Tips for making sure I-765 is not rejected for "incorrect fee"

[Mark11 36]

Hi Everyone,

 

I just got a message from a second VJ'er who had his I-765 rejected for "incorrect fee", even though it was filed with the I-485 (same thing happened to us).  Of course, when you file the I-765 (and I-131) with the I-485, you do NOT need to pay an extra fee.  Someone at the lockbox is incorrectly rejecting these 765's.  We received a rejection  notice in the mail, including a bright green cover sheet with instructions to include the cover sheet when we resubmitted the packet.  The other two VJ'ers never received rejection notices, they only knew they were rejected by calling the USCIS hotline.

 

So here are a couple of suggestions that might help prevent this problem for other filers:

1. Include a note on top of the pack (perhaps using a red marker or red ink if printing) making it very clear that you are filing the 765 with a 485 and therefore no extra fee is required. Yes, that should be in the cover letter also (which it was for us), but it appears this point needs to be made very clear (politely).
2. Make sure you have the most recent 765 form off the USCIS website.  They recently switched versions.
3. Make sure you use code C9 on question 27 (eligibility category).

 

Good luck,

Mark and Sandra

[Michella&Lucio 7]

49 minutes ago, Mark11 said:

Hi Everyone,

 

I just got a message from a second VJ'er who had his I-765 rejected for "incorrect fee", even though it was filed with the I-485 (same thing happened to us).  Of course, when you file the I-765 (and I-131) with the I-485, you do NOT need to pay an extra fee.  Someone at the lockbox is incorrectly rejecting these 765's.  We received a rejection  notice in the mail, including a bright green cover sheet with instructions to include the cover sheet when we resubmitted the packet.  The other two VJ'ers never received rejection notices, they only knew they were rejected by calling the USCIS hotline.

 

So here are a couple of suggestions that might help prevent this problem for other filers:

1. Include a note on top of the pack (perhaps using a red marker or red ink if printing) making it very clear that you are filing the 765 with a 485 and therefore no extra fee is required. Yes, that should be in the cover letter also (which it was for us), but it appears this point needs to be made very clear (politely).
2. Make sure you have the most recent 765 form off the USCIS website.  They recently switched versions.
3. Make sure you use code C9 on question 27 (eligibility category).

 

Good luck,

Mark and Sandra

this happen to me as well,but I was choosing the wrong categorys in the 3 forms,when I sent my package back I make sure to pick the rights categorys and attached all the documents necessarys to any form and sent a cover letter too now and on the top of everything the green cover sheet and recently (thanks God) they accepted my package and start my process.

Edited September 4, 2020 by Michella&Lucio

[geowrian 22,337]

I would just add that this applies until October 2nd, 2020. As of that date, as part of the fee changes, the fees for both the I-131 an I-765 will be required.

[Cilllah 476]

Oh this is worrying. I did mention concurrent filing on the overall cover letter as well as the individual cover letters for each section so I am hoping that I am OK!

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

5 hours ago, Cilllah said:

Oh this is worrying. I did mention concurrent filing on the overall cover letter as well as the individual cover letters for each section so I am hoping that I am OK!

That would be my suggestion too. The problem is that the applications might get separated and at that point it doesn't help that it was mentioned on the overall cover letter. That's where a cover letter for every application with the concurrent filing mentioned comes in handy. 

[Mark11 36]

LetsPaintCookies and Cillah,

 

5 hours ago, Cilllah said:

Oh this is worrying. I did mention concurrent filing on the overall cover letter as well as the individual cover letters for each section so I am hoping that I am OK!

 

13 minutes ago, Letspaintcookies said:

That would be my suggestion too. The problem is that the applications might get separated and at that point it doesn't help that it was mentioned on the overall cover letter. That's where a cover letter for every application with the concurrent filing mentioned comes in handy. 

You would hope that would be good enough, BUT . . . .  we did exactly that:  included individual cover letters with the explanation of concurrent filing on each.   Basically used the nice examples available on VJ.  And somebody still didn't read them.  I'm not sure what the other two VJ'ers did.

 

But 3 erroneous rejections out of what must be truckloads of applications isn't bad.  Just bad luck.  Or a lockbox employee having a bad day.

 

Anybody reading this for a future filing -- don't miss what Geowrian said above -- this whole thread is only valid till Oct. 2, 2020.

 

--Mark

[Leah88 192]

23 hours ago, Mark11 said:

Hi Everyone,

 

I just got a message from a second VJ'er who had his I-765 rejected for "incorrect fee", even though it was filed with the I-485 (same thing happened to us).  Of course, when you file the I-765 (and I-131) with the I-485, you do NOT need to pay an extra fee.  Someone at the lockbox is incorrectly rejecting these 765's.  We received a rejection  notice in the mail, including a bright green cover sheet with instructions to include the cover sheet when we resubmitted the packet.  The other two VJ'ers never received rejection notices, they only knew they were rejected by calling the USCIS hotline.

 

So here are a couple of suggestions that might help prevent this problem for other filers:

1. Include a note on top of the pack (perhaps using a red marker or red ink if printing) making it very clear that you are filing the 765 with a 485 and therefore no extra fee is required. Yes, that should be in the cover letter also (which it was for us), but it appears this point needs to be made very clear (politely).
2. Make sure you have the most recent 765 form off the USCIS website.  They recently switched versions.
3. Make sure you use code C9 on question 27 (eligibility category).

 

Good luck,

Mark and Sandra

Same thing happened to me and I had a note in my cover letter (!). So annoying! Sending it in again today and super stressed out about it, because I’m scared to get another RFE for no reason!