***Update*** "As Good As It Gets" & "Frozen Stupid"

*****Update*****

***Looks like we get the checkbook out again***

After the saga described below, we received notification from USCIS that our fee waiver was denied. Apparently, anyone applying initially for their I-600A are granted a fee waiver -if- the paperwork begins on or after July 30, 2007 - so those already in the process are subject to the renewal fee for both the orphan petition and re-fingerprinting. This is lousy - way too many fees.

In a document issued August 6, 2007, USCIS announced 1 free extension of both the Orphan Petition and fingerprinting requirements ....... see the following ......

http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/PAPChanges080607.pdf

So, Ive been putting off the renewal of these documents as the waiting time for referral turns into a new brand of Chinese torture - there is no need to re-do them just yet, and I'll have the $800+ in renewal fees a little further on down the line. I pull up the above info on the internet yesterday, and rejoice in the fee waivers. I put together all the docs, drive by my agency for a copy of the updated home study (nice to have my agency 7 miles from my home) and with completed docs in hand, I drive them to the USCIS office (12 miles away in heavy traffic - heat index - 103 degrees - please, God, don't let my a/c break down) as my current documents will expire Monday, August 13.

I get to the USCIS office and "Char" (complete with ball-bearing tongue piercing) tells me "Oh, those documents need to be mailed in." I stood there momentarily frozen stupid.

"Char. You must appreciate how silly this sounds to me. So, I cannot give you the same documents today, that the post person will deliver tomorrow?"

"Those documents need to be mailed in."

"Char. When the mail person arrives tomorrow with my documents, will YOU be signing for them?"

"Yes."

At this point, I thought I should just shut my cake hole and leave because Char could really screw up the process. After complimenting myself on having the presence of mind not to blow up, I went out into the 103 degree heat and started to see those planaria & paramecium looking creatures in my eyes and thought my head was going to explode off my pencil neck. For 21 years, I worked a freak show at an airline ticket counter and NEVER heard anything so extraordinary. How friggin' absurd!@#! I dared not drive, I was so incensed! As I waited for the air conditioning to cool things down a little, I punched the headliner of the cab, said "Argh!" repeatedly and thought my head would do complete revolutions.

Composure regained, I ventured out onto the road to the main post office - 1 friggin' mile up the same street! I filled out the express mail label and the receipt for registered mail and brought the goodies up to the postal worker. When he saw the address, he says "Don't tell me.... You brought these documents to the USCIS to deliver them personally and the girl told you that they have to be mailed in, right?"

"Right"

"Don't worry. We'll run them up the road in the morning. That'll be $18, please."

"Argh!"

........and so.......we merrily skip down the pathway to adoption......