Expedite Request

[Mariye & Ky 172]

For a bit I was tempted to request an expedite too but Tokyo is rather far away from the Sendai area so I wasn't sure if I should request it or not.

Yagi,

I just saw the news and footage of Tokyo, which right now is in gridlocks of people who cannot use public transportation, have no electric, and have buildings that have been effected by the quake. I'm trying to find the latest updated news. Have you heard from your "Bride" to be today? I'm glad you followed through and requested your expedite. Japan really is in a state of devastation. Our prayers are with you, all those who are part of our Japanese VJ family and their country.

Mari

JAY ALABASTER 03/11/11 08:16 PM

Earthquake 2011: Thousands Roam Tokyo's Streets',

TOKYO — Japan's huge earthquake brought super-modern Tokyo to a standstill as it paralyzed trains that normally run like clockwork, crippled mobile phones, stranded hordes of commuters and trapped scores of people in elevators.

The magnitude-8.9 quake that struck off the coast Friday afternoon and triggered a deadly tsunami in the northeast also violently shook buildings in the capital, where halted trains choked an evening commuter flow of more than 10 million people.

"This is the kind of earthquake that hits once every 100 years," said restaurant worker Akira Tanaka, 54.

He gave up waiting for trains to resume and decided – for his first time ever – to set off on foot for his home 12 miles (20 kilometers) north of the capital. "I've been walking an hour and 10 minutes, still have about three hours to go," he said.

Tokyo prides itself on being an orderly, technologically savvy, even futuristic city. Residents usually can rely on a huge, criss-crossing network of train and subway lines. But authorities were forced to scan the entire web for quake damage and cancel nearly all trains for the rest of the day.

Tomoko Suzuki and her elderly mother were unable to get to their 29th-floor condominium because of a stalled elevator. They unsuccessfully tried to hail a taxi to a relative's house and couldn't immediately find a hotel room in their neighborhood.

"We are so cold," Suzuki said Friday evening on a crowded corner. "We really don't know what to do."

Although there were no power outages in central Tokyo, some elevators may have been damaged in the quake while some others were intentionally shut down as a precaution. Elsewhere, widespread electricity outages left millions of homes and buildings without power.

In all, 163 people were reported trapped in elevators throughout the country, the Transportation Ministry said, with 75 of them still stuck Saturday morning. It wasn't clear how many of those were in Tokyo.

Tens of thousands of people milled at the capital's train stations, roamed its streets or hunkered down at 24-hour cafes, hotels and government offices offered as emergency accommodations.Tens of thousands of people milled at the capital's train stations, roamed its streets or hunkered down at 24-hour cafes, hotels and government offices offered as emergency accommodations.Mobile phone lines were crammed, preventing nearly all calls and text messages. Calls to northeastern Japan, where a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami washed ashore after the quake, generally failed to go through, with a recording saying the area's lines were busy.

Unable to rely on their mobile phones, people formed lines at Tokyo's normally vacant public phone booths dotting the city.

Japan's top telecommunications company, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., set up an emergency phone line and a special Internet site for people to leave messages for family and friends.

Up to 90 percent of calls were being restricted to prevent telecom equipment from being overloaded, NTT spokeswoman Mai Kariya said. The company was checking on damage to towers and cables.

Osamu Akiya, 46, was working in the office of a Tokyo trading company when the quake sent bookshelves and computers crashing to the floor and opened cracks in the walls.

"I've been through many earthquakes, but I've never felt anything like this," he said.

A handful of subway lines resumed service after a six-hour outage, and officials said they would run all night, past their usual hours.

When Tokyo trains suffer rare problems, they usually are running again within an hour. So, many people initially waited at stations. But when the railway company announced a suspension of nearly all service for the day, crowds poured into the streets.

City officials offered more than 60 government offices, university campuses and other locations for stranded commuters to spend the night.

The Tokyo suburb of Yokohama offered blankets for people who wanted to sleep at the community's main concert hall.

"There has never been a big earthquake like this, when all the railways stopped and so this is a first for us," Yokohama Arena official Hideharu Terada said. "People are trickling in. They are all calm."

___

Associated Press writers Yuri Kageyama and Tomoko A. Hosaka contributed to this report.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

So, why are you trying to expedite? There undoubtedly are many individuals who have been severely effected from this catastrophe who are alsowaiting on the USCIS, and you are going to try and jump on the bandwagon? *shakes head* My heart goes out to all those who have been effected - losing homes, loved ones, and life as they previously knew it, in Japan and beyond.

I'm not all fluffy and going to tell you good luck like others. This seems selfish to me and you are seeking to utilize the misfortune of others to your own benefit. Requesting an expedite due to the earthquake is completely different from your having to wait 6+ months. I do hope you get your NOA2 soon as you have clearly waited your turn and been patient for so long, but really frown upon such an expedite request.

I'm just going to go ahead and agree with this. Well said.

[jaz00mine 8]

best wished to you and yours

[Milushka 22]

My heart goes with the victims and their families of this terrible earthquake. I live about an hour by plane from tht place, clearly can imagine.

Though as others mentioned, probably requesting expedite with no evidence of suffering would only delay the things.

Another TPS, another "we cant handle anything else apart from ths" from USCIS.....

oh well, will make 7 months party with balloons and cake, whch i wish would fly in to face of director A.M.

Edited March 12, 2011 by Milushka

[Blob18 111]

My heart goes with the victims and their families of this terrible earthquake. I live about an hour by plane from tht place, clearly can imagine.

Though as others mentioned, probably requesting expedite with no evidence of suffering would only delay the things.

Another TPS, another "we cant handle anything else apart from ths" from USCIS.....

oh well, will make 7 months party with balloons and cake, whch i wish would fly in to face of director A.M.

I doubt Japan will get TPS status. They aren't a third world country. If you look at every country with TPS status they are all third world. Also only the north has really be affected by this (damage wise), not the entire country like Haiti, or the Sudan.

[Milushka 22]

Yes, but they likely give TPS or major extensions to people who are within the US right now. Its all the same meaning paperwork to process.

[Blob18 111]

Yes, but they likely give TPS or major extensions to people who are within the US right now. Its all the same meaning paperwork to process.

Yea, if they do, hopefully any paperwork is sent to CSC since they are closest to the country in question.

[J & K 2]

Yea, if they do, hopefully any paperwork is sent to CSC since they are closest to the country in question.

I do not think there will be any additional delay for the whole system like there was for Hati. Like you mentioned before, Japan is not a third world country. As such the USCIS is not issuing any TPS for Japanese in America. They are only allowing 30 day extensions of stay, and all of those can be processed at local offices or even at the customs and immigration offices at airports.

USCIS News Update Japan

[Milushka 22]

Well talking of Haiti case, even illegals in states got TPS.

[JoyDee 21]

Good point, the whole country of Haiti was NOT affected by the damages of the earthquake last year, only Port-A-Prince was affected and ALL the haitian citizens did get expedited by USCIS, even the ones who were living here in the DR so they werent harmed by the earthquake in any way. I really hope people with their fiance(e) (s) in Japan do get expedited. Good luck!

My heart goes out to those in Japan. The terrifying and imminent nuclear meltdown is particularly troubling. I do hope that your loved ones can get here as soon as possible. I am in favor of expedites, my motto is: BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. If your case is valid you will succeed but I don't think that's for anyone here to surmise. Call into the USCSIS and be clear about the situation. I do think that you should wait a few days so that you have all the relevant information. For instance, if you called yesterday you would not have mentioned the nuclear meltdown which will clearly affect Tokyo residents.

To clear up some misinformation about Haiti: Yes the entire country was affected. From port-au-prince to villages in the countryside. Massive damage occurred throughout the nation and the migration that resulted as people left Port-au-prince crippled the ability of smaller villages to provide food/water for expanded populations. Expedition was also influenced by the cholera epidemic that continues to claim lives. Additionally, the fractured government and lack of political stability is a third factor. All together, these represent a critical mass of devastation and potential for calamity. There is still not a working government.

Earthquake deaths in Haiti: 316,000

Earthquake injuries in Haiti: 300,000

Cholera deaths in Haiti: 4,700

We don't yet know the death toll from the Japanese earthquake and Tsunami, however they are considerably lower than the Haiti case. Preliminary numbers suggest 2,000 deaths. Japan is also a developed nation as others have mentioned, more prepared to deal with infrastructural damage. THE US will doubtless aid in the effort since we have huge military bases in Japan and I hope that every possible effort is made to speed the recovery.

Well talking of Haiti case, even illegals in states got TPS.

That's the way TPS works, its even the point of TPS. If Japanese folks overstay they became "illegal" TPS prevents them from being permanently banned from the US because of a disaster in the home country.

Temporary protected status was offered for Haitians ten days after the quake. This is another reason to wait. The government might offer assistance, but we need to allow for the situation to stabilize and see what efforts are going to be made.

We stand by your side!

Edited March 12, 2011 by JoyDee

[sadlyvawa 0]

I agree with danik713, it is very selfish of you to use the tragedy as an excuse to "expedite" your proceedings. Shame on you! You even said it yourself, your fiancee is fine and her region wasn't even badly hit so there is no reason to request for an expedite! I hope you get delayed more!

[KiwiBird 132]

There are both sides to this argument. Fortunately for us, its not our decision to make. so I don't feel the need to argue! Only USCIS can decide, obviously.

Course, I'm wandering how others saying "That seems selfish" would react if their loved ones countries were hit with disaster. Even if their fiance wasn't near the situation.

[C_María 6]

If I were you I would have done the same. A request for an expedite is not taking a visa out of a starving child's hand, and it's not like you're using up an expedite that could be given to a more deserving applicant. It's not selfish and it's not a moral or ethical standpoint, it's just another tool to navigate the maze of paperwork. You have "put in your time" waiting 6 months for your NOA2, I hope you get it and can be with your loved one soon. I'm sure she appreciates your efforts.

[Boiler 43,538]

It was not just Sendal that was impacted, the waves hit the west coast of the US.

So anybody whose coastline borders the Pacific should be eligible, including Russia, China, Vietnam, Canada, Mexico as well as Japan.

If losing your internet temporarily is not good enough reason for an expedite, I do not know what would be.

[joyjohn 18]

Special Update as of March 11: Relief for Japanese and Other Nationals from the Pacific Stranded due to the Earthquakes and Tsunami

This advisory is for Japanese and other foreign nationals from the Pacific stranded in the United States due to the earthquakes and tsunami devastation. If you have exceeded or are about to exceed your authorized stay in the U.S. you may be permitted up to an additional 30 days to depart.

Visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP):

If you are at an airport, contact the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office at the airport

All others, please visit the local U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office

Visitors traveling under a nonimmigrant visa:

Visit the local U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office

Bring your passport, evidence that you are stranded (such as an itinerary for the cancelled flight), and your I-94 departure record

For additional immigration relief options, please visit the Special Situations Web page.