I have a friend that works for the Department of Home Land Security. I have been trying and trying to make contact with him for the last three months. I finally got through. This is what was said to me about what is going on. This is a fact i would not say anything else in less i knew for sure. This news is some what relief but frustrating. I'm writing a letter now to my congress to put the pressure on the USCIS. The problem is I need more people to step up too?


USCIS was holding a gun at the head of Congress to get the fee hikes approved. Either pass the fee hikes or we'll sit on our duffs! So Congress approved the fee hike (under serious protest). The first attempt by USCIS failed.

In preparation for this, USCIS published document called "Transformation." This was a clever ploy to be able to pass out excuses for delays. And implementing, whatever they are doing, had caused the delays, not to mention, building their bureaucracy and power!

There are 5 regional service centers (or were). In the last six or so months, they've passed on the K and Relative visa case load from 4 of the service centers to California. Imagine the added work load and training that had to be done by the California Center. They've been running 6 months or so in just approving the petitions.

In shuffling the cases from Texas, Nebraska, then Missouri and eventually Vermont, to California, has caused longer and longer delays and even in simply getting to a case to cash the checks and send out receipts!!

Just recently, they assigned Vermont to take some of the backlog off California's back. More transition delays in cashing checks and sending out receipts! I have yet to see any improvement in processing time.

If you'll look at the USCIS reports, you'll notice they are ignoring the I-129F stats on the K3 visa. You'll also notice the I-130 reports indicate nothing since they include 2nd., and 3rd., preference cases filed by Permanent Residents (not U.S. Citizens). In other words, they are hiding their information!

These shuffled and reshuffled cases are eventually making it to an adjudicator's desk as we see. But it's scary meanwhile since no one is talking. But keep in mind, they are in fact, under the gun, and eventually they have to get to each case. They are in effect, shooting themselves in the foot while justifying a greater empire. The public is slooowly waking up and screaming! That's one thing the killed the Amnesty Bill.

Thanks for the helpful info!
It does sheds some light on our lately being painful process, and unfortunately shows no hope for improving it in the near future... People, more letters , more voices, Please!!!

I read somewhere that another reason was due to staff being temporarily assigned to passport applications. There has been a huge backlog of passport applications this summer and DHS needed extra workers to help clear up the backlog, which was accomplished just a couple weeks ago. I am only assuming that there may be some overlap in that regard because the report said they used staff from other DHS agencies.

If there is any reason to be optomistic that processing times should revert to the mean, it is twofold: The passport backlog crisis is over and the fee hike has been in effect for almost 2 months now... Congress expects USCIS to hold up their end of the bargain when they got the fee hikes they asked for. It takes a while to get new staff up to speed but they should be getting going by about now, also the traditional vacation period is summer so more staff should be logging hours this fall. We'll see.

Useful post. Thanks

I sure hopes this happens sooner rather than later because in the interim, we and our loves are the ones that suffer.

Surprise, surprise.....more games and more lies.
We simply CAN NOT sit by idle and let this continue!!!!

More good news for us (being sarcastic)--> http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/Li...aFS_19Sep07.pdf
If I'm reading this correctly, yet again, VSC has been designated as the dumping site for more applications that will take priority over our K-1's and K-3's. If I'm wrong (and I hope I am) somebody please tell me.

Really, the more I think about it, the more I just want to leave this country to be with my SO until this is all over. Everyday that passes is one more day that has been STOLEN from us!!!!...and at this point, I am more than angry.

The way I see it, there are two choices:
1.) Let the anger eat at you until you explode -or-
2.) Harness that anger and turn it into positive action to force some change

Yes, you misread this, it clearly states on the top of page 2 there is no application or registration required. This decision will have no bearing on the K1 application process.

Oh Boy! I just hope they get things moving right away! I miss my sweetie desperately!

Thanks NYBird, but did you see this small section?

"Persons who did not request an EAD under TPS who now wish to receive one, or who wish to apply for a replacement of a lost, stolen, or mutilated EAD, must file Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization). Follow the instructions to the form carefully. However, please submit that form, and all supporting documentation, to the Vermont Service Center, 75 Lower Welden Street, St. Albans, Vermont 05479-0001."

This is what caught my attention, so while it may not be many, there are some who will be sending their documents into VSC. They already have enough to do.

What do you think?

Even if they are applying for EAD, I would assume that those applications don't have to adjudicated the way visa petitions do, right?

I don't know for sure, but they just seem to be in slightly different worlds to me.

Link to the "transformation" document (I think this should be it) Appears to be technology and operational changes mostly. Looks good on paper as an idea. Though its void of anything looking like an implementation timeline or metrics to judge effectiveness . Its the kind of thing you see in the world of no accountability. A lofty idea .. but in the real world, if this was handed to a board of directors of nearly any company they would doubt the competence of its management team. An idea without implementation metrics or the ability to determine success or failure is immature and a recipe for throwing money away and going out of business ...

wow, that document is pretty interesting... thank you for the link

If there are asylees in this country who were victims of political oppression in their homeland, and the US government wants to make some exception to process their cases prior to family based cases, that is admirable in my opinion.

Being separated from your boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse a few weeks longer in order to save removal of persons who might possibly be sent back home to tyrannical governments should not be a reason for outrage.




I thought I saw reference to a 20% betterment in processing times by 2009. What document are you reading?

And hey, maybe they will go out of business.

What will you do then?

heartily agree with the first comment, about asylum seekers and those in danger; I'll willingly wait months more if that's the reason

the second thing - well, I guess it's the famous sarcasm, so maybe not meant to be taken literally, but as I read doug & angel's post, the 'going out of business' comment referred to similar proposals in the world of commerce... I thought his comment was quite measured, actually, and doesn't need to be responded to snidely, but each to their own
haven't read the document in detail yet - though I did scan it - and haven't reached the 20% figure yet, so I'm interested to know it's there; thank you

The sarcastic point is this - what would we all do if there was no immigration allowed? The powers that be don't HAVE to let foreign born citizens in, you know. Indeed, there is probably a dark enough political tide in this country towards such a school of thought.

Much of what I post is intended to give the posters and readers pause to think. There is loads of grumbling about service and wait times. My husband and I grumbled and worried our way through a 17-month greencard filing, so I personally have experienced the delays of the system. But the fact remains - this IS the system. It does function, albeit slowly, and gets the job done.

I worry more about the law and political mindset in this nation towards immigrants than I do the system that is trying to process them. Each of you petitioning to bring a foreign-born person to this nation would be well served to think long and hard about your loved ones life once they get here. Amnesty has affected the perception of immigrants in this country and your loved one may experience reactions from less-than-thoughtful members of our society.

Immigration is more than getting a visa - it's an ongoing paper shuffling process, true - but it's far more than that. You are bringing someone to a new land. The adjustments from that and its ramifications will last your entire life. If you are so impatient that you find the visa process tiresome, I suggest you don't have the patience to be married to someone who will themselves need your support and encouragement in making a life-changing transition.

though i agree with your entire post, with all due respect, your 17 month wait to your green card was not while you were separated from your husband with you in the UK. your timeline processing was very fast to unite you two. We are just grumbling to receive the same treatment. let the process slow down once my fiance is here with me and we are married. i can wait 3 years on her green card no problem. waiting 140 days for a NOA2 is insane when previously people were approved under a month as you were. And i am sure if you had met with the delays we are getting during the first stage of processing you would have grumbled just as loudly as the rest of us, being separated from your husband indefinately.

that is what you fail to understand. I am fully prepared to help my future wife adjust to life in a new culture and country, but in order to do that, she needs to be able to come here.


Chris

So having ones partner here suddenly makes ALL other immigration related issues melt away?

Hmm okay...!

I don't think that this is possible as USCIS is Department of Homeland Security and only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue or verify United States passports

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

I think each situation has its own difficulties; at the moment it's hard because we can't make plans or set dates, and so many things are on hold (including when I give my notice to my two jobs, both of which are being being very understanding ); later on it will be great to be together, but difficult because I won't be able to work; after that there'll be new difficulties, some of which I can foresee, others I can't... rebeccajo is right to make us think, and they're valid things to be thinking about, but it IS different to be facing difficulties on your own - and in fact compounding the hardship with added (admittedly minor) niggles like not being able to talk because of timezones, or whatever - and to be facing them with your partner by your side

all of which means I guess I agree with points that both have raised

and I know full well what it's like to move countries, probably more than most - I resigned a good job, let a lovely flat, sold a car, and left 32 years' worth of friends and family to come to live in London, with no job and nowhere to stay... that's turned out brilliantly, and I'm going to be sorry to go, but I am WELL aware of some of the pitfalls and frustrations that lie ahead; I think about them all the time

yes, many don't, and they should - but I wonder how best to go about that

Of course!

Maybe we should tell that to Laura whose husband is on his 3rd EAD...or the people who didn't think they'd get stuck in name check and can't work...or John and Annie who were stuck at CSC forever pending name check...
or Caladan or all the other people who've been waiting months for the AOS NOA.
Or all the people who find out their spouse is an overstay/shouldn't have been working and make themselves sick to their stomachs with worry no matter how many times they read "unauthorized work/overstay forgiven through marriage to a USC".

Or anyone and everyone who has to open up all the wounds again with lifting of conditions...the people who submit more than enough proof and yet get RFE'd for more...



Excuse me while I gag.

Well put Chris! I completely agree with you! waiting a month for processing then having your SO with you is not a problem! waiting many months is when you start to feel the pain! Its something one would never understand until you go through it!!!! But there are always "those" peeople who think they know how it feels but actually have no idea!!!

Hmm, no and i didint say that, but it sure makes it easier to suffer them. you dont agree?

i didnt know being with your future spouse wasnt of paramount importantance to you for your processing. Glad i want to be with my fiance, thank you. Have you gotten any gigs from your band photo on here?

Chris

oh sheesh, enough with the "since you didn't wait for your K-1 as long as me, you can't say anything" rhetoric already!

Of course! Because 'those' people didn't actually go through a visa process/LDR themselves.

No, but it does make the whole ordeal more bearable. Particularly for those of us who only get to see our partners a few times a year or less. Having a loved one by your side and having a loved one "by your side" are two very different situations.

"If there are asylees in this country who were victims of political oppression in their homeland, and the US government wants to make some exception to process their cases prior to family based cases, that is admirable in my opinion.

Being separated from your boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse a few weeks longer in order to save removal of persons who might possibly be sent back home to tyrannical governments should not be a reason for outrage".

I have to agree with RebeccaJo on this one.

It is not easy to have to wait through the USCIS process. I for one was not happy with the process, however, I do believe that those in NEED should have some priority.

It is not different to being TRIAGED at the ER. Heart Attacks should and do go before ear aches.

If we were being set aside for back ups do to their own accord that is different.

There is a reason why they are Asylees and if we can help then we should. If the way we help is letting them be a step ahead then it is all good.

We may have to wait a bit longer (not easy I for one know this), but at least we are safe and our loved ones are safe.

It is very easy for those who were processed or united with their SO in under 2 months to defend USCIS....i don't think it is understod how hard and stressfull it is to wait so long and on top of it, to be kept in the dark without a single clue as to when you might be getting an NOA2....Something is seriously wrong with this!!

I personally cannot say for sure yet. Our AOS is in its infancy (relatively). But the examples meow mix gave above are just a few indicators that there are still issues and complexities once the couple is together.

My fiance (now hubby) and I were apart for quite a while too, thank you, as were many others here. I don't recall saying that you should want to be apart from your fiancee. *shrug*

I was trying to understand how you could have come to that conclusion. A brief read through of the AOS forum should be at least some indication that immigration issues don't 'fall off' after the foreign fiance/spouse arrives on US soil. Sorry if I assumed you had at least read a thread or two there. I was simply pointing out that being together doesn't 100% of the time equate to immigration roses and clovers.

But I'll go away now and let you all fight over who is suffering more in this process.

I think the often used phrase 'Sheesh, VJ' is somehow very apt.

oh ok cool. currently there are a few thousand Iraqi asylees in Syria looking to get a visa to come to the usa. I figure its only a year to process them then sure, we wont mind them getting to our petitions. And i think that most of the cuban petitions put to the front are given an interview in switzerland, not cuba. I dont mind waiting for asylees, but i do mind waiting on ineffiecnt government crap. cutting the service centers down to 2 when they already had a backlog before the fee increase was the worst decision. They are a business just like any other and i can complain all i want if i so choose to. they are responsible for their decisions to their paying customers. And thats what we are, even on their own website. Customers...


Chris

I was separated from my fiance for 5 months, is my opinion worthy enough for VJ? My interview took 151 days from filing - hope that's good enough!

A year ago we had crazy IMBRA delays.

This year fees went up & there was a mass influx of apps to beat the date. OF COURSE THERE WILL BE SLOW DOWNS. You'll get thru it, ike the thousands before you, no matter if it's 2 months or 10.

The worst part is that they RAISED the prices so damn much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For what...to close down centers and slow down the process!!!!



I have been separated for over 4 months without even receiving my NOA2!!! so 5 months doesnot even seem realistic, for me or for the many others with the same predicament!!

Byron I am not exactly sure that this is fair to state as this is not really about defending USCIS it is about understanding that there is a reason someone is an ASYLEE. For the most part they are generally here for their safety.

As for being processed quickly....well if you read our timeline this is not the case for us. If you read the RFE thread you will see my posts in there. We had a hard time of it due to USCIS (VSC) errors not our own. It took over 4 months to get our NOA2 from VSC and never did we get a correct answer when we called the center itself. It was not easy, however I can honestly say with hand on heart that I cannot compare the k1 process with those that are ASYLEES...not the same at all. Like I said the wait is difficult, not knowing anything is even worse, however at least we are safe and our loved ones are safe.

If you feel the need to be upset over time frames, then think about how hard it is when those that applied after you are receiving their NOA2's and you have not even had a touch....been there done that!

It is the way the process is. Does it need to be fixed..sure I believe so. But when it comes to ASYLEES, I will not complain.

On a personal note I have been a victim of a violent crime, and I can promise that there was nothing more important to me then the need to feel safe. Hence why I am a Victims Rights Advocate today.

I for one would not want to be an ASYLEE. I feel for those people for the most part.

apparently not, Devilette. At least you have more of a fighting chance than I, who "only" waited 2 months, but whose empathy and or sympathy is not welcome because I didn't suffer enough. But that's ok, since TSC is coming back to bite my butt on getting my 10 year green card. karma's a pain, hey???

VJ, sheesh!

I could understand the asylee point completely, but like i said, the system needs revamping....why not separate it into visa type divisions!! Let be a steady pace for everybody !! Especially now that they raised the prices, and mind you , not by a little...there should be no excuse for the stop, because thats what it has become, not just a slow down but a stop

Damn Cassie! At least your AOS took 4 months. Glad you had 'some' cross to bear.

The part of my posted I edited after your post:

Not about empathy not being welcome....its that im sure they way the process is going now, i would trade it for the way your process went any day...its very aggravating being kept in the dark...the first couple of weeks, no make that months , i was patient waiting , but as time goes by and its like looking for a needle in a haystack...to be separated from the one you loveand yearn to be with....not easy

I was long distance for 8 months, but we were in the same country so we didn't have to do K1 and our AOS didn't take that long so I know I'm not good enough for half the people here. (I thought the interview letter was a fake, took me 2 days to believe it.)

It's always a struggle, and everyone's always going to think they have the short end of the stick (when they don't, at least they can bring their loved ones here), and everyone is always going to have issues that make their case nervewracking to them. I'm just so tired of seeing this entitlement minded crap and these pissing contests about WHO'S JOURNEY IS MORE DIFFICULT!!

We're all in this together, or we're all supposed to be. This isn't support, this is more just trying to bring people down because OH NO THEY COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND MY BEING AWAY FROM MY FIANCE. Newsflash: THIS IS WHAT WE CHOSE. I'd question the US government if the US government just let anyone and everyone in who said they were a fiance of a USC. If you can't accept the long wait times, then move to their country. I'm sure I could move to Peru in an instant (or if I can't, it's hella hard to find information on the process which leads me to believe it can't be that complicated) but we didn't choose to do that so I have to accept that which I cannot change. The US is the country with more fraud than any other, and a lot of these applications are coming from high fraud posts and they have to be careful.

I'd so like to see a little more of "we'll get through this" as opposed to "my journey's harder kthxbai" but that will never happen. This is America, after all.

(And dev you know none of that is directed at you, I agree with you completely )

Make that two of us. Great post!

OK, first ill say that the waiting , i expected...its the disorder, or more, the being kept in the dark thats so bothersome...I guarantee that if the customer (us) was kept better informed, none of the feelings of frustration would be expressed...At least we would have an inckling as to what is going on

I haven't been around for long, but long enough to already be heartily sick of the tit-for-tat of 'who waited longer' and 'who feels the separation the most'; I'm sure those who have seen it go round ten thousand times are ten thousand times more sick of it than I am

however, what I DON'T understand is why so many threads end up rehashing the same old argument?! I've attempted to steer clear of those sorts of points, and there's a post of mine back on the previous page that hasn't had a single response... ok, maybe no one had anything to say to my points, but in that case why would you rather say the same things you've said so many times before? I don't get it

oh yeah, as i posted before...remind me again how many of the 911 hijackers and terrorists were here on a K1 or K3 visa

maybe they should spend all this time on student visas.
Chris

Im curious to know , about a year ago, were there VJ members upset about the processing times??? Just curious to know if there has been that much of a drastic change?

they grumbled just as much on the umbra delays and RFE's. i have lurked on this site over 2 years.

Chris

Last year, IMBRA put us thru the same thing - not knowing when/how/etc.



perhaps.

But we did not beat down on others who did not wait as long, that's for sure!

there's always been someone upset with processing times -- some with good reason, and some not. We've had the TSC slowdown, "why is Vermont so much faster", IMBRA, and now the whole increase of fees/influx of "file before July 31" petitions......and those who would complain for no good reason......and that's been the past 3 years I have been on VJ in a nutshell. But the crazy thing is, like rebeccajo has stated time and time again, the process has gotten better over time....crazy, ain't it??

I didn't say anything about terrorism. How about all the VISA and MARRIAGE fraud that is rampant but we choose not to talk about?




Because I'm bored at work and this is my soapbox.

[/quote]

I could understand the asylee point completely, but like i said, the system needs revamping....why not separate it into visa type divisions!! Let be a steady pace for everybody !! Especially now that they raised the prices, and mind you , not by a little...there should be no excuse for the stop, because thats what it has become, not just a slow down but a stop
[/quote]


We could say this about every Government Office regardless of Country. There is the right way, the wrong way and the GOVERNMENT WAY! For some reason Government Offices work backwards, move as fast as cold mollasses and have workers with personalities that are completely and utterly non existent. We could get more empathy, sympathy and understanding out of R2 D2 and C3PO.... robots with no heart.

Would it be IDEAL for the process to be done in a logical sense, yes AMEN to that, but the odds are simply...just that .......odds.

Let's take for example NVC. This is where name checks are done. Well it is a proven fact that NVC processed over 7 million FALSE hits last year. This means 7 million applicants were falsely hit. This puts the applicant in the administration process from weeks to years. Now why use this process if the software being used is not accurate?

It is a Government Office the Right Way, the Wrong Way and the Government Way!

As for the high fee's, yes they are not acceptable. But how many can "hear, hear" to the fact that when you owe the Goverment BAM it's gone right out of your account, but when they owe you it is tied up in red tape for great lenghts of time. There is not rhyme and there is no reason.

If anything, we can blame ourselves for this as we are responsible to some extent as we put the politicians in place that vote on these things. Politicians that do not make the failings USCIS a priority, if it is not foot rubbing in a public bathroom it does not get noticed. However, the illegal immigrants get notice. They get notice because they took a stand (wrong or not).

We all complain on here, including me, yet when is the last time you asked your congressman for change? Change can happen. It may not help you at that moment, but it may help those that have to go through this process in the future.

But, right now at the end of the day WE are all in this process together. WE ALL WANT TO BE WITH OUR LOVED ONES. We have ALL been separated. I have been sept. from mine for over three years. But, if this is all we have then this is all we have. If this is the process that we have to go through to be together, then we have to do what we have to do.

We just chug along, become informed (VJ is a great source of ref)., and we go through the process...wrong or right. At the end of the day we will be together with those that we love and that is the material point!

Seconded!