Fee Waivers....???

[MsNaNa 0]

My fiance and I have reached a stalemate in filing our petition. Although he has the money to complete the items he has to do in Jamaica, we dont have enough to pay the initial petition fee. I've heard about fee waivers and read the ifnormation on USCIS. My question(s)... Is a fee waiver even possible for the I-129f Petition? Has anyone received one of these waivers to date? Thanks.

[baron555 934]

My fiance and I have reached a stalemate in filing our petition. Although he has the money to complete the items he has to do in Jamaica, we dont have enough to pay the initial petition fee. I've heard about fee waivers and read the ifnormation on USCIS. My question(s)... Is a fee waiver even possible for the I-129f Petition? Has anyone received one of these waivers to date? Thanks.

If you don't have the $455 for the petition, will you have the medical and visa interview fees when that time comes?, or the airplane cost and change of living costs when they come over?, or the $1010 that will be required to obtain the Green Card?

Everything doesn't end with the K-1, it's just the beginning.

I've never heard of a fee waiver.

[amykathleen2005 441]

I doubt asking the fee to be waived will be looked favorably on when you have to submit an affadavit of support saying you won't need help supporting your fiance.

[sorchaine 10]

I believe that you can apply for the fee waiver, but unless you sufficient evidence for the USCIS of why the fee should be waived, they will probably deny it and then you would have to resubmit everything with the appropriate fee.

[sus 70]

Do you realize all the other costs associated with this? Non-impediment form, the visa fee, the police record, travel back and forth to Kingston several times (not sure where your fiancee is from), etc....? Never mind the AOS fees if he gets approved, which are more than double the initial filing fee -

Additionally, you have to meet certain financial standards in order to sponsor him - I personally have never heard of a fee waiver being approved on a K-1 - Maybe wait until you can afford it, and take this time to be sure you can afford it all and meet the criteria?

[MsNaNa 0]

Yes, Yes, and Yes! Don't go into freak out mode on me people! I'm not some ammatuer just coming into this game.

I know about all of the associated fees and as I said he has the money to pay for the exams and forms he has to get completed in Jamaica. I now (with new employment) reach the poverty guideline on income and dont think there will be any issue in the support affidavit. My question was solely based and related to the initial fee. I'm not saying I don't have any money or that I won't get the money to pay the fee in appropraite timing. I'm saying I have student loans to pay back and additional bills, so I wanted to know if this was an option due to previous unemployment and whatever other burdens I could display. I mean... can I get something back from the US Government for a change? Hello!!!!

Thanks all for your responses!

[sorchaine 10]

If you are able to demonstrate the inability to pay based on the following situations and criteria, then I would say go for it. The worst that they can say is no and that you have to pay the full filing fee.

* Whether the individual has demonstrated that within the last 180 days, he or she qualified for or received a “federal means-tested public benefit”. This may include, but is not limited to, Food Stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, and Temporary Assistance of Needy Families or other public benefit.

NOTE: Each agency’s public benefits are determined based on a unique set of criteria. Therefore, even though an individual has qualified for another agency’s benefits, it should only be one of the factors in determining the USCIS fee waiver request and should not be used as a definitive factor.

*Whether the individual has demonstrated that his or her household income, on which taxes were paid for the most recent tax year, is at or below the poverty level contained in the most recent poverty guidelines revised annually by the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ “Poverty Guidelines”.

*Whether the individual is elderly (age 65 and over, at the time the fee request is submitted).

*Whether the individual is disabled. Applicant should submit verification of disability (see below, How To Apply for a Fee Waiver.)

*The age and number of dependents in the individual’s family’s household who are seeking derivative status or benefits concurrently with the principal applicant or beneficiary.

*Humanitarian or compassionate reasons, either temporary or permanent, which justify a granting of a fee waiver request. For example: the applicant is temporarily destitute; the applicant does not own, possess, or control assets sufficient to pay the fee without a showing of substantial hardship; or an applicant is on a fixed income and confined to a nursing home.

*Any other evidence or factors that the USCIS Officer believe establishes an applicant or petitioner’s inability to pay the required filing fees.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Don't waste your time. The I-129F is not eligible for a fee waiver, though it IS fee exempt when used for a K3 petition. This USCIS memorandum established which forms are eligible for a fee waiver:

http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/FeeWaiver072007.pdf

The proposed new I-912 form instructions make it clear which forms are eligible for a fee waiver. You can read the USCIS director's statement about the new form here:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=0844ac6b49cd9210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=60a67e8cba5d8210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

There is a link to "regulations.gov" where the proposed form and it's instructions are published. You can read the instructions for the new form here:

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480b1a9c2

The new form does not change the way that USCIS adjudicates fee waiver requests. It simply clarifies their policies and standardizes the submission of the required information. A fee waiver request for an I-129F doesn't have a snowball's chance in he][ of being approved.

[Sasha_Cool 0]

Yes, Yes, and Yes! Don't go into freak out mode on me people! I'm not some ammatuer just coming into this game.

I know about all of the associated fees and as I said he has the money to pay for the exams and forms he has to get completed in Jamaica. I now (with new employment) reach the poverty guideline on income and dont think there will be any issue in the support affidavit. My question was solely based and related to the initial fee. I'm not saying I don't have any money or that I won't get the money to pay the fee in appropraite timing. I'm saying I have student loans to pay back and additional bills, so I wanted to know if this was an option due to previous unemployment and whatever other burdens I could display. I mean... can I get something back from the US Government for a change? Hello!!!!

Thanks all for your responses!

It doesn't matter if you have a new job know and meet poverty guidelines. They go by last year tax returns. I believe BajanKutie was in the same position where she was filing for her husband and she didn't work much of last year and although her current job now is well over the poverty line she was blue slipped until she could find a co-sponsor. Also, you could try to defer your loan payments for try to consolidate or extend the years of the loan for a lower payment.

[MsNaNa 0]

Thanks JimVaPhuong!

@ Sasha... Why do they then also require your pay stubs etc? The combination of two should be sufficient. Maybe? Anyways... by the time we file and get the interview I think I will have filed my new years tax returns. If not, I'll find a sponsor. But that is purely last resort.

Ciao.

[Anh map 2,098]

Thanks JimVaPhuong!

@ Sasha... Why do they then also require your pay stubs etc? The combination of two should be sufficient. Maybe? Anyways... by the time we file and get the interview I think I will have filed my new years tax returns. If not, I'll find a sponsor. But that is purely last resort.

Ciao.

Recent paystubs are great proof of your current income which is what is evaluated.

[pushbrk 12,105]

My fiance and I have reached a stalemate in filing our petition. Although he has the money to complete the items he has to do in Jamaica, we dont have enough to pay the initial petition fee. I've heard about fee waivers and read the ifnormation on USCIS. My question(s)... Is a fee waiver even possible for the I-129f Petition? Has anyone received one of these waivers to date? Thanks.

It's technically possible to get a the fee to file the petition waived and still get the petition approved but to do so would be the kiss of death to the actual visa. Consular officers are responsible for making a subjective decision about whether the fiance is likely to become a public charge after entering the USA. No affidavit from a co-sponsor is likely to convince the officer of anything if neither you, the co-sponsor or anybody else was committed enough to supporting the intending immigrant to pony up the filing fee.

This is and expensive process and financial sponsorship is wisely a high priority. Affidavits of support are required to assure US Citizens do not attempt to bring an immigrant to the USA for the tax payers to support.

Edited August 20, 2010 by pushbrk

[MsNaNa 0]

Clearly not my intention if you had accurately read the thread. Our stalemate is not permanent and is purely due to my inability to pay the fee today. I will do so at the end of the month. But as anyone who has sought a visa or even reserached the process knows... You must ALWAYS ecplore your options. It was a mere point of questioning. Are fee waivers available or not? Has anyone received one or not? End of questioning.

I'm not in any way trying to have my fiance supported by anyone besides me, and will not be needing a co-sponsor either. Anyone who has reviewed this process and clearly knows that the fees for filing do not stop when you pay the initial fee. Therefore, that question is unecessary and redundant.

Let's leave it at that.

[Nibake 4]

My fiance and I have reached a stalemate in filing our petition. Although he has the money to complete the items he has to do in Jamaica, we dont have enough to pay the initial petition fee. I've heard about fee waivers and read the ifnormation on USCIS. My question(s)... Is a fee waiver even possible for the I-129f Petition? Has anyone received one of these waivers to date? Thanks.

I applied for the fee waiver. The returned the package and said "send money."

[Hadiza 1]

Hello MsNana:

Everyone here is just explaining to you about what they know about getting the fee waived and by no means

mean any harm or offense to you. Please do not get offended by people's comments and they all mean well.

You asked a question and everyone answered in full fatih and knowledge.