USCIS Announcement
The USCIS website is stating they are going to allow “one free extension of your I-600A by filing a new I-600A without fee before the first expires.”
I guess that softens the fact that fees go up as of July 30th.
You can download a PDF showing everything here.
I’m guessing I won’t get a refund from them for my second I-171H, but this is great news for everyone about to have to renew.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Yes, great news for those still waiting. Not such great news for those of us who recently paid it!
May 29th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
I just called to see how long the extension was, and was given an email address to my local office. The 800 USCIS person who responded didn’t have the details. The site doesn’t give specifically whether it is good for another 18 months or not, so I thought I would find out. I will be sending the email shortly, and let you know what I find out. If anyone already has done this, or gotten a verbal reply from USCIS, please let us know!!
May 29th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Wow. Great news for many of us. I feel a bit stunned as I am not used to the good news.
I am sorry that many of you had to pay for the updated. A little to late for many, but is nice to see a response from the USCIS.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
of course, i just redid ours b4 it expired b/c the fees were going up. oh well, that’s good news for everyone who’s waiting.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
AHHHHHHH, I JUST mailed my money out on Friday!!!!!
May 29th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Thanks RQ! That is someone what a light for those of us who still have a ways to go. It shows that this goes into effect July 30th. I wonder how that works when your fingerprints expire prior to July 30th, but your homestudy does not?
May 29th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
I meant “somewhat” not “someone” - sorry
May 29th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Hi Everyone -
I just saw that and was about to PM the Queen! I think it’s great that the CIS is going to allow a free extension. I’m assuming this new policy will go into effect on July 30 with the fee increases. I just got my fingerprint appointment letter today, so this new policy won’t do me any good!
May 29th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
Great for those who are waiting. I wish we would have known, but that is awesome.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
I, too, JUST paid for my redo.
It would have been nice if they gave us some warning!
I could certainly have waited a few more months to send that darned check…
May 29th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Well, hmmm….since we just got our approval for the 2nd time this past Friday I guess we’re out! Sure could’ve used that 2 months ago! haha. Good news for those about to have to renew though!!
May 29th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Wow! Do you think our efforts with our congressmen and women had an effect? I had a lot of family and friends help write them.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
BEST NEWS I’VE RECEIVED IN A WHOLE YEAR!!!!! WHAAAA-HOOOOO!
ChinaMama2007 speculated it would go into effect July 30 with the increases….?
RQ, any specifics on when it goes into effect? If it isn’t until July 30, I wonder how many of us will push it until the last second and make a backlog?
Those not renewed yet, I am starting a Conga line. Grab on the back.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
I guess I better get my eldest daughter’s certificate of citizenship. I’m still mad that I have to pay for something that should have been mine anyway!
May 29th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
This is a bit of a “good” wrench. Wonder how the agencies will respond–will I get an e-mail or will I have to call…..Anyone know when we can expect to find information on timing? when to apply in advance of an expiring I171?
May 29th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Wow, this has brightened my day! Thanks for posting this news. Ckhunter - we are in the same position, with our fingerprints expiring before 7/30, and our I-600A after. I’m not sure what it means for us.
May 29th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Well that is odd. My agency which had been telling us not to let anything expire….had sent us an email and told us to wait on renewing the 171……….We are an Apr 06 lid and expire early Sept………we were going to get started in June and they told us…No wait until July.
That is wierd…..maybe they knew????
May 29th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Hi RQ–the link gets you a fee schedule. Is that all there is so far?
May 29th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
The fee schedule notes this news on it, that they will allow one refile with no charge.
May 29th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
I just got off the phone with an officer from our local USCIS. I renewed TODAY and started a thread in the forum. Kathy P (Moderator) replied with the link about the 1 free extension. I immediately contacted USCIS to see if I could get a refund.
Here is the offical word from our local USCIS:
The new fees and the one extension allowed for those who have an I-600A but have not filed an I-600 (form in the brown envelope) can receive one “free” extension if they file a new I-600A prior to their current one expiring but not before 7/30/07. How’s that for a little confusion.
Since mine expires on 7/13/07 - I am SOL.
At least I only paid $545 + $140 (2 sets of prints) and not $670 + $160 or $80 each for fingerprints…I have to look for the silver lining anywhere I can these days.
Jo-Anne
2/28/06
May 29th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Sorry if I was redundant - I figured I would post what I had just been told.
:)
May 29th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
ibelieve - love that screen name, just used that phrase with a friend of mine that wondered if they would extend it again should we have to do this a 3rd time!
fjm - There is also a press release on the http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis site
May 29th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
ibelieve~
My post should help - as far as fingerprints their only scheduled to go up $10.00 to $80 (for each set). If your I-600A expires after 7/30/07 - than you would need to reapply (with no fee) before it expires after 7/30/07.
Leave it our gov’t to make it simple ;)
May 29th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
mom222b - I think what we’re both trying to ask is, will we have to pay the fingerprint fee? In our case, our fingerprints expire 7/11/07 but our I-600A doesn’t expire until November. I understand we would be exempt from the fee for the I-600A approval, but not understanding if we are exempt from the fingerprint fee.
Regardless, paying the $140 is not that big of a deal.
Thanks!
May 29th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Oops - sorry about that since we did our fingerprints in December it didn’t come up. It would make sense but I read any mention of it.
You’re right about the $140.00 - I would rather have paid that. At any rate - good for you and for all who can take advantage of the extension :)
Jo-Anne
May 29th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
where’s that edit button I didn’t read anything about the fingerprints being waived.
May 29th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
mom222b - lol, i figured that was what you meant. I was very happy with the news, although I’m sure it does hurt for those who have already paid the fee. I’m not typically one to get down over this extended wait but have been a little concerned over finances today, especially daycare costs so it was certainly something I needed today.
May 29th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Interesting how not many agencies knew this was happening. I just spoke to mine (who knows EVERYTHING!) and a few friends with other agencies. Not one of them had known this was going into effect. I guess thats why they put the word out 2 months early.
May 29th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Yes, I’d be very happy with paying $140 instead of $830! I just emailed my SW, to get her take on things.
ck - These days I just have to keep saying “I Believe” so that I don’t go crazy! lol
May 29th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
alexei27~
The agencies might not know yet. It hasn’t been made official. I only say this because the officer at our local USCIS - which is very efficient - had no idea until I told her via Kathy P. on the forum.
What would we do with out RQ? :)
May 29th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Why are they giving the “1 free extension” now? Are they expecting us to need 2 extensions?
May 29th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Are you sure it hasn’t been made official? It’s on the uscis website’s home page.
May 29th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
I just called our local USCIS officer to ask how this news will affect us-our I-171H expires next week and I was hours from putting a check in the mail when I saw this post. My plan was to let it expire but try to get a new app in before the fee increase took effect (until today I thought it might increase June 1.) I got really excited when I saw the news thinking we’d get a free extension but I think we’re SOL, too. The officer didn’t even know about the changes and says that as of today, they are not set up to ‘extend’ the I-600a’s. I’m waiting for him to consult ‘the powers that be’ and get back to me. ***Ok, just got a call back. I didn’t get a definitive answer, though. He is still waiting to hear from his superiors about what to do about those of us who got ‘teased.’ The way it is worded, though, the free extension doesn’t become effective until July 30th, at which time we will have already expired so most likely, yep…SOL. I’m going to throw an application in the mail today with no fees just for kicks and see where it gets me.
May 29th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
I called my agency.
Ours expires August 3. Our SW said to have everything in the Fedex envelope on July 31 and get it out super high priority in August 1.
May 29th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
ckhunter~
I was just assuming it wasn’t official maybe the correct thing to say that it hasn’t been officially announced yet. At least according to the officer I spoke with. I read a few posts that referenced an upcoming announcement.
What’s with July 30th - why not June 1 or July 1st? I am filing this along with the other questions to which I will never be given an answer.
meilismom~ I was close too - ours expires 7/13/07 - I renewed today at least I didn’t have to pay the higher fee. I am sooo getting tired of taking the high road ;)
May 29th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I just rechecked my math and ours expires on July 6, not June 6. It makes no difference in the grand scheme of things but for some reason makes it hurt a little worse…
May 29th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
It is on the USCIS page, not sure how it can get more official than that.
May 29th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
I just redid mine a week and a half ago.
May 29th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Well, when the officers at USCIS don’t have any idea what is going on is what I was referring to - sorry if this was not expressed appropriately.
I’m going to bed :)
May 29th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
I’M SOOOOOO CONFUSED!!!! I’m going to bed too! Maybe it will all make sense in the morning. I am thankful that I haven’t mailed my check yet. Was waiting till the 31st of this month. That’s just awful that no one was warned of this, and people have to spend MORE money needlessly.
Definitely time for bed, definitely. Goodnight all
May 29th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
mom222b - that is weird that the local offices are not aware of this. Makes you wonder how it does indeed get passed on to them.
May 29th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
When it’s time to apply for the extension…do we still have to send in all the OTHER stuff too…like updated medical, HS and police record…or can we just apply for the extension?????
May 30th, 2007 at 8:11 am
I looked at the new rates and it appears to me that everything takes effect after July 30th 2007. Does that mean that the free extension is only for those that originally file after the new rates go into effect?
May 30th, 2007 at 9:10 am
myates~
I am not sure what you mean by “originally file”. Your current I-171H needs to be valid past 7/30/07. It cannot expire before or you will not receive the extension. So you would need to re-apply for the I-171H after 7/30/07 and before your I-171H expires in order to receive the extension.
I missed by 18 days…but I am not bitter ;)
Jo-Anne
2/28/06