Confusion about CR1 & Green Card

[Ohana2020 5]

Hi everyone, I am uber confused about GC processes for CR1 visa holders, and would really appreciate if you help me sort it out. I entered on October 15th 2020 on CR1. Received my SSN on Oct 27th, and then I could not remember how to apply/receive a green card. 

 

Question #1 Green card

I was reading a separate thread on this forum, and it sounded like other CR1 holders receive their green cards in mail just like the SSN. So, if I understood correctly, then I don't have to file a separate form " adjustment of status" (at least not now, but 90 days before our 2 year anniversary) in order to receive my first green card, because it will come in mail in some 120 days? 

 

Question #2 immigration fee

Also, I can't remember what date we paid the immigration fee, but I wanna say it was at the same time with the visa application form (on USCIS account) after my I-130 was approved (late May -early June). I can't access those records right now to see how much it was or when it was paid, is there a way to find that out? Is this immigration fee for the green card? 

 

Thanks!

[Crazy Cat 41,846]

The $220 Green Card fee is paid after the visa interview .  The plastic Green Card will not be sent until:

1.  The $220 fee has been paid online.

2.  The new immigrant has entered the US.

 

The fee is paid here:  https://my.uscis.gov/uscis-immigrant-fee/start-payment

 

 

Edited November 5, 2020 by Lucky Cat

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

You need to find out if you have paid 220. And it takes up to 120 days for green cảrd to come.

[Ohana2020 5]

Thank you! Turns out I missed that part from the e-mail that was sent to me after I received my visa. I do remember that after the visa interview when I asked about the fee, they said you won't have to pay it here, it has already been paid in America... 

 

And thank you for providing the link, I read a lot of things but could not find info on late payments. They all mention that the fee must be paid before entering, but obviously, in my case I am late for that. Does anybody know the complications/penalties for paying after you arrive? 

I could not pay it online either right now, it says they can't find the A number and/or the DOS case ID, so I sent an email to USCIS about it. 

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

1 minute ago, Ohana2020 said:

Thank you! Turns out I missed that part from the e-mail that was sent to me after I received my visa. I do remember that after the visa interview when I asked about the fee, they said you won't have to pay it here, it has already been paid in America... 

 

And thank you for providing the link, I read a lot of things but could not find info on late payments. They all mention that the fee must be paid before entering, but obviously, in my case I am late for that. Does anybody know the complications/penalties for paying after you arrive? 

I could not pay it online either right now, it says they can't find the A number and/or the DOS case ID, so I sent an email to USCIS about it. 

A number and DOS case can be found on your visa. You need to start archiving your important papers, documents...

[Crazy Cat 41,846]

4 minutes ago, Ohana2020 said:

They all mention that the fee must be paid before entering, but obviously, in my case I am late for that. Does anybody know the complications/penalties for paying after you arrive?

It does not have to be paid before entry.  The only penalty will be receiving the green card later.

Edited November 5, 2020 by Lucky Cat

[Ohana2020 5]

5 minutes ago, NancyNguyen said:

A number and DOS case can be found on your visa. You need to start archiving your important papers, documents...

Thanks, I know, and the instructions from the embassy say put letter "A" in front of the reg. number, but it did not work that way. 

[Ohana2020 5]

7 minutes ago, Lucky Cat said:

It does not have to be paid before entry.  The only penalty will be receiving the green card later.

Phew, that's good to know!

[JeanneAdil 6,504]

40 minutes ago, Ohana2020 said:

Thank you! Turns out I missed that part from the e-mail that was sent to me after I received my visa. I do remember that after the visa interview when I asked about the fee, they said you won't have to pay it here, it has already been paid in America... 

 

And thank you for providing the link, I read a lot of things but could not find info on late payments. They all mention that the fee must be paid before entering, but obviously, in my case I am late for that. Does anybody know the complications/penalties for paying after you arrive? 

I could not pay it online either right now, it says they can't find the A number and/or the DOS case ID, so I sent an email to USCIS about it. 

According to your own posts here,  the fee has already been paid from  someone in Amercia

[JFH 12,190]

55 minutes ago, Ohana2020 said:

Thank you! Turns out I missed that part from the e-mail that was sent to me after I received my visa. I do remember that after the visa interview when I asked about the fee, they said you won't have to pay it here, it has already been paid in America... 

 

You must have misunderstood. K-1 applicants pay a MRV fee (visa fee) at the embassy. But CR-1 applicants pay their visa fee to the NVC as part of that step. If you asked about the visa fee, they correctly told you that it has already been paid.

 

The green card fee is another fee to cover the cost of making and sending the plastic green card. It cannot be paid before the visa is issued because until the visa is issued you are not approved for immigration. A green card is an extremely valuable and much-desired document as it enables the person to live and work permanently in the US. People in some countries will go to extraordinary lengths to get their hands on one - even illegal lengths. Therefore the invoice is only generated once the person has been approved to immigrate and the card is only manufactured once the fee has been paid and the person has actually arrived within the timeframe specified on the visa. It's all part of the process to make sure that people are fully vetted before they immigrate and have complied with all requirements before a GC is issued. 

[Ohana2020 5]

19 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

According to your own posts here,  the fee has already been paid from  someone in Amercia

That is not possible as nobody in the US could pay for me  (my spouse was with me outside of the US), and nobody knows my A # or DOS ID etc. 

The person who said this was a local staff member at the embassy, and I guess he meant " you will pay it in America" not " it's been paid in America". Which, either way it is not completely the case.

[Ohana2020 5]

19 hours ago, JFH said:

You must have misunderstood. K-1 applicants pay a MRV fee (visa fee) at the embassy. But CR-1 applicants pay their visa fee to the NVC as part of that step. If you asked about the visa fee, they correctly told you that it has already been paid.

 

The green card fee is another fee to cover the cost of making and sending the plastic green card. It cannot be paid before the visa is issued because until the visa is issued you are not approved for immigration. A green card is an extremely valuable and much-desired document as it enables the person to live and work permanently in the US. People in some countries will go to extraordinary lengths to get their hands on one - even illegal lengths. Therefore the invoice is only generated once the person has been approved to immigrate and the card is only manufactured once the fee has been paid and the person has actually arrived within the timeframe specified on the visa. It's all part of the process to make sure that people are fully vetted before they immigrate and have complied with all requirements before a GC is issued. 

Thank you very much for laying out the details, JFH. I definitely did not confuse it with the K visa or the visa application fee, because if I did not pay the visa application fee I would not have been able to get an appointment for the interview in the first place. I knew there is a fee I have to pay, and some sources I read said that you either pay it at the relevant Embassy or when you enter the country. I asked at the Embassy and they said " it's been paid", I asked the officer upon entering the states and they said no need to pay here  Hence is the confusion. 

I guess there is actually a problem with my registration # or the DOS case ID because when I tried to pay online yesterday I received an error message.