USCIS ELIS Fee $165 - Confused about when to pay

[AnnaMaria 68]

Hello, my wife will be immigrating to the US on Saturday this week on a CR-1 Visa. We have everything prepared and finished except the $165 USCIS ELIS fee which we are kind of confused on because on the welcome packet the embassy gave us, it says it MUST be paid before we arrive in the states, but everywhere else it says it can be paid AFTER we enter, and that it is just required to receive her physical green card.

The fee isn't a problem as much as the fact we have no way to pay it here since we don't have one of the payment methods available, and my mother who is our Joint Sponsor had handled all of the NVC/USCIS fees back home for us. However, on the ELIS fee it isn't as easy as entering your email and password and submitting a payment, you get a code every time you log in and it says to not let ANYONE have access to the website other than the immigrant. That is fine, as we can pay it as soon as we get home in the U.S., but will this be a problem at our PoE?

This is a direct quote from the USCIS ELIS page under "Immigrant Visa Fee"

"We strongly encourage you to pay this fee after you receive your immigrant visa packet from the U.S. embassy or consulate abroad (including Canada and Mexico) and before you depart for the United States. Paying before you depart for the United States will ensure that you receive your Green Card without delay. However, you can also pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee after you immigrate to the United States. We will send your Green Card to you after you pay the fee. "

So, are we ok to pay the fee a day or two after we arrive in the US or will this cause issues at the PoE?

Thank you!

[danrb 5]

My wife just paid hers and she's been here 3 weeks. They gave here a note when she arrived saying to pay it to get her green card. Not a big deal to pay it here.

[Ian H. 207]

Hi,

You will not have any issues at POE. They recommend that you pay the fee before entering the US, so they only encourage, not require.

The thing is that some people wait months after POE to pay the fee, or don't pay the fee at all, and then wonder where their green card is. And yes some people are like that lol. You can pay the fee after POE, whenever you can.

The visa and entry stamp serve as a temporary GC for one year from POE date. Two cousins of mine paid the fee before POE and their GC's still took like 2 or 3 months to arrive, so I don't really see the advantage.

[geezeel 0]

Hi guys! We did paid mine when I landed here in US last August 2014. and I haven't got my GC yet... Can you guys please update if you got already GC? As I am worried about mine.. *sigh*

[Ian H. 207]

It can take 3 months to receive the GC. Sometimes it can take a little longer when you pay the fee after POE. When in August did you enter? If it's been 3 months already then you want to contact USCIS to find out. Have you checked the case status?

Hi guys! We did paid mine when I landed here in US last August 2014. and I haven't got my GC yet... Can you guys please update if you got already GC? As I am worried about mine.. *sigh*

Edited November 14, 2014 by Ian H.

[kirkbride 0]

I paid mine bfore i leave Philippines,i arrive here Nov 5 and until now i didnt get any of them but my friend arrive here Sept.25 and she said after a week she got her social security card and she said that there is another instruction that she need to pay for the green card.im confused also for what she said because all i think the $165 is for the green card already.is there anyone got the green card already?or did u pay again aside from the $165?

[NikLR 13,220]

~~moved to general immigration discussion from IR1/CR1 process and procedures with other such topics~~

I paid mine bfore i leave Philippines,i arrive here Nov 5 and until now i didnt get any of them but my friend arrive here Sept.25 and she said after a week she got her social security card and she said that there is another instruction that she need to pay for the green card.im confused also for what she said because all i think the $165 is for the green card already.is there anyone got the green card already?or did u pay again aside from the $165?

Most people have to go to the SSA office to get their SSN. It takes 1-3 months to get the hard copy green card normally. Keep an eye on your ELIS account.

[kirkbride 0]

We went to the SSA to apply for my SSN but they said i don't need to go there to apply for my SSN coz it will send to my address.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

~~moved to general immigration discussion from IR1/CR1 process and procedures with other such topics~~

Most people have to go to the SSA office to get their SSN. It takes 1-3 months to get the hard copy green card normally. Keep an eye on your ELIS account.

You shouldn't need to do this if you already selected the option on the DS-260 to receive one automatically.

[NikLR 13,220]

You shouldn't need to do this if you already selected the option on the DS-260 to receive one automatically.

what I am saying is about 80% or more of people who select this option do not receive one automatically.

We went to the SSA to apply for my SSN but they said i don't need to go there to apply for my SSN coz it will send to my address.

then you're lucky and one was sent to you! YAY!

[Ketsuban 1,034]

what I am saying is about 80% or more of people who select this option do not receive one automatically.

Aww crud, I didn't know that. Guess we'd better stop off at the SSA when I arrive cheers

[kirkbride 0]

I got my ssn card yesterday in our mail box no other instruction that i got so i will just wait for my GC

[NikLR 13,220]

Aww crud, I didn't know that. Guess we'd better stop off at the SSA when I arrive cheers

Give it about 2 weeks after you enter. It takes that long sometimes for the IV package to make it back to the USCIS and the CBP to tell the SSA you've entered.