Another $30 for USCIS?

So, this is the response I received regarding my search for my grandfather Carmelo Orlando. No, I am not going to try to convince them to do the search free of charge. I have worked with too many government agencies at this point to know that it would drag out the process even more...

Response from USCIS:

We conducted the searches based on the search criteria that you entered when you submitted your requests via the USCIS Genealogy Program website.

On December 24, 2008, you submitted an online search request for information relating to Antonio Orlando aka Anthony Orlando. On December 24, 2008, you also submitted an online search request for information relating to Antoinette Piccione aka Angeline Orlando.

Our records do not reflect that we are in receipt of a search request from you for information relating to Camelo/Carmen Orlando. If you want a request to submit Form G-1041 / Index Search request, please visit the Index Search page for more information. You can also review download and/or submit Form G-1041 / Index Search Request. Before submitting a search request, please be sure to visit our website: www.uscis.gov/genealogy to review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page and the Historical Records Series page, which summarizes the records that are available through the program.

To begin a search request, you must provide the subject/immigrant’s name (including any other names or aliases), date of birth (actual or approx), and country of birth. We also ask for information about when the subject/immigrant arrived (actual or approximate) in the United States and when or where he/she naturalized (again, actual or suggestions). In cases where more than one name combination is provided for the same subject/immigrant, we run multiple searches. There are no additional fees as long as the name combinations that are provided to conduct the search are for the same subject/immigrant.


My Response:

Well, if I need to submit another request, I will. However, I have a hard time believing that I typed in Antonio or Anthony into the online form since we have no one in the family with that name. I was completely alert and aware of what I was typing into the form at that moment. I entered, CARMELO/CARMEN ORLANDO because that was my grandfather's name. There are no relatives in our family with the name Antonio so that name could not have possibly been in my head as I filled in the form.

In fact, you make reference below to the search you conducted for my grandmother, Antoinette Orlando/Piccione. I did not type in Angeline as a possible alias. I entered Angeline as a daughter of hers in the section that asked for additional information that might help the search process.

Is it possible that your online request system is not working properly? I have a very hard time believing that I typed Antonio.

I will follow up with you as soon as I have completed the form to make sure that the proper names have been received on your end.