USCIS Fees for I-600A
Has anyone heard anything about a possible rate increase?
I’ve got a couple of rumors that one may be about to happen.
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Note from RQ: The section below is for comments from ChinaAdoptTalk.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with any particular comment just because I let it stand. Posts are generally only removed if they don't follow the rules of the site. Anyone who fails to comply with the rules of the site may lose his or her posting privilege. 66 Responses to “USCIS Fees for I-600A” |
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:13 am
Oh, what is there to say to this??
September 28th, 2006 at 9:16 am
Have not heard anything but will say it won’t suprise me since we are going to start seeing alot of folks out there having to renew this with the wait getting longer. Unless we get Lily and are home by March 9th we will be renewing with a lid of Nov. 3 :( Ironic how we requested it be extended now it could possibly go up!!
September 28th, 2006 at 9:18 am
Ay caramba, they are going exactly in the opposite direction from giving us APs any relief. If there is a rate increase, let’s hope this is about staffing up to provide better service at least. Arghh.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:23 am
waiting for violet said on the Forum that there are about 36 cosponsers for the extension bill. Maybe one way to get the HR5888 bill brought to the House floor is to ask for more cosponsors. We could have everyone send quick emails to their state representatives, asking them to cosponsor the bill. That brings interest back to the bill and makes sure it doesn’t get stuck in the House Judiciary Committee. Thoughts?
September 28th, 2006 at 9:23 am
I just spoke to someone in the Senator’s office who met with USCIS yesterday. She did not mention a price increase, but I could see that happening if they do implement this new program that will help with not having to renew so that could explain how they will afford to do this. Unfortunately the plan will take 9 months to implement according to her.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:34 am
Here‘s the link to the cosponsors on the bill (currently at 38):
September 28th, 2006 at 9:49 am
Multiple people have been told that the bill is not going anywhere.
Our best bet is to work on lobbying for a renewal process.
Here is our last conversation about that. Someone is working on this behind the scenes, putting the wording into legal-speak.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:51 am
Didn’t the fees just go up last October?
September 28th, 2006 at 9:58 am
Is there any rumor as to how much they are going up? If it is significant we may go ahead and start the process sooner.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:59 am
Didn’t this just go up last fall, 2005? Could they be confusing OLD info?
Last year, 2005, we mailed ours in 2 days before the rate increase (unknown to us) and by the time they opened it 4 days later the rate had increased. It then took them 14 more days to return it to us saying that it had increased and they couldn’t accept it.
In the end we were delayed almost 3 weeks because they took 4 days to open the envelope.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:26 am
Not heard any rumors on the USCIS fees, has anyone heard on a increase from the CCAA?
September 28th, 2006 at 10:29 am
I also recall the fees went up I think late last fall?
September 28th, 2006 at 10:37 am
It’s possible that it went up last fall since it’s been since last JUNE that I submitted :-/ … anyway enough pouting. I am resubmitting next week and told that I would need to make a check for $545 not $525. Hope that helps.
Meg
8-15
September 28th, 2006 at 10:39 am
Fees went up last year and we missed it by 2 months. I can’t imagine them raising them again THIS year?
September 28th, 2006 at 10:56 am
Why of course they will go up…it would only make sense with all the “extra” work involved with reviewing virtually the same paperwork that was submitted 18 mos earlier. And what’s another 50 to a couple of hundred bucks for adopting parents, particularly when you are close to the end of the process and “they” know they’ve got you captured.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:47 am
Re HR 5888: not only is it currently languishing in committee but I believe Congress recesses until after the elections–nothing is going to happen with that piece of legislation or anything like it anytime soon, that’s for sure.
RQ, thanks for the update re the renewal process proposal that was targeted to the USCIS conference in November, I would definitely be interested in seeing the finished proposal. And a big THANKS to the individual working on the wording, too.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:58 am
Havn’t heard anything from our agency about an increase, but they did go up last fall.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:36 pm
I was told by my agency that the fee is $545- I am also in the process of renewing and they just sent out an email to all of us October LID’ers that we need to start the process in October because it is taking so long to get it done- especially in Maryland where I am- my original expires February 20th of 2007-
LID 10/12/05
September 28th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Which fees are we talking about, RQ – those of the agencies or of the USCIS?
September 28th, 2006 at 12:51 pm
Please disregard my ignorant comment; I just now saw the (obvious) header. Duh.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:58 pm
I just submitted my I-600A to get the I-171H form renewed and asked them to expedite since my LID is August 11th and will likely be traveling to China in early December (My 171H expires Dec. 14th!). I got a letter back saying it will take at LEAST 10 weeks once my fingerprints are processed, which means I’m totally wrecked and will be delayed from traveling. Why would it take them 10 weeks to renew this? Does anyone have any advice on how to get this faster? And I’d advise anyone who has an August/September LID to get going on this, so they are not in the same position as I. How typical. I will finally get my referral and then not be able to go! Yikes!
September 28th, 2006 at 1:16 pm
lauriesue-
we went on 9/16 to get our fingerprints redone…it took 4 weeks to get to that point (i sent the money and request on 8/14). I just submitted all our paperwork to our agency and mailed the I-600A to the USCIS office two days ago. we were told that at this point (our I-171H expires 12/6) that we should have our I-171H in plenty of time before we left. our LID’s 8.10 so we’re right there with you.
I’d get with who ever it is at your agency and have them help speed the process along. I’m sure they could do something. I hope that works out…
September 28th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
laurie sue — call your Senator!!
September 28th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
Do you really think he would respond?
September 28th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
do your agencies really help you with all this? My international agency said they can’t help me, because it is a different state, and my home study agency says they don’t place internationally, so there’s nothing they can do. I guess I should have talked to all of you before choosing my agencies.
September 28th, 2006 at 1:55 pm
Lauriesue, I second eli’s advice to call your senator, and your rep, too, and get them on the case. Follow up and be persistent–sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Also, I think your agency should contact the USCIS on your behalf. I am using an out-of-state agency and my China Program Coordinator contacted them at least twice on my behalf.
Good luck, I have got to believe you’ll get your I-171H renewed in time.
September 28th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
Thanks so much for your help. I will try calling my senator. My program coordinator knows how worried I am and suggested I go there in person to try and wrest the renewal from them…So I don’t think she will call. I also imagine each state office is different.
September 28th, 2006 at 2:09 pm
Laurie sue – -your senator/congressman HAS to respond to a request like this, even if the response is NO. remember these folks were elected by us and are public servants –they also want our votes! this is just the kind of stuff they do all day long. it would just take a phone call by one of their staff and you’d have your documents in time.
i barely know who my senator is and i would be on the phone so fast in a situation like this. And i would be very optimisitic that i’d get a resolution. good luck!
September 28th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
I just spoke with someone from our Congressman’s office. She had not gotten any information about an increase and when she checked on the status of HR5888 said that it hadn’t been heard yet. She did say that she had heard from another person on this issue and that after hearing from 2 people it would be something she would do more work on. I was surprised that only 2 people had contacted our Congressman’s office, and I was surprised to hear that they would actually do something when they had only heard from 2 people.
So please…….contact your representative. Ask for an extention, ask for an update, ask for a special renewal “rate”, ask your congressional representative to co-sponser the bill, but most of all, make the effort to email or contact them. If they will do something after hearing from 2 people, imagine what they will do if they hear from 200, or 2000!!!
September 28th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
I feel so naive! I really didn’t think my senator would respond, but I see your point about the fact that he is a public servant–so of course (although I’m not sure everyone just does their job…). I guess it makes sense to do after I get fingerprinted on Saturday, because then they should have everything they need. Again, thanks for the help. I don’t know what I’d do without this site. Why didn’t my agency recommend this?
September 28th, 2006 at 2:25 pm
Lauriesue,
Yes, they will help you. I have heard of tons and tons of people that have had theirs expidited by Senators. Actually, they are usually very quick to respond to things like this.
September 28th, 2006 at 2:54 pm
I contacted my Congressman a while back and got one of those Bla bla bla notes back. It did say that if I needed any help to call the local office… so I did…. well, the ()*&^%%(*^ that I spoke with there, was NO help. ( I asked her about processing times, etc…) I actually posted this “story” about Detroit Immigration on the AUG05 dtc group list today. When I got done, I copied my post that was filled with venom for this Congressman’s office and sent it to them. He’ll never see it, but I felt better. So, why should they act on legislation when they are getting double the fees?
Can you tell this subject is rialing me up!!!
September 28th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Don’t even get me started with that Detroit office. I thought I was done with that office when I FINALLY received my approval back in January. The thought that I am someday going to have to deal with them AGAIN when we renew our paperwork, makes my blood boil!
September 28th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
Our LID is 11/3/05 and our I171H expires in February 07. Our agency said that the 171H has to be good for (4) months after your get referral so, they want us to redo our paperwork. In Georgia, we need to “update” our Home Study, (including medical, financial, and the background check) and have one visit – that update is $450. Then the I600A is $545 and the fingerprints are $70 for each adult.
Our agency asked us to start on this right away.
Each state is different as to the home study update and cost but I’m told the $545 is a current price.
Mary
September 28th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Happy Hour and Luna: I was dealing with the *#!** Detroit office last year at this time. Called my senator, my representative, my agency program coordinator, and called and called until I made a total PIA out of myself… however, I did get my I-171H and had the 2005 LID I was looking for (albeit with an 11/30 LID, squeaked through by the skin of my teeth).
Lauriesue, it may go against your grain, but make lots of noise and get that piece of paper–you can do it!
September 28th, 2006 at 3:27 pm
Gads, just had a Detroit USCIS office flashback. I absolutely dread redoing the paperwork, here’s hoping SOMETHING happens to make this process less painful one way or another.
September 28th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
Go against my grain. Don’t think so! After waiting two years for this referral, there’s no way I’m going to let this renewal hold me up. :) Anyway, don’t feel bad about the prices. My home study update cost $650, and all they did was change our ages and re-sign the homestudy. And it took her a month to do. If she had done this sooner, I wouldn’t be in a position to worry about the 171 coming in on time. That’s not including the $140 for fingerprinting and $545! Uh oh. Now I’m getting a little crazy. It’s amazing how every step in this process is just fraught with such anxiety and difficulty. Now watch next month they’ll decide to do only one day of referrals, and I’ll miss it again! That’s not possible, right? ;)
September 28th, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Lauriesue, about 3 months from now you’ll be home with your daughter. Nope, one day of referrals is not possible. How exciting that YOU ARE NEXT! :o))
September 28th, 2006 at 3:57 pm
Lauriesue,
What state do you live in? I am in a similar situation, as I have not yet updated my I-171h form because we just got our referral. Our form expires on December 20th, and it is cutting it really close to our potential travel time (which is estimated to be late November/early December).
I am really going back and forth…do I update, or don’t I? I DO have to update our HS because we have moved, so should I just go ahead and fork out that extra $545 for the I-171 update while I’m at it? I really don’t know. I don’t know how long NC (Charlotte) takes to do the updates. IF it will take 10 weeks like you were told, then I am screwed too.
This stinks.
Heather
dd Allie Song Mei
lid 08-08-05
dor 09-25-06
dob 12-02-05
September 28th, 2006 at 4:11 pm
Lauriesue
We contacted our congressman to help get our with our I171 and he was great! He assigned someone on his staff to our case and he called the USCIS office for us. It helped a bunch. I would really encourange you to get in contact with yours.
Good luck!!
September 28th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
WFA: congratulations! I can’t believe you got your referral! I live in New Jersey. They will not allow you to come back into this country with your child if it expires. However, the usual time to travel is at most 8 weeks later from your referral, so the latest you will be in China is early December, and you are only there for 10 days. It seems like you should be safe. Has your agency said that there should be any reason for delay? It’s almost $1,000 more , so it would be a drag to renew for nothing. On the other hand, it is cutting it really close. CWS: Thank you! I am SO excited, and I can hardly believe it. In fact, I don’t believe it!
September 28th, 2006 at 4:21 pm
Our Senator’s rep met with Ann Palmer yesterday and passed on to me this morning that USCIS is working on a pilot program to streamline this process for adoptive families. I believe that they have heard us and they do care. USCIS is discusing changes to (in her words) “help ease the burden on adoptive families.” The Senator’s rep said that she expected a lot of resistance and was pleased to find that USCIS is considering using international adoption as a pilot program to move to a better system and have the “burden be on the USICS rather than adoptive parents.” In other words, the fingerprints still “expire” as before, but it is the USCIS’s responsibility to go into the database and update the prints so that parents do not have to come back in again and DO NOT have to pay fees again. When I asked about deadlines for the other forms, she said that again they want to take the burden and be responsible to update that everything is still correct so in her words “dealines won’t matter anymore.”
I am not clear on whether that actually means that we won’t have to pay for renewing but that is what she seemed to be saying.
The bad news is that they expect these changes to take about 9 months to implement so as she said we have helped alot of people behind us, but it does not help us at this point. She reiterated that they have no plan to extend the current deadlines or grant an extension and have not discussed reducing fees (which is what I have hoped for). I asked her to go to the Senator and ask him to push for a reduced fee or something for those of us caught in this now and explained that in about 10 days I will be sending in my check and would love to hear something before then and she agreed to call if she hears anything.
I do think that people are working on it and I do not want backlash from parents complaining that they are just trying to get more money from us. I know it feels that way, but I don’t think they are really thinking that way—I sure hope not. I do think that we need to push for them to do something to help all of us who are caught in the in between period. I am happy for those who are behind us, but we need a break on this one too! Anyway I thought you all might want to hear this update. So call your Senators and keep asking for help on this. They are listening.
September 28th, 2006 at 4:21 pm
My daughter’s immigration paperwork was lost by BCIS, and my congressman’ s office has a direct line to the BCIS problem-solver (dispute resolutions?) area.
I had to re-send some paperwork, but they DID help me resolve our issues.
Can’t hurt. Do contact the local office, not the DC office.
PJ’s and Survivor here I come!
LID 10/26
September 28th, 2006 at 4:27 pm
I’m sorry, I feel stupid, but what is the BCIS?
September 28th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
BCIS is what it was called between being called INS and USCIS.
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
September 28th, 2006 at 4:35 pm
Oh I see. Can’t believe they lost your paperwork. Glad it was resolved! Today I actually managed to find a person to speak to at the CIS through constant calling and transferring and she already made an appointment for my fingerprints so I wouldn’t have to wait. She also said she thinks she could get it processed within 2 weeks after that! So maybe I won’t have to worry.
September 28th, 2006 at 6:01 pm
Got a letter from my US Senator today mentioning the setting up of the Office of Intercountry Adoptions within the Dept. of State. I rolled my eyes at the idea of an additional federal entity and wondered how this would trickle down to be useful to us.
Thank you, Gnanna, for letting us know what you were told. It makes what this office would do much clearer.
Still seems that it would be less hassle to just pass HR 5888.
September 28th, 2006 at 6:44 pm
Lauriesue – Hang in there…
I’ve started the process of updating our HS and I-171 because I just can’t take the stress of waiting and then going crazy later.
I actually called the CIS office in Los Angeles left a long detailed voicemail….thinking I would never here anything back…and believe it or not w/in 3 hours, I received a call. After my HS update which will take several weeks to process…need that for CIS. The CIS/LA Office told me that they would push our renewal through and hopefully have it completed in one week. That remains to be seen, but I do appreciate their responsiveness and the call back very much.
LID 24Aug05
September 28th, 2006 at 7:38 pm
Hey gang – we will need to redo ours too. Ours expire on 2/13. I just talked to our SW today, she said we have plenty of time, and we don’t need to do anything with it. She said she would let us know when to resubmit. I’M VERY CONDFUSED!!!
Does the state make a difference on the length of time? HELP!
LID 10/10/05
September 28th, 2006 at 8:33 pm
Just today I received a letter back from Senator Feinstein (CA) regarding the Dept. of Homeland Security’s procedures for processing foreign-born children.
Here’s some of what she wrote:
“…As you may know, H.R. 5888 would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that an individual may file an orphan petition for at least 2 years after approval of an advanced processing application. Although there is currently no companion bill in the Senate, I will keep your thoughts in mind should a bill come before the Senate.
I think you will be happy to know that, in considering the ‘Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007,’ the Senate agreed to an amendment entitled the ‘Intercountry Adoption Reform Act of 2006′ which would set up an Office of Intercountry Adoptions within the Dept. of State to help streamline the adoption process. Please know that I appreciate the concerns you have raised and as a conferee to this bill, I will keep your comments in mind when a bill comes to conference.” etc.
Anyone get responses back with more about this?
LID 3/16/06
September 28th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Sorry! Just read skye06 above post.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:30 pm
Hi Patience. We have the same Senator and the same letter!
:-D
September 28th, 2006 at 9:36 pm
skye06- Hi! I wondered if we did… I’m not sure I really understand what it all means, but really hope in the end it will help streamline things for adoptive parents.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
I think basically she’s saying that whatever comes before the Senate in the way of support for APs, she’ll vote yes.
I didn’t care too much for the end of the 2nd paragraph, ‘The wait for intercountry adoption can be rather long, and the requirements that adopting parents must fulfill to finalize the process can seem tiresome.’
Am feeling a serious need to address this last part with her, or rather her staff. Gently, of course, so as to educate.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:48 pm
gnanna – thanks for the details. I’m glad to hear that someone is working on this issue (who is your Senator, anyway?) … although after 6 months of contacting our government officials … what exactly do we have? A bill that is going to die in the House Judiciary Committee, and a pile of letters telling us that they’ll do something if it the issue drops in front of them. Most of those letters don’t indicate any real interest in the issue, in fact, most of them seem like an attempt to humor us.
I’m sorry to seem jaded and frustrated, but I am. It started the day after we got our LID, when I did the basic math and figured out that we might have to re-file the I-171H again.
In reading about the problems that people are having with some of the USCIS offices, I’m steamed again! And now it might take another 9 months to get something done? (IF anything really gets done). How does that help any of us over the next 9 months? I think the volume just hasn’t gotten high enough yet. And I don’t think our representatives really understand how bad it is to deal with some of these INS offices.
Sorry for the venting – this issue just fires me up every time I hear about it.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:59 pm
skye06: Thanks for your thoughts. I didn’t care for the end of 2nd paragraph either… sounded rather condescending.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
Speaking as someone who is in the process of updating that **&@* I-171h, I feel completely abandoned by my congressman and senators! Our I-171h is probably going to expire just DAYS prior to our needing it to be current. I’m writing checks for updated homestudies and to the US Govt which will add up to significantly over $1000. You can bet I’ll never see any sort of refund–or allowance made simply because we’re in that first batch of folks who have expiring paperwork.
I’m irritated beyond belief. I’m tired of hearing how this protects our child’s interests. Our situation has not changed ONE IOTA since the original paperwork was filed. It’s just 18 months later and so my guess is we’ll change a few dates and get on with it. My child’s interests are not going to be any more protected with a new piece of paper from BCIS than they were 18 months ago.
I think this whole thing STINKS. There ought to be an easier and LESS expensive and less time consuming way to satisfy the US Government. As it is, I just spent a chunk of change that could have gone into a college fund…or toward music lessons….or toward swim lessons–on a blasted piece of paper. WHAT a waste of time, energy, money and resources.
There….that’s my vent for the evening. Where’s the merlot?
Liz in CO
September 28th, 2006 at 11:42 pm
I’m with you Liz — PEEE EEEWWWW!
September 28th, 2006 at 11:46 pm
Ladies, we might as well get out our checkbooks.
If H.R. 5888 dies in committee, and the issue of expiring I171Hs is going to be buried in the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, we can forget about any meaningful relief anytime soon. Immigration reform is just too wrapped up with homeland security issues, as well as being a hot issue with Latino voters in a midterm election year, not to be debated for a loooong time.
Carol in AZ
September 29th, 2006 at 12:40 am
Hi there, I got an email that our fees will increase and our rep here is is washington. I was hoping to find out about an extention. I am a dreamer!
September 29th, 2006 at 1:03 am
katydid– our Senator is Jim DeMint and his office has been wonderful. He has a local person on adoption issues and a DC person. They always return my calls and sent me the transcripts from the hearings a few months back. He is very supportive of adoptive parents.
I am just disappointed that it looks like all of our work won’t help all of us caught in this unexpected slowdown. The fees on top of fees just get out of hand! And tonight I got a speeding ticket to take some more of my money. Sometimes you just gotta laugh!
September 29th, 2006 at 3:11 am
SarahJane, what fees are you talking about that are going up?
September 29th, 2006 at 3:45 am
Oh, hello. Just re-read the title of this thread.
Nevermind. I’m okay. Really.
September 29th, 2006 at 7:36 am
hi… need to know the horrors of the Detroit office. 171H expires 12-15 — was holding onto strings that we’d be included this last batch. We are moving in 3 weeks (building a home – don’t recomment it in this situation but it has really helped to have something else to keep me consumed! )…. We redid our homestudy this week and SW will come out in 4 weeks to do another homestudy to carry to China (yes, 2 homestudies within a month) … anyway she was trying to convince me to wait until we moved to redo the 171H – her clients have been flying through the Detroit office. I didn’t want to take the chance. What was the holdup / issue for y’all? I’d certainly like to avoid those issues….. I’m resubmitting next week.
Wow – georgiabrown — had never heard that it needed to be valid for 4 months after — has anyone else? What a great money making opp for the gvmt. We all need to re-do.
LID8/15 expecting to be in the next batch.
September 29th, 2006 at 8:03 am
Your I-171H needs to be valid the day of your consulate appt. It can expire the next day, but I doubt your agency will let you cut it that close.
Also, many agencies seem to be telling people with LID’s a ways out to not get started yet. I think this is because the agency thinks it may be a long while before those people travel and they want to give the USCIS a chance to come up with a solution before the family gets started again.
September 29th, 2006 at 1:10 pm
Maybe the best the way to decide on whether or not to file for a renewal of your 171H is to assume that it will take 3 months once you send in the I-600A. So, for instance, if your 171H expires December 14th, you should plan on filing for renewal no later than September 14th. Of course, mine expires on Dec. 14th, and I filed last week.