USCIS Allegedly Speeding Up Processing

[coyote 3]

HI:

I keep hearing that the USCIS is hiring more people to deal with the deluge of applications that came in before the whopping fee increase. Does anyone have any info on this?

Susan

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

This was awhile ago. The fee increase happened in July.

They have worked their way through most of the bulk...it seems they are pretty much on track now. Instead of 6 months and upwards to NOA2, based on the approvals we've seen over the past few weeks, it seems to be back to the normal 4 to 6.

[coyote 3]

HI:

I keep hearing that the USCIS is hiring more people to deal with the deluge of applications that came in before the whopping fee increase. Does anyone have any info on this?

Susan

[coyote 3]

Thanks so much for the answer. I take it there is no way to get an estimate from these folks once they've received your application?

[EricC 0]

Thanks so much for the answer. I take it there is no way to get an estimate from these folks once they've received your application?

Nope, best thing to do is fill in your timeline here. It will guesstimate your approval date.

[Zee Bee 61]

Like EricC said, fill out your timeline here and you will get an estimate based on the VJ timelines.

[iansig40 1]

HI:

I keep hearing that the USCIS is hiring more people to deal with the deluge of applications that came in before the whopping fee increase. Does anyone have any info on this?

Susan

Don't bet on that .The fee increase that took place few months ago was just another money grab ....nothing else .Same BS like before and I can tell that one center is worst then other and the slogan "first come first served "is another big lie . My application is collecting dust in Nebraska Service Center since Feb 7 ,2007 ...no updates ,no RFE ..nothing !!!!

Like I said before ...these people working for USCIS should be consider the LOOSERS not us that we complied with their policy !!!!!

I have contacted my local Congressman to see maybe he can find an explanation about all this mess

[mox 298]

Don't bet on that .The fee increase that took place few months ago was just another money grab ....nothing else .Same BS like before and I can tell that one center is worst then other and the slogan "first come first served "is another big lie . My application is collecting dust in Nebraska Service Center since Feb 7 ,2007 ...no updates ,no RFE ..nothing !!!!

Like I said before ...these people working for USCIS should be consider the LOOSERS not us that we complied with their policy !!!!!

I have contacted my local Congressman to see maybe he can find an explanation about all this mess

Your application has had no action taken for an entire year? Are you sure it hasn't been moved over to the California Service Center like all the rest of the K-1's? (I'm assuming you're a K-1 filer but you don't have a timeline.) At what point did you start trying to track it?

[coyote 3]

Hi, guys:

Just wanted to mention that when I called the USCIS yesterday they told me the new estimate for processing a I-129 application is 8 -- count 'em -- 8 months instead of 6. Or perhaps this is just mine? The boyfriend is Muslim, from Kenya, so they may be giving us extra scrutiny because of post 9/11 paranoia. But it may be that the agency has been thrown into even more disarray by the resignation of Emilio Gonzalez, the Bush appointee who has caused this nightmare. Here's what I'm putting out there for as many people as I can reach on this site.

Hi, Everyone:

This website is a useful tool for obtaining information but it seems to me that we're still operating as individuals rather than a group. With some targeted political activism, it seems to me we'd have a better chance of getting results.

I was spurred to try to stir up some action by an April 3 call to the USCIS - apparently the wait has now increased from six months to eight months for action on an I-129 application at the California Service Center. This despite the reported increases in personnel.

I'm also concerned about the apparent violation of statute when it comes to allowing fiances to work. An official with the Ameican Immigration Lawyers Association told me categorically that the K-1 visa allows the fiance to work the minute he or she sets foot on American soil. Yet the USCIS is requiring yet another fee and application, which delays the fiance's ability to work for another 3-4 months, while he or she waits for the agency to issue the permit. There are additional cost factors related to poor planning for this process, but you get the picture.

I'm sure those of you who are applying for other kinds of visas have similar issues.

The point is that, if my last phone call is any indication, things seem to be getting worse rather than better, despite the resignation of Emilio Gonzalez, the Bush appointee who has been responsible for many of the bad decisions that are affecting us.

I'm sure I'm not the first to suggest some kind of concerted political action. Can folks get me up to date on what's been done so far? Here are the ideas that spring to mind for me:

1. Letter writing campaign.

2. Demonstrations in several cities, with media outreach.

3. Website designed specifically to inform public about these issues.

Have these already gotten underway? If not, are people willing to volunteer a few hours to work on this? Does anyone have political organizing experience? Can we coordinate with immigrant rights groups?

Let me know!

Susan Zakin

[beantown 0]

HI:

I keep hearing that the USCIS is hiring more people to deal with the deluge of applications that came in before the whopping fee increase. Does anyone have any info on this?

Susan

what is the fee upto now?

[Zee Bee 61]

HI:

I keep hearing that the USCIS is hiring more people to deal with the deluge of applications that came in before the whopping fee increase. Does anyone have any info on this?

Susan

what is the fee upto now?

The fee is $455, up from $170 before July 30, 2007.

[BlakeandOlha 0]

Hi, guys:

Just wanted to mention that when I called the USCIS yesterday they told me the new estimate for processing a I-129 application is 8 -- count 'em -- 8 months instead of 6.

What they tell you and what they actually do are sometimes two very different things. While the "official" processing period is in September - they are primarily approving November filers at this point (not only, just mostly). Times have declined substantially from the post filing fee log jam, where 8 months was more normal. Since I filed at the end of January my estimated adjudication date has dropped more than a month and is sitting around 5 months. The estimated adjudication is based on the average time it is taking people to get approval from when they filed. So I don't think you're going to have to wait 8 months on your application unless there is an RFE or some other type problem. I wish I could point to Alberto Gonzoles and blame him for something else, but he's irrelevant to your problem.

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

Blake, I also just noticed someone from December 07 being approved on Igor's list

1. Letter writing campaign.

2. Demonstrations in several cities, with media outreach.

3. Website designed specifically to inform public about these issues.

Have these already gotten underway? If not, are people willing to volunteer a few hours to work on this? Does anyone have political organizing experience? Can we coordinate with immigrant rights groups?

For some odd reason I do not think these will speed up things in any way... We all just have to sit it out I think.

Plus, how would you, for example, want to organize a demonstration? Unless people are willing to travel, it wont do much at all as you wont get enough people.

Don't get me wrong, the thought is nice but I doubt it will help in any way at all.

[TinTin and Samby 11]

You also have to be careful interpreting those numbers. USCISlike to quote processing time from 129 submission through THEIR DOCUMENT APPROVAL (NOA2). This is only 1 milestone along the timeline to get your fiance to the usa. After NOA2, you have the NVC processing time, then the local embassy processing time, then the medical interview and then the embassy interview and then the visa issuance. Ge the picture??? VJ Timeline is a good way to get an OVERALL TIME ESTIMATE. - the one that matters to most real customers.....how long from time of filing the 129 will it take for my fiance to be here in the usa with me.

For us, we filed July 5, 2007 - TinTIn will arrive in USA late April, 2007. So our "real processing time" => 9 months. We had no RFEs and no "non standard" delays. Just the time that the Government's process took to run in our situation. (which was rediculously too long....<sigh>)

Warm Regads,

Samby

[KimandRuss 0]

Samby, you were lost in the black hole of the influx from last year. You filed at the same time as the rate hike as SOOOO many others did. That's why it took you so long to be adjuticated. It was happening at VSC and CSC. It was taking 6-8 months for everyone then. Sure there are execptions, but even CSC is moving much faster now than they were last year.

Agree with the others, what they tell you at the USCIS is only to protect themselves. Your approval 'should' come much sooner than the date you receive.

good luck