milestogo

Thanks for the quick replies - exactly what we needed!

We still have to get through the interview but we've prepared the paperwork with the utmost of caution and effort. After these IMBRA delay, we're taking no chances.

With our interview scheduled for December 6th, we expect to be in the US around December 11th and would like to get married before the end of the year (impatience yes, but mostly for tax reasons). Getting a social security number takes weeks. Is it possible to get married in New York (or anywhere else in the US) without a Social Security number?

Hi everyone!

Good to see so many visa approvals and interviews scheduled since the last time I was here.

Thought I's share a little story. The embassy in Russia finally got around to re-scheduling our interview on Monday Oct.2, and set the date for Dec. 6. I had, that same day, posted the I-134 and NOA2 notice to her at work via regular airmail, not knowing she had gotten her interview re-scheduled. On Oct. 4, my fiance sent me an email saying she had been successful in pushing the interview date up to Monday, October, 16. (She works for the US consulate in St. Petersburg and pulled some strings).

Now I'm kicking myself when I hear this becuase our fates are in the hands of the Post. She needs to leave for Moscow Thursday afternoon, October, 12, in order to get to Moscow to do her doctor's clearance the business day before the interview. According to USPS, the docs are supposed to arrive between Monday and Wednesday (Oct.9-Oct.11). Monday, nothing. Tuesday, zip. Wednesday, zero.

Now we're having phone conversations at 3 am Thursday and I'm sending her fax copies of the packet and she's calling Moscow figuring out ways she can dance her way around not having the originals and in general just ramping up the stress in an already super stressful period in a process that started in March.

When I woke up today, I got an email saying she finally got the docs, about an hour after I spoke with her and two hours before she had to leave work to catch her train!

I can't really describe how much better I feel right now, which I'm sure will be nothing compared to what I'll feel next week if she gets the visa!!!

Coincidentally our interview was also scheduled for December 6th. Since we will be in Moscow November 11th I respectfully asked for consideration to hold the interview then. I recieved this curt response:

"Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate your inquiry. There are no vacancies available before December 6, 2006. We apologize for inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Customer Service Unit

Consular Section

www.usembassy.ru "

My fiance and I find ourselves in a similar position. Although the NVC claims to have sent the paperwork on September 13th, the embassy in Moscow claims they do not have anything. Since the package was sent out DHL, I don't know who to believe. Interviews are now entering December!

Since the NVC won't do anything and the embassy won't do anything we are in beauracratic catch 22 hell. Any recomendations? I was in Moscow last week and saw my fiance (wife) cry for the first time since we met. It was heartbreaking.

Do not panic! My case was forwarded to the US Consulate in Kiev on September 14. Today, September 28 they, finally, scheduled an interview. There are many things that might have happened: Vacations, sick time, training, laziness, etc. It’s a matter of days for you. I e-mailed Kiev numerous times and probably pissed some people off. Finally, I e-mailed the NVC and asked them who is lying - the NVC or the Consulate. Also, I asked them to trace my package and verify who signed for it. One hour and fifteen minutes later they called my fiancée. A coincidence...? I know how difficult it is, but be patient just a few more days.

Thanks! We needed the encouragement. We finally got our interview date yesterday whcih is scheduled for December 6th. Our original interview was scheduled June 29th so the government IMBRA screw up cost us 5 months!! At least we can see the end of this ordeal in sight. You would think the embassy would prioritize these cases and maybe try to schedule them earlier but if there is any lesson I've learned in this is that our goverment often seems to actively despise the citizens its supposed to be serving.

My fiance and I find ourselves in a similar position. Although the NVC claims to have sent the paperwork on September 13th, the embassy in Moscow claims they do not have anything. Since the package was sent out DHL, I don't know who to believe. Interviews are now entering December!

Since the NVC won't do anything and the embassy won't do anything we are in beauracratic catch 22 hell. Any recomendations? I was in Moscow last week and saw my fiance (wife) cry for the first time since we met. It was heartbreaking.

Thanks so much for the heads up. We are in the same situation as you with about the same approval dates. This could mean we may already have an interview scheduled. Do you have any advice on how to obtain our new case number? Since my fiance is registered at her parents house, she may not get the mail from the embassy very soon. Also, mail to her parents hose comes slow.

I'd guess you can obtain the new case number (if they have assigned a new one) by contacting NVC and giving them your NOA1 number. If you call them, talk to a live operator.

I've misplaced the NVC number and can't seem to find it on the web site. Does anyone have it?

I don't know if ours was just unique, but my fiance received her invitation letter today and the case number had changed.

We were initially approved back at the end of April and I received the letter from the NVC forwarding our case to the Embassy, but then our petition was recalled due to IMBRA. We were re-approved August 4 and NVC again forwarded it back to the Embassy on August 10. I never received a 2nd letter from the NVC.

For the last several weeks I tried calling the Embassy (waste of time), State Department and emailing the Embassy, but the only way I could get any information was via email. Last week I received an email that our interview was scheduled for October 24. All my communications during this time were with the case number I had received back in May.

Today my fiance received the invitation letter and the case number was different.

Like I said, this may be a unique situation, but I just wanted to give people a heads up.

Thanks so much for the heads up. We are in the same situation as you with about the same approval dates. This could mean we may already have an interview scheduled. Do you have any advice on how to obtain our new case number? Since my fiance is registered at her parents house, she may not get the mail from the embassy very soon. Also, mail to her parents hose comes slow.

Since we have our approval I have some indication of how much longer we have to wait. It turns out this little mistake by our goverment cost us 5 months!!!

Apologies for my confusion here but could someone tell us what packet s3 and 4 are? And if there is a packet 1 and 2?

For our original interview, we recieved a package from the embassy that seems to contain all of the instructions and forms we need. The guidance on the Moscow embassy web site as well as this web site seem to support that we're not missing anything. However, We only recieved one packet of information and I have no idea why people keep refering to multiple packets and why 3 and 4?

I recieved an RFE update on the 14th but nothing has happened for us either. Our case was touched on the 24th but no update.

I recieved my email today re-opening my case and notifying me of an RFE on the way. I sincerely hope my friend in misery t&s got his as well. It took more time for me to get this d*mn email than the entire initial approval process. You know I am not a vindictive man nor do I wish others harm but someone or several people should lose their job over the way this was handled as well as thei p*ss poor customer service/disinformation lines.

Sorry for the rant. I promise to return to normal but after what we've been through I needed to vent a little. maybe a USCIS punching bag... or dart board...

I finally got the email that my case has been reopened and an RFE is coming my way. Over 90 days after that fateful call from the embassy cancelling our interview. USCIS - the paragon of efficiency and customer service

Now it's on to stage two - how wonderfully quick and fair the process of approval and interview rescheduling will be. Do you all realize we would have been better off filing from scratch after the new forms came out?

I called the VSC yesterday and they told me they recieved my paperwork on 07/22 though I don't know if I can believe anything they say. Also for all I know it was lost since they recieved it. It looks like t&s is in the same unhappuy state.

Any advice from members here on what we can do?

I wish all 50 or so of us that have gathered on this board could find a way to petition Paul Novak directly on how horrible this has been handled and how shameful the actions of his agency has been.

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/fieldoffices...ont/aboutus.htm

"Customer Feedback:

We strive to provide quality service to our customers. If we have not lived up to this commitment, we would like to know. If we have met or exceeded your expectations, please let us know that as well. To comment on the services provided at this office, please write to the Center Director, at:

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

P.O. Box 1000

Saint Albans, Vermont 05479.

Note in the heading of the letter and on the envelope: "FOR THE PERSONAL ATTENTION OF THE DIRECTOR."

If you feel you were mistreated by a USCIS employee, or wish to make a complaint of misconduct by a USCIS employee, you may write to the Center Director, or write directly to the:

Director, Office of Internal Audit

425 Eye Street, NW

Room 3260

Washington, DC 20536

Please be specific and reference specific case numbers and dates to provide the best way for us to understand and assess your complaint."

americanwoman,

Don't dump on t&s. Clearly no one is going to leave theire one and only. We're just very fustrated and sad. I would swim the Atlantic to be with my wife and with this inept USCIS, I might have too

still more approvals happening for non-recalled cases.

what is going on for the recalled? this is truly ridiculous!

now that congress has recessed, has anyone made appointments to meet with their rep or senator?

i'm trying with both.

I appreciate everyone who tries to keep morale up. The truth of the matter is that we all got dumped on. Not because of our fault but the fault of the system and now in order for them to stay ahead, they will on the new cases and do the old cases when they have time. They figure we have waited so long, why not make us wait more. Too bad we don't know anyone on the inside that can tell us what really is going on inside the walls of the Vermont Service Center. Who do they get to work there and how do they pick them. I've given up hope. If all these people that got touched in July are crying and worried, something must terribly be wrong with the cases that have not been opened. Maybe we should just tell our loved ones to forget about the relationship and move on with our lives.

Yes, I am so demoralized as well. We were married two months ago (ceremony only) so I guess I'll have to settle for a marriage 5000 miles apart. Now I know why people move to Montana, buy guns, and barricade themselves against this government. I'm actually seriously considereing picking up and moving to Russia since my company has jobs there.

Tuesday and still nothing. How does one "start an investigation"?

Another Monday and still nothing :(

How do you think I feel, my case hasn't even been opened. What about the other people that haven't even been touched. Another business day gone by for us. Forgive me for being so selfish, but at least they are somehow working on your cases.

t&s, has your case been opened yet? I just PMed tuekros who had his case opened so we may be among the last left since I don't know how many are actively updating their profiles. The glass half full approach would say we're coming soon. The glass half empty view has me very worried about lost cases, etc. I can no longer even describe how upsetting this has all been.

Another wasted week... My case was re-opened on June 27, but no RFE, yet... Did not get any help from the Senator's office and did not get any informative answers from the USCIS Customer Service.

Wow, I'm sorry... I just took a look at the chart to see how long they've taken to send RFEs. There was one case with a time gap of almost a month. It'll happen for you soon, piper.

A month??!! We should be so lucky. It's been 90 days since I recieved a call from the Moscow embassy cancelling our June 29th interview. Since then, nothing, nada, zip. I've called everyone and without going in details on the responses I've come to the conclusion that the NVS, USCIS, State Department, etc actively hate their own citizens.

I think it's high time that we (by my count 11 of us) whose recalled petitions have been lost by either the UK, Russia, Thailand or Phillipines embassies start sharing information between ourselves in a new post, since there seems to be so little available. I for one have absolutely no idea where my k1 petition is. VSC don't got it, NVC don't got it, and the Embassy was supposed to send it like 2 months ago. My wedding party is 2 days away from postponed, as are my fiance plans to resume university in the fall. Luckily my fiance works for the US consulate and has been promised action on her behalf this week by someone-of-power at the Embassy to find out what happened to our petition. And I will post the findings here.

As far as the rest of you go, and I'm only talking about those of you like me who have NOT gotten their case re-opened, please share any and all information and thoughts you can.

Cigarovich, I know you've now seen action so I think I'm the only active one on this board who has not heard or learned anything new for 90 days. Since the others may not have visited to update the list, is there anyone else like me who's case has not been touched and has not heard anything since the cancelled interview? My calls, letters, expedite requests, etc. have yielded nothing.

Is there anyone left who like us has not been touched or notfied of anything since the interview cancellation?

Yep: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22563

There are a few others on the list but we haven't heard from any of them. I'm trying to determine if I should worry that I was somehow lost in the system. It now seems that everyone we heard from is seeing action. I truly am happy for all of you but this is only making me worry more.

Is there anyone left who like us has not been touched or notfied of anything since the interview cancellation?

International Marriage Broker Act

An ill concieved (some would debate this) law designed to protect immigrants from abuse at the hands of their nasty criminal American fiances.

For some of us IMBRA is better known as the root of all our suffering.

It's been almost 90 days now since I recieved a call from the Moscow embassy telling us our interview was being cancelled and our application returned due to Imbra. Since then I have recieved no new information, our case has not been touched, and I've recieved no RFE. This despite repeated cals, inquiries, and a request for expidite.

I have been traveling away from this board for a few weeks and my question is this. Is there anyone left that is still in the dark like I am? I have no idea what to do next. Our complete approval and interview process initially took less time than has passed since they cancelled our interview.

I would add how sad and upset we are but then everyone on this thread understands that.

We also have recieved nothing, not even an email about an RFE. My fiance (wife) would be here now. I would take extreme action if I knew what that was. I feel like driving to Vermont and screaming at someone but who would I scream at and how would landing in jail be productive? I've never been this mad/dissapointed in my life.

If there were justice the folks at USCIS who made this msitake would have their families shipped abroad until everyone last one of us were united with our fiances.

Should I be worried?

Our case hasn't been reopened and there has been no message of any RFE being sent. In fact all the times I called the VSC or NVC nobody could locate our case (or bothered to try). Emails to the NVC and the Moscow consulate on the matter went unanswered.

04/06/06 NOA1

04/12/06 NOA2

05/06/06 Interview Scheduled in Moscow for 06/29/06

05/23/06 Interview Canceled, Petition Returned

06/23/06 Touched due to address change request

RFE Update: None!!

RFE: None!!

I was in similar state of darkness for a long time too. Try calling the US Dept of State (DOS) in Wash DC at 202 663-1225.

Rick, Did you learn anything from the DOS? How are they involved and what did you ask them? I'm about to tackle this problem full time including contacting congress, etc but I don't want to jump the gun. I seem to be one of if not the last one to get any update. I'm so happy progress is being made with others but this is scaring the ####### out of me. We're so helpless in this process. I'm even considering filing a Freedom of Information Act request just to know what the h*ll is going on. Probably I'm over reacting but the emotional impact of knowing we would be together right now and having my own government act so inpetly is too much. My fiance (wife) put it well when she noted that to these government people we are less than dust