Proposed Fee Increase PLUS VALUABLE USCIS DATA

[athena_ny 1]

You have a good point...

My (wholly uninformed gut) is saying that the fee increases, as it is so large (for the I-129F, it's more than the increases in the previous 20 years combined), are nothing more than a barrier mechanism. A way to keep 6-11 million new recipients of amnesty from bringing over spouses and/or naturalizing too quickly.

Because otherwise I see no reason for such a large jump. Yes, it would improve efficiency, but we're not talking a 5% increase. Such a large jump to me suggests that they're expecting a need to expand services very quickly.

[DA BOMB 1]

My (wholly uninformed gut) is saying that the fee increases, as it is so large (for the I-129F, it's more than the increases in the previous 20 years combined), are nothing more than a barrier mechanism. A way to keep 6-11 million new recipients of amnesty from bringing over spouses and/or naturalizing too quickly.

Because otherwise I see no reason for such a large jump. Yes, it would improve efficiency, but we're not talking a 5% increase. Such a large jump to me suggests that they're expecting a need to expand services very quickly.

Somewhat true. The USCIS wants another $460 million dollars which it claims to be the reason they eliminated the backlog in a given 5 year period. This money to run out the end of fiscal year 2006. This is why the processing times shot back up to 6 months on the USCIS site because they are crying like little babies for more money when in fact the processing time (for CSC anyway) is still in the 3 month range. Someone just wants a new building....my theory is that we will NOT see a decrease in CSC processing time...they are still way below the 6 month adjudication limit and any monies that would be used to decrease that 3 month average time will go somewhere else.

Edited March 22, 2007 by MRS BILLY BONG

[DA BOMB 1]

If they're married to a USC, they don't get sent back to their country (as of now - could change for future applicants, as always but in the present time...).

Which is why I said "as they merge into AOS"....that time will decrease. Those who ARENT married will see themselves going back to their country.

[msu17 0]

I read this a long time ago and didnt have the time to write in anything. Can someone tell me either where to send a letter or which page the instructions are on? Thanks!

[Minya's wife 24]

Has anyone seen that you can actually read some of the comments posted by individuals to the proposed USCISfee increase, on the Regulations.gov site???

I'm not sure how I ended up on the page displaying the comments, (meaning what exactly I clicked to get there). I'll go back, figure it out and post it if anyone's interested.

-P

[athena_ny 1]

Ah, understood...hopefully that will hold true.

If they're married to a USC, they don't get sent back to their country (as of now - could change for future applicants, as always but in the present time...).

Which is why I said "as they merge into AOS"....that time will decrease. Those who ARENT married will see themselves going back to their country.

[TimsDaisy 0]

I read this a long time ago and didnt have the time to write in anything. Can someone tell me either where to send a letter or which page the instructions are on? Thanks!

The instructions are on the first page of the linked document - see post #1 in this thread - input is due by April 2.

For whatever it is worth, Obama read a bill in the Senate about two weeks ago that might put the brakes on this.

Read MIGHT as at this point it is just that - a bill.

So there's no set date the fees will increase as of yet right? Please dont make me read that funky document.

INsane increase in the Fees, wonder what the justification is?

The justification is written there in the document. That's why they issue PROPOSED rules and ask for comment. To show you the reason.

MRS BB: if you're happy going the wilful ignorance route, by all means, don't look up that document (which is written in plain, easy-to-understand language, with lovely charts, all to make sure that you John-and-Joan-Q-Publics have an understanding of the regulations which have A DIRECT BEARING ON YOUR LIVES).

p.s. whatever you do: if you have a problem or a concern over the proposed fee increase, by all means DO NOT read the proposal and for heaven's sake DON'T submit any comments or criticism. Then you'd actually be proactively working to better the process or at least be involved. It's FAR more effective just to sit on the boards all day and gripe to each other or express frustration than to get out there and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Well why dont you go picket or something? I HAVE done something about it which is the reason this thread was created because I mentioned the document and posted the link in another thread you goody two shoe !! So dont sit there labeling me as one who sits on this board all day with her thumb up her rear...should I take the time to run the 30 minutes up to Sac? We could have lunch over a healthy debate of who is actually trying to change the world. Get over yourself.

Picket? Are you kidding. This thread was not created because of you. We've been talking about the fee increase and the document for quite awhile now. Since it was first proposed in fact. The document has been linked to and pointed out numerous times by me and other posters here for months.

As I said in my original post, I didn't want this to become a discussion on the merits of the fee increase. My purpose in highlighting its importance in the K1 forum was because of the data it contained relative to a lot of people's common questions. Especially the 2.9 month processing time average which people should commit to memory (the number and the source) and use when working with their representative's office to help when their case starts dragging to the outer limits of the processing time website's six month figure.

I'm not labeling you as someone who won't do anything. You're the one who whined about not wanting to read a "funky document." If you DID read it and did submit your comment on the matter - then great! Don't know why you'd make such a fuss about not wanting to read the big scary government publication - but you did and I reacted accordingly.

Edited March 22, 2007 by TimsDaisy

[Minya's wife 24]

Has anyone seen that you can actually read some of the comments posted by individuals to the proposed USCISfee increase, on the Regulations.gov site???

I'm not sure how I ended up on the page displaying the comments, (meaning what exactly I clicked to get there). I'll go back, figure it out and post it if anyone's interested.

-P

How to view public's comments to proposed fee increases:

- use TimsDaisy's instructions to access the document

- click on the "Docket ID" # on the left side it should be Docket ID USCIS-2006-0044

The next page that comes up will be 1 of 63(many people have commented already) and will have links to all the comments posted by the public. You can view them in "Notebad" by clicking on each individual comment.

For those that are curious....you can see that opinions are vastly divided on these proposed fee increase....no common consensus at all.

-p

[DA BOMB 1]

I read this a long time ago and didnt have the time to write in anything. Can someone tell me either where to send a letter or which page the instructions are on? Thanks!

The instructions are on the first page of the linked document - see post #1 in this thread - input is due by April 2.

For whatever it is worth, Obama read a bill in the Senate about two weeks ago that might put the brakes on this.

Read MIGHT as at this point it is just that - a bill.

So there's no set date the fees will increase as of yet right? Please dont make me read that funky document.

INsane increase in the Fees, wonder what the justification is?

The justification is written there in the document. That's why they issue PROPOSED rules and ask for comment. To show you the reason.

MRS BB: if you're happy going the wilful ignorance route, by all means, don't look up that document (which is written in plain, easy-to-understand language, with lovely charts, all to make sure that you John-and-Joan-Q-Publics have an understanding of the regulations which have A DIRECT BEARING ON YOUR LIVES).

p.s. whatever you do: if you have a problem or a concern over the proposed fee increase, by all means DO NOT read the proposal and for heaven's sake DON'T submit any comments or criticism. Then you'd actually be proactively working to better the process or at least be involved. It's FAR more effective just to sit on the boards all day and gripe to each other or express frustration than to get out there and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Well why dont you go picket or something? I HAVE done something about it which is the reason this thread was created because I mentioned the document and posted the link in another thread you goody two shoe !! So dont sit there labeling me as one who sits on this board all day with her thumb up her rear...should I take the time to run the 30 minutes up to Sac? We could have lunch over a healthy debate of who is actually trying to change the world. Get over yourself.

Picket? Are you kidding. This thread was not created because of you. We've been talking about the fee increase and the document for quite awhile now. Since it was first proposed in fact. The document has been linked to and pointed out numerous times by me and other posters here for months.

As I said in my original post, I didn't want this to become a discussion on the merits of the fee increase. My purpose in highlighting its importance in the K1 forum was because of the data it contained relative to a lot of people's common questions. Especially the 2.9 month processing time average which people should commit to memory (the number and the source) and use when working with their representative's office to help when their case starts dragging to the outer limits of the processing time website's six month figure.

I'm not labeling you as someone who won't do anything. You're the one who whined about not wanting to read a "funky document." If you DID read it and did submit your comment on the matter - then great! Don't know why you'd make such a fuss about not wanting to read the big scary government publication - but you did and I reacted accordingly.

Dear Ms Lawyer - Im not afraid to be the first to admit the "the big scary government publication" is difficult to understand with all of its pretty tables. Its much easier to read between the lines. I absolutely contributed to the public comments based on the fact that these fee increases are too high to justify the proposed changes that you say will affect my life. Yeah they'll affect my life as I will probably be paying for someone elses petition if they are inevitably imposed before my journey's end. There are many more people working with their reps when their cases over exceed the magic 2.9 number you keep repeating then there are people's petitions exceeding the mandated 6 months. Until the mandate BECOMES 3 months we wont see any change in the processing time. They are already breaking their own arms patting themselves on the back for cutting the time in half.

[TimsDaisy 0]

Dear Ms Lawyer - Im not afraid to be the first to admit the "the big scary government publication" is difficult to understand with all of its pretty tables. Its much easier to read between the lines. I absolutely contributed to the public comments based on the fact that these fee increases are too high to justify the proposed changes that you say will affect my life. Yeah they'll affect my life as I will probably be paying for someone elses petition if they are inevitably imposed before my journey's end. There are many more people working with their reps when their cases over exceed the magic 2.9 number you keep repeating then there are people's petitions exceeding the mandated 6 months. Until the mandate BECOMES 3 months we wont see any change in the processing time. They are already breaking their own arms patting themselves on the back for cutting the time in half.

What in the hell does my day job have to do with anything?

Much easier to read between the lines? How's that?

And there's no legally required time in which petitions must be processed right now, to my knowledge. There are reported averages that everyone here agrees are past the average experience of a VJer. Why are you fighting with me! The SOLE purpose of my original post was to give people something to take to their congressional office in case they give them some stock "well, USCIS says 6 months, so we can't help you for another 2 months, until you're late by their standards." That's a bullshit response. And here's a document that belies their reported averages.

The only way they were able to clear the backlog was with additional federal funding, because they weren't bringing in enough on the fee monies alone - which, again, is the only money they are supposed to be getting to begin with. That money runs out at the end of FY 2006? That would be this coming Sept 30 - so we have yet to see what happens after that. Times probably won't magically leap back up to 6 months, but they might take a dip if the backlog starts to grow again.

Whatever mandate does or does not exist is immaterial to the purpose of letting everyone know about the availability of this data. If people now know how to comment on the fee increase itself and want to do so - that's a bonus.

[rebeccajo 14]

LOL.

There are no "mandated" times for anything. Not visa petitions, not AOS, not even Naturalization.

Everything is subject to when it happens - period. All other 'theories' are out the window.

Here's something you need to remember when dealing with immigration. GET OVER YOUR SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT. Because legally, you have none. You are a CUSTOMER to them. You may also happen to be a US Citizen and have certain constitutional rights, but you are a CUSTOMER. They have a product that no one else has and that you want - they will deliver the goods (in most cases) but they don't have any MANDATES for when the goods must be delivered.

Processing times are just that - a chart of norms. If you fall outside the norms, the only thing you can cry is 'poor customer service'. And that, my friends, is that.

[athena_ny 1]

LOL.

There are no "mandated" times for anything. Not visa petitions, not AOS, not even Naturalization.

Everything is subject to when it happens - period. All other 'theories' are out the window.

Here's something you need to remember when dealing with immigration. GET OVER YOUR SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT. Because legally, you have none. You are a CUSTOMER to them. You may also happen to be a US Citizen and have certain constitutional rights, but you are a CUSTOMER. They have a product that no one else has and that you want - they will deliver the goods (in most cases) but they don't have any MANDATES for when the goods must be delivered.

Processing times are just that - a chart of norms. If you fall outside the norms, the only thing you can cry is 'poor customer service'. And that, my friends, is that.

[poppscc 0]

LOL.

There are no "mandated" times for anything. Not visa petitions, not AOS, not even Naturalization.

Everything is subject to when it happens - period. All other 'theories' are out the window.

Here's something you need to remember when dealing with immigration. GET OVER YOUR SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT. Because legally, you have none. You are a CUSTOMER to them. You may also happen to be a US Citizen and have certain constitutional rights, but you are a CUSTOMER. They have a product that no one else has and that you want - they will deliver the goods (in most cases) but they don't have any MANDATES for when the goods must be delivered.

Processing times are just that - a chart of norms. If you fall outside the norms, the only thing you can cry is 'poor customer service'. And that, my friends, is that.

I agree. Government entities in general dont have much accountability. They'll end up blowing the money and make excuses why they need more money few years from now when we forget why we gave them money in the first place. Just sit back and let the journey go on... we're at their mercy as is, and giving them more money for no good reason is adding insult to injury.

[brtlmj 0]

My (wholly uninformed gut) is saying that the fee increases, as it is so large (for the I-129F, it's more than the increases in the previous 20 years combined), are nothing more than a barrier mechanism. A way to keep 6-11 million new recipients of amnesty from bringing over spouses and/or naturalizing too quickly.

Even after the increase, it will still be cheaper to pay the fees than to cross Rio Grande The huge I-129F fee increase may have more to do with the percentage of petitions that are approved and never used.

Luckily, I have already paid most of my fees. I also never had any need to expedite my processing times - we planned well in advance. However, a significant percentage of applicants (all stages of the process) seem to be willing to pay more if it means getting visa/GC/citizenship sooner.

[DA BOMB 1]

LOL.

There are no "mandated" times for anything. Not visa petitions, not AOS, not even Naturalization.

Everything is subject to when it happens - period. All other 'theories' are out the window.

Here's something you need to remember when dealing with immigration. GET OVER YOUR SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT. Because legally, you have none. You are a CUSTOMER to them. You may also happen to be a US Citizen and have certain constitutional rights, but you are a CUSTOMER. They have a product that no one else has and that you want - they will deliver the goods (in most cases) but they don't have any MANDATES for when the goods must be delivered.

Processing times are just that - a chart of norms. If you fall outside the norms, the only thing you can cry is 'poor customer service'. And that, my friends, is that.

Um yeah...there is. I read it in the super duper document. What you have written here is a theory. I'm ENTITLED to my petition being adjudicated within 6 months. I am NOT ENTITLED to it being adjudicated in 3 months.