Good news...our first application that was sent to the USCIS office in Lewsville, TX back in February is not lost! Not lost at all, as a matter of fact, it's sitting on our kitchen counter!! *deep exhaling breath*
The USCIS website explains that the filing fee for the I-600A is $670 and each person must pay an $80 biometrics fee (fancy word for fingerprint fee) EXCEPT for people residing abroad. It goes on to say that a person residing abroad can go to a US Consulate, US Embassy, or US Military Installation and have their fingerprints taken on official fingerprint cards and submit those with the application.
In January we had Randy's fingerprints done at the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi. We paid $85 US Dollars and the Embassy stamped the fingerprint cards with the official Embassy seal and then sealed them inside a manila envelope, sealed the outside and stamped the seal with the official Embassy stamp. I attached that envelope to our I-600A packet ALONG WITH the receipt that shows we paid $85 US Dollars at the Embassy for the fingerprints and our money order for $750 ($670 filing fee + $80 for my biometric fee).
Today I get everything returned to me, including the sealed fingerprint envelope (which has been opened, cut apart, and the fingerprint cards are now folded in half rendering them useless) AND the fingerprint receipt showing we paid the fee along with our entire I-600A packet and $750 money order with a hand written note on a yellow Post-It sticker saying, "The fee is $830 for two adults" and an official piece of paper from the USCIS saying our application has been rejected.
You have GOT to be kidding me!! I honestly don't know what to say, I am shocked by the level of incompetence at the USCIS Lewisville office.
BUT...after having the San Antonio office tell me three weeks ago that they never received our application and they consider our paperwork lost and we should refile, I sent a 2nd I-600A application in two weeks ago to the Lewisville, TX office. Randy had to return to the US Embassy and pay ANOTHER $85 US Dollars for more fingerprints and I sent ANOTHER $750 money order in the packet. I confirmed earlier this week that the second money order cleared the bank within three days of the Lewisville office receiving our second application. Apparently someone who knows the rules processed this application.
Now we have to wait for a receipt stating they received our application letting me know when my biometric appointment is so I can get my fingerprints completed.
I can only shake my head and wonder when we are going to catch a break with this paperwork. Forget rain dances, we need to do an I-600A dance! Want to join me?
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8 comments:
oh my we had the same problem with them. They sent back our application with a note saying that our application fee was incorrect. It stated that it should be $830, which was stapled to our $830 check!!! The incomptence of our government. We are also waiting for our fingerprint appts!
It seems like when dealing with the government, expect incompetence!!!! I hope you get your receipt soon and can keep moving in this process. I am excited to hear about Artem's little brother....or sister?
I'm so sorry that happened to you guys. Stuff like that makes me crazy.
GGGGGRRRRRR!!!!!! Don't get me started. Our I171H expires in June and it's looking like we (maybe? horribly?) might not be done by then. I'm trying to figure out how to request our possibly free extension (which I'm having trouble figuring out) while NOT relinquishing our original because if we do get a call in May we're going to go get those girls and I won't hand over that original to be waiting on our extension! So...I guess I'm trying to say I empathize!!!!
Doing the I-600 A and fingerprint dance with you! Hang in there. I know the paper chase can be so very frustrating :) Prayers for a quick biometric appt and a fast I-600A return.
Oh my word! Talk about incompetence! I can't believe it came on a post it note! Unbelievable!
I am getting heart palpitations reading this! Why do they make it so darn hard! Ours expires June and we already used up our free extension so we had to re-do everything. Our fingerprints don't expire till Sept., so I asked them if we still had to go for fingerprinting (for about the 4th time), but we most-likley do. I don't get it!
Anyhow, hang in there!!
This story raises so many questions.
Did they screw it up way back when they received it, then hide it, then finally decide to return it to you weeks later?
Did they lose it in their office for weeks, and then botch the processing when they finally found it?
Why was it never logged into their system as being received?
Is there no official form or template or heck, even stationery, for notifying parents of fee errors (when they are real, that is) in their submitted paperwork? What's up with using post-it notes?
Oh, the questions!
Sounds like this is another difficult (paper) pregnancy for you, but you know it's all worth it in the end!
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