New Fee for Immigrant Visa

[Cesar & Cata 35]

Source: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3a2bb75e8109b310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

USCIS Immigrant Fee

Effective February 1, 2013

About the Fee

Foreign nationals who seek permanent residence in the United States and receive an immigrant visa will need to pay a USCIS Immigrant Fee beginning February 1, 2013.

The new fee of $165 was established in USCIS’s final rule adjusting fees for immigration applications and petitions announced on Sept. 24, 2010. USCIS has worked closely with the Department of State (DOS) to implement the new fee which allows USCIS to recover the cost of processing that is performed in the United States after immigrant visa holders receive their visa packages from DOS and are admitted to the United States.

Note: Applicants will now have two separate fees to pay. They are still required to pay the DOS visa application processing fee, and will now also have to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

What the Fee Covers

The immigrant fee will cover the cost of USCIS staff time to handle, file and maintain the immigrant visa package, and the cost of producing and delivering the permanent resident card.

Who Needs to Pay the Fee

Any individual who on or after February 1, 2013 receives an immigrant visa package from a United States consulate or embassy abroad (including Canada and Mexico) will pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

Intercountry Adoptions

The fee does not apply to those entering the United States under intercountry adoptions programs.

Children admitted into the United States under the Orphan or Hague Adoptions Process are currently exempt from paying the USCIS Immigrant Fee; however, USCIS will consider the cost of processing immigrant visas issued by the DOS for the Orphan and Hague process the next time there is an adjustment to the fee schedule.

When and How to Pay the Fee

Applicants must pay this fee online through the USCIS website. Applicants should submit payments after they receive their visa package from DOS and before they depart for the United States.

Applicants can electronically submit the fee by answering the questions on the USCIS website by providing their:

• checking account information, or
• debit or credit card information.

All check payments must be drawn on a U.S. bank.

If the applicant is unable to make this payment, another person can make this payment on the applicant’s behalf.

Failure to Pay

The applicant will not receive a green card until the required USCIS Immigrant fee is paid.

Failure to pay does not affect the lawful status of the applicant. While the applicant can use their Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form I-94, Arrival and Departure Record, for one year to document they are a lawful permanent resident, once that I-94 stamp expires, the applicant will need to possess a green card as evidence of their lawful permanent resident status.

[bsd058 296]

Source: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3a2bb75e8109b310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

USCIS Immigrant Fee

Effective February 1, 2013

About the Fee

Foreign nationals who seek permanent residence in the United States and receive an immigrant visa will need to pay a USCIS Immigrant Fee beginning February 1, 2013.

The new fee of $165 was established in USCIS’s final rule adjusting fees for immigration applications and petitions announced on Sept. 24, 2010. USCIS has worked closely with the Department of State (DOS) to implement the new fee which allows USCIS to recover the cost of processing that is performed in the United States after immigrant visa holders receive their visa packages from DOS and are admitted to the United States.

Note: Applicants will now have two separate fees to pay. They are still required to pay the DOS visa application processing fee, and will now also have to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

What the Fee Covers

The immigrant fee will cover the cost of USCIS staff time to handle, file and maintain the immigrant visa package, and the cost of producing and delivering the permanent resident card.

Who Needs to Pay the Fee

Any individual who on or after February 1, 2013 receives an immigrant visa package from a United States consulate or embassy abroad (including Canada and Mexico) will pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

Intercountry Adoptions

The fee does not apply to those entering the United States under intercountry adoptions programs.

Children admitted into the United States under the Orphan or Hague Adoptions Process are currently exempt from paying the USCIS Immigrant Fee; however, USCIS will consider the cost of processing immigrant visas issued by the DOS for the Orphan and Hague process the next time there is an adjustment to the fee schedule.

When and How to Pay the Fee

Applicants must pay this fee online through the USCIS website. Applicants should submit payments after they receive their visa package from DOS and before they depart for the United States.

Applicants can electronically submit the fee by answering the questions on the USCIS website by providing their:

• checking account information, or
• debit or credit card information.

All check payments must be drawn on a U.S. bank.

If the applicant is unable to make this payment, another person can make this payment on the applicant’s behalf.

Failure to Pay

The applicant will not receive a green card until the required USCIS Immigrant fee is paid.

Failure to pay does not affect the lawful status of the applicant. While the applicant can use their Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form I-94, Arrival and Departure Record, for one year to document they are a lawful permanent resident, once that I-94 stamp expires, the applicant will need to possess a green card as evidence of their lawful permanent resident status.

Talk about bait and switch! They should apply this fee only for people who filed their I-130s after the announcement date! People who've filed their petition weren't aware that there would be this extra fee. Unbelievable.

[Darnell 8,478]

yay.

look, we all benefitted when the IV fee dropped to $230, so I'm just gonna suck it up.

You too, la

[gstrength 20]

Source: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3a2bb75e8109b310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

USCIS Immigrant Fee

Effective February 1, 2013

About the Fee

Foreign nationals who seek permanent residence in the United States and receive an immigrant visa will need to pay a USCIS Immigrant Fee beginning February 1, 2013.

The new fee of $165 was established in USCIS’s final rule adjusting fees for immigration applications and petitions announced on Sept. 24, 2010. USCIS has worked closely with the Department of State (DOS) to implement the new fee which allows USCIS to recover the cost of processing that is performed in the United States after immigrant visa holders receive their visa packages from DOS and are admitted to the United States.

Note: Applicants will now have two separate fees to pay. They are still required to pay the DOS visa application processing fee, and will now also have to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

What the Fee Covers

The immigrant fee will cover the cost of USCIS staff time to handle, file and maintain the immigrant visa package, and the cost of producing and delivering the permanent resident card.

Who Needs to Pay the Fee

Any individual who on or after February 1, 2013 receives an immigrant visa package from a United States consulate or embassy abroad (including Canada and Mexico) will pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

Intercountry Adoptions

The fee does not apply to those entering the United States under intercountry adoptions programs.

Children admitted into the United States under the Orphan or Hague Adoptions Process are currently exempt from paying the USCIS Immigrant Fee; however, USCIS will consider the cost of processing immigrant visas issued by the DOS for the Orphan and Hague process the next time there is an adjustment to the fee schedule.

When and How to Pay the Fee

Applicants must pay this fee online through the USCIS website. Applicants should submit payments after they receive their visa package from DOS and before they depart for the United States.

Applicants can electronically submit the fee by answering the questions on the USCIS website by providing their:

• checking account information, or
• debit or credit card information.

All check payments must be drawn on a U.S. bank.

If the applicant is unable to make this payment, another person can make this payment on the applicant’s behalf.

Failure to Pay

The applicant will not receive a green card until the required USCIS Immigrant fee is paid.

Failure to pay does not affect the lawful status of the applicant. While the applicant can use their Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form I-94, Arrival and Departure Record, for one year to document they are a lawful permanent resident, once that I-94 stamp expires, the applicant will need to possess a green card as evidence of their lawful permanent resident status.

isn't it strange that they mention an I-94? Immigrant visa holders do not fill an I-94 form, they get their passport stamped and the visa validated as an I-551 for one year after entry.

[ndu26 114]

considering the sheer number of people they have delayed their traveling with this huge backlogs in approvals, that's a lot of money going to their coffers...

Life continues

[ALSA 2]

Can someone help me out and tell me If I will have to pay this fee? My case is at NVC right now. Is it that if my case is not completed and approved by Amman consulate by Feb. 1st, that I will have to pay this fee? since my case is already there I will be exempt?

[bsd058 296]

Can someone help me out and tell me If I will have to pay this fee? My case is at NVC right now. Is it that if my case is not completed and approved by Amman consulate by Feb. 1st, that I will have to pay this fee? since my case is already there I will be exempt?

It looks like if your visa package is sent to you after Feb 1st, then you'll be paying the fee. If before, then you will not be paying the fee. All depends on when they issue the visa to you.

Incidentally, the visa package is the envelope you receive that you MUST NOT OPEN and bring to the border with you. See below that I got from Montreal Consulate website.

Edited December 13, 2012 by bsd058

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Magical.

Maybe they can attempt to get some knowledgeable phone reps with that money.

[bsd058 296]

Magical.

Maybe they can attempt to get some knowledgeable phone reps with that money.

Costs more money to replace the current reps than to just keep them, even with all of their inefficiencies.

[melb2012 2]

Costs more money to replace the current reps than to just keep them, even with all of their inefficiencies.

Well put!

[Cesar & Cata 35]

Looks like I will be one of the first paying this fee being I have an interview date for 1/30/2013.

[apple21 953]

If a person receives the visa packet between December 2012 - January 2013, will they still pay $165?

[Jahwaree 83]

yay.

look, we all benefitted when the IV fee dropped to $230, so I'm just gonna suck it up.

You too, la

Yep ...but what a stress

[MmmBlondie 8]

Would I have to pay this fee??? NVC have received my case, got my medical on the 21st, sending in all my paperwork to hopefully get an interview at the end of January to be in the states ready for my fiances homecoming from Afghan in March. I need to give one months notice at work (feb) so I wont be entering the US (if all goes to plan) till the beginning of March...

If so does this mean I have to pay for the visa, the courier at the embassy and now this?? CONFUSED

[bigdog 376]

Yea, pay more,. the new standard.