MS and KK

There was an announcment that Obama now has his own specific twiter account that is not the white house. The handle is @POTUS maybe people should start tweeting to him and @whitehouse with #immigrationreform

Just a suggestion.

is it six months before you can formally ask for a status of your particular case?

They aren't working fully on Nov yet are they? the website says Sept.??

I am waiting for my K1 to be approved but God willing we are getting closer to the approval. I wanted to know what we needed to do once we get to the Embassy I have a few questions hopefully UAE members can assit.

1) How long is the wait for an interview (3months?) is it possible to expedite or request a shorter time line?

2) What documents are needed to have prepared for this next phase.

3) My fiance is from another country and works in Dubai, what documentation do we need to have prepared for the interview. This will take us time to get from his home country. How long are the documents good for before they have to be removed.

4) I know the documents must be translated from Arabic to English do those need to be certified?

5) Which doucments should he take in with him? Our entire packet submitted for the KI plus any addtional. Do we need to share info on ongoing relationship (we met, met in person and got engaged very quickly then applied for the KI).

Thanks a million!!!

HELP..can someone tell me how I can post a new topic for UAE group?

Federal Government is not closed on good friday or Easter Monday. Its my understanding that USCIS workers in this area don't even observe M-F workwork week that there are people there working weekends as well. Not that that makes things move any faster for any of us.

I hope everyone had a great Holy week last week. I know my prayer went up for this process to go quickly!!

M

Can someone walk me thru how you can get a hold of someone to ask about your specific case. I really hope this means that all boats will rise to the top and that more cases will be approved in a more timely fashion.

I think most ACA policies will cover oversees but they may be at higher rate.

A pregnancy will trigger a speical enrollment. She needs to go to helthcare.gov review the information and/speak to a representative. If she does not get good answers from the reps, I would recommend that she reach out to a relative in GA to help her find what is called a health care navigator in her home state to give hopefully better answers.

Its not inexpensive even with Obamacare the deductibles are high as are the co-payments but you may qualify for assistance or maybe even Medicaid?? Best thing to do is go to the website. If this does not work, please send me a private msg on here and I can see if I can help I work in health care for over 15 years doing policy work and have contacts that I could ask and get you on the correct tract.

If you guys come back stateside just go to the healthcare.gove site and prob less complicated of an issue but I think you can enroll overseas as well.

PLEASE PASS ALONG TO ANY SPANISH SPEAKERS

Unfortunately my spanish is laughable, but I think the more forums that we share the processing times with USCIS's Director the better, so if there are spanish speakers that can raise the processing times issues between TX and CA please please get on this call and ask this question of the Director.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites you to participate in a Spanish language dialogue with USCIS Director León Rodríguez on Friday, March 6 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. (Eastern). During the session, Director Rodríguez will highlight agency initiatives and listen and respond to issues of concern to the stakeholder community.

To join the session
We recommend that you call in 10 to 15 minutes before the start time.

Toll-free number: 1-877-917-5786 FREE
Passcode: Director

Maybe Im just having a moment but there are things about this story that seem a bit suspicious to me. Classic reason why people are suspicious of this K1process. We only know one side here so lets try not to judge to harsly, but based on facts presented, something seems a bit suspect.

If the marriage is so bad why is she trying to wait until she gets a green card. I think we need to be really careful how we use the term slave here becuase honestly its sounds like a really bad situation but slavery, um not so sure. There is also an extreme age difference here as well as socio-economic status and power dynamics in the relationship that honestly should not be overlooked. That is NOT to say that these things don't happen and can't be overcome but its really a factor. If he had her sign a pre-nup why/how did she sign it was she corcered? If he has nothing what is her issue now.

I would say to her that her safty and well being are first and formost an issue. I would say that she needs to get out of the home, get herself an attorney and get law enforcement involved as needed. If she can't do that because she is focused on her green card or that she may be out some of his money then perhaps her inital intent was suspect to begin with. No amout of money or stauts is worth me being treated unfairly, abused, used or poetentially being life threatning. If she dead a green card or his penion wont matter.

Get out get help and lawyer up!!

Well it was good to get the K1question in there with the attorney from Fl also hitting on response times. My take aways are that the Direcor needs to continue to hear from and about response times. I don't know what planet he is on if he things that NVC's customer service is good so that is somehting to address. I was not suprised most of the calls and callers were about DACA the employment visas it tells me that THIS community of VISA participants needs to be more vocal. I dont think he had a clue about some of these issues but I am sure he hears allll the time from skilled workers and their employers so we have to keep focused and targeted advocacy efforts that are backed in facts and solutions. I think emailing the engagement email address shared on the call at least escilates the issues a bit better. Maybe there should be a request to have a listening session specific either to processing times and/or K1's.

Im also wondering if this community can or is willing to come together and get a more proactive advocacy group going?

good points i hope people will be on the call today.

I just saw that the director is extending eligibility for employment authorizations to cettain H-4 dependept spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants seeking employment based lawful permanent residency. I have mixed feelings about that especially considering that after all my future husban will have to provide (fingerprints background check) etc. to enter the US that a valid marriage license plus all of those things would not be sufficient to get at least a EAD that does not take a minimum of several months to approve(even with a valid SSI).

USCIS needs to have addtional listening sessions with/for some of the issues we face applying for visas.

If those who have greater info about this subject I would really love the additional information as well. Its something I've been thinking about for my future family. My future husband is Moroccan and he is the oldest son, I want to make sure any children we have are recognized and have rights to all that they are entitled to as his children and also for me as his wife. I would love to know what he needs to do to maintain his citizenship and if that is wise also what we would need to do for any children that we would have. I would also consider obtaining Moroccan citizenship (how would I do that as his spouse).

How do we get this info on the Home page? I know some think i'm a bit cold but I think some of the recent ideas have been great. There will be a conference call tomorrow with the Director of USCIS. I think people should join it. Pass the word.

Please see more deatils via the below link. You must register in advance. Please spread the word with others not on Visa Journey as well as to any contacts you have in the advocacy community. I think this is a good place to raise issues with the disparities in processing timelines as well as the lack of customer services via the call in numbers. I would discourage people using this as an opporunity to discuss specifics of their case but to raise the larger issues.

http://www.uscis.gov/outreach/dialogue-uscis-director-leon-rodriguez

Details

I am and will fully support the cause but I will try to do so in a way that offers solutions for the greater good and I will address any valid specific issues about my case via the appropriate channels. Even when God willing im done personally with this process I will always be willing th help ensure others dont have to endure this pain.

So here are some recommenatins that dont have anything to do with me being upset becuase they are not moving fast enough for me or becuase I happen to live in the jurisdiction of TSC vs. CSC.

1. I think that there need to be clear adjucitation time lines and that USCIS needs to be held accountable for and to them. Maybe this requires a change in law or regulation without this they can do as they please. The way it stands now you call they keep giving you later dates and times because they are busy. Thats not ok. If they are not required by law to adjuciate a claim within X amount of time believe me they wont.

2. Since my fees support their work 100% the perhaps their compensation should reflect my level of satisfaction to their response times on the phone and the adjucitation of my claims.

3. Since my fees support their work 100% why is it they get paid up front and then hold my case hostage to their unclear ever changing time lines? Maybe the system needs to change to pay upon reciept. If I was doing a service I may have to give a deposit up front but Im also required to tell my client how long it will take and will only get paid if my contract is done to their satisfaction and under the times specified in our mutual agreement.

4. Certain countries and people here illegally should not get to have their claim adjuated faster than me. They have to get in line just like I did. If the President wants to hire 1000 new caseworkers their first priority should be to reduce current case loads and come up with ways or an alternative path to implement his executive order and not increase the processing times of people doing this the RIGHT LEGAL WAY!

I could and would start venting right now but its getting late and I wanna have a glass of Wine.

Thanks to all who particiate in this wonderful site its been the difference beteen me staying somewhat sane and loosing my mind with all this USCIS #######. I know its worth it for the man I love but it sure does drive me crazy!

This site is great, it as you put it has given me a place to be around other people like myself and it has a wealth of information that I am truly greatful for. Thanks for your thoughtful response. Wbeem the time lines are long but as I said that is our opinion but its not not inconsistent with the processes and procedures for the agency. I don't think any one suggesest (or at least I hope not) that my feelings and emotions are any different that anyone else. I just choose to chanel them in a different way.My opinion, sorry if people dont feel im emotional enough in my thoughts about them. No one here knows my story situation or curcumstances.

Since Im all about solutions, to me the issue is that cases are not adjucitated "fairly" accross the board in a "timely" way. What would one consider "timely" and how would a tranfer of more (cases to for example California) mean faster adjudication. Maybe there should be a hard and fast requirement(probably in law or regulation) that all cases be adjucated in 4 months? All that is required now is that your case will be considered so they can go as fast or as slow as they want. So talk to the staffer of your Congressman. Remember only one of you in this process is a US citizen and hopefully a tax payer and we've already paid them to consider our cases so we are at their mercy. What shall we do withhold the fees till tha adjuticate our claims? Not gonna happen. Maybe payment of claims after adjucication would be better to expedite the process. Just thinking out loud.

Ms. April and anyone else that I unintentionally offeded my sincerest apology.

Cleary you didn't understand what I said. My point is (and we are partically saying the same thing) is that for the greater good we must try to address the issues. I dind't think this site was and should be used to complain becuase complaining here or to the feds will get you no where becuase honestly, we really don't have a valid complaint other than its taking to long for us. Based on the process and procedures we are where we are supposed to be. We just dont like it. A more productive approach would be to provide solutions to the powers that be not issue non-valid complaints. I can totally take my feelings out of this and look at it more objectively and I have just as much at stake as anyone here for my future and my relationship is being held captive by someone else. In fact I can't even PRODUCE a child becuase I have to wait for this system so believe me I GET IT.

To be clear I suggest sharing recommended changes to the system in a larger discussion movement to make improvements. I am suggesting that complaining and saying its unfair and its taking "to long" is not worth the time and energy redirect it to something that will make a difference. Complaints will get you no where. I dont care how many of us get together and do it You can't show me one person here that this has been effective for in speeding up their process using the typical time line and procedures. Thats it. Sorry. I know how these things work, I know how these people thing and how its done. The reality is they don't care about us no matter how loud we shot. I can tell you how to make these changes and I've given you the first steps in doing so but current stragey you may as well try to find a live unicore in Central Park in the summer.

So I wanted to comment on the request to sign petitions, newsarticles contact ombdusman etc. I say this to be honest and from a positive place since we are all in this together but honestly, these things dont really work and wont' really help your/our short term (althought it feels longer to me) situation. You must understand the nature of government and how there are processes and procedures and there is really nothing about this that is out of line with those processes, they are just slow as all get up unfortnately. We don't really have a complaint becuase our applications are not out of line with those procedures. Believe me if there was something that I could think of to expediet this process legally (sometimes not so legally) I would have done it/tried it by now. So unless you have a personal relationship with a Member of Congress (MOC) who is personally willing to literally go over to TSC pull yor application and get someone to approve it then we must wait. Do there need to be reforms likely and if people are willing to be involved with those for the long haul thats a different discussion. The best chance that I can think of and Im reaching here is to create a critical mass with a MOC or two who will light a fire under TSC ####### and get them to move faster generally to exediete these cases in the short term. That in and of itself is no small fete.

We are all in this together, so unfortunately we just have to wait. I say this to and for myself also. Im happy to join a larger more long term movement ot create better efficiencies in this system becuase I for one am NOT intersted in having the gvt. in my upcoming marriage for any longer than I absolutely have to (we are shotting for the first opportunity to become a citizen we taking it). I hope this is helpful but Im suggesting we look at other was to deal with our short term issues and for those interested re-focus strategies to address the lager systematic issues.

New to the group and engaged to a Moroccan. OH yea stressed, frustrated..youknw the usual with this K1 stuff. Can't wait till the day that he is a citizen then I wipe my hands of the gvt. in my personal relationship. But we need friends/supporters so I hope Im in the right place.