INS Making it up as they go along?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

You just have to learn to drive on the correct side of the road!

My two cents: if a bureaucratic entity of the US Government being two weeks late in a five-month backlog of paperwork and red tape is the worst thing that happens to you this year, you're doing pretty well. Not to discount the stress it induces, but when dealing with paperwork and the US Gov, being late is the norm. Sure you can complain, but did you seriously expect differently?

Of course the problem could be solved by not giving ANY time estimate and leaving you in the dark until a decision is made....

which is what they used to do.

A problem is also what people expect due to the services provided by commercial for-profit companies. A Fedex tracking number means something, a USCIS case number really means nothing worthwhile. It is a classic case of disappointment being directly proportionate to

unrealsitic expectations

[wshc 46]

which is what they used to do.

A problem is also what people expect due to the services provided by commercial for-profit companies. A Fedex tracking number means something, a USCIS case number really means nothing worthwhile. It is a classic case of disappointment being directly proportionate to

unrealsitic expectations

Facts:

Following instructions exactly as written by Frankfurt Consulate - Expedite request waiver for I-601 emailed, as per their instructions October 31, 2011

No response in the timeframe they said to wait, 5 -10 business days. E-mail enquiry Nov. 10, 2011. Response from USCIS Nov. 18, 2011 that they did not receive the Expedite request.

Request sent immediately again Nov. 18, 2011,

As a backup, hard copy of all paperwork sent (in country) Nov 28, 2011.

No response in any form at all this time around. Payment has also not been processed.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. In April while attempting to pay some fee, their online payment system was down. I called the service line and they said they were aware of the problem and that I could either wait a few days or mail in the payment and it would take at least two weeks for that to process. I am an IT guy and understand that those things do go down, but the most disturbing aspect is the attitude. I am doing everything they request to be united with my wife of 27 years and the only reason we are separated is because of these people. And they don't seem to care if another 2 weeks here or there are added to the process.

My expectations of my government are not unrealistic. To be handled humanely is not unrealistic. We are dealing with people's life's here. It is not like we are ordering shoes on line and we keep getting a new delivery date for one reason or another.

If you can't understand that, then I am not sure what to say.

[Oahu&Amesbury 0]

If you can't understand that, then I am not sure what to say.

You’re talking to a brick wall. No matter what you say they will be right. Time for an end to this thread. I’m sorry I started it. Had I known there were such self-righteous individuals here that just have to be right in pushing their opinion, I definitely would not have.

[az110965 252]

Facts:

Following instructions exactly as written by Frankfurt Consulate - Expedite request waiver for I-601 emailed, as per their instructions October 31, 2011

No response in the timeframe they said to wait, 5 -10 business days. E-mail enquiry Nov. 10, 2011. Response from USCIS Nov. 18, 2011 that they did not receive the Expedite request.

Request sent immediately again Nov. 18, 2011,

As a backup, hard copy of all paperwork sent (in country) Nov 28, 2011.

No response in any form at all this time around. Payment has also not been processed.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. In April while attempting to pay some fee, their online payment system was down. I called the service line and they said they were aware of the problem and that I could either wait a few days or mail in the payment and it would take at least two weeks for that to process. I am an IT guy and understand that those things do go down, but the most disturbing aspect is the attitude. I am doing everything they request to be united with my wife of 27 years and the only reason we are separated is because of these people. And they don't seem to care if another 2 weeks here or there are added to the process.

My expectations of my government are not unrealistic. To be handled humanely is not unrealistic. We are dealing with people's life's here. It is not like we are ordering shoes on line and we keep getting a new delivery date for one reason or another.

If you can't understand that, then I am not sure what to say.

I am truly sorry for all you have been going through with this process as well as some of the other posters who have expressed their frustration and anger.

The largest problem in the USCIS process is that there are 2 vastly differing forces at work here. On the one hand is the petitioner who has so much time, effort, money and emotion invested in getting their loved one here and on the other hand is the agency that holds our happiness in their hands. While I can't expect USCIS to care as much about my petition as I do, I would hope that they'd be compassionate and at least TRY to understand the frustration that their pace of processing brings to it's customers - the petitioners.

The worst part for people who are waiting for their approvals is that there is no way to see what stage of the queue we're in. In today's modern age I can't believe that the USCIS site couldn't be updated better to show each petitioner at least approximately how many petitions are ahead of theirs to gauge the remaining time to adjudication. The site sucks and the fact that many people never see an update even after they hold their NOA-2 in their hand is disgusting.

Why USCIS has a customer service line is unknown. I don't believe I've ever read a poster who said their call to the service line had any substantive results and people know when they are being read to from a script. USCIS should just shut down their service line if their just going to give scripted responses from people who don't even have access to the case file in question.

I fully realize that the posted time guidelines are just a "guide", but why even bother to post guidelines if, after USCIS has exceeded them, their only response to "que pasa" is to wait and call back if nothing happens in the following 60 days?

I guess the bottom line is that if USCIS was a privately run company it would have long ago gone out of business due to poor customer service. Of course in the real world if you don't like Macys you'll shop at another store, but in this circumstance - you're shopping with 1 provider with no other choices. Not a good way to run a business, but then again - when you have a monopoly, you don't really have to care how you treat your customers.

I hope all those who have been waiting the allotted 5 months will get their approvals ASAP. Hell - I wish I'd get mine tonight!

[Yagisama 93]

You're talking to a brick wall. No matter what you say they will be right. Time for an end to this thread. I'm sorry I started it. Had I known there were such self-righteous individuals here that just have to be right in pushing their opinion, I definitely would not have.

Are we reading the same posts?

[missicy 87]

Heck, had my fiancee been from a VWP country I would have been having her visit much mnore often than I could go there, I did go to Ukraine 6 times between filing the petition ahd her arrival. Having a fiancee from a VWP country is hardly like having a foreign fiancee at all.

Right. We don't need a visa so we can just jump on a plane any time we want and make a quick trip to the States. Being away from our fiances/spouses and waiting months to get our immigrant visa is much easier for us because we don't need a tourist visa.

Not everyone can afford 6 trips in 6 months or a year. Good for those who can, but most working people can't. 6 trips would have been financially impossible for me and my then fiance and I would have never been able to get that much time off from work. Being from a VWP country saves the trouble of getting a tourist visa yes, but saying that it is hardly like being from a foreign country is just ridiculous.

[az110965 252]

Are we reading the same posts?

Yeah, I agree with you. The majority of the responses in the thread were either sympathetic to the poster or agreed that USCIS basically sucks. While there were a few posters that had no sympathy for the OP, they were in the minority.

I feel his pain!

[az110965 252]

Right. We don't need a visa so we can just jump on a plane any time we want and make a quick trip to the States. Being away from our fiances/spouses and waiting months to get our immigrant visa is much easier for us because we don't need a tourist visa.

Not everyone can afford 6 trips in 6 months or a year. Good for those who can, but most working people can't. 6 trips would have been financially impossible for me and my then fiance and I would have never been able to get that much time off from work. Being from a VWP country saves the trouble of getting a tourist visa yes, but saying that it is hardly like being from a foreign country is just ridiculous.

I don't think he meant this as a "dis", I just think the sentiment was that folks from VWP countries have the opportunity to see each other more than petioners with beneficiaries from non-VWP countries.

I know in my case, my fiance had 0% chance of getting a tourist visa, even though she is a business owner with significant ties to home. If she was from a VWP country we would been able to see each other more frequently and that would have been a blessing!

[wshc 46]

I am truly sorry for all you have been going through with this process as well as some of the other posters who have expressed their frustration and anger.

I hope all those who have been waiting the allotted 5 months will get their approvals ASAP. Hell - I wish I'd get mine tonight!

Thanks, hope you get your approval soon too...

[wshc 46]

I don't think he meant this as a "dis", I just think the sentiment was that folks from VWP countries have the opportunity to see each other more than petioners with beneficiaries from non-VWP countries.

I know in my case, my fiance had 0% chance of getting a tourist visa, even though she is a business owner with significant ties to home. If she was from a VWP country we would been able to see each other more frequently and that would have been a blessing!

Once you have filed paperwork with immigrant intent, (I-129, I-130), you can not enter the country on the Visa Waiver Program. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but according to the rules it is not allowed. It is a risky proposition.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I don't think he meant this as a "dis", I just think the sentiment was that folks from VWP countries have the opportunity to see each other more than petioners with beneficiaries from non-VWP countries.

I know in my case, my fiance had 0% chance of getting a tourist visa, even though she is a business owner with significant ties to home. If she was from a VWP country we would been able to see each other more frequently and that would have been a blessing!

Of course not, but hey lets not let facts get in the way of a good indignant rant. A person could easily pay the same for a ticket from New York to California as from Slovenia to New York. Also since a person from a NON VWP country does not have the opportunity to visit, it places all that burden on the petitioner including quite often unpaid time off work. Some people prioritize differently.

If one thinks I was referring to the price of plane tickets, then I guess they would not understand, nor would they understand that for many people this is more difficult because of other travel restrictions/ If you do not have money for a Greyhound ticket from Detroit to Cleveland then I guess your fiancee may as well be in Ukraine.

[Oahu&Amesbury 0]

Yeah, I agree with you. The majority of the responses in the thread were either sympathetic to the poster or agreed that USCIS basically sucks. While there were a few posters that had no sympathy for the OP, they were in the minority.

I feel his pain!

Sorry, my bad. You guys are right. The majority of responses were great!! I guess when there is a bad element around, it tends to stick out to me more than it should.

Thanks for all of your support!! Good luck to you all!!!

Edited December 1, 2011 by Oahu&Amesbury

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Once you have filed paperwork with immigrant intent, (I-129, I-130), you can not enter the country on the Visa Waiver Program. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but according to the rules it is not allowed. It is a risky proposition.

link please

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Sorry, my bad. You guys are right. The majority of responses were great!! I guess when there is a bad element around, it tends to stick out to me more than it should.

Thanks for all of your support!! Good luck to you all!!!

That would be the element that states facts and suggests people do something besides whining.

Giving someone facts and information is not support but saying "Oh it will all be OK, I will pray for you " IS support?

[Penguin_ie 5,984]

****** Closing thread at OP request *****