From Pillar to Post... My US Immigration Experience So Far

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

OK this is a rant so if you don't like them then look away now just had to vent about my experience so far..

There was recently an article in one of the more left leaning UK newspapers written by an illegal immigrant in the US about how badly he has been treated there. He wrote about how his family crossed the Rio Grande when he was a child with him on their backs. In the comments section, one commentator wrote “That’s nothing; you should try legally immigrating to the US”. High five to that person. The US immigration system is so broken that it’s a joke, yet the administration wants to fix the system for illegals and doesn’t give a damn about legal immigrants, the families of US citizens who the government is supposedly there to serve. Now I occupy the middle ground on this, I don’t want to deport everyone and I don’t want to allow everyone in, but surely fixing problems with legal immigration should take precedence especially given the fees charged for the process.

After a wait of nearly a full calendar year just to obtain my Visa (thanks for approving DACA and causing all those delays to legal immigrants Obama), a mistake was made in recording my name as I entered the United States. Not only that but the person who processed my Visa at the airport processed me as a K1 not a CR1. Nice one buddy. That's sarcasm, I'm British (although the guy at POE probably recorded me as Polish given the other mistakes made). This mistake means that I am unable to get a Social Security Number until it is fixed. Now, here’s the problem… nobody is responsible for anything in the US it seems and they will do anything to fob you off on another agency. We have already visited the Social Security Office twice to see if it’s been sorted (granted it’s not their fault but it’s frustrating that they can’t help) and the CBP deferred inspections at Logan Airport who tried to help but were ultimately unsuccessful.

At least the staff at these two places tried to help us. We had an infopass at the local USCIS office today to try and fix the issue once and for all. The member of staff we saw could not have been less helpful, I would have said had he tried but he was clearly actively trying to be as unhelpful as possible. He told us that the Embassy should fix it, despite the fact that the telephone helpline from his own agency, the SS office and the CBP had told us USCIS would fix it. I’ll just fly back to London at the most expensive time of year to fix a problem that he could fix himself shall I? When informed of this he told us that the helpline was useless anyway. He then proceeded to go out the back and do something and told us that he’d sorted the issue. Given that he’d previously said he couldn’t do anything and how unhappy he was to help, my wife and I are highly suspicious that he actually did anything. So now we have to find out if anything has been done with our file (probably via CBP at the airport) before we attempt to get an SSN again.

After waiting so long to get a Visa this extra delay to get everything sorted has been completely exasperating and made even worse when every person you contact sends you in a different direction. The man at the SS Office told us that mistakes at POE were not uncommon and the lady I spoke to at the Airport couldn’t believe how someone with my passport in front of them made such an easy mistake. In addition to this the attitude of the guy at the USCIS office and his assertion that his own agency’s helpline is useless makes one thing clear… train people properly and fix the system for legal immigrants instead of spending years arguing over what to do with illegal immigrants!

Yours truly, a frustrated new American resident

Edited August 6, 2014 by Hotter Otter

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Sorry you're having trouble, Otter. Your wife got some good advice about how to fix it in the other thread. The good news is that it will be a distant memory soon.

Once you get the SSN you won't have to go back there ever again.

[shippingforecast 126]

OK this is a rant so if you don't like them then look away now just had to vent about my experience so far..

There was recently an article in one of the more left leaning UK newspapers written by an illegal immigrant in the US about how badly he has been treated there. He wrote about how his family crossed the Rio Grande when he was a child with him on their backs. In the comments section, one commentator wrote Thats nothing; you should try legally immigrating to the US. High five to that person. The US immigration system is so broken that its a joke, yet the administration wants to fix the system for illegals and doesnt give a damn about legal immigrants, the families of US citizens who the government is supposedly there to serve. Now I occupy the middle ground on this, I dont want to deport everyone and I dont want to allow everyone in, but surely fixing problems with legal immigration should take precedence especially given the fees charged for the process.

After a wait of nearly a full calendar year just to obtain my Visa (thanks for approving DACA and causing all those delays to legal immigrants Obama), a mistake was made in recording my name as I entered the United States. Not only that but the person who processed my Visa at the airport processed me as a K1 not a CR1. Nice one buddy. That's sarcasm, I'm British (although the guy at POE probably recorded me as Polish given the other mistakes made). This mistake means that I am unable to get a Social Security Number until it is fixed. Now, heres the problem nobody is responsible for anything in the US it seems and they will do anything to fob you off on another agency. We have already visited the Social Security Office twice to see if its been sorted (granted its not their fault but its frustrating that they cant help) and the CBP deferred inspections at Logan Airport who tried to help but were ultimately unsuccessful.

At least the staff at these two places tried to help us. We had an infopass at the local USCIS office today to try and fix the issue once and for all. The member of staff we saw could not have been less helpful, I would have said had he tried but he was clearly actively trying to be as unhelpful as possible. He told us that the Embassy should fix it, despite the fact that the telephone helpline from his own agency, the SS office and the CBP had told us USCIS would fix it. Ill just fly back to London at the most expensive time of year to fix a problem that he could fix himself shall I? When informed of this he told us that the helpline was useless anyway. He then proceeded to go out the back and do something and told us that hed sorted the issue. Given that hed previously said he couldnt do anything and how unhappy he was to help, my wife and I are highly suspicious that he actually did anything. So now we have to find out if anything has been done with our file (probably via CBP at the airport) before we attempt to get an SSN again.

After waiting so long to get a Visa this extra delay to get everything sorted has been completely exasperating and made even worse when every person you contact sends you in a different direction. The man at the SS Office told us that mistakes at POE were not uncommon and the lady I spoke to at the Airport couldnt believe how someone with my passport in front of them made such an easy mistake. In addition to this the attitude of the guy at the USCIS office and his assertion that his own agencys helpline is useless makes one thing clear train people properly and fix the system for legal immigrants instead of spending years arguing over what to do with illegal immigrants!

Yours truly, a frustrated new American resident

Hi HotterOtter! Long time no speak. I've been away for a while, I needed a short break from thinking about the immigration process.

I'm sorry to read of your experience so far. I was on the phone with my wife when I read your post and told her about it; she explained that the worker bees in these agencies are only put in these positions because they can't be trusted to do anything else, and that they'll palm you off onto other people because if they find a mistake has been made, they'll get it from every angle. But I guess that's just her opinion.

I hope the matter gets resolved for you as swiftly as possible. Keep your chin up!

[Darnell 8,478]

Sorry, could not find yer prior post about this, Otter - I stopped looking circa 11 June - but

stick with the CBP office for now - they can fix your stuff. They will be updating the SAVE database, and it takes 1 to 2 weeks for the update to be seen across that database. If no resolution at SSA, ie - SSA cannot find you by A# or VISA Name, get back to CBP and hammer on them, twice a week, in person, till it's right.

Then wait again...

Sorry yer having troubles...

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Once you get the SSN you won't have to go back there ever again.

Well maybe...

When he become a USC.

When he goes to get his kids a SSN.

When he wants to apply in person for Social Security benefits (about 3 months before he starts drawing retirement.)

Too bad Otter...you might get to visit SSA again.

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

Thanks for the sympathy and advice, CBP were helpful this morning when my wife called so I'll give it a few days then try the SS office again and hopefully everything will be ok ! Such a pain to have to keep checking though!

[Darnell 8,478]

oh - I hope you can get resolution via telephone with CBP, but historically one gets good results with face to face visits, asking such questions as:

1. did you correct my arrival record already? if no, why no? let's get your supervisor up here to fix this.

2. please correct my entry in the SAVE database - the back room data entry clerks at the POE got it wrong and it's affecting everything else now.

sure, a telephone is convenient, but for real results, face to face is important.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Darnell

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Well maybe...

When he become a USC.

When he goes to get his kids a SSN.

When he wants to apply in person for Social Security benefits (about 3 months before he starts drawing retirement.)

Too bad Otter...you might get to visit SSA again.

You have to go in person to apply for benefits? Yuck

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

oh - I hope you can get resolution via telephone with CBP, but historically one gets good results with face to face visits, asking such questions as:

1. did you correct my arrival record already? if no, why no? let's get your supervisor up here to fix this.

2. please correct my entry in the SAVE database - the back room data entry clerks at the POE got it wrong and it's affecting everything else now.

sure, a telephone is convenient, but for real results, face to face is important.

Thanks Darnell. We have the name and business card of a lady at Logan who seems pretty good but believe me if not sorted this time I will be attending their office in person until it is!

[Darnell 8,478]

don't forget - it takes 1 to 2 weeks for the update in the SAVE database system to 'take'. I hope you two get it all corrected this week, but you still have to wait after the update, so that the goons at the SSA office, when they do a SAVE db lookup, will see the updated info on you.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

You have to go in person to apply for benefits? Yuck

Well only if you want to sit down with a counselor and get it all explained and discuss pros/cons of drawing Social Security at 62 or full retirement age or somewhere in between. Then you can ask questions about how working or a foreign affects payments, when the check will come, collecting your spouse's SS, etc. It's a little one on one specific help instead of reading the website. And those guys likely take you back to a cubicle do a better job than the ones dishing out first card information or misinformation.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Nich-Nick

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

don't forget - it takes 1 to 2 weeks for the update in the SAVE database system to 'take'. I hope you two get it all corrected this week, but you still have to wait after the update, so that the goons at the SSA office, when they do a SAVE db lookup, will see the updated info on you.

Thanks, we'll give it some time for the update to go through. So glad you know about this!

Well maybe...

When he become a USC.

When he goes to get his kids a SSN.

When he wants to apply in person for Social Security benefits (about 3 months before he starts drawing retirement.)

Too bad Otter...you might get to visit SSA again.

Argh!! Though at least it'll be a long time until retirement and there are no little otters on the way (yet) haha!

[JKLM 1]

Hi Hotter Otter,

Welcome to America. I've been going through this kind of administrative mess, ever since I entered this country in 2011. CBP, DMV & with USCIS too.CBP messed up my i-94 when I entered in 2011. The CBP Officer initially stamped my L1 i-94 validity date for 1 year and then he realized my visa has 3 year validity. Hence he striked-out the initial stamping and wrote on top of it with a 3 years validity. When I went to DMV after 4 months for my license, the DMV suspected that I made the strike-out corrections & they wanted a fresh I-94 with a proper CBP stamping. I then had to goto EWR CBP to get it corrected. Thank fully the initial officer had entered 3 years I-94 validity in the system, which was helpful for the 2nd Officer who verified my passport when I went to obtain new I-94.

I had to wait for another 2 weeks for DMV to process my DL request, since they had to cross-verify my new I-94 for 3 years validity. I'm sorry that you have to go through this, but few Govt. offices are the same around the globe, it's a painful process & we need patience to get our stuffs fixed with them.

Good luck with your immigration process.

Regards,

JK

[blupi 0]

Is your name wrong because, say, they put your first and middle name together? I have this problem right now.

Im unsure if its worth changing or just going with it for now? I found this out getting my social security card, the guy dealing with me told me. (im on a k1 FYI)

I do enjoy reading a good British rant, and since moving out here, I also have to let people know when im being sarcastic.

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

Is your name wrong because, say, they put your first and middle name together? I have this problem right now.

Im unsure if its worth changing or just going with it for now? I found this out getting my social security card, the guy dealing with me told me. (im on a k1 FYI)

I do enjoy reading a good British rant, and since moving out here, I also have to let people know when im being sarcastic.

Yeah that was one of the issues, the guy at the SSN told us there was a workaround which we were happy to try but as I have two middle names it wouldn't work when he tried as it was too long. We think we have fixed the issue, fingers crossed!