work together to complete your immigration process to the United States. As a recipient of an Immigrant Visa from the Department of State, you are also required to pay the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the USCIS Immigrant Fee. This $165 USD fee covers the costs of processing, filing and maintaining your immigrant visa package and producing and issuing documents, such as your Green Card.

You must submit the $165 U.S. Dollar payment online after receiving your visa package from the Department of State and before you depart for the United States. If you cannot pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee, another person, such as your petitioner, sponsor, relative or friend, can make this payment on your behalf. You will need to provide them with your Alien Number and Case ID at the top of this handout. Payment must be made before you travel to the United States.

Visit www.USCIS.gov/ImmigrantFee to learn more about the USCIS Immigrant Fee and to make your payment. Payments may be made directly from a U.S. bank account or using a credit card or debit card.

Sooo...yeah well the K1 is not an Immigrant Visa but after the wedding you eventually receive a Green Card and I guess they wouldn't have put it in there if I wouldn't have to pay for it right?

I just checked out the payment site too...it asks for you're case#, well which one the one from the orginal I-129F or the one from the embassy here?

Grrr sucks that this had to be established beginning of this month! Wish they would have waited!

[Heba&Mando 1]

HI .....we are in the same place and just received our visa and the envelope as well. We have a CR1 visa....and we DO have to pay the $165. I too thought maybe we would be exempt, but we are not. From what we heard, if you are prompted to pay it, you need to do so. It was a new fee enacted on February 1st to help cover the costs of the visa handling and such. You will have to have your receipt to show at the POE, so I would think it is better to pay it than to risk not gaining entry because of waiting, especially if you would like to leave this fast.

For the customs....I believe you only write generally what you have, but you don't need to write specifics unless it is on a flagged list like something worth a lot of money, or foods, or things like that.

And yes...that form is attached to the front of the envelope.

CONGRATULATIONS by the way!!!

[saphina 7]

There is nothing attached to the envelope?? I'm so worried now that something is missing? There is 2 sealed enevelopes, large and small, the letter explaining what to do and the instructions for the Immigration Fee and my Passport.

I haven't been able to find a list of which Visas exactly have to pay the fee but I think I'm just going to pay it, I'm like you I don't want to be refused entry,

Which # did you put on the form? The first one from the orginial petition or the one NVC gives you? (I'm not familiar with the CR-1 but K1 has two)

Thanks!

[Jane8 4]

I have the same question! We'd appreciate it if anyone could answer it.

[saphina 7]

I just read everything again and found this:

"The USCIS Immigrant Fee is now in effect.

Any individual who on or after February 1, 2013 receives an immigrant visa package from a United States consulate or embassy abroad (including Canada and Mexico) must pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

Children who enter the United States under either the Orphan or Hague adoption programs, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants, returning residents (SB-1s), and those issued K visas are the only immigrant visa cases exempt from paying the new fee."

Found here: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3a2bb75e8109b310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

So that states the K Visa do NOT have to pay the Fee....

Right????

[Jane8 4]

I just read everything again and found this:

"The USCIS Immigrant Fee is now in effect.

Any individual who on or after February 1, 2013 receives an immigrant visa package from a United States consulate or embassy abroad (including Canada and Mexico) must pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

Children who enter the United States under either the Orphan or Hague adoption programs, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants, returning residents (SB-1s), and those issued K visas are the only immigrant visa cases exempt from paying the new fee."

Found here: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3a2bb75e8109b310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

So that states the K Visa do NOT have to pay the Fee....

Right????

Generally, K-1 Visas aren't Immigrant visas but they are being processed as Immigrant ones. That's what confuses me.

Hopefully, we don't have to pay the new fee, although to be sure, I'll probably email the Embassy and ask.

[saphina 7]

Well I wanted to leave as soon as I received my Visa...which is today and I would love to leave tomorrow! I couldn't call the embassy til Monday...

Any K1 Visa Holders that went to the US since the new Immigrant Fee was established?

[CaroSL 68]

Well I wanted to leave as soon as I received my Visa...which is today and I would love to leave tomorrow! I couldn't call the embassy til Monday...

Any K1 Visa Holders that went to the US since the new Immigrant Fee was established?

This is very stange.

The official website clearly states all the fees for K-1, including the one for adjustment of status: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2994.html#10

That would be so strange that they leave this one out.

Have you called DOS?

(have you paid the visa fee before going to the embassy?)

[saphina 7]

This is very stange.

The official website clearly states all the fees for K-1, including the one for adjustment of status: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2994.html#10

That would be so strange that they leave this one out.

Have you called DOS?

(have you paid the visa fee before going to the embassy?)

It's a new fee that was just established. Yes I paid the fee before going to the embassy, otherwise you don 't get an interview appointment at the US embassy in Frankfurt.

I'm just confused cause the page says I don't have to pay it but they put the paper saying what and where to pay in my Visa package that came today together with my passport

[CaroSL 68]

It's a new fee that was just established. Yes I paid the fee before going to the embassy, otherwise you don 't get an interview appointment at the US embassy in Frankfurt.

I'm just confused cause the page says I don't have to pay it but they put the paper saying what and where to pay in my Visa package that came today together with my passport

I would try calling DOS: http://www.visajourn...i/index.php/DOS cause this is very strange they didn't tell you anything about it in the interview and they didn't update the website...

Edit: please keep up updated. This will be so usefull to many of us!

Edited February 22, 2013 by CaroSL

[mobilhub 0]

Hey everybody!!

We made it through the K1 process all the way to the Visa, which came in the Mail today! YAY

BUT I am a little confused about a few things. First of I didn't know we had to pay another $165 Dollars before I leave to go to the states? I was going to leave right away (like tomorrow) but can I do that the day after I wired the money? And I am so confused that I haven't heard about it before, since I feel like I read soooo much and just abou everybodys posts.

Then, theres the big sealed envelope with the cut of edge and the smallsealed one and the note that came with it says to give one sealed envelope and the enclosed letter?? There's no letter enclosed, onle the note saying what to do and the note saying to pay $165. Please tell me I ain't missing something... :-(

And last but not least...custom form! What do I write on the custom form? Obviously everything I have in my bags is staying with me in the US when I fly over for good...but there's only 6 lines and I have 2 bags with all sorts of things. Did y'all write every item on there or just a general sum?

Thanks so much!

Thanks for information

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

those issued K visas are the only immigrant visa cases exempt from paying the new fee

To me, that clearly states you do NOT have to pay the fee. You have a K visa therefore you are exempt.