USCIS admits there are systematic problems with i130 Visa's currently

[jhonster 23]

A story from the New York Times on Feb 8th, 2014 says...... www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/us/program-benefiting-some-immigrants-extends-visa-wait-for-others.html?_r=1

Until recently, an American could obtain a green card for a spouse, child or parent — probably the easiest document in the immigration system — in five months or less. But over the past year, waits for approvals of those resident visas stretched to 15 months, and more than 500,000 applications became stuck in the pipeline, playing havoc with international moves and children’s schools and keeping families apart.

Christopher S. Bentley, a Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman, said the agency had seen “a temporary increase in processing times” for the citizens’ green card applications because of the deferrals program and “the standard ebb and flow” of visas.

Last year, officials said, the agency detected the problem and tried to speed up the green cards by spreading them out to three processing centers. In November, the agency reported it had reduced waits to 10 months, calling that a “significant step forward.” Officials said they hoped to reduce waits to five months, but not before this summer.

An immigration service center near Kansas City assigned to handle both the green card applications and many of the deferrals was rapidly overwhelmed, officials said. But although the agency is financed by fees and does not depend on congressional appropriations, no new employees were brought on at that center, because of “unanticipated hiring difficulties,” officials said, without elaborating.

USCIS self admittedly considers 5 months to be the "normal" wait time for a i130 to be processed. Many people like me are way past that timeline. People whom are citizens of this country should expect better service from a Federal Dept that is self funded. In other words, USCIS does not need to get money approved from the U.S. Congress. If they are having "unanticipated hiring difficulties", then they need to get on top of that. We, the tax payers, AND people whom are PAYING for this service deserve to have the best service possible. And if it means they need to start hiring some people ASAP, then that's what they need to do.

I suggest ANYBODY who is having this problem contact their Congressperson for your area and you're states two senators. You can find them on the internet by just doing a google search & entering your city or zip code. Both the Senators and Congresspeople have liaisons in their office that handle ONLY Visa petition problems for U.S Citizens.

You can also file a complaint with the USCIS Ombudsman if you're not getting anywhere with your Congressperson or Senator here (form 7001).

http://www.dhs.gov/ombudsman-case-assistance

You can also send an email to the Ombudsman and explain your experiences with USCIS and any issues or extended wait times they have here.

OLUInquiries@dhs.gov

There is no reason why USCIS should be taking more than 5 months to process any Visa provided the applicant or petitioner is providing information to them in a timely fashion. They are a self funded entity. And since I work for a govt agency, that is the big difference between agencies that CAN get things done and those that have to "make do" with what they get in terms of funding.

[dwheels76 5,463]

USCIS self admittedly considers 5 months to be the "normal" wait time for a i130 to be processed. Many people like me are way past that timeline. People whom are citizens of this country should expect better service from a Federal Dept that is self funded. In other words, USCIS does not need to get money approved from the U.S. Congress. If they are having "unanticipated hiring difficulties", then they need to get on top of that. We, the tax payers, AND people whom are PAYING for this service deserve to have the best service possible. And if it means they need to start hiring some people ASAP, then that's what they need to do.

I suggest ANYBODY who is having this problem contact their Congressperson for your area and you're states two senators. You can find them on the internet by just doing a google search & entering your city or zip code. Both the Senators and Congresspeople have liaisons in their office that handle ONLY Visa petition problems for U.S Citizens.

You can also file a complaint with the USCIS Ombudsman if you're not getting anywhere with your Congressperson or Senator here (form 7001).

http://www.dhs.gov/ombudsman-case-assistance

You can also send an email to the Ombudsman and explain your experiences with USCIS and any issues or extended wait times they have here.

OLUInquiries@dhs.gov

There is no reason why USCIS should be taking more than 5 months to process any Visa provided the applicant or petitioner is providing information to them in a timely fashion. They are a self funded entity. And since I work for a govt agency, that is the big difference between agencies that CAN get things done and those that have to "make do" with what they get in terms of funding.

I just had a friend that filed last April calling me asking what she can do. I have given her all I know. I had another was at service center so long than transferred to CSC and they lost her file and RFE her for needing evidence of a bonafide relationship. Trust me she had 6 lbs of it but they later admitted "they misplaced it". Just shameful.

Thanks for the information.

[Ryan H 3,791]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Progress Reports to USCIS Service Centers forum; topic is about USCIS operations.

[Ryan H 3,791]

~~~Closed for review.~~~

***Thread back open, post containing racist content removed along with posts quoting or referencing. Administrative Action taken.***

Edited March 16, 2014 by Ryan H

[Ed and Gina 45]

The problem isn't so much that they don't have enough people...USCIS was inundated with petitions for the DACA program...521,000 undocumented residents in the US got to the front of the line. What is DACA...Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deferred_Action_for_Childhood_Arrivals%C2'>

Obama directed Homeland Security to implement this program and to provide Expedited service!!

We can thank President Obama and 521,815 undocumented individuals for this serious delay - for "clogging" up the system - at our expense!

Therein lies the truth of the matter.

[Ed and Gina 45]

DACA Defined...

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) is a memorandum authored by the Obama Administration on June 15, 2012. It was implemented by the Secretary of the Department Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano. It directs U.S. Customs and Border Protection(CBP), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to practiceprosecutorial discretion towards some individuals who immigrated illegally to the United States as children.

A grant of deferred removal action does not confer lawful immigration status, alter an individual’s existing immigration status, or provide a path to citizenship.

Contents [hide]

• 1 Deferred action
  • 1.1 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
  • 1.2 Removal proceedings
• 2 Potential beneficiaries and eligibility
• 3 Application
  • 3.1 Forms required to apply
  • 3.2 Supporting documentation
• 4 Politics
  • 4.1 Republican response
  • 4.2 State-level legislation
• 5 References
• 6 External links

Deferred action[edit] U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services[edit]

The USCIS should establish a clear and efficient process for exercising prosecutorial discretion, on an individual basis—by deferring action against individuals who meet the criteria and are at least 15 years old, for a period of two years to be granted employment authorization, subject to renewal, to prevent low priority individuals from being placed into removal proceedings or removed from the United States. ICE is instructed to use its Office of the Public Advocate to permit individuals who believe they meet the above criteria to identify themselves through a clear and efficient process. ICE is also instructed to immeditely begin the process of deferring action against individuals who meet the above criteria whose cases have already been identified through the ongoing review of pending cases before the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

The creation of this law came after the failed attempt to pass the DREAM Act for undocumented immigrant children. President Obama wanted such law to grant residency to young undocumented immigrants who have attended college or have served military time. However, Mitt Romney did not completely agree with Obama’s idea. He only agreed with the part that dealt with military service. After the success of passing DACA came the demanding process. The eligibility process is rigorous. Those who are chosen are picked on a case-by-case basis. The main relief for these beneficiaries is the two year deportation reprieve they receive. Mostly applicants who require economic relief receive work authorization. Though this application can be renewed it is still not known how long it will be in effect and it is only given in two-year increments. DACA does not by any means provide citizenship to these young undocumented immigrants.

[ehklei19 18]

So they (Obama's minions) have created a new "zombie" status where you cannot be removed and can work... and then what? Get a green card and therefore eventual citizenship to vote for democrats? Is that the plan here?

You know, this really pisses me off. The rest of us who do this the legal way pay through the nose, have to wait forever and a day and need to answer all sorts of bs questions.

[namour7997 2]

it's just sad when your case is one of those stuck in a clogged pipeline (Dallas Field Office) and kept in the dark how long is the waiting time

[Megan & Luke 93]

Seems just about everything involving Texas is a problem. My fiance and I are at TSC for our K-1. Granted, we filed July 2, but they are so backlogged that we aren't even expecting a "normal" 5 month wait time. He is more optimistic, but I am not. I've already gone ahead and drafted letters for me to use once our case goes a day over 5 months. Then they will tell me wait an extra month - but since that isn't "normal" processing time I think I will ignore that statement and continue pushing for answers on our petition (if it comes to that).

I cannot understand how USCIS have decided to draw up this arcane map. They placed some of the HIGHEST population states all at the same service center (not sure if this goes for the field office as well, probably), instead of doing the logical thing and splitting up the highly populated states amongst the major service centers. Granted, certain visa get different service centers, but it seems like Texas in general is at a standstill.

My company has significant patches of volume - we hire people, we open more centers, we require overtime. Maybe if they changed the rules to where they are not allowed to cash our checks for our petitions/requests/applications until they make a yes or no decision on them, things would move much faster.

Good luck to all

Edited July 29, 2014 by MeganLuke