Permanent Residency Card Issuance...do I need to pay the $165?

[charmingangel 1]

Hello Vjers,

Finally my 2 children and I are already here in Ca, USA. we arrived here August 6, 2013. I applied for our SSN's on the 12th of August and hopefully we can get them during this coming week. My concern right now is that I did not pay yet the $165 per individual for the iissuance of the Permanent Residency Card when we were still in Singapore coz my mom in the US said we can just pay them when we arrive here in Ca. So I asked the SSA officer regarding this when we applied for our SSN's. I specifically asked him where to pay the $165 for the green card without using the online services of the uscis website. He got surprised why we need to pay since according to him all state-issued cards are for free and there is nothing to pay. Well that time it was me who got really surprised, coz I did not expect to have that answer. I thanked the officer who assisted us and felt so happy that I did not have to pay anything to get the green card. Imagine paying $495 ( for 3 persons) and yet it was supposed to be free. Well if it's true then iit just a waste of money. So we went home after our transaction. After a days, while I was surfing the uscis website, I came across again the topic of the issuance fee. It says in the website that all new immigrating should pay for it. Well that's when I got confused. My question is, should I pay for it or not? Where can I verify this ssue? Which government should I ask? Hope someone could help me sort this thing out and guide me about It. Thank you. More power to all.

[Canerican 242]

GC is not a state ID, it is a Federal ID, therefore you will need to pay the $165 for each person to get their GC. Here is the USCIS website talking about the fee and the exemptions are at the bottom http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3a2bb75e8109b310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD . The only exemptions are "children who enter the United States under the Orphan or Hague adoption programs, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants, returning residents (SB-1s), and those issued K visas, are the only categories exempt from paying the fee." Blessings on the rest of your journey.

[Enigma11561 336]

You are confused. The Permanent resident card ( green card) and your social security card (SS) are two different things. The SS card is free. You just make an application and it comes in the mail. I cannot speak to the GC as it pertains to your F3 visa. Perhaps someone else can.

[charmingangel 1]

Ok . Thanks for the info...

[NikLR 13,227]

You will need to pay the $165 fee at the ELIS site. That is the only place you can pay the fee.