Payment Question

[bluebird74 34]

I've been reading this discussion and I have learned a lot from it. Thank you. However, I do have a question regarding payments. It has come to my attention that payments need to be made by credit card - by submitting a credit card payment form. Debit cards are NOT accepted. My question is: is there any other way to pay the processing fee and a visa? There are a lot of people who don't own a credit card and I'm one of them. I decided years ago, to pay all my credit cards off and not to get another one. What now? Can you maybe use your family member's or friend's credit card for that payment or does it have to be your credit card?

I must say, if there isn't another way, then it seems a bit unfair, since a person is not required to have one.

[lost_at_sea 995]

What now? Can you maybe use your family member's or friend's credit card for that payment or does it have to be your credit card?

It doesn't matter whose card you use, so long as they get their payment.

Edited November 21, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[Ontarkie 13,980]

~~Thread split from the pinned topic ~~

[nobbie 105]

I doubt they care whose card it is, as long at it works.

[bluebird74 34]

It doesn't matter whose card you use, so long as they get their payment.

Ok, that's good news. Thanks. Also, I've read the interview stories and it looks as though you have to make some sort of payment before your interview. Would this too be with credit card or it should be cash? This is done at the Embassy's cashiers.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Ok, that's good news. Thanks. Also, I've read the interview stories and it looks as though you have to make some sort of payment before your interview. Would this too be with credit card or it should be cash? This is done at the Embassy's cashiers.

Credit. Probably depends on the embassy. London is doing pretty much all their payments in advance now.

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

We didn't use a credit card...I believe we got a bank draft from our bank in the uk.

[lost_at_sea 995]

We didn't use a credit card...I believe we got a bank draft from our bank in the uk.

To pay for the visa at the embassy? Useful to know.

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

No, for the original I130 application. For the visa at the embassy, we used our UK debit card...unless they changed the rules in the last month or so.

[lost_at_sea 995]

No, for the original I130 application. For the visa at the embassy, we used our UK debit card...unless they changed the rules in the last month or so.

Ah.. okay. I think I misunderstood the OP (didn't realise they wanted to know about petition payments, which yeah, can be done without a card).

[bluebird74 34]

Ah.. okay. I think I misunderstood the OP (didn't realise they wanted to know about petition payments, which yeah, can be done without a card).

Now, I'm confused. When you initially file your I-130 and send it to the Embassy (DCF), I believe you have to send a filled out Credit Card Payment form. I think this is for the initial filing fee - not even sure how much it is. Then when you get NOA1, you make another payment? On the day of your interview, you have to make another payment. This may be for fingerprinting. I found this in interview experience at the end of September:

"...We got called up to window 1. A VERY nice young British man asked us for all of our paperwork, and though my hands were shaking I knew exactly where everything was when he asked for it. He sent us around the corner to pay at the cashier (who was also amazingly nice) and told us to come back right after that. We handed him the receipt and he told us to take a seat and wait for our interview. It took less than 20 minutes with him to be done with us."

So, could someone, who has gone through the part or the whole process please let us know exactly how it is with payments? I would like to know about the initial filing fee and other ones and how to pay them.

[bluebird74 34]

No, for the original I130 application. For the visa at the embassy, we used our UK debit card...unless they changed the rules in the last month or so.

How could you have paid for the I-130 at the Embassy, since you have to mail this form to them? And as far as I know, you mail this credit card payment form along with your application.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Now, I'm confused. When you initially file your I-130 and send it to the Embassy (DCF), I believe you have to send a filled out Credit Card Payment form.

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/164203/dhs/i130-checklist_for_spouse.pdf

See checklist item "Required fee of $420", you can use the credit card form or include a cashier's check. That's the petition filing fee.

There's a second fee for the visa ($230 IIRC), which I believe London now takes in advance of the interview along with the courier fee (but I did mine before the payment system changed, and paid on the day with a US credit card).

A third payment, after you've got your visa (known as the IV fee) is paid before USA entry, which requires a US card or checking account. http://www.uscis.gov/forms/uscis-immigrant-fee

Edited November 22, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[lost_at_sea 995]

Also, OP - where are you? Poland? Are you living in the UK?

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

How could you have paid for the I-130 at the Embassy, since you have to mail this form to them? And as far as I know, you mail this credit card payment form along with your application.

For the initial application that you mail in, we sent a bank draft in. The payment for the actual visa we paid by debit card at the embassy the day of the interview. And the other payment we paid by my US debit card before we left for the US online.