Let's blow up the USCIS...on social media

[dsldesch 27]

I think it's important keep in mind that unfair or not, the waiting period it's unavoidable in TSC. And as other VJ members said before, it's a privilege bring your fiance or spouse to US, so that means our process are tied to their own rhythm. I really believe that USCIS don't care too much the complains about it because it's the usual thing in those service centers, one get better another get backlogged and viceversa, so its the endless vicious circle and I guess they don't worry too much about being "exposed" in social media because guess what, it's not new at all with all the immigration affairs that US face since long time ago.

If people get break down just for the waiting in TSC, just imagine those that get denied and have to do the K-1 process again or go to the spouse visa in TSC.

Patience it's the key in this process and I suggest you stop to following the posts or timeline of the people in CSC, that will only give you a negative emotional roller coaster that you don't need. Furthermore, all the problems, frustrations, etc, will be forgotten in a snap when your SO get into the country and even you will think that was worth it every minute of it.

I happen to believe differently, that the waiting period is avoidable, or at least manageable, and I feel there's no reason why any pairwise comparison of service centers should have such drastically different waiting periods for the same forms--now or at any time in the future, barring extraneous circumstances. To resign ourselves to the notion that just because it's always been like this we shouldn't do anything to change it is simply apathy at its finest.

Furthermore, I'm not "getting broken down" as you've implied, and I'm certainly not saying I don't feel for those who are denied. And, to be brutally honest, I'm fully prepared to wait as long as it takes, and I know every moment will be worth it, but as before, that doesn't excuse apathy or taking any effort to reform a malfunctioning system.

I also notice you're in North Carolina with a beneficiary in Mexico, as is my case. I'd love to keep in touch to hear more about your experience.

[Ash.1101 1,755]

Very right about it's a government department.

A lot of people have never really dealt with the government to this degree, but this is exactly how the governments always been. I'm Ex-military spouse and been very involved with my sister and her family and they've been in the military for a little over 20 years now... And well if you have been exposed to this and are still surprised, I'd recommend not expecting it to change.

One thing that my sister always says, and it's very relevant to this, is that the government is very slow to give, but VERY quick to take away. It's like this across all aspects of the government, not just immigration.

Edited June 11, 2015 by Ash.1101

[Anh map 2,098]

Keep in mind there are far more cases than just the family based visas to be processed. And some are seasonal. So the workload goes up and down. If we want it faster, then propose a fee increase because that it how it is funded.

There is no injustice in it. It can be frustrating. But, if it's important to you then you will work at it until the desired outcomeis attained.

Relax, pull up a chair, and chat amongst friends.

Edited June 11, 2015 by Anh map

[raven52 233]

I know everyone is frustrated with TSC. I went through VSC, when they were at a snails pace.

I wish I could think of something positive, or good to say about USCIS.,.,.,the director will not even admit when one of his service centers is way behind,

But, its all we got to get a loved one here, so as frustrating as it is, its all we got, and it is their game, we just play by their rules.

[Boiler 43,434]

The TSA's acting administrator, Melvin Carraway, is being reassigned to a different job in the Department of Homeland Security. Acting Deputy Director Mark Hatfield will lead the agency until a new administrator is appointed.

The directives come after the agency's inspector general briefed Johnson on a report analyzing vulnerabilities in airport security — specifically, the ability to bring prohibited items through TSA checkpoints.

Johnson would not describe the results of the classified report, but said he takes the findings "very seriously."

ABC News first reported Monday that undercover agents were able to smuggle prohibited items, such as mock explosives or weapons, through TSA checkpoints in 67 out of 70 attempts. ABC cited anonymous officials who had been briefed on the inspector general's report.

This guy was 95% ineffective in a matter of national security and all that happened was he was reassigned.

[Amhara 460]

Thank you, Amhara. You have been one of the sweetest people I've seen of this website, and while I haven't kept up with the general March 2015 filers thread, I truly am glad that you and the others there have been moving along swiftly. I hope that continues with ease and little stress.

I don't intend to simply be another angry voice. Frustration doesn't in general lead to social change, but if we don't step up and speak up, nothing's going to change. I don't think the risk in stirring up awareness and pushing for change is high enough to cause a petition to be denied that would otherwise be approved, so I'm certainly going to do everything I can. It might not be the biggest or most important battle, but all efforts at change must begin somewhere.

Awww, shucks, Dsldesh! Thank you! Don't give up. Just keep pushing because it's an important battle to us. The US government is there to serve and protect it's citizens. You know bureaucracy well; but it doesn't give a sufficient excuse to operate inefficiently and to serve us poorly.

[Maritah 77]

I happen to believe differently, that the waiting period is avoidable, or at least manageable, and I feel there's no reason why any pairwise comparison of service centers should have such drastically different waiting periods for the same forms--now or at any time in the future, barring extraneous circumstances. To resign ourselves to the notion that just because it's always been like this we shouldn't do anything to change it is simply apathy at its finest.

Furthermore, I'm not "getting broken down" as you've implied, and I'm certainly not saying I don't feel for those who are denied. And, to be brutally honest, I'm fully prepared to wait as long as it takes, and I know every moment will be worth it, but as before, that doesn't excuse apathy or taking any effort to reform a malfunctioning system.

I also notice you're in North Carolina with a beneficiary in Mexico, as is my case. I'd love to keep in touch to hear more about your experience.

Any info that you need about my experience, please don't hesitate to contact me any moment.

Best regards!

[Mightbebeyondme 2]

We the people, will always have the right and duty to scrutinize our government. It is indeed our duty as Americans. We deserve as citizens to be treated with respect and decency. Our government should respond to us in reasonable time. It should not be a privilege to fall in love and marry, even outside our borders. We should be efficiently and thoroughly examined for other motives however.

[Shauneg 762]

We the people, will always have the right and duty to scrutinize our government. It is indeed our duty as Americans. We deserve as citizens to be treated with respect and decency. Our government should respond to us in reasonable time. It should not be a privilege to fall in love and marry, even outside our borders. We should be efficiently and thoroughly examined for other motives however.

The government is stopping no one from falling in love and marrying outside our borders.

[Mightbebeyondme 2]

The government is stopping no one from falling in love and marrying outside our borders.

The implications of that are somewhat obvious. They would have to in any reasonable world be able to travel to both countries somewhat freely to maintain relationship. It is fairly disrespectful to the citizen to not allow that relationship reasonably continue and be sustainable. If the ethic of service to the people is not reasonbly in existence, I have no idea how the people can be expected to consider their government to be an honorable entity.

[Shauneg 762]

The implications of that are somewhat obvious. They would have to in any reasonable world be able to travel to both countries somewhat freely to maintain relationship. It is fairly disrespectful to the citizen to not allow that relationship reasonably continue and be sustainable. If the ethic of service to the people is not reasonbly in existence, I have no idea how the people can be expected to consider their government to be an honorable entity.

There's some bad people with bad intentions. People need to be vetted. The ethic of service is too the people whole not to individuals. The process is in place to protect everyone here, not to keep people out. If someone doesn't want to endure the process than they are more than welcome to go somewhere else.

[Ash.1101 1,755]

yep, it's pretty much a case of a few apples spoil the bunch.

[dsldesch 27]

1. I don't disagree that some people have less-than-noble intentions and that it's important for all visa applications to be processed to ensure the safety of the general population as well as the validity of the relationship. I understand this process takes time, and for some, longer than others. Furthermore, I feel in particular to long-distance relationships, the ease of having one these days is not something the government has caugt up with; let's not forget it was only within the last five to ten years that it stopped being taboo to say you met your significant other online. It generally takes far longer for policy to catch up with public opinion. As such, I wouldn't be surprised if USCIS is seeing historic amounts of fiance and spouse applications on account of this, and that probably means whatever systems they had in place have fallen out of date rather quickly, and perhaps to those at the desks, rather unexpectedly.

2. What I feel needs to change is the fact that some service centers (currently Texas, but apparently it varies over time) have wildly varying processing times for the same applications. This has a disparate impact on people simply because of the state they live in, regardless of the fact that all petitions are now being sent to CSC. It seems to me that, possibly for the reasons hypothesized in point 1, that there is no stable and effective method, a best practices inventory, that exists between the centers to ensure that they are equitable and relatively consistent in processing times. A more efficient government, on any level, in any department, with more open internal communication, tends to benefit everyone involved--both the workers and those they serve.

3. I believe it's worth trying to do something to fix this. I don't think we need to be complicit in sustaining this injustice--because if we, the affected, don't speak up about it, no one will. I'm getting the impression there aren't many people here who are willing to participate in the video project I suggested, but even still, I think collectively we have enough power--simply as individuals with voices--to affect positive change. It may not have any direct result on our petitions, but if we could play a role in making the process more equitable for those who follow, shouldn't we at least do something?

[Pennycat 880]

I keep reading about how slow the TSC is and how fast the CSC is and having gone through CSC, I can tell you that this isn't always the case. We filed at the end of January and only got approved on 1 May. We had an RFE that they only pulled up in April. However, our case was approved within the current timeline which is 5 months. Is it frustrating to see other applications being approved within a few weeks, yes, but as everyone keeps saying it's not a right, it's a privilege.... We're all in the same boat together and it's being stuck in a limbo that's most frustrating.

Anyway, my point is, moaning about one service centre or another isn't going to resolve anything - the most it will probably do is create a backlog somewhere else in the system. I wonder how many applications these people are dealing with every day.

Excuse me what? End of Jan to May 1 isn't fast to you!?!?? Even taking into consideration a mistake that you made (RFE?). Looking at your timeline, you were 9 weeks from NOA1 to your RFE. If you hadn't made a mistake in your petition, you'd have been 9 weeks from NOA1 to NOA2. TSC is averaging 30 weeks. 3.5 times longer. For the same fees and everything. And you think that 9 weeks "isn't fast". What do you think about 30?

No, it's not crazy "did they even read the file" 4 to 10 day turnover, but 9 weeks is WELL within what you were told to expect when you signed up. In fact, it's less than half the time you were told. And 30 weeks is 50% longer than we were told.

Holy heck, I only wish I could have such problems. Seriously,

[Mightbebeyondme 2]

I was waiting for a k1 visa when the twin towers fell. All visas were put on hold for about a year. Immigration was moved into the shell of DHS. I was told at that time by various government representatives, that as far as immigration goes, DHS answers to no one. There are no checks and balances. They do whatever they deem appropriate, and for whatever reason they wish. When they finally did issue visas, there was such a backlog that they just issued thousands of them at the same time with what was apparently no proper security checks on the immigrants. If my government wants me to believe that they are acting in the peoples best interest, they will have to re-establish checks and balances for the citizens of this country.