Livin in US 14 years, no green card. Stepdad citizen ....

1Dt88 said:
$1010 for the I-485 is unbelievable. There has to be someway to avoid the fee, isn't there?
I hope the I-485 counts for both me and my mother and we don't have to file it separately for the both of us, like with the I-130.
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Each of you will have to apply separately. There is no way to avoid the fee. In theory you can ask them for a fee waiver by saying that you are too poor to pay and submitting detailed information about your finances. But that is not going to be in your interest to try that because (a) the fee waiver will be almost certainly denied; and (b) it will cause them to question your ability to support yourself which could lead to a denial of the I-485 (the law requires you to prove that you will not be a burden to society before you can get your green card).

The only way for you to go is to submit the I-485 and pay the fee.

On the citizenship question, it looks like you will not be able to derive citizenship. Although INA 101(c) is ambiguous, the DHS and the DOJ have staked out a "conservative" interpretation. Unless you want to spend time and money to challenge that, you will have to wait for five years.
 
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Don't spend the money and wait for USCIS to find you are out of status and deport you back to your country of origin :( That's what it is. Immigration fees have always been on the high side. There was a large increase a couple of years ago. I don't know where you come from, but chances are you don't want to go back to your country of origin, and in the long run staying in the US will probably mean a better overall life for you, so the choice is simple.
 
1Dt88 said:
$2,730 for both of us just for a green card... that's ridiculous
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You live here for a decade and a half ILLEGALLY, you're given the opportunity to adjust without penalty as an Immediate Relative without waiting for a priority date, and then you complain about the fees.

Nerve and ungratefulness doesn't even begin to describe you, boy. You should be grateful you have such an opportunity at all.
 
1Dt88 said:
$1,010 + $355 for me
$1,010 + $355 for my mother

$2,730 for both of us just for a green card... that's ridiculous
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I am amazed by your comments. If you do not want your green card (nobody is forcing you to apply for one, you understand?) then move over and let other more grateful folks apply.

Millions of people in the United States right at this moment are happy to pay this fee (or even a much higher fee) for their green cards but unfortunately do not qualify due to draconian provisions of the law. Likewise, millions of people outside this country are also happy to pay for a chance to live in this land as legal residents.

Do you understand that you have been living here in blatant violation of our laws? Stop complaining about your " urgent need of a social security number as I am now 17 and I can't apply for financial aid for college, or a work permit, or anything." Pray that ICE will not find and deport you.

As further info for you, once you are 21 you lose your status as immediate relative of your U.S. citizen parent. At that time it will be too late to apply.
 
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Growing up here does that to you I guess!:(:)
Unless you know the lengths people wen't through to get their greencard and/or citizenship-well you are 17 and at that age I guess I thought all adults were dumb too.

It is a small fee to pay and you probably never dealt with the "wrong" side of CBP. Get it-I have a greencard and will take my oath in a few days and will be a citizen and I was harrassed close to the southern border -inside the US for not carrying my greencard. It is not something to make light of.
 
thankful said:
I am amazed by your comments. If you do not want your green card (nobody is forcing you to apply for one, you understand?) then move over and let other more grateful folks apply.

Millions of people in the United States right at this moment are happy to pay this fee (or even a much higher fee) for their green cards but unfortunately do not qualify due to draconian provisions of the law. Likewise, millions of people outside this country are also happy to pay for a chance to live in this land as legal residents.

Do you understand that you have been living here in blatant violation of our laws? Stop complaining about your " urgent need of a social security number as I am now 17 and I can't apply for financial aid for college, or a work permit, or anything." Pray that ICE will not find and deport you.

As further info for you, once you are 21 you lose your status as immediate relative of your U.S. citizen parent. At that time it will be too late to apply.
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Triple Citizen said:
Not everyone breaks the law by overstaying for 15 years either.
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The OP knows nothing of his country of origin, he has been brought up as an American and now, at 17 he discovers he's in the country illegally. Sure, he's an alien, he's deportable, he is breaking the law but cut him some slack.

He's 17, at 17 you think about parties and (maybe) school. He exhibited more maturity than his mother who married a citizen a couple of years ago and never adjusted their status. He is just discovering how complicated (and expensive!) the immigration law is. He does not understand yet how big of a chance he was given, to adjust his status and obtain a permanent resident card and ultimately a citizenship.

To 1Dt88: yes, you are breaking the law but you have been given a chance to stop doing it while you're still here in the country. Sure, USCIS makes you pay through the nose but would you like to pay a full college tuition or, worse, get deported to your country of origin? Treat these $3,000 as an investment in your future. Borrow it if necessary but do not waste this chance.
 
OP get it. The thing is, if you wiat your opportunity slips away. I got my greencard through my job. Those days it took 1 yr -start of labour to the seal in my passport-the card about two months later. Nowadays for some it is taking 5-7 yrs.

You probably think of yourself as an American-in the eyes of the law you are not and can be deported. They just did that to some kid in Washington state -he came over at 1yr and was a very well known athlete or some such and CBP did a raid, detained and deported him-after having lived here almost his whole life-it does not make a difference-the law is the law.

To me when the Border patrol hassled me is when I decided to apply for citizenship . Get your greencard-once that window shuts, it is over and you won't realize until later how valuable it is. If you have been here since three , you won't even have any idea of your home country. Go to the immigration center and get the ball rolling-who knows when the rules will change. Not everyone gets this opportunity..

Now if your brother is younger than 16, then he could be included as a citizen if your step-dad adopts him???
 
If you read this thread from start to finish, all forum members advised the OP what needs to be done. The tone was helpful and sympathetic. Only when the OP started coping an attitude, did forum members adopt a sterner tone of comment.

eltoro said:
he is breaking the law but cut him some slack.
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Triple Citizen said:
Only when the OP started coping an attitude, did forum members adopt a sterner tone of comment.
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I don't read the OP's behavior as an attitude, more like a denial over what needs to be shelled out. He's got flak for stating that filing fees are ridiculous. I fully agree with the OP that $1,010 filing fee for I-485 is ridiculous. That however doesn't change the fact it needs to be paid (and quick) and the alternative is much worse.
 
TheRealCanadian said:
What do you believe the true cost of processing an I-485 is?
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I was not talking about the "true cost." I was talking about how much they can charge and still have so many people applying.

That said, in response to your question, I think the true cost is around $300 to $400. That is just a guess.
 
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