NVC discrimination against Russian applicants or simply incompetence?

[smoothoperaytor 40]

That's the first time I've heard of a case being successfully transferred from Poland to another country. We've already started the difficult process of going to Poland, so it's too late to do something else. But had we known this was possible, it would have saved time and money.

[Simplytex 386]

So, we're at NVC now and I'm... starting to wonder if y'all were right about NVC being weird with Russian cases. 

 

My wife's documentation was all submit Oct 26th. Come Tuesday Dec 6th, got an email that 'something has happened' and to check CEAC. Logged in, and nothing - no messages, no change in any document status. A few days later on Friday Dec 9th, we get an email that the Case ID and interview location has been updated (Moscow->Warsaw.) But still, this seems really strange that there is still no change in the documents, we had a very simple case, 10 documents submit in total... and nothing has been marked as accepted or rejected, everything is still just "submitted"...

 

Now about a week later, and folks who had submit Nov 2-4th are getting DQ'ed, I'm thinking #######! Still no changes to our case or documents. I can only hope that we get something back before end of year. I submit a public inquiry on Dec 7th asking 'what exactly am I supposed to be checking/looking at since nothing changed', so hoping that might prod them but I'd put good money that I get a reply to that inquiry saying something like 'your case is within normal timeframe and documents are being reviewed.'

[Jordanian Bride 268]

2 hours ago, Simplytex said:

So, we're at NVC now and I'm... starting to wonder if y'all were right about NVC being weird with Russian cases. 

 

My wife's documentation was all submit Oct 26th. Come Tuesday Dec 6th, got an email that 'something has happened' and to check CEAC. Logged in, and nothing - no messages, no change in any document status. A few days later on Friday Dec 9th, we get an email that the Case ID and interview location has been updated (Moscow->Warsaw.) But still, this seems really strange that there is still no change in the documents, we had a very simple case, 10 documents submit in total... and nothing has been marked as accepted or rejected, everything is still just "submitted"...

 

Now about a week later, and folks who had submit Nov 2-4th are getting DQ'ed, I'm thinking #######! Still no changes to our case or documents. I can only hope that we get something back before end of year. I submit a public inquiry on Dec 7th asking 'what exactly am I supposed to be checking/looking at since nothing changed', so hoping that might prod them but I'd put good money that I get a reply to that inquiry saying something like 'your case is within normal timeframe and documents are being reviewed.'

I just think if they were trying to be weird on purpose, they would not touch your case at all, and you wouldn’t have gotten an email to check your case. Not to invalidate your experience of course, because I do think there’s something off with how they handle Russian cases, but that’s mostly regarding their insistence on their chosen post of Warsaw despite the increasing obstacles.
 

If the response to the public inquiry is a generic reply, you should contact a congressman’s immigration liaison. I’ve heard about them sorting out NVC issues that otherwise used to get generic replies through the public inquiry. Hopefully there’ll be no need for that.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Jordanian Bride

[Simplytex 386]

39 minutes ago, Jordanian Bride said:

I just think if they were trying to be weird on purpose, they would not touch your case at all, and you wouldn’t have gotten an email to check your case. Not to invalidate your experience of course, because I do think there’s something off with how they handle Russian cases, but that’s mostly regarding their insistence on their chosen post of Warsaw despite the increasing obstacles.
 

If the response to the public inquiry is a generic reply, you should contact a congressman’s immigration liaison. I’ve heard about them sorting out NVC issues that otherwise used to get generic replies through the public inquiry. Hopefully there’ll be no need for that.

Oh, I hear you on that. I'm definitely not one to jump to conclusions, but I think it's worth sharing on this thread as I have an issue (and I hope that others who work through the immigrant visa process can chime in whether or not they had an easy time at NVC as well.)

 

On the one hand, I have seen a few other threads on VJ where NVC has sent out an email without doing anything to CEAC - so this doesn't seem to be localized to only my case or Russia. On the other hand, I do also get suspicious that NVC inflates their reporting metrics by 'taking action' on the case even if they haven't done anything - that way, they can report each week that there is only a 40 day backlog, etc., while in reality people with more difficult cases might be slipping through the cracks. I usually believe in Hanlon's Razor - that incompetence is usually more likely than malice - but again, without everyone sharing their story its hard to see a pattern (or not.)

[Lynxyonok 316]

1 hour ago, Simplytex said:

On the other hand, I do also get suspicious that NVC inflates their reporting metrics by 'taking action' on the case even if they haven't done anything - that way, they can report each week that there is only a 40 day backlog, etc., while in reality people with more difficult cases might be slipping through the cracks. I usually believe in Hanlon's Razor - that incompetence is usually more likely than malice - but again, without everyone sharing their story its hard to see a pattern (or not.)

Well, we're approaching the end of quarter. Anything to beef up the numbers one last time - as of the next quarter it's "either the Shah will die, or the ###" (ok, ok, I will say "donkey" instead  ).

 

(It's an old Persian tale: Shah at the time suddenly had a mad wish, that for his ### (donkey!) to start speaking. He was demanding that his wise men make it happen, and as they said no, they were threatened with executions... until a very old man stood up and promised that he can teach the poor animal, but it would take ten years. Shah agreed. Other wise men were curious - how are you going to make it happen? I won't, replied the challenger. But when time comes (see above))

Edited December 13, 2022 by Lynxyonok

[Simplytex 386]

18 hours ago, Jordanian Bride said:

If the response to the public inquiry is a generic reply, you should contact a congressman’s immigration liaison. I’ve heard about them sorting out NVC issues that otherwise used to get generic replies through the public inquiry. Hopefully there’ll be no need for that.

Oh lordy, I'm absolutely infuriated by how inept some of the NVC handling is. This is the response I just received:

 

For reference, my inquiry included:

1. Original case number
2. Principle Applicant (my wife) name, and DoB
3. My Name
4. And the request that they review, or at least provide an update on, the submitted documents. 

 

So, resubmit inquiry again and hope for the best? What an incompetent response. 

[Jordanian Bride 268]

4 minutes ago, Simplytex said:

So, resubmit inquiry again and hope for the best? What an incompetent response. 

Resubmit inquiry with more details this time and hope for the best. Don’t give up just yet 👍🏻

[Simplytex 386]

5 minutes ago, Jordanian Bride said:

Resubmit inquiry with more details this time and hope for the best. Don’t give up just yet 👍🏻

The only thing that was missing was Invoice ID and my DOB, both of which the agent listed as 'or' statements. But yes, have just resubmit with literally everything... And going to get started with my Rep's congressional office. I'm not exactly someone to sit by idly haha!

[Jordanian Bride 268]

Just now, Simplytex said:

And going to get started with my Rep's congressional office. I'm not exactly someone to sit by idly haha!

Neither am I. I would be doing the same!

[Jordanian Bride 268]

2 minutes ago, Simplytex said:

both of which the agent listed as 'or' statements.

I’ve come to believe that with the NVC, “or” just means “you’ll eventually have to submit everything”. 

[Simplytex 386]

Just now, Jordanian Bride said:

I’ve come to believe that with the NVC, “or” just means “you’ll eventually have to submit everything”. 

The funny? annoying? stupid? thing is... what they asked for in the response to my inquiry... isn't asked for or even available to input on the public inquiry form, which I had filled out completely the first time around! So stuff like my DOB and invoice number, I've just included in the 'questions' field as well....

[Jordanian Bride 268]

Just now, Simplytex said:

The funny? annoying? stupid? thing is... what they asked for in the response to my inquiry... isn't asked for or even available to input on the public inquiry form, which I had filled out completely the first time around! So stuff like my DOB and invoice number, I've just included in the 'questions' field as well....

I was going to say it makes sense because AskEmma always asks for the I-130 petitioner’s DOB, but I remembered they don’t even ask for the beneficiary’s DOB.

 

In the NVC it’s the applicant’s DOB that matters…

 

The people processing public inquiries are often incompetent, unless they are super common/straight forward requests such as

- Upgrading F2A to CR1

- Requesting not to be upgraded to F1 after petitioner naturalization

- Changing interview post