Paying USCIS Immigrant Fee Online before going to USA?

[blue.rock]

We got the visa in hand, and it came with a note saying we must pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee Online BEFORE we go to USA. We went online, did a lengthy registration process, and paid the fee. It shows up now as Case Status: Draft, Submitted, accepted, but hasn't been "optimized, nor closed" yet.

 

Also it says Status Details: Your application/petition has been submitted and is pending review.

For Case Summary it says: Status: case received

Payment: Submitted.

 

is this enough?

Can we go ahead and buy her ticket to come to USA now? she wants to come ASAP (like in 2 days) But we wanna make sure we have done everything correctly and it seems their information on whether we have completed this step is not clear.

 

The note says "You must pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Using ELIS after you receive your immigrant visa package from the Department of State and before you travel to the United States"

 

In other reports I heard you could pay the fee after going to USA but I guess maybe that's different now.

[Randy W]

The fee is basically a green card production fee, and should make no difference as far as her entry to the U.S. Her visa is all that is needed at the P.O.E. Her stamped and processed visa will serve as proof that she is a Legal Permanent Resident until such time as the card arrives.

 

Absolute worst case that I can imagine is that you would need to schedule an InfoPass appointment to talk with an Immigrations Officer, if it still hasn't shown up as 'Paid' by the time she arrives in the U.S.

[Randy W]

The USCIS web site still has the old-fashioned, pay-when-you-will wording

USCIS Immigrant Fee

 

USCIS uses this fee to process and maintain your immigrant visa packet and to produce and deliver your Permanent Resident Card (commonly known as a Green Card).

 

Once you receive your immigrant visa packet from a U.S. embassy or consulate, we strongly encourage you to pay the fee before you depart for the United States.

 

You must pay the fee online, using USCIS ELIS, the USCIS Electronic Immigration System. We will send your Green Card to you after you pay the fee.

 

You can pay the fee after you immigrate. However, paying before you leave for the United States will help ensure that you receive your Green Card without delay and have been admitted to the U.S.

 

[blue.rock]

Ok here is the exact text from ours FYI, I am typing it up so everyone can see it. I Also here are the images:
http://i58.tinypic.com/14b81fo.jpg
http://i60.tinypic.com/2501hj7.jpg


U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
USCIS IMMIGRANT FEE

Your "A-Number" and "DOS Case ID" are printed on the immigrant data summary on top of your issues visa packet.

As a recipient of an immigrant visa from the U.S. Department of State, you are required to pay $165 USD to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The USCIS IMMIGRANT Fee covers the costs USCIS incurs to process, file and maintain the immigrant visa package as well as produce and issue documents, including the Permanent Residence Card (commonly referred to as the Green Card).

You must pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee online using the USCIS Electronic Immigration System (USCIS ELIS) AFTER you receive your immigrant visa package from the Department of State and BEFORE you depart for the United States. You will not receive your Green Card until you have paid the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

You may pay for yourself and for members of your family who will live with you in the United States. If you pay for other family members you must have their Alien Registration Number (A-Number) and Department of State (DOS) Case ID available.

FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO PAY THE USCIS IMMIGRANT FEE ONLINE:
1.
Go to www.uscis.gov/uscis-elis
Log on to USCIS Elis and select "Create New Account"
Fill in the applicable fields completely and accurately.

2. Select Benefit Type
Select USCIS Immigrant Fee from the drop down menu on "Step by step online application " page
Enter your name date of birth and country of birth exactly as it appears on the immigrant visa in your passport.
Enter your "A-number" and "DOS Case ID"

3. If you are paying for additional family members please fprovide A-number and DOS Case ID as well as their name date of birth and country of birth as it appears on the immigrant visa in their passport.

4. Enter payment information and authorize payment.

YOU MUST PAY BEFORE YOU TRAVEO TO THE UNITED STATES.
YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR GREEN CARD UNTIL YOU HAVE PIAD THE USCIS IMMIGRANT FEE.

For more information visit us on twitter, youtube, facebook or our blog.

[dnoblett]

More:

• http://www.uscis.gov/forms/forms-and-fees/tips-paying-your-immigrant-fee
• http://www.uscis.gov/uscis-elis/immigrant-fee-payment-tips-finding-your-number-and-dos-case-id
• http://www.uscis.gov/uscis-elis/e-filing-using-uscis-elis

[blue.rock]

Seems like they are telling us a different message than what is on their website. Our message is you MUST pay before you go to USA. On the website it says it's encouraged.

[Randy W]

Yes - definitely contradictory, but the message seems to be to pay before you depart. But green card production won't begin until AFTER she is processed at he POE, anyway.

[Ryan H]

FWIW, I've seen many posts on VJ of people having no issues paying the fee after they arrive in the US.

[Dan777]

I paid online like you did. The problem was I did not print out the receipt or misplaced it. When they asked me for a number of the reciept I did not have it. Everything was fine in the end but I hope you copied what ever number they gave you for the reciept in case they ask for it. My problem was I moved just as she was leaving meaning the address was different from when she applied for the visa and the green card needed to be sent to the new address.