Caught between the NVC and USCIS

[Kitten & Lion 0]

I mailed ONE postal package, on 4 December 2012,

containing 2 separate complete petitions,

with 2 separate US Postal Money orders, for the fees,

for my wife and step-daughter (age 9).

After about 5 months, the Mother's petition was approved,

and was sent to NVC.

...I inquired about the daughter's. NVC told me, they didn't have it.

And to check with USCIS.

(they also offered, IN THE EMAIL, to "contact the USCIS on your behalf".

I gratefully accepted this offer. But, in all of the FIVE emails, over the past few months,

they refuse to even acknowledge this!

Mostly, they simply repeat, that the Mother's petition cannot be held, to wait for the daughter's.)

And they told me, that a separate petition, must be filed for the daughter.

(again, my INITIAL letter to NVC, clearly states, i filed two (2) complete petitions,

in 2 separate folders, that were in the SAME postal mailing package, received by USCIS.)

...and they keep telling me, to contact USCIS. Which i already did.

- - -

USCIS asked for the receipt number. Which i never got, for the daughter.

(i did offer to give them, both of the US Postal money order numbers. )

And they said, they cannot track it, without the receipt number.

(even though, i KNOW they received the daughter's, because it was in the SAME package as the Mother's. just in 2 separate folders, inside the mailing package. And i bet both money order's were cashed.

( I tried the USPC online tracking, but it says BOTH money orders, cannot be found.)

But because USCIS lost the daughter's package (that was WITH the Mother's...),

and failed to give me a receipt number, I am completely helpless.

- - -

USCIS, also said (even though i know that a separate petition must be filed for the child.

And i have clearly stated, from my FIRST email, that i sent 2 COMPLETE petitions.),

USCIS also said, that they believed the child's petition might be with the Mother's, at NVC.

And I should first check with NVC, and ask them to check the package.

- - -

But again, in the many emails with NVC, over the past few months,

they refuse to contact USCIS directly. (as they own email had previously offered...).

They refuse to simply check the package, to see if USCIS DID make a mistake, and combined the Daughter's with the Mother's.

And each time, i beg for help, and point out, the Mother cannot come, without the daughter,

they simply repeat "The Mother's petition cannot be held... etc.".

- - -

I'd consider at this point, calling my Congressional Representative. But, i think the report would be "we checked, but there is no receipt number. ...nothing we can do.".

- - -

Perhaps if i could talk (or preferably email), a supervisor or higher, at USCIS, I maybe could get some help, but, i don't know how to do that.

- - -

I'd be grateful for anything that will help get BOTH my wife and daughter here.

(preferably before school starts in August. ...if i have to start again from scratch, they won't be here until maybe Christmas...)

- - -

...hoping...

Edited June 15, 2013 by Kitten & Lion

[The Mean Lady 604]

Your mistake was ignoring for months the fact that you never received a case number for your daughter's case.

Do you have proof the check was cashed?

I don't know what the steps are to take after that, but it will probably involved contacting your congressman as well as opening tickets with USCIS

[nyrhythm 0]

if uscis is not responding to your queries , you can try to contact CIS OMBUDSMAN.

http://www.dhs.gov/topic/cis-ombudsman

Write to them. I hope you have copies of the paper work you sent to uscis.

[Kitten & Lion 0]

Yes, i definitely made mistakes and should have been less trusting, and followed up better. However, when i did call USCIS, the lady repeatedly assured me, it was normal to send both that way, to NVC. (Even after i reminded her, this was CR-1, instead of K-1.)

Thank you, nyrhythm, for the ombudsman info. ...I'll try once again this morning, to call USCIS, and tell them, NVC refuses to check the package, as the USCIS told me to ask them.

(I wish NVC would at least take one quick look. The folders were together, and it seems such a mistake is possible. After all, my daughter's folder IS somewhere. Either at USCIS or NVC. Even if neither of them can find it, or will even look for it.)

And I'll ask to talk to a supervisor. ( I recall seeing a post for contacting a higher tier supervisor, but i haven't been able to find it again.

Then, after they tell me yet again, that they cannot track it, without a receipt number, which they never gave me... probably I'll try to contact the Ombudsman, when I return from work tonight.

[The Mean Lady 604]

You contact a tier 2 supervisor by saying 'let me talk to a supervisor'

[nami33 6]

Yes, i definitely made mistakes and should have been less trusting, and followed up better. However, when i did call USCIS, the lady repeatedly assured me, it was normal to send both that way, to NVC. (Even after i reminded her, this was CR-1, instead of K-1.)

Thank you, nyrhythm, for the ombudsman info. ...I'll try once again this morning, to call USCIS, and tell them, NVC refuses to check the package, as the USCIS told me to ask them.

(I wish NVC would at least take one quick look. The folders were together, and it seems such a mistake is possible. After all, my daughter's folder IS somewhere. Either at USCIS or NVC. Even if neither of them can find it, or will even look for it.)

And I'll ask to talk to a supervisor. ( I recall seeing a post for contacting a higher tier supervisor, but i haven't been able to find it again.

Then, after they tell me yet again, that they cannot track it, without a receipt number, which they never gave me... probably I'll try to contact the Ombudsman, when I return from work tonight.

You are right. USCIS sometimes sends only one receipt notice for two applications sent together. That happened to me. I called them and they said not to worry about it and that they had both. When the NOA2 came, they came in different evevelopes for mother and son even though they had only sent one receipt notice. So try the OBODUSMAN route and see wat happens.

[Kitten & Lion 0]

You contact a tier 2 supervisor by saying 'let me talk to a supervisor'

thank you.

...i just wish NVC, had simply checked the Mother's folder for me,

as the USCIS helpdesk lady told me to ask them. But they refused,

even after 5 emails of me trying to explain...

and you asked about proving they cashed the check.

as i said,

"with 2 separate US Postal Money orders, for the fees,

for my wife and step-daughter"

I did the Official tracking, and got the letter back, with a photocopy,

of both the 2 separate $420 money orders.

... BOTH have the same receipt number stamped on it - the Mother's !

...so, it appears that the first USCIS lady, and nami33, were both correct.

"USCIS sometimes sends only one receipt notice for two applications sent together."

But I wish someone would tell that to the NVC ! They wouldn't help verify this at all. It has been very frustrating and nerve-wracking !

( And being told, i must submit a separate petition for the daughter, when i told them in the FIRST letter, that is exactly what i did... basically, NVC didn't seem to even be trying to help, or even reading my emails...)

And i still don't know for certain, if the daughter's is with the mother's at NVC, or was simply lost in some other way, at USCIS...

But, I appreciate all the replies here. They have definitely helped. Thanks !

[Kitten & Lion 0]

You are right. USCIS sometimes sends only one receipt notice for two applications sent together. That happened to me. I called them and they said not to worry about it and that they had both. When the NOA2 came, they came in different evevelopes for mother and son even though they had only sent one receipt notice. So try the OBODUSMAN route and see wat happens.

///

thanks ! ...i wish i had known that before. I wasted many weeks now, trying to get NVC to check the folder, as the USCIS lady told me to ask them.

But when i got the approval notice for the Mother, and was told it was sent to NVC, Only one envelope came, and I still never heard anything about daughter...

But after begging them for help 5 times, NVC finally sent me a (rather cold) letter, saying that the Mother's case was now being reviewed.

"

The correspondence submitted is currently under review. An appropriate

action will be taken once this review is completed. "

So I am praying, that this will all be cleared up soon, and my wife and daughter will join me quickly!

[pushbrk 13,072]

Have you verified that USCIS processed and approved a petition for the child? If not, start there.

NVC will hold any petition for up to a year after each official response you send.

Edited June 23, 2013 by pushbrk

[Kitten & Lion 0]

Have you verified that USCIS processed and approved a petition for the child? If not, start there.

NVC will hold any petition for up to a year after each official response you send.

/// i did start there. and the USCIS lady, told me, that they couldn't track it, without a receipt #.

(catch-22...)

She basically told me, they could do absolutely nothing for me.

Then she told me, she thought it probably had been sent with the Mother's package.

And told me, to get NVC to check and find out. And THEN, call USCIS back.

So, for the past 5 or 6 weeks, I have been patiently explaining all this to NVC, and begging them, simply to check the Mother's package, to see if the daughter's petition is there.

(as the USCIS lady told me to do...)

In the FIRST response, NVC also offered to contact USCIS "on my behalf", to get them working on it.

I gratefully accepted, but each time i mentioned it after that, I was ignored.

Then last week, I finally called USCIS again, and a nice lady, took down ALL my info, and opened a case. So I am much more hopeful now, they will find it.

But i am very sad and frustrated, that at least 2 months have been wasted. And that no person would simply listen, and actually try to find my daughter's package, instead of giving me the run around, for many weeks.

( I actually work for the Goverment. But where I am, we never treat customers like this. Especially after taking $840 from them !)

The ONLY useful information i got from NVC, is that they don't do spouse interviews in Astana. Which was actually bad news, because Astana is close. But Almaty is an expensive 16 hour train ride for them... But, at least now we can plan for it.

I do wish I had asked advice here sooner ! Thanks again, to everyone.

[pushbrk 13,072]

Do you have evidence your check was cashed? If so, often the case number is on the back.

[Darnell 8,479]

December 2012, you say?

is quite possible that the processing was done at a local USCIS office and NOT the MSC service center.

If I were you, I'd get an infopass at the local office and track stuff down there, asap.

Do note the person behind the glass is clueless, and you must ask for the I-130 Adjudication Unit Supervisor once you are in the building.

[Kitten & Lion 0]

the first USCIS helpdesk lady, said they couldn't track my daughter's petition, without a receipt number, which they never gave me. (that, was the problem.) ...and told me to get NVC to search for it in the Mother's folder.

the second USCIS helpdesk lady, took all my info, opened a case, and i got a call from the investigator already, telling me that my daughter's petition has been approved, and is being sent to NVC ! (...and, she gave me the MSC receipt number.)

...anyway, i regret the waste of 2 very stressful months. But, i am happy! hopefully the daughter's will catch up soon to the mother's, and all will go well, and they will be here soon !

Thanks again, to everyone, for all the great information and comments.

...if they is any more problems, i am coming here FIRST for help !

[The Mean Lady 604]

yay!

[NikLR 13,232]

Happy that you finally have the receipt number for your daughter's case!