Urgent DCF question about $230 fee payment

[m1chu]

I have another urgent DCF question about paying the $230 fee to process the DS-260. From what I understand, there is an I-130 filing fee of $420 (which we already paid), and then another $230 to process the DS-260, and then finally a fee of $165 after you get your visa and before you enter the US.

 

My husband just had his interview and passed (yay!), but didn't see a place on the 3rd floor of the Guangzhou Consulate to pay the fee. I previously emailed the Guangzhou Consulate, and they emailed back saying that the fee could only be paid on the day of the interview at the Consulate. However, he said that he asked several people who worked there, and they all said that he either didn't have to pay the fee, or he could pay the fee at a CITIC bank. Others who also passed the interview said that the fee wasn't necessary because he already passed. However, I read a story on Candle For Love about a couple who didn't have to pay, then went back to Yunnan and found out they had to come back to pay the fee. We're in Guangzhou for a few more days so I'd like to take care of this before we leave if we need to. Please help! Specifically people who have interviewed there recently and paid the fee at the Consulate.

[Randy W]

I have another urgent DCF question about paying the $230 fee to process the DS-260. From what I understand, there is an I-130 filing fee of $420 (which we already paid), and then another $230 to process the DS-260, and then finally a fee of $165 after you get your visa and before you enter the US.

 

My husband just had his interview and passed (yay!), but didn't see a place on the 3rd floor of the Guangzhou Consulate to pay the fee. I previously emailed the Guangzhou Consulate, and they emailed back saying that the fee could only be paid on the day of the interview at the Consulate. However, he said that he asked several people who worked there, and they all said that he either didn't have to pay the fee, or he could pay the fee at a CITIC bank. Others who also passed the interview said that the fee wasn't necessary because he already passed. However, I read a story on Candle For Love about a couple who didn't have to pay, then went back to Yunnan and found out they had to come back to pay the fee. We're in Guangzhou for a few more days so I'd like to take care of this before we leave if we need to. Please help! Specifically people who have interviewed there recently and paid the fee at the Consulate.

 

This is about the $230 fee, right?? The $165 fee is paid later, up to, and possibly after, he enters the U.S.

 

If so, that is REALLY, REALLY ugly - yes people are getting their visas held up for NOT paying this fee. You WILL NOT get the visa until it IS paid.

 

The first thing to do would be to hunt around on the ustraveldocs.com web site for any information about this payment that you can find. But I believe that all they tell you there is that it MUST be paid the day of the interview. If you can print out a CITIC Bank cover sheet for the payment which includes your GUZ case number, that might be the thing to do. Then turn this in to the CITIC Bank.

 

The only other thing would be to return to the Consulate American Citizen Services with your American passport and try (again) to pay the fee. If you're NOT there, your husband might try to gain admission by himself - he may need an appointment to do this. If he's not allowed in, he will need to talk to an American supervisor until he IS allowed in.

 

Good luck. That's a real can of worms they've got you in.