Posted on 06/10/2007 8:13:22 AM PDT by savedbygrace
Here's a question for legal immigrants to the U. S.: How much does it cost in fees and such to become a citizen of the U. S.?
I ask because the sleeping immigration bill charges illegal immigrants a total of $5,000, and Bush calls that a penalty that means it isn't an amnesty.
So, for those who play by the rules, is the cost less than $5,000? How much?
Thanks.
Under the bill, an illegal alien must pay a $200 fine to apply for a Z visa which never expires; the $800 balance of the fine on installment; and an additional $4,000 fine if and only if they apply for a green card.
You must be accurate because a favorite slight of hand for George Bush is “Path to citizenship” when it really is lawful legal residence that is every illegal alien’s dream.
EVEN UNLAWFUL RESIDENCE here is highly desirable and tolerable by illegal aliens. It’s a damn sight better than rotting in the 3rd world.
Legal USA residence is worth at least $100,000 if you want to give it a market value
Hat’s off! Your basic question is very good. Because yeah, I do want to know what it costs (for lawyers etc)people who play by the rules, who legally immigrate here to get legal US residence compared to the bargain Z Visa&Green card rates proposed for the illegal aliens who have forced their way in here
Thanks TOL
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
I becams a naturalized American citizen in Portland, OR 1975, so the fees and costs were less then...
I was in the US military so I was eligible to become a citizen after three years from the date I entered the US...
I had to pay whatever the fees were then, pay for transportation and a stay overnight in a hotel twice to Portland in order to be at my apointments by 8-9 AM and also pay for the transportation and hotel costs for a witness not related to me..
The witness appeared before an immigration official in Dec 1974, one month before the naturalization ceremony, and swore in writing and personally that he had known me for the required number of YEARS that I was a moral and fit person to become an American citizen etc. (The background of the witness was checked also and he agreed to participate) I had to have TWO witnesses and my husband was the other (again the background check)..
At the first trip to Portland, I was examined for my knowledge etc on US history, and government, and my proffiency in the English language, (I had be able to speak, understand, read and write English) etc etc etc
The second trip was for the actual Naturaliztion ceremony which was one of the most important events of my life...and the most important to me as an American citizen..
It’s not just about the costs...
I believe Tripleplay was right when he said...
“it’s my understanding the “Z” visa gives them all the rights of an American except the the right to vote”
Which means the Z-Visa is a GREEN CARD..
BOTH allow a non-citizen to travel in and out of the country...When I had a Green Card I cound leave the US for up to one year, longer and I would have had to reapply to get back in...My Green Card status was scrutinized when I returned from a short trip to Western Europe...I dont think there is any limit on a Z-Visa.....
BOTH allow a non-citizen to work in the US at any job and join the military....except with a Green Card I could not work for the Govt (Post Office, Congress other Govt offices) I dont think Z-Visas disallow working in the Govt like Green Cards do...
BOTH give non-citizens ALL the rights and freedoms. privileges and protections that American citizens enjoy except voting privileges ...
Some BIG fat ol’ glaring differences...
A Green Card was issued to non-citizens (REAL immigrants) when they had been in the US for 90 days...The Z-Card is presented to the undeserving illegal aliens within ONE day...
A Green Card is issued to RA (Registered Aliens AKA REAL immigrants) who have applied for entry in the US, paid ALL fees (no time/installment -payments) passed background checks paid for by the applicant, health screenings by doctors working for the US Govt, paid for by the applicant(blood tests, xrays, medical histories, etc) any and all required shots, paid for by the applicant, etc etc, and who have been accepted for immigration, and then entered the US when the US said to and not before...
A Z-Visa would be issued to any and all IA (illegal aliens) who decided to sneak into the US without permission..and without all the usual immigration requirements
A Green Card is not a step to citizenship but a path in that an inmmigrant who is qualified for a Green card is also qualified for citizenship...that’s why a Green card is so important...only something substantial would stop the automatic path to citizenship...
A Green card holder (RA) must go through all the checks and pay all the fees before they enter the US and enjoy living in the US...A Z-Visa holder (IA) enjoys living in the US without all thechecks and fees...
A Green Card holder respects US laws and waits in line until he receives permission to enter...A Z-Visa holder (IA) could care less about US laws and just criminally enters and then demands the laws be changed to accomodate him...and is give a pass and a Z-Visa...
etc etc etc ...
This fiasco has nothing to do with immigration and everything to do with what???????
REAL immigrants dont need or use lawyers to become citizens....
Immigration lawyers only work with illegal aliens...
“the lawyers will also add to the price”
Noooooooooooo Not for the illegal aliens...
The American citizen tax-payers were to pay for the lawyers...it was a provision of the AMNESTY Bill...
Have you found any references in the bill to what might happen to someone who pays the $200 but then defaults on the balance?
“My legal immigrant isn’t interested in becoming a citizen, and that’s fine by me - we can piggy-back off each other’s citizenship for visas in either country should we decide to live in “his or hers.”
But we both do it legally.”
This is the greater danger; a country divided, no loyalties for support; I suppose you raid the supermarket dumpster by night while working the register by day as well, right?
The bill means they quit looking; after all, they all look alike, right?
Good post, Nana. Lots of great info. Thanks.
My wife came here from Canada on a K-1 Fiancée Visa. In order to obtain this Visa we invested well over $1000 in fees and expenses. She had to have a medical exam by a doctor certified by the INS (only 20 of them in all of Canada) She had to be fingerprinted by the RCMP and obtain a statement from them that she was not a criminal. We had to travel over 500 miles, one way to the U.S. Consulate in Vancouver for an interview. They only did interviews for K-1 Visas once a week, and then only three on that day.
The paperwork we submitted was over ¼ inch thick!
The U.S. was so cheap that when they called her to confirm her appointment the called her “collect.”
Now that she is in the U.S. legally we face the following expenses:
Fee for Legal Permanent Resident Status $1010
Fee for Fingerprints by FBI 80
Application for Citizenship 595
Medical Exam by Certified U.S. Doctor 250
Blood Tests 100
Needed X Rays 125
Work Visa 340
Advanced Parole (Permit to return to Canada
While applications are pending so she can see
Her family)(No exception for Births, Deaths,
Etc.) 305
Travel to INS offices, etc. 500
TOTAL $3305
Before she was issued the K-1 Visa, I had to certify that I would be responsible for all of her expenses for the next 5 years. (No welfare, food stamps, etc.) As a part of the Applications now pending, again I have to certify that I will be responsible for her expenses for 5 years, starting upon the grant of the applications.
Until she is granted the Work Visa she cannot work. If she does work and is caught, she will be deported with no hope of ever being allowed into the U.S. for any reason, in the future.
She was made to understand that if she got into any trouble with the law, even after she gets her Permanent Resident Status, she can be immediately deported back to Canada.
She has been in the U.S. 5 years already and cannot go back to Canada. She has had one son married during this time, and grandkids growing up that she cannot see, with one more grandkid due soon.
We cannot afford all of the fees as I am retired and on a small pension. We are slowly saving our money to complete the process.
Sorry for the mess in the list of expenses. I could not get it to come out right.
That isn't so. If an American marries say a Russian woman and wants to bring her here legally. He will usually need a lawyer to help him. The legal immigration bureaucracy can be a bear to deal with!
Thanks much. Immigrating here legally cab be very tortuous and expensive. They have you jumping through hoops. Your wife to be is an ideal immigrant, being an educated English speaker
Incidentally, she is so well versed and knowledgeable of U.S. History, she constantly tells me things that I did not know and I went to school when U.S. History was a part of every year of both Grade School and Hight School!
It’s very very obvious your wife immigrated here for America’s freedoms and guiding principles. Not for monetary reasons
Freepmail me.
not an illegal but if you have been here for 10 years and apply for the roling amnesty (stay of deportation program) it is about 10,000 dollars in attorney fees.
I know this is late, but welcome. Thank you for following the rules. Eleven years is a long time.
I’m curious. After all your wife has gone through, (the fees, not being able to see her son’s wedding, etc.,) how does she feel about illegals coming and going across the border, making demands, and possibly getting amnesty, not to mention all the sympathy they get in the media for their “plight”? If I were her, I think I’d be even more livid than I am, if that’s possible.
I will have to make sure she never gets to meet Larry Craig, our Senator that is in the pocket of Big AG. She will rip him up one side and down the other using English words that he probably never before heard, using historical facts concerning the U.S. that he never knew. It would not be pretty.
Several times she has been offered jobs, under the table, but did not accept them, knowing the consequences.
She has been hard to live with the past week or so. I know better than to mention immigration.
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