Why does it cost so much to become a legal resident? We paid almost $1,000 at the beginning of our marriage to file for U.S. Residency (as if any newly married couple can afford that spare chunk of change). We took the day off work to drive to The Department of Homeland Security on three different occasions, twice for his biometrics (a fancy word for fingerprinting and eye scans), and again for our marriage validation interview. The interview itself is a whole different entry. Within a month, we finally got his Permanent Residence Card, which replaced his temporary one. We also had to get his temporary SS Card, which prints in bold that it is only eligible for work authorization, and replaced that with a permanent one when we received the permanent alien card. Oh, we also paid for his State Driver's License twice. Once when he received his temporary alien card and again when he received the permanent card. The original DL had a three-month time frame on it, the same as his temporary alien card...
...Are you still following me here?...
...Now the Permanent Resident Card isn't really permanent. It expires after two years. So now we had to reapply for his residency with an I-751 form, which was much like when we originally filed for residency. Let me explain what information is put into these packets. The point is to verify that we are marred for legitimate, loving reasons and not for his papers. So we had to include things like our marriage license, birth certificates of children born into the marriage, photos of us together at different events. Affidavits from friends/family/neighbors confirming that they have seen us together and verifying that we are living together as a married couple along with their relation to us/DOB/place of birth/full name. They could be summoned to testify under oath about what they write. We also included joint bank statements, loans, house deed, and bills, things that show our names together in contracts. Um what else...I don't remember it all now, but it took about six weeks for me to gather all of it together, fill out the form, and write a nice $550 check. Oh, and it needed to be mailed certified with a requested signature so we had proof that it was received...
...All this trouble because I decide to marry a foreigner...
...Now it's 2 1/2 years into our marriage and we have to defend it again to the government. I understand, really I do. It has to be difficult because it is a serious petition that we are requesting. But it is still stressful and annoying and expensive. Not only do we have the fees, but we also have all the little things to prepare before submitting the applications, which can become costly. In our original petition, it cost $15 each for required passport photos of Sandro. They requested 2 or 3 to be sent with the application. There was a fee for paperwork that cleared his criminal background check-if he commits a crime before becoming a U.S. citizen, all this becomes null and void and he get deported back to Peru. Good thing he likes to abide by the law, right?! Anyway, now that we have re-filed and received the confirmation that "the package has been delivered", plus the check has now cleared through our bank, I guess we just sit around and wait for their letter and start this whole charade over again. Of course if we didn't provide enough evidence this time, The Department of Homeland Security will schedule an interview in our home. I wish they would just do this anyway. It would definitely save a lot of hassle.
5 comments:
I got lost halfway through paragraph one...
How frustrating!
I am tired now...exhausting, frustrating and expensive. WoW
We just got a letter of receipt where they extended his residency one more year. We are awaiting the next letter because if this means we have to pay it all over again next year, we're moving! Viva Perú?
Wow. I had no idea you have to go through all that to become a U.S. citizen!
I started getting cross-eyed halfway through, trying to understand all that.
Tell me about it Elizabeth. I am going through the exact same process and I am sick of it. My husband and I have paid a lot of money as well, because USCIS sent my son's green card (two years ago), 20 days in advance than mine. Now, he cannot be in my I-751petition to remove conditions, and we had to send two different applications of course with the fees for two (not only for biometrics, but for the application itself).
What is worse, is that we did not get a biometrics notice for him, only for me, so after thousand of calls talking to people that knows nothing, we were told children under 14 do not require biometrics appointment..... but they made us pay for those individually for my kid, so.... do they owe us money or what? Anyway, we were suggested to take him with us to Charleston, to ask for them to be taken, the same day. So we did it, but there was this jerk at the Charleston office who was very rude, who said he was not in the system. Nice, eh!? The only thing he did, was to ask Vermont to respond to our inquiry. W called again to the National Serv. Center and afterwards got a letter confirming this. And guess what. Today we got the notice, scheduling him for biometrics at Charleston.
It is very discouraging and frustrating. I mean, my husband is a wonderful man and he is worth it....but I hate the system.
The Lord be with you in all this process, Elizabeth.
Amegan
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