USCIS proposed price increase (Merged)

[TBoneTX 45,264]

Folks, please be aware of another thread about the fee-increases in general:

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/794170-uscis-proposed-price-increase/

 

We normally prefer just one thread on a topic.  However, the current thread chiefly pertains to ROC.  If your comments are about ROC specifically, please post them here; if more general, post in the linked thread.  Thanks.

 

VJ Moderation

 

[Rocio0010 5,579]

8 hours ago, Family said:

I find attorney fees to be astronomical, and don’t understand why USCIS fee increase is so demonized. 

Because at least in some cases the use of the attorney is optional, meaning, you don't HAVE to have one. 

But you DO need to fill out these forms if you want to stay here legally.

[Rocio0010 5,579]

I would understand premium processing for applicants that are outside of the US separated from their loved ones. Not for a 751 though. We are already inside the US and can do pretty much the same things that a USC can except for vote. Therefore, I don't think we need "premium processing". 

What we do need is officers able to review a case in a few hours or days. It is not rocket science to see whether a marriage is bona fide through certain documents and their trajectory. 

[martinzl 91]

They just want to keep the fee increase in line with the increase in processing times.  Someone has to pay for all of the additional extension letters being mailed.

[STO Overland 137]

https://www.cato.org/blog/topics/92

 

Interesting way of breaking it down

[Tereza 27]

On 1/3/2023 at 9:50 PM, nastra30 said:

Holly cow, the increase for I-751 is insane. Whopping  101% (77% with Biometrics) increase. I-751 has become a cash cow for USCIS. Seems now biometrics is just automatically going to be inclusive of general I-751 fee.

My spouse entered the US with CR1 about 7 months to our 2nd anniversary. If this increase had come in play then we would have just delayed everything until 2nd anniversary.

I am immigrating in 2 weeks on CR-1 as our 2 year anniversarry is in 6 months. It is just sad that this will only incentivise couples to stay apart for longer. We have done 5 years long distance, so we're to a point where every extra day is just too much, nevermind I already have my plane ticket purchased. But I nearly about cried when I saw the proposed fee. They're putting arbitrary cut off for married couples for no reason and then jack the price up like this to remove conditions that didnt even have a reason to be there... for what? Gosh I'm so mad with this entire process, every time I think nothing can surprise me anymore, they come with something that totally flabbergastes me.

[Rafagus 64]

And the funny thing is that according to the proposed new rule it USCIS dedicates on average 4.7 hours to make decisions on I-751 forms....

[Tereza 27]

1 minute ago, Rafagus said:

And the funny thing is that according to the proposed new rule it USCIS dedicates on average 4.7 hours to make decisions on I-751 forms....

almost 5 hours per a single form?!

[Rocio0010 5,579]

1 minute ago, Rafagus said:

And the funny thing is that according to the proposed new rule it USCIS dedicates on average 4.7 hours to make decisions on I-751 forms....

Yet at least mine has been pending for almost a year now. The officer must be translating each page into Latin, that's why it is taking so long.

[Tereza 27]

2 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

I would understand premium processing for applicants that are outside of the US separated from their loved ones. Not for a 751 though. We are already inside the US and can do pretty much the same things that a USC can except for vote. Therefore, I don't think we need "premium processing". 

What we do need is officers able to review a case in a few hours or days. It is not rocket science to see whether a marriage is bona fide through certain documents and their trajectory. 

I watched a yt video on this earlier today and they made it sound like they changed the fees based on their perception of who might be able to pay more (eg. a us citizen who sponsoreed their spouse is likely going to be better off financially than a first generation immigrant who needs to pay whatever feeds for whichever process). Thats kinda effed up imo. It is insane that they will likely charge us this much and yet not much will change, we will still need to wait ages 😕

[Rocio0010 5,579]

Just now, Tereza said:

I watched a yt video on this earlier today and they made it sound like they changed the fees based on their perception of who might be able to pay more (eg. a us citizen who sponsoreed their spouse is likely going to be better off financially than a first generation immigrant who needs to pay whatever feeds for whichever process). Thats kinda effed up imo. It is insane that they will likely charge us this much and yet not much will change, we will still need to wait ages 😕

That's horrible and borderline discriminatory! Yeah my husband is a USC but were are not "better off" than many immigrants!

[Tereza 27]

1 minute ago, Rocio0010 said:

That's horrible and borderline discriminatory! Yeah my husband is a USC but were are not "better off" than many immigrants!

They tend to forget that not every USC lives on the coasts in a big city. We are in rural Iowa (I mean, my husband is and hopefully I'll be there in about 2 weeks lol), and the wages aren't that much better than here in Czech Rep. We think a dozen times before we spend a dollar and when I think how much this has cost us already and how much it will continue to cost us... makes me sick. It could have been many a nice vacation that we never had, to say the least

[Rocio0010 5,579]

1 minute ago, Tereza said:

They tend to forget that not every USC lives on the coasts in a big city. We are in rural Iowa (I mean, my husband is and hopefully I'll be there in about 2 weeks lol), and the wages aren't that much better than here in Czech Rep. We think a dozen times before we spend a dollar and when I think how much this has cost us already and how much it will continue to cost us... makes me sick. It could have been many a nice vacation that we never had, to say the least

Exactly. My husband is from West Virginia, and we moved to Columbus for job opportunities. Thank God we both have good, stable jobs, but just like you, we count every single penny before we spend. 

[beloved_dingo 1,976]

If this increase goes through ROC will be more of a racket than it already is. Most USCIS filings are optional. I mean you don't HAVE to work or study in the U.S. You don't HAVE to live in the U.S. just because you marry a U.S. spouse (in most cases). You don't HAVE to file for citizenship. But conditional LPRs HAVE to file ROC. And yet they make it an annoying, lengthy and expensive process. 😤

[Rocio0010 5,579]

1 minute ago, beloved_dingo said:

If this increase goes through ROC will be more of a racket than it already is. Most USCIS filings are optional. I mean you don't HAVE to work or study in the U.S. You don't HAVE to live in the U.S. just because you marry a U.S. spouse (in most cases). You don't HAVE to file for citizenship. But conditional LPRs HAVE to file ROC. And yet they make it an annoying, lengthy and expensive process. 😤

And the whole purpose of it is just stupid. They say it's to prevent marriage fraud. But if they're really worried about marriage fraud, then don't take that long to dig into a case.