Issues at POE-immigrant fee receipt

[headinghome 0]

Arrived at Tecate land border last night with passport and package in hand, The officer wanted a copy of the receipt where we paid the immigrant visa fee. We did that online two days ago but didn't print anything since the instructions didn't say that you had to take a copy with you. They gave us 40 minutes to go back to Mexico, print out and get back to border even though border crossing was still open for 3 more hours. We didn't find any receipt in my husband's email box so we logged onto ELIS and printed out the screen where it said payment submitted. Went back to border just before deadline they gave us and they said that didn't work since it said Status Submitted. Had to come back to Mexico to spend the night and we thought to look in his spam box and found an email from ePay.

The USCIS agent showed my husband four pages but this email is very short-one page. Is this what we need to present? i really don't want to get turned away again. Anyone else had this issue?

[lost_at_sea 995]

Never heard of anyone being asked for a receipt on POE. You can technically pay it after POE - it just blocks printing of the GC.

On ELIS, there's also a submission receipt in the "messages" section. You could print that, too. I'd just print every single page and hope for the best.

[Carla V 43]

I never heard that you have to show a receipt in the border...

Found this in travel state page... I think you can also contact the NVC if you can't find the proof of payment.

Will I get an online receipt or confirmation e-mail when I make my payment online, so that I know the payment was successfully completed?

The Department of State will not automatically send you notification that your payment was successfully completed; however, you can print or e-mail a receipt when you make a payment online.

[domingo y bianca 0]

what? i thought you can pay it after you go into the US also, when can you pay for that fee after interview or do you have to wait for certain time, I wanted to go into the US asap

[lost_at_sea 995]

what? i thought you can pay it after you go into the US also, when can you pay for that fee after interview or do you have to wait for certain time, I wanted to go into the US asap

They prefer you to pay it before POE (after you get your visa/passport back).

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

Edited September 5, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[Tony23 11]

Exemptions

Children who enter the United States under the Orphan or Hague adoption programs, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants, returning residents (SB-1s), and those issued K visas, are the only categories exempt from paying the fee.

[Tony23 11]

This does not apply to my K1 visa I hope

[domingo y bianca 0]

This does not apply to my K1 visa I hope

It doesnt but its more expensive with the adjustment of status i believe according to the lawyer I had.

[domingo y bianca 0]

They prefer you to pay it before POE (after you get your visa/passport back).

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

thanks

[Carla V 43]

Did you found the paper to confirm your payment??? Were you allowed to cross???

[headinghome 0]

Update: We did make it across. Printed out the email from ePay and also screen shots from the ELIS system as well as my cc list of transactions where it showed a charge of $165 by USCIS. That was accepted. Not sure if it was the amount of documentation we printed or one particular that they were looking for.

So frustrating since nowhere on the documentation from Juarez consulate or even from the ELIS system did it say anything about needing to print out and present anything at POE.

Oh well, long drive from Baja to Louisiana but we're finally here. Now to figure out the SS issue. He had a SSN decades ago when a student in the US since he did work-study program but no idea if that SSN is still valid.

Also to try to get a driver's license....

Thanks to everyone here for all their help. We couldn't have done it without VJ!!

[lost_at_sea 995]

Update: We did make it across. Printed out the email from ePay and also screen shots from the ELIS system as well as my cc list of transactions where it showed a charge of $165 by USCIS. That was accepted. Not sure if it was the amount of documentation we printed or one particular that they were looking for.

So frustrating since nowhere on the documentation from Juarez consulate or even from the ELIS system did it say anything about needing to print out and present anything at POE.

Oh well, long drive from Baja to Louisiana but we're finally here. Now to figure out the SS issue. He had a SSN decades ago when a student in the US since he did work-study program but no idea if that SSN is still valid.

Also to try to get a driver's license....

Thanks to everyone here for all their help. We couldn't have done it without VJ!!

Yes. That SSN should be. SSNs are for life.