brc22

I got a response 2 days back that I checked now. It had customized txt on top and then the canned msg:

Sir, we do well understand the situation you describe. We do understand as well that you are concerned and frustrated as the system appears to not be working.

<canned msg>

Strange...I never received any response from any of the e-mail addresses. Either mine was completely ignored or somebody actually paid serious attention...I hate living in this unknown.....the agony

Just received a response:

Thank you for your comments. We are looking into the processing delays at the VSC for the K-3 applications. We regret that you are experiences difficulties and understand your frustration.

As noted in the earlier email, if you have a specific case problem that you would like our office to research, please visit our website for information on how to submit a case problem using DHS Form 7001. www.dhs.gov/cisombudsman/. For privacy reasons, we require written consent before we can research your case.

Thanks again for your note.

Very nice to see a meaningful response. I will also follow your foot steps and e-mail a similar response. Hope to see a similar personalized reply.

My response today to their canned reply:

The research and description that is provided in 2008 annual report does not address the issue that I have mentioned below. Please READ the e-mail and understand the issue before trying to offer a solution or response that is completely irrelevant to the issue at hand.

Please please have VSC work on K-3 applications as they not approved a SINGLE petition since 3 weeks and have gone BACKWARDS in their processing time. Our experience with VSC has been simply ridiculous as the center's operations has made a mockery of the greatness that this country argues to stand on.

"uscis-complaint@dhs.gov" is inactive account (out of office) - they don't want to take complaints but that's why we have 3 other e-mail addresses

I got the same reply from publicaffairs account. There are still 2 other e-mail addresses which I haven't gotten a reply from and someone else will check it.

Please do not let this automated replies stop you from sending mails. Let our voices must be heared

Did you guys also include case specific info like receipt numbers? It's alright, as long as we're trying right.

You would be giving personal information then. Its not required but if its ok with you, it can't hurt.

Did you guys also include case specific info like receipt numbers? It's alright, as long as we're trying right.

You would be giving personal information then. Its not required but if its ok with you, it can't hurt.

CJ - I liked your e-mail especially the sentence - 'I really hope that someone reads this e-mail and pays the deserved attention. '

This is the response that I received:

Dear Khaleda,

Thank you for your email to the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman). I appreciate your comments regarding theK-3 petitions and the long delays. Our office has researched this issue and written about it in our 2008 Annual Report and had a teleconference on this issue. Please see our website for more information about our research into the K-3 petition. (www.dhs.gov/cisombudsman/). We will continue to look into this issue and appreciate your input.

If you have a specific case problem that you would like our office to research, please visit our website for information on how to submit a case problem using DHS Form 7001. www.dhs.gov/cisombudsman/. For privacy reasons, we require written consent before we can research your case.

The CIS Ombudsman assists individuals and employers who experience specific problems during the USCIS benefits seeking process, largely to identify problems and to formulate recommendations to improve the USCIS service. I believe that first hand information from individuals like you is the best source for identifying systemic problems in the immigration benefits process. My office will consider the information you provided as we develop recommendations to improve USCIS’ practices and procedures.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact my office, and for giving me the opportunity to serve you.

CIS Ombudsman

This seems to be yet another canned reply. I am sure that others will get the same reply. But most importantly they will see all the e-mails regarding this in their mailbox.

Its sad to not even see a single response or support for this. Visit K-3 forum to see the support that exists over there. There is nothing like a free ride. Its unity or nothing.

I have just e-mailed to the 4 e-mail addresses using the same subject as CJ's. For all of you who need a template for writing this e-mail - I have listed my e-mail below. Try to change the e-mail to what you want to say so it doesn't look like spam. I represented all the applicants and I really hope that we see some action.

If you prefer you can create another e-mail address with a fake name so your identity stays safe when you e-mail. It doesn't matter as you would be representing all applicants (UNION) and getting your point across.

Everyone - Please plan to send an e-mail as more e-mails go, its better for us.

PS: There have been not a single reply in IR1/CR1 forum and I have represented all of them in my e-mail. Its sad.

Format:

Respected Mr. Dougherty,

I, on behalf of hundreds of IR1/CR1 and K-3 applicants at Vermont Service Center (VSC), would like to take this opportunity to let you know about a SIGNIFICANT processing delay that we have been experiencing with VSC.

We are aware that USCIS received a large number of applications last year due to an increase in application fees. However, this surge of applications doesn't seem to have affected the processing of California Service Center (CSC) who have been approving the IR1/CR1 and K-3 petitions within an average of 60 days after the petitions have been filed. We believe that CSC has been very proactive and efficient in processing the petitions despite the surge in applications. We, IR1/CR1 and K-3 applicants at VSC, have not seen a SINGLE petition approved since 3 weeks while CSC has been approving petitions at a much higher rate. This fact reflects that the operations and processing timing of VSC are HIGHLY inefficient and sporadic.

Since many weeks, obtaining an approval from Vermont Service Center has become a RARE occurrence due to unknown reasons. There are many K-3 applicants who have been waiting for an approval since December 2007. There have been recent instances where a tiny number of applicants who have filed in March or April 2008 have been approved despite the fact that there are applicants who have filed much earlier are still waiting. Recently, some of the IR1/CR1 petitions from November 2007 to February 2008 have been transferred to CSC. However, there are other CR1/IR1 petitions still waiting at VSC.

We believe that we are at a significant disadvantage due to the fact that we live on the east coast and have filed our petitions with the disgraceful Vermont Service Center. Whenever, we inquire regarding our cases, we are constantly given a canned message of "Your case is within the processing time" where the processing time has not advanced by 1 month in last 2 months!! Being residents of United States, the country that is respected the most in the world, we have a right to know the real reasons behind the delay.

We wanted to bring this matter to your attention because we strongly believe that VSC's rate of approval for K-3 and IR1/CR1 is completely unacceptable. We all are married and long to live a happy life with our spouses who are being kept apart from us due to inefficient processing and operations at Vermont Service Center.

We all have high hopes and faith in you that you will initiate an action at VSC. We will appreciate if you could contact the VSC and inquire in this matter and their inability to process our petitions. We believe that it is not fair that people living on west coast who have filed at CSC much later than us are receiving approvals while we are not even seeing a single approval in past many weeks.

We appreciate your assistance in this matter and at the same time, hope for a flurry of approvals from VSC in upcoming days.

Sincerely,

I read on external forum that a group of people waiting for employment based green card applicants complained to Ombudsman about slow response rate from NSC in early 2007. Many people complained together by sending e-mails. About 3 weeks following the flurries of comments, NSC started approving cases. Many people saw approvals even in weekends.

I think it is time for us to come together and e-mail CIS Ombudsman. We can all have a e-mail format without any case details and then send it one by one demanding immediate attention to IR1/CR1 and K-3 applicants who have been unreasonably waiting. This should get VSC working fast. CSC applicants who have filed in July are getting approved now but VSC filers are in serious dilemma.

I can post that link if allowed to post external links here.

What do you all think???

The same topic is also posted in K-3 forum - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=150291

I agree. Let us treat this as an opportunity to get our point across rather than spam. There is a case problem worksheet (http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/cisomb_dhsform7001.pdf) but that will mean that all will have to specify their details and submit it via mail. So, e-mail will work better. It has in the past.

Ombudsman's name is Michael Dougherty.

The mail should be addressed to "cisombudsman@dhs.gov", ""cisombudsman.trends@dhs.gov"" AND CC should be "USCIS-COMPLAINT@DHS.GOV", "CISOmbudsman.Publicaffairs@dhs.gov"

DHS hotline is 1-800-323-8603 and fax is 202-254-4292.

Let us all unite and e-mail them. fax a copy of this letter too. You do not need to give personal information. We all need volume of people to contact otherwise it won't make too much of a difference.

I will try drafting the format later today.

As a side note, read this annual report in June 2008 - http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/CISOMB_...Report_2008.pdf It offers good insights to USCIS systems, their practices etc. I haven't read all but plan to do to see if they had forecasted this slowness (and future plans) when the report was published.

I read on external forum that a group of people waiting for employment based green card applicants complained to Ombudsman about slow response rate from NSC in early 2007. Many people complained together by sending e-mails. About 3 weeks following the flurries of comments, NSC started approving cases. Many people saw approvals even in weekends.

I think it is time for us to come together and e-mail CIS Ombudsman. We can all have a e-mail format without any case details and then send it one by one demanding immediate attention to IR1/CR1 and K-3 applicants who have been unreasonably waiting. This should get VSC working fast. CSC applicants who have filed in July are getting approved now but VSC filers are in serious dilemma.

I can post that link if allowed to post external links here.

What do you all think???