Stand alone I-130 for stepchild(ren)

[evoria 19]

Case Complete!! So that was the 10th "working day." Not bad. I just called on a whim today, so I haven't received any e-mails yet. No interview date yet....

lucy4 - you are next!

Who else is right behind us?

and evoria - I don't think I sent congratulations to you yet! I wonder how long it will take to get an interview date.

P.S. It looks like VJ changed some things with their website. My Bulgarian donkey avatar has his face cut off now At least on my screen. He was suuuuuuuuch a funny donkey... ran over to get his face in my camera.

Thanks Serenity, we received the interview appointment letter today for June 6th.

[dm559 34]

Hi VJ community,

I have a quick question I am filling out the AOS I 864 for myself and my husband, who is co-sponsoring, should we fill out an I864 or I864a for him. We are sponsoring his 9 y/o daughter from Jamaica.

Can you please elaborate on your situation? Who is the intending immigrant? Who is the USC?

Anyone have stepparent questions I went through the whole process twice, even out of order where one of the children went through faster than the spouse and immigrated first, etc.

[JadeLove 0]

NVC just sent the choice of agent form to my e-mail. Did anybody use the email template ? Did it work ? Would be a lot faster than actually mailing it

[dancehallquana 5]

We have an interview date! Yippee! June 6th. OMG. I am excited and scared, I guess because I am not going. Now I have a new question, what do we need to present at the interview for the kids? For my husband, we had to prove relationship. For the kids what do we need to prove? Thanks everyone for your help and good luck for some movement on your case this week.

YAYYYYYY thats wonderful evoria AND it was scheduled for a lil less than 2 mnths.. AWESOME!! It is exciting and scary all at the same time..

its almost over yessss

i havent researched much about the interview yet so im not sure what to bring besides proof of parent/child relationship and support but im sure someone will answer you shortly

CONGRATS

[dancehallquana 5]

CASE COMPLETE Baby!!!!!

YAYYYYY lucylu!!! congrats

interview SOON COME!!!

[evoria 19]

YAYYYYYY thats wonderful evoria AND it was scheduled for a lil less than 2 mnths.. AWESOME!! It is exciting and scary all at the same time..

its almost over yessss

i havent researched much about the interview yet so im not sure what to bring besides proof of parent/child relationship and support but im sure someone will answer you shortly

CONGRATS

Thanks, I sure hope so because I am about to faint over here.

[Eric-Pris 1,602]

Hi all,

My wife is getting ready to send I-130 for her 2 kids still living in her country. They are 15 and 16, and single, so no aging out issues.

She is a USC.

As I understand, we are required to send in an I-130 for each and pay $420.

Is that the only form and the only fee that will be required? I see AOS, IV, I-864 mentioned... do they apply to our situation?

Step 1 send out I-130

Step 2 await decision from USCIS

Step 3 await decision from NVC

Step 4 await contact from embassy in Costa Rica to schedule interview

Is that acurate?

Thanks for any help.

[lucy4 11]

Hi all,

My wife is getting ready to send I-130 for her 2 kids still living in her country. They are 15 and 16, and single, so no aging out issues.

She is a USC.

As I understand, we are required to send in an I-130 for each and pay $420.

Is that the only form and the only fee that will be required? I see AOS, IV, I-864 mentioned... do they apply to our situation?

Step 1 send out I-130

Step 2 await decision from USCIS

Step 3 await decision from NVC

Step 4 await contact from embassy in Costa Rica to schedule interview

Is that acurate?

Thanks for any help.

You will have to fill out more forms, i864 and ds230 and pay the appropriate fees ($88 and $230 respectively) once you get to the NVC stage. Then you move on to Step 4. There may also be fees associated with their medicals if they need immunizations and chest x rays etc. I also believe there is a new visa fee which was implemented this year ($165).

[SerenityNOW 11]

We have an interview date! Yippee! June 6th. OMG. I am excited and scared, I guess because I am not going. Now I have a new question, what do we need to present at the interview for the kids? For my husband, we had to prove relationship. For the kids what do we need to prove? Thanks everyone for your help and good luck for some movement on your case this week.

YAAAAAAAY!! We are collecting photos of my stepson with his dad, through his entire life, to help show relationship. Some other folks have mentioned things like money order receipts, skype chat logs... none of this is necessary; the embassy will just request a DNA test if there is some doubt about paternity - but everyone would love to avoid that if possible! So maybe some evidence helps. Who knows

Heyyyyy ladies!! well i went ahead and called and although step son 1's case is complete (as expected we never got a RFE on him), they still show the corrected I864 for stepson 2 is outstanding..

but its all good..im sure it will be processed next week and im gonna be playing the waiting game along with you all!!!!! Serenity, I also noticed the timeframe is normally about 2 mnths after case complete so maybe we will be early july which would be okay IF we didnt have the possible DNA cloud over our heads and another mnth or two waiting . im thinking good thoughts though, maybe we will slide thru

Great news that one case is complete! Hopefully the other one is quick to follow.

NVC just sent the choice of agent form to my e-mail. Did anybody use the email template ? Did it work ? Would be a lot faster than actually mailing it

We used just the template. Others have attached the scanned, signed form and e-mailed that. Ours took two weeks to be accepted, so I have no idea if that was faster than just mailing the signed form.

Hi all,

My wife is getting ready to send I-130 for her 2 kids still living in her country. They are 15 and 16, and single, so no aging out issues.

She is a USC.

As I understand, we are required to send in an I-130 for each and pay $420.

Is that the only form and the only fee that will be required? I see AOS, IV, I-864 mentioned... do they apply to our situation?

Step 1 send out I-130

Step 2 await decision from USCIS

Step 3 await decision from NVC

Step 4 await contact from embassy in Costa Rica to schedule interview

Is that acurate?

Thanks for any help.

Step 2.5 Do all the work for NVC - wait for case number/invoice ID numbers, pay the fees, mail filled-out forms (DS-3032 or e-mail template, DS-230, I-864W) and supporting documents (originals/certified copies). Your stepkids will file I-864Ws since your wife is a USC.

Step 4 The interview will be scheduled for you by NVC. The embassy will then send information to your stepkids. You guys will schedule the medical exams once you know the interview date.

Fees: $420 x 2 (I-130s), $88 x 1 (AOS fee is good for two people), $230 x 2 (DS-230s) and the $165 x 2 is for green card production - not sure if USC kids have to pay this because they never actually receive a physcial green card since they become citizens as soon as they enter at the POE. The stated reason for that fee is the printing of the green card. Don't know if anyone in this situation has posted back here after the fee was implemented in February... I am budgeting for that fee, but it still doesn't make sense if the only reason for the fee is to print the card and my stepson, as a USC, won't ever have a card.

[lucy4 11]

the $165 x 2 is for green card production - not sure if USC kids have to pay this because they never actually receive a physcial green card since they become citizens as soon as they enter at the POE. The stated reason for that fee is the printing of the green card. Don't know if anyone in this situation has posted back here after the fee was implemented in February... I am budgeting for that fee, but it still doesn't make sense if the only reason for the fee is to print the card and my stepson, as a USC, won't ever have a card.

I too will be skipping this charge if we are allowed, but there was something I saw posted on my embassy website that caught my eye. It mentioned needing to pay the fee before getting a visa, or something to that effect. Let me see if I can find it and copy it here.

Ok so it wasnt before getting the visa, it was before traveling to the US. Here goes.

From Embassy Website:

Immigrant Visa DHS Domestic Processing Fee

Effective February 1, 2013, all individuals issued immigrant visas overseas must pay a $165.00 USCIS Immigrant Fee before traveling to the United States. Only prospective adoptive parents whose child(ren) is/are entering the United States under either the Orphan or Hague Process, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants who were employed by the U.S. government, returning residents, and those issued K visas are exempt from the new fee. For more details on the new fee, including contact information for USCIS, or for any further questions, please visit the USCIS website.

Edited May 1, 2013 by lucy4

[Eric-Pris 1,602]

Thanks for the clarification.

[evoria 19]

AOS is good for two people? I had to pay $88 per case!

[SerenityNOW 11]

AOS is good for two people? I had to pay $88 per case!

OH NO - Sorry, I thought that was a known thing, I have seen it posted several times that the fee was good for more than one when immigrating together. There was a recent discussion about whether it was good for only two, or more than two... someone else said the portal wouldn't let them pay again when they tried to pay for a second one... so I am surprised to hear that you had to pay twice. Lame.

But here is from the DOS website:

Is There a Fee I Will Need to Pay for the Affidavit of Support Forms?

Yes, there is a $88 fee per case for reviewing the Affidavit of Support (Forms I-864, I-864A, I-864W and/or I-864EZ) when the form(s) is(are) filed in the U.S. See Immigrant Services - Other Fees.

Says "per case"... So, sorry, Eric-Pris, maybe you have to pay two AOS fees [even though they are both waivers] ... Hopefully someone who has actually done more than one case at a time will weigh in. I don't have any personal knowledge about the situation. But I am eager to hear more - always updating that IR-2 wiki page

[SerenityNOW 11]

I too will be skipping this charge if we are allowed, but there was something I saw posted on my embassy website that caught my eye. It mentioned needing to pay the fee before getting a visa, or something to that effect. Let me see if I can find it and copy it here.

Ok so it wasnt before getting the visa, it was before traveling to the US. Here goes.

From Embassy Website:

Immigrant Visa DHS Domestic Processing Fee

Effective February 1, 2013, all individuals issued immigrant visas overseas must pay a $165.00 USCIS Immigrant Fee before traveling to the United States. Only prospective adoptive parents whose child(ren) is/are entering the United States under either the Orphan or Hague Process, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants who were employed by the U.S. government, returning residents, and those issued K visas are exempt from the new fee. For more details on the new fee, including contact information for USCIS, or for any further questions, please visit the USCIS website.

This fee is annoying (moreso than all the others ). They should just add it to the IV fee or pay at the embassy or something other than stipulating that it is only for receipt of the plastic card.

Here is what I read, from the USCIS page about the Immigrant Fee, that made me question why US Citizens would need to pay for a Permanent Resident Card:

Failure to Pay

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

Failure to pay does not affect your lawful status. You will have your passport stamped showing your lawful admission and permanent resident status. This stamp is valid for one year but it is strongly advised that you pay the immigrant fee as soon as possible to avoid delays in receiving your Permanent Resident Card.

So we are going to apply for my stepson's US Passport with the stamp in his foreign passport and his father's citizenship info and see what happens. I am expecting to have to pay the $165, but I want to see what they say about it. They need to change the wording of their announcement if it applies to immigrants who don't need a Permanent Resident Card (because they are not ever permanent residents).

I think I have posted it before, but this is useful for a few people here (from a DOS site):

How Does the Child Get a Passport Under the Child Citizenship Act?

You will need the following when the child applies for a passport:

• Proof of the child's relationship to the American citizen parent. For the biological child of the American citizen this will be a certified copy of the foreign birth certificate (and translation if not in English). For an adopted child, it is a certified copy of the final adoption decree (and translation if not in English);
• The child's foreign passport showing the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security (USCIS) I-551 stamp in the passport, or the child's permanent resident card (green card);
• Proof of identity of the American citizen parent(s)
• Passport application, passport photographs and fees. Go to Passport Services for forms and full instructions.

[evoria 19]

OH NO - Sorry, I thought that was a known thing, I have seen it posted several times that the fee was good for more than one when immigrating together. There was a recent discussion about whether it was good for only two, or more than two... someone else said the portal wouldn't let them pay again when they tried to pay for a second one... so I am surprised to hear that you had to pay twice. Lame. But here is from the DOS website: Says "per case"... So, sorry, Eric-Pris, maybe you have to pay two AOS fees [even though they are both waivers] ... Hopefully someone who has actually done more than one case at a time will weigh in. I don't have any personal knowledge about the situation. But I am eager to hear more - always updating that IR-2 wiki page

Yes the two IR-2 cases cost $88 each. I submitted double I 864. They both received separate covers sheets and although I mailed them in the same envelope I packaged them separately. Same with the IV package..