phoning USCIS and Congressman to inquire

[GnC2010 2]

Hi fellow VJ members, April 8 was our NOA1 date, which means September 8 will be the 5 month mark. I believe you can start to inquire about your case at that time as that is the average processing time that is listed on the USCIS website). Does anyone have any advice on what to ask them and/or which number to call at USCIS?

We are also thinking of contacting my husband's congressman to see if they can help expedite this case for us. My husband has been Active Duty Military for 23 years; he is from Illinois but currently stationed in Texas. Should we contact the Congressman in Illinois seeing as that is where he holds his voting status thing?

Any suggestions or insight would be much appreciated

Clair

[LotofPatience 65]

Hi fellow VJ members, April 8 was our NOA1 date, which means September 8 will be the 5 month mark. I believe you can start to inquire about your case at that time as that is the average processing time that is listed on the USCIS website). Does anyone have any advice on what to ask them and/or which number to call at USCIS?

We are also thinking of contacting my husband's congressman to see if they can help expedite this case for us. My husband has been Active Duty Military for 23 years; he is from Illinois but currently stationed in Texas. Should we contact the Congressman in Illinois seeing as that is where he holds his voting status thing?

Any suggestions or insight would be much appreciated

Clair

Clair, Then why didn't expedite your I-130 approval? Since he is in 'active duty' in military, you can expedite.

Call USCIS customer service# at 1-800-375-5283 and try to expedite.

Loto

[ugk 0]

Here is link to active duty members helpline > http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=f1a03e4d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=f1a03e4d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

Military

Members of the Military and their Families

This section of the USCIS Web site contains immigration information and links to resources geared specifically for members of the military and their families.

USCIS is continuously working with the Department of Defense to ensure the military community has accurate and up-to-date information about immigration services and benefits.

If you are a U.S. armed forces member seeking to petition for your family member for permanent residence (green card), see the "Family" link to the right.

Citizenship for Military Members & Dependents

Members and veterans of the U.S. armed forces, and their dependents may be eligible for citizenship under special provisions of law. For more information, see the "Citizenship for Military Personnel & Family Members" link to the left.

Family Based Survivor Benefits (for Relatives)

Immediate relatives of U.S. armed forces members who die as a result of combat while in an active duty status may be eligible for certain "survivor" immigration benefits, including citizenship. For more information, see the "Family Based Survivor Benefits" link to the left.

Military Help Line

USCIS has established a toll-free "Military Help Line" exclusively for members of the military and their families: 1-877-CIS-4MIL (1-877-247-4645). For more information, see the "Military Help Line" link to the left.

Military Help Line

USCIS has established a toll-free military help line, 1-877-CIS-4MIL (1-877-247-4645), exclusively for members of the military and their families. USCIS customer service specialists are available to answer calls Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (CST), excluding federal holidays.

After-hours callers will receive an email address that they can use to contact USCIS for assistance. Callers will receive assistance with immigration-related information, such as:

• Tracking their Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
• Notifying USCIS of a new mailing address or duty station.
• Checking the status of any other application or petition.
• Bringing a spouse, fiancé, or adopted child to the United States.
• Obtaining posthumous citizenship for a deceased member of the U.S. Armed Forces.
• Submitting an application for expedited processing.

Members of the U.S. armed forces and their families stationed in the United States or overseas may access the help line using the toll-free number through their base telephone operator or using the Defense Switched Network (DSN).

Operators will ask members of the general public to call our main customer service line available under the "Contact Us" link to the right.

Hi fellow VJ members, April 8 was our NOA1 date, which means September 8 will be the 5 month mark. I believe you can start to inquire about your case at that time as that is the average processing time that is listed on the USCIS website). Does anyone have any advice on what to ask them and/or which number to call at USCIS?

We are also thinking of contacting my husband's congressman to see if they can help expedite this case for us. My husband has been Active Duty Military for 23 years; he is from Illinois but currently stationed in Texas. Should we contact the Congressman in Illinois seeing as that is where he holds his voting status thing?

Any suggestions or insight would be much appreciated

Clair

[msd 3]

If you call within the processing time, which is actually 6 months, not 5. They will just tell you to wait another month. Also I've heard from people who called at the 6 month mark and were told to wait ANOTHER month and then call again. Or they were told the case will be looked at within the next week and they will get a notification then.

Just saying.

An expedite will probably not do much at this stage. I'd wait to expedite till you get to NVC. Because NVC does not always accept USCIS expedites and you'd have to apply to them all over again.

You can always TRY to do it anyway.

Good luck!

[StacyandPeter 2]

I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!

We had our NOA1 on April 2nd and haven't heard a single thing!! We have been expecting to hear something all summer but NOTHING! We also have the most straight-forward case so it is very frusturating.

I called my congresswoman here in NY state but I don't know how much that will help. What worries me most is this is just the first step...how long is the next process going to take!!? [/size]

[Matt n Shannon 3]

I feel everyones pain as well. Its a waiting game for all of us

Edited August 31, 2010 by MattyDil

[Darnell 8,478]

no 'requested expedite' on initial filing or after NOA-1 notice?

ouch. what's up ?

[Inky 1,111]

Active duty military generally are only given expedites if they are deploying soon. The expedite stops once it hits NVC. The embassy doesnt continue the expedite, however if you are interviewing at montreal you can TRY to email them about the expedite and ask for an expedite from them and ask for an interview sooner. SOMETIMES they say yes we can. I know of people who were refused expedites even tho they WERE deployed and I know people who were refused expedite when they werent deploying. - you must have proof of deployment, letter from first shirt letter from commander deployment papers duty roster etc. They request all these papers and take 5 weeks to review it then they would issue you an expedite if they choose too. Its not automatic.

[GnC2010 2]

Thank you to everyone who has replied already. I didn't mention in my original post, but we already sent an expedite request with the I130. However, because my hubby isn't being deployed anytime soon, I imagine that's why the expedite hasn't been granted.

GKS and LotofPatience- we have accessed the military helpline several times. While we appreciate that it exists, we are finding it to be only moderately useful, as the people on there give canned and sometimes conflicting information (think level 1 tech support reading flowcharts and not really getting it). For example, they told us I wouldn't likely need to have an interview for my visa app because I am out of the US... :S

MSD- the USCIS site clearly shows the processing time for I130 for spouse to be 5 months, so using that I will try to call next week if we haven't heard anything. I appreciate your input nonetheless

StacyandPeter- same for us! We believe our case to be very straightforward as well. Have you seen the average processing timelines page on here? It shows the whole process to take around 280 days If I remember correctly. And here we were thinking we would be all done this by 5 months. Grr. Let's keep in touch to update each other on our cases

[GnC2010 2]

Inky- thank you for the info. We will try requesting the expedite with Montreal... can't hurt to try right? Unless we can ask them to send it to Calgary for interview (haha)

[Sweetcheeksss 91]

GnC2010 - just wanted to share my experience. My hubby is active duty as well, we were approved for an expedite for all three stages (USCIS, NVC and Montreal) the interviewer told me that the only reason they agreed to expedite our interview date was because my hubby is deploying to Afghanistan very soon.

I wish you good luck though, it sucks being away from your loved one, that's for sure.

[Inky 1,111]

Same for my husband, got the exped got over here and married then he left >.< sucked that he left right after!

Nope cant hurt to ask montreal for an early interview, just put your case info when you email them and tell them your active duty spouse and want to be with your husband as soon as possible.

[usmcwife 3]

It can't hurt to ask for an expedite, but it's very unlikely for it to happen without the service member being deployed very soon.

Have you called USCIS to see what stage your case is in right now? Maybe the NOA2 is on it's way. Hey you never know. When I was waiting for info, I called every week. let me find that number.

As for the congressperson, we contacted the congressman in my husbands current state of residence (i.e. the state where he is stationed). Not the voting area. They were very helpful. I think they may have sped up the visa process for us but I dont' think we'll ever have proof of it as Montreal is incredibly unpredictable.

[usmcwife 3]

I looked but i couldn't find the USCIS number I used to call. I thought it would be implanted in my brain permanently. haha. You can probably find one on their website.

the military help line is a joke isn't it. I'm pretty sure I've actually told the phone operators more information than they have told me!

[Inky 1,111]

I looked but i couldn't find the USCIS number I used to call. I thought it would be implanted in my brain permanently. haha. You can probably find one on their website.

the military help line is a joke isn't it. I'm pretty sure I've actually told the phone operators more information than they have told me!

When I called them as as his GF they were NO help to me at all, when he called... it was 100% different story.. they were way more help to him they " knew " more about stuff and helped a lot better.. where as if I called it seemed they played dumb with me and didnt know anything.. it was frustrating! it says its for active duty AND their family!