Doing the I-130

[Portlander 0]

Hey - I',m trying to figure out the relative consts and convienences of doing the I-130 instead of an AOS in the USA.

So far, the AOS carries these costs...

AOS

I-485 $325

biometrics $70

I-864

G-325A $--

I-765 $180

I-131 ($170 Travel)

I could not find the cost of the I-864, but I would have to file one either way.

How soon would my wife be able to start work after we file for AOS?

I've been hearing that these fees may be going up dramatically in the not-too-distant future. Has anyone heard any more about this?

thanks!

[CutienPurg 0]

when doing AOS there is no fee associated with the I-864.

if your I-130 gets approved with the I-129F, you will incur the cost of filing the I-824 $200.00 and travel costs to the home country. NVC fees are $380.00 for the DS-230 and $70.00 for the I-864.........so about 650 plus travel cost and wait time.

EAD can be about 90 days on average I believe.

fees are increasing anytime between now and Oct based on the discussions in other threads. Not sure anyone has a concrete date but I may be wrong as I havent followed the discussion.

[Portlander 0]

So at the moment, the total AOS bill is $575 and a 3 month wait before working?

[CutienPurg 0]

So at the moment, the total AOS bill is $575 and a 3 month wait before working?

or $745.00 if you wanna travel.

[Portlander 0]

Yes ... If I'm doing the I-130, (is that anything like doing the hokey pokey?) do I need to file an I-131 before she leaves, assuming we'll get the visa?

[archie07 0]

So at the moment, the total AOS bill is $575 and a 3 month wait before working?

Yup, I just filed it two weeks ago, cost me 575. I've searched all over the internet and can't find any word on the fee increases.

[Portlander 0]

There are threads here with articles linked. Google "USCIS "Fee increase" and you get dozens of hits.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is proposing a new fee structure that ensures appropriate funding to meet national security requirements

from the USCIS website... so far as I can tell it is still merely proposed, and no action has been taken one way or the other. The USCIS is self funded already, though...

[edp333 9]

There is nothing definate on the fee increases yet. But this article on the homepage under news addresses the increase.

http://www.visajourney.com/news/2007/05/28...n-inefficiency/

A link in the story will take you to the full story.

[CutienPurg 0]

Yes ... If I'm doing the I-130, (is that anything like doing the hokey pokey?) do I need to file an I-131 before she leaves, assuming we'll get the visa?

well if she gets the visa she'll return with a lovely little stamp in her passport saying she gets to have a greencard.......and if she gets denied ........well then you're kinda screwed.

remember tho, the latest trend is that the I-130 gets retained and the I-129F gets forwarded , sorta forcing you to do AOS.......unless you file the I-824 , pay 200 bucks and wait who knows how long for it to be approved......THEN you can get consular processing of the CR-1.

[Portlander 0]

Well, we'll have a bit of a jump on it because we have to wait a few more months for the 129F... so at this point with an approved petition it shouldn't take 6 months for it to get approved. It might even be possible to do an I-130 interview instead of our K3 - I'm finding that out. So if it gets approved in 2-3 months there would be no extra travel at all, and she'd come in with a green card, saving a major continuing headache. Might be worth the extra bucks, and she gets a vacation back home out of it, too. Jus depends on how much more expensive it is.

[pushbrk 12,806]

Hey - I',m trying to figure out the relative consts and convienences of doing the I-130 instead of an AOS in the USA.

So far, the AOS carries these costs...

AOS

I-485 $325

biometrics $70

I-864

G-325A $--

I-765 $180

I-131 ($170 Travel)

I could not find the cost of the I-864, but I would have to file one either way.

How soon would my wife be able to start work after we file for AOS?

I've been hearing that these fees may be going up dramatically in the not-too-distant future. Has anyone heard any more about this?

thanks!

Since you've already filed an I-129F for K3, your biggest problem now is that your I-130 won't go anywhere unless you file an I-824, pay $200 and wait who knows how long to get it moving again. You can't even do this until it is approved. If you decide this is really how you want to go, perhaps you could withdraw the I-129F. I wouldn't rock the boat. You could gum up the whole works and be looking at a long separation.

[Portlander 0]

They are both approved already. The K3 is already in the State Dept and I could wait till it is @ the Embassy...

[pushbrk 12,806]

They are both approved already. The K3 is already in the State Dept and I could wait till it is @ the Embassy...

Then please update your timeline. You could wait till it (what?) is at the Embassy to do what? Where is your I-130?

Oh, I see the linked timeline is up to date. The one in your sig is not. Did you plan to file an I-824 and wait an indefinite time for the I-130 to leave the service center?

Edited May 29, 2007 by pushbrk

[Portlander 0]

I'm floating that idea.... how long does it take to restart a I-130? Curiously, my local congressional aide said that I would not owe $200 on it, despite what is being said on visajourney.com

[pushbrk 12,806]

I'm floating that idea.... how long does it take to restart a I-130? Curiously, my local congressional aide said that I would not owe $200 on it, despite what is being said on visajourney.com

The range so far is somebody got their's moving in about three months and somebody else has been waiting since November. Its a new procedure and their's little history to say how long it will take.

The authority on this is not "what is being said on visaourney.com". The authority is the published USCIS procedures. And, you don't "owe" a dime. You file a form and the form has a fee. If you find a way to get somebody to deal with the form without the check attached, please let us know.