My ROC Nightmare

[Roosterwife 0]

You can read my timeline for the all the details so far, but here's the latest.

On November 29 I called customer service to find out the status of my case, which has been pending since December 2008. I was transferred to an IO, who looked up my case, said she couldn't see what the hold up was, and that I would hear something back within 30 days.

Today I received a letter telling me to make an appointment at my field office to find out the status of my case. What on earth??????? Why couldn't they just tell me the status in the letter????

So I called the customer service line, spoke again to an IO, who looked up my case and said that as far as he could see, it looks as if I'm going to be called for an interview!! WHAAAAATT??

After almost a year, during which the USCIS has apparently done NOTHING on my case, and just as I'm about to apply for citizenship (next week), they want to call me for an interview??!!!

I cannot begin to tell you how frustrated and angry this makes me. I see people on this forum being approved left right and center after just a few months, and this entire process has been a nightmare for me. I have made an Infopass appointment for tomorrow morning, but I swear, regardless of waht they tell me I'm going to submit my application for citizenship next week. I'm not going to jump through hoops for the I-751 at this late stage only to have to do it all over again in a few weeks (hopefully) for the N400.

Count yourself lucky if you case is approved in a timely fashion and without incident. That has certainly not been my experience and it makes my blood boil.

[nancy07 0]

You can read my timeline for the all the details so far, but here's the latest.

On November 29 I called customer service to find out the status of my case, which has been pending since December 2008. I was transferred to an IO, who looked up my case, said she couldn't see what the hold up was, and that I would hear something back within 30 days.

Today I received a letter telling me to make an appointment at my field office to find out the status of my case. What on earth??????? Why couldn't they just tell me the status in the letter????

So I called the customer service line, spoke again to an IO, who looked up my case and said that as far as he could see, it looks as if I'm going to be called for an interview!! WHAAAAATT??

After almost a year, during which the USCIS has apparently done NOTHING on my case, and just as I'm about to apply for citizenship (next week), they want to call me for an interview??!!!

I cannot begin to tell you how frustrated and angry this makes me. I see people on this forum being approved left right and center after just a few months, and this entire process has been a nightmare for me. I have made an Infopass appointment for tomorrow morning, but I swear, regardless of waht they tell me I'm going to submit my application for citizenship next week. I'm not going to jump through hoops for the I-751 at this late stage only to have to do it all over again in a few weeks (hopefully) for the N400.

Count yourself lucky if you case is approved in a timely fashion and without incident. That has certainly not been my experience and it makes my blood boil.

Good luck tomorrow...hope all goes well, keep us posted after the Infopass appointment

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Good luck tomorrow - and yes, apply for your citizenship as soon as you are eligible. If it helps any, many ROC interviews are conducted because of 'statistical 'reasons - they need to interview a specific number of individuals and they are randomly selected by a computer. I hear you about the frustration though - my ROC took a year to be approved as well. So, hang in there and good luck. (For what it is worth, the N-400 is the easiest part of the whole process - and the fastest).

Edited December 10, 2009 by Kathryn41

[Roosterwife 0]

Just got back from the USCIS office. The IO told me that my case has been in Nebraska (!) since early November and that it is still being processed. She said once they've finished processing it the file will be returned to Miami so that an interview can be scheduled. She claimed that EVERYONE who applies to remove conditions is interviewed (which I know is rubbish, but whatever). She then cancelled my current I-551 stamp (valid till Feb 2010) and gave me another one, valid til December 2010. When I asked when I could expect to hear something, she said sometime around March 2010!!

I don't even have words to express my anger and frustration at this point. I plan to apply for my citizenship next week and hope that this whole thing will take care of itself. Believe me, I cannot wait to be finished with the USCIS. Their incompetence, lack of empathy and accountability is truly astounding.

[sh18 3]

Wow, I am really sorry about your woes, your cause seems very unusual. Hope it works out soon for you.

[Roosterwife 0]

I just called the customer "service" line. I spoke with an IO and then her supervisor, who told me that regardless of what it says on the website, these cases take at least a year to be adjudicated. He said that my case in in California (not Nebraska) and that they have no other information available. His advise was to sit and wait.

I would really love to hear from anyone who is/was in a similar position. Please talk me off the ledge!

[TracyTN 237]

Filing for natz when you're eligible will force adjudication of the I 751. I would focus on that and forget about the ROC. As long as you have something to prove that your status is valid while you wait on natz, I wouldn't be bothered.

[rebeccajo 14]

I just called the customer "service" line. I spoke with an IO and then her supervisor, who told me that regardless of what it says on the website, these cases take at least a year to be adjudicated. He said that my case in in California (not Nebraska) and that they have no other information available. His advise was to sit and wait.

I would really love to hear from anyone who is/was in a similar position. Please talk me off the ledge!

Similar position? No, not for removal of conditions. That went well.

But my husband waited 18 months for his conditional green card.

As Kathryn and Tracy have said, there's a solution for your problem and that is to file for natz. There was no solution for my husband other than to wait it out.

[bradcanuck 1]

Ya the lack of accountability is insane. It seems like the entire government and especially that branch can do anything they want whenever they want. Yet if I am a day late paying my taxes, LOOK OUT!

[STEPHnRIA 2]

Just got back from the USCIS office. The IO told me that my case has been in Nebraska (!) since early November and that it is still being processed. She said once they've finished processing it the file will be returned to Miami so that an interview can be scheduled. She claimed that EVERYONE who applies to remove conditions is interviewed (which I know is rubbish, but whatever). She then cancelled my current I-551 stamp (valid till Feb 2010) and gave me another one, valid til December 2010. When I asked when I could expect to hear something, she said sometime around March 2010!!

I don't even have words to express my anger and frustration at this point. I plan to apply for my citizenship next week and hope that this whole thing will take care of itself. Believe me, I cannot wait to be finished with the USCIS. Their incompetence, lack of empathy and accountability is truly astounding.

You can say that again.

[v333k 59]

I totally agree. The least efficient organization in the entire universe.

I am amazed when I call their support center and their reply is "there is no way we can pull your information". #######??????

I would like to quote my previous boss (when I was a student at the university) which I feel it applies here:

"I'll get a monkey to do your job"

I think that summarizes it all!

[sh18 3]

To me it seems like they do bad job on average: I mean really, what company would do an I-751 which probably takes about 15 mins for a case for 4 months and charge you $500? That would be laughable in corporate world.

The people's expectations are so low already that 3 months (for Vermont center) is AWESOME. And some people say it is because they have so many applicants bla bla. What? You're paying pretty good money: hire more employees then.

And occasionally someone's file gets tossed in the corner and they forget about it for a year it seems like and unlike a company that would start looking for it nervously in order not to annoy you too much, they just don't care: lack of accountability.

I am sure a lot of you will disagree with this but I wish they increased fees but made it faster: I'd pay 2k for I-751 if i could have it done within 3 days and get it out of my head: there should be an option at least.

[albden 0]

I think they charge and arm and a leg to begin with

anyway, what bothers me is that we pay for this and they act like they don't have to answer to anybody, they keep the paperwork for as long as they want and nobody says a word to them. The best is when you call them they'll read info off their website like I don't know how to read in English, I need someone to read it to me. ggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[HappyNathy 0]

I am in a similar position, although I have not been waiting quite as long. I called last week and I was told that my case is still being processed. I file the N-400 February 19, 2010. Oh! ~ I also had the pleasure of having to do biometrics three times...

[albden 0]

Why did you have to go three times??