Experimental new shortcut: IV fee bill generation

[Chris Parker 11]

Sure post it, I think that's a good idea. All of the shortcuts are risky anyway

I will post my IV fee bill document here tonight. Suffice it to say, it is a very experimental document!

Okay, for those of you who want to be adventurous, attached is an MS-Word document version of the IV fee bill.

Special Note: This payment coupon should be considered defective. We do not know if it will be actually usable by the payment processors. Always write your case number clearly on your money order and always send the payment by U.S. mail with delivery tracking information (certified, priority, or express). Do not make a second payment if your payment doesn't post by the time you receive the actual IV fee bill. If the payment doesn't post after a reasonable amount of time (2-3 weeks usually), call NVC to inquire about it, and when NVC is ready to research the missing payment, you may want to consider telling them that you sent the payment without any payment coupon. Finally, do not use the envelope that you received with the I-864 Affidavit of Support fee bill to send in the IV fee payment, as the payment address in St. Louis, MO is different!

Instructions:

Next to "Bill date," type in the date the IV fee bill was generated. Underneath the date, change "MNL2006123456" to your case number. (If you are applying for an IR1 instead of a CR1 make sure to change "CR1" to "IR1" whereever you see it.) Under "Payment coupon for", type in the beneficiary's full name in ALL CAPS.

You will need to replace the barcode under the "visa classification." Go to http://www.idautomation.com/java/linearservlet.html. Select CODE 39. Select "No" for "Add check digit" and for "Add check digit to text" and select "Yes" for "Show text below barcode." Change the X dimension to 0.05 and the Barcode bar height to 0.4. Click on Create Barcode. In the resulting window, right click on the generated barcode and left click on Copy. Paste the image into a graphics editing program such as IrfanView (either by selecting Paste under the Edit menu or hitting Ctrl + V on the keyboard) and crop out the barcode as tightly as you can, eliminating all text and most white space, making sure the full barcode itself is still kept intact (i.e., draw a box around the barcode only and, e.g., in IrfanView, select Crop selection under the Edit menu). Copy the image from the graphics program either by selecting Copy under the Edit Menu or by hitting Ctrl+C on the keyboard. Go to the Word copy of the IV fee bill, select the original barcode, and hit the Delete key. Then click on Paste under the Edit menu (or hit Ctrl + V on the keyboard). The barcode you generated should be in the exact same place as the original one you deleted.

For the barcode at the bottom

We cannot generate the full barcode on the bottom, as there is 9-digit sequence number to the right of the case number which NVC cannot tell you on the phone. However, It is possible that the extended number in the barcode may not be actually needed. Therefore, you must choose one of the approaches shown below, none of which may actually work. This shortcut is highly experimental and the most risky of all to use at this time, so please don't use it if you aren't prepared to potentially deal with a payment posting problem. However, please post your experiences in this forum topic, especially if your payment doesn't post without special research by NVC, so that we can eliminate the methods that clearly don't work entirely and quickly. Other suggestions for dealing with this problem are also welcome.

The options I've come up with to get around the problem of the unknown sequence number in the barcode at the bottom that we cannot know before actually receiving the bill are:

1. After printing, intentionally cut-off the bottom barcode on the payment coupon with a pair of scissors and mail your payment with that. The payment processors will have to scan the upper barcode if they can use it.
2. Generate the barcode with all 0's for the 9-digit extended number as shown in the default on the form (use X dimension .05, height 0.4), and before mailing intentionally damage the right part of the barcode with a dark black marker so it won't scan, and also cover up the 9 zeros with the black marker. Be sure to block out the entire height of the barcode over at least a .25 (one-quarter) inch length section.
3. Generate a large barcode as in the AOS fee bill instructions (X dimension 0.07, barcode height 0.85, no text below) and put that centered in the bottom of the IV fee bill (this will scan just like #1, but more easy to point and click!). Do not include any extended number in this barcode, just your case number.
4. Repeat #2, but forget the marker and actually let the payment processors be able to scan it with the 0's, with or without showing text below.
5. Don't include a payment coupon at all; just mail your money order with the case # clearly written in the memo area to the NVC lockbox facility. The payment processors will have to key it in by hand (let's hope they don't miskey!).

If you are contemplating using this experimental shortcut, please read through this entire topic first, as we may have to mark this shortcut as permanently unavailable if none of the above methods allows a payment to post normally. Also, if the shortcut is finalized, an updated version of these instructions will be provided later in the topic. Good luck, and please post your experiences!

DISCLAIMER: None of this is legal advice, and you may only use this shortcut and the attached file at your own sole risk.

[indianheart 2]

Sure post it, I think that's a good idea. All of the shortcuts are risky anyway

I will post my IV fee bill document here tonight. Suffice it to say, it is a very experimental document!

Okay, for those of you who want to be adventurous, attached is an MS-Word document version of the IV fee bill.

Special Note: This payment coupon should be considered defective. We do not know if it will be actually usable by the payment processors. Always write your case number clearly on your money order and always send the payment by U.S. mail with delivery tracking information (certified, priority, or express). Do not make a second payment if your payment doesn't post by the time you receive the actual IV fee bill. If the payment doesn't post after a reasonable amount of time (2-3 weeks usually), call NVC to inquire about it, and when NVC is ready to research the missing payment, you may want to consider telling them that you sent the payment without any payment coupon. Finally, do not use the envelope that you received with the I-864 Affidavit of Support fee bill to send in the IV fee payment, as the payment address in St. Louis, MO is different!

Instructions:

Next to "Bill date," type in the date the IV fee bill was generated. Underneath the date, change "MNL2006123456" to your case number. (If you are applying for an IR1 instead of a CR1 make sure to change "CR1" to "IR1" whereever you see it.) Under "Payment coupon for", type in the beneficiary's full name in ALL CAPS.

You will need to replace the barcode under the "visa classification." Go to http://www.idautomation.com/java/linearservlet.html. Select CODE 39. Select "No" for "Add check digit" and for "Add check digit to text" and select "Yes" for "Show text below barcode." Change the X dimension to 0.05 and the Barcode bar height to 0.4. Click on Create Barcode. In the resulting window, right click on the generated barcode and left click on Copy. Paste the image into a graphics editing program such as IrfanView (either by selecting Paste under the Edit menu or hitting Ctrl + V on the keyboard) and crop out the barcode as tightly as you can, eliminating all text and most white space, making sure the full barcode itself is still kept intact (i.e., draw a box around the barcode only and, e.g., in IrfanView, select Crop selection under the Edit menu). Copy the image from the graphics program either by selecting Copy under the Edit Menu or by hitting Ctrl+C on the keyboard. Go to the Word copy of the IV fee bill, select the original barcode, and hit the Delete key. Then click on Paste under the Edit menu (or hit Ctrl + V on the keyboard). The barcode you generated should be in the exact same place as the original one you deleted.

For the barcode at the bottom

We cannot generate the full barcode on the bottom, as there is 9-digit sequence number to the right of the case number which NVC cannot tell you on the phone. However, It is possible that the extended number in the barcode may not be actually needed. Therefore, you must choose one of the approaches shown below, none of which may actually work. This shortcut is highly experimental and the most risky of all to use at this time, so please don't use it if you aren't prepared to potentially deal with a payment posting problem. However, please post your experiences in this forum topic, especially if your payment doesn't post without special research by NVC, so that we can eliminate the methods that clearly don't work entirely and quickly. Other suggestions for dealing with this problem are also welcome.

The options I've come up with to get around the problem of the unknown sequence number in the barcode at the bottom that we cannot know before actually receiving the bill are:

1. After printing, intentionally cut-off the bottom barcode on the payment coupon with a pair of scissors and mail your payment with that. The payment processors will have to scan the upper barcode if they can use it.
2. Generate the barcode with all 0's for the 9-digit extended number as shown in the default on the form (use X dimension .05, height 0.4), and before mailing intentionally damage the right part of the barcode with a dark black marker so it won't scan, and also cover up the 9 zeros with the black marker. Be sure to block out the entire height of the barcode over at least a .25 (one-quarter) inch length section.
3. Generate a large barcode as in the AOS fee bill instructions (X dimension 0.07, barcode height 0.85, no text below) and put that centered in the bottom of the IV fee bill (this will scan just like #1, but more easy to point and click!). Do not include any extended number in this barcode, just your case number.
4. Repeat #2, but forget the marker and actually let the payment processors be able to scan it with the 0's, with or without showing text below.
5. Don't include a payment coupon at all; just mail your money order with the case # clearly written in the memo area to the NVC lockbox facility. The payment processors will have to key it in by hand (let's hope they don't miskey!).

If you are contemplating using this experimental shortcut, please read through this entire topic first, as we may have to mark this shortcut as permanently unavailable if none of the above methods allows a payment to post normally. Also, if the shortcut is finalized, an updated version of these instructions will be provided later in the topic. Good luck, and please post your experiences!

DISCLAIMER: None of this is legal advice, and you may only use this shortcut and the attached file at your own sole risk.

the name on this bill would be the foreign spouse? and the mailing address on this is correct?

[indianheart 2]

this is what I am thinking of doing...I have been working on this and managed to get the barcode the same size as in the downloaded fee bill and in order to get rid of the mystery numbers on the bottom barcode I have taken the bill too close to the bottom edge out side of the margin. Half of the last line of print has been cut off so it looks as though it is their printer failure...no bottom barcode and no unknown number.

anybody have any comment? plz respond with advise

[Chris Parker 11]

the name on this bill would be the foreign spouse? and the mailing address on this is correct?

The name on my IV payment coupon was the full name of the foreign spouse/beneficiary, FIRST MIDDLE LAST

The address on the IV payment coupon posted (P.O. Box 790136) is the correct mailing address (note, this is a different address than the AOS fee bill is sent to).

I think your trick of shifting the text down to cut off the bottom barcode from the page and simulate a printing error is valid technique.

Please let us know how long it takes for the payment to post to the case. Under normal processing, should take one week from when they receive it.

[Chris Parker 11]

UPDATE to the IV fee bill: The IV fee is $400 now! Be sure to update the payment coupon or it will definitely be returned for insufficient payment. Edited February 12, 2008 by Chris Parker

[Chris Parker 11]

UPDATE to the IV fee bill: The IV fee is $400 now! Be sure to update the payment coupon or it will definitely be returned for insufficient payment.

The new fee is an increase of the base immigrant visa fee from $335 to $355. The security surcharge remains unchanged at $45.

Edited February 25, 2008 by Chris Parker

[indianheart 2]

To date the payment has not been processed. They have said that the barcode sheet was not with the bill and when I asked them tonight why it has not been processed after 19 working days from the date they should have received it (they are counting from the 26th and I know it would have been in the mail room no later then the 15th) they said that the MO office has to mail it to the NH office to be joined with a new barcoded IV bill and then mailed back to the MO office to be processed. The cashiers check has the NVC case number printed on it from the bank. That just sounds

[Chris Parker 11]

To date the payment has not been processed. They have said that the barcode sheet was not with the bill and when I asked them tonight why it has not been processed after 19 working days from the date they should have received it (they are counting from the 26th and I know it would have been in the mail room no later then the 15th) they said that the MO office has to mail it to the NH office to be joined with a new barcoded IV bill and then mailed back to the MO office to be processed. The cashiers check has the NVC case number printed on it from the bank. That just sounds

The troubles you are going through seem to indicate that fixing a posting problem is much more difficult than we expected it to be, and the delay upon failure is unacceptable. Furthermore, based on the approach you took, I think it is unlikely any other method would yield normal processing either. For the foregoing reasons, I am removing the IV fee bill attachment and shutting down this proposed shortcut as unworkable. Very sorry for the troubles it has caused you, but we all should thank you for your willingness and bravery to try it out.

[NArocks 13]

I agree to say thanks for trying even though I was through with the process I appreciate the effort in trying

[indianheart 2]

The only reason I am not coming unglued is we are waiting for Indian PCC (seems that this peticular passport office lacks a FAX machine in order to request inquiry from my husbands home town and the postal service is v e r y s l o w in India). I am sure this will all be resolved by the time I get his PCC to put with all the other documents.

everything happens for a reason

[Chris Parker 11]

Just this week, 11 months after I made the initial request, I got a response from the Dept. of State on my Freedom of Information request for information on how the NVC performs IV fee processing. The document which has all the details is called, "US Bank to IVIS Interface Control Document (ICD) - US Bank Fee Collection Data to the National Visa Center's (IVIS) System - Version 1.3 dated April 1, 2003." The document is maintained by the Office of Information Programs and Services, SA-2, Dept. of State, Washington DC 20522-8100, tel. (202)261-8484.

While the entire document is unclassified and may be released in whole, they deleted most of the content as, "non-responsive" to my request. However, the little that they did includes says that the extra 9-digits in the IV fee bill barcode is called the 9-digit "IVIS Beneficiary_Id", and, as I suspected, the St. Louis lockbox processing facility transmits the datafile listing the IV fee bills that it has processed as an attachment to an email sent to NVC.

I'm not sure how important it is for us to have a paper mail-in shortcut like this one anymore now that NVC is allows online payment of the IV fee and will give out the invoice number earlier in the process, but if more information is desired on how the paper bills get generated and processed, a new FOIA request stating this document's specific name and location as the subject of request should allow a more timely response and include all the material (when I made my request, research had to be done to find if there even was a document).

[GlobeHopperMama 95]

Interesting, thanks. I think my jaw dropped reading all the work that went into this experimental shortcut, so I feel especially fortunate that I processed in the new era of online payment. Thanks for the info!