Multi-Year EAD/AP Combo Card

Boys and girls, it’s the math time. (Dear viewers, I assume you are an immigrant so the little math here would be just a piece of cupcake.)

Want you know how much left in my bank account after years of immigration struggle? If you care, you may remember that our name check has been pending for 3 years. We (my wife and I) applied the I-140/485/EAD/AP in 2005. In 2005, the cost for EAD and AP application together is $350 ($180 and $170 respectively) for each person. So besides attorney fees, the cost of applying EAD and AP was $700. The attorney fees were $250 for each form, which adds up to $1,000. In 2005, we spent $1,700 on EAD/AP alone.

In 2006, we figured there was no way we would have to wait another year, so we got lazy and still let the attorney handled the process, another $1,700. We assumed we would be broke, but at least we would have Green Card.

In 2007, after two years in the Name Check mud hole, we realized that we’d better be smart with our money, otherwise we’d be broke AND without Green Card. We tried DIY successfully, and it ONLY cost $700.

Not long after I enjoyed the self-acclaimed Immigration Handyman came the USCIS fee increase, which pretty much single-handedly triggered the famous July Filing Fiasco. Now we are facing the new fee schedule: $340 for EAD and $305 for AP. This year’s cost would be a meager $645 each person and $1,290 for two person.

A three-year waiting only costs us $1700 + $1700 + $700 + $1290 = $5390.

The old I-140 application fee was $195; the old I-485 fee was $395/person and $790 for two; the attorney fee minus the EAD/AP forms was $4,000.

The total cost so far was $5390 + $195 + $790 + $4000 = $10375.

Now you know part of the reasons I need a second mortgage?

Less attorney fees, the total amount submitted to USCIS directly is $3,675.
You would assume after you spent over $3,500, you would get something better than depression.

Mid-December 2007, Mr. Michael Aytes, one of the USCIS high officials, sent out a teaser notion that USCIS is “looking into” issuing an EAD card that covers multiple years and also functions as an AP document. Good news indeed, but read closely and carefully, you would notice that the multi-year card seems only intended to the folks who were hit by the retrogression. Waiting in the visa retrogression is horrible, and these folks definitely deserve any break they can get. As for Name Check waiters, you are potential terrorists so please keep paying USCIS thousands $ on yearly basis until someone can pick up your file. Thank you very much.