AmyStan

Hi everyone. Amy passed her interview on Dec 1. We're waiting for delivery. Has anyone who interviewed in Dec received it yet or have any information? I saw the one lucky poster who was allowed to pick it up. No such luck for us - the CO said it wasn't allowed. So as has been stated here before, it's the luck of the draw on who you get for a CO. Air21 says they haven't received it from the embassy and it is Saturday after passing on Tuesday. Is anyone else having better success?

Congrats to all approved - and best of luck to all still waiting to interview!

Amy passed, interview approved. Hopefully she'll be here next week if the visa delivers as we hope.

Wow - it's been a wild ride. I feel like I've spent months on Bodacious. Could not have done it without all of your support and kind words.

Here's to us - and, even more, to all of you!!!

Visa approved... should arrive in 5 days.... it took all of 1 hour and 45 minutes, most of which was waiting... very easy process

Outstanding! Congrats, my friend!

Amy is in her interview as we speak... or as I speak... or as I type. Oh, forget it. Should know something in a few hours.

Wow, a lot has happened and all of it great stuff!

Missy is Missesy? I never got the invite!

Richard - We expect to hear of your approval soon! We all know you'll get it.

Bella - great news!

Mari-Joe - good to hear!

Amy has her interview on Tuesday. We're both going over everything wondering what we could have forgotten, wondering what the next disappointment will be. But hey, we're actually optimistic and secretly expect her to be here sometime around Dec 10. We just don't want the Visa Gods to see us smiling - not good to get cocky.

Will let you know in about 32 hours (but who's counting?).

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

Listen, I wanted to go to the interview and would have, except a plane ticket to Brazzaville was going to cost me $2,500 a few weeks ago. And, I have the money and could have gone but I didn't have time to get all the shots and start the malaria meds - otherwise I would have been there. I would have much rather spent the money and been there to "handle" it all myself!

Now that I don't have much of my own hair left (because I've pulled it all out), I'm thinking about a blonde wig.....whatcha think? Can I pull if off?

I think $2,500 is a fair price to go to Brazzaville - just to see the braz.

Congrats Missy!

WOW, I am away from the thread for a day and miss all the drama and STAN!

Missy, I agree, everything will be fine..... I am sorry I was not around to hold your hand yesterday!

STAN... I have missed you man! December 1 is just around the corner, I am happy for you buddy!!!!!

Hey Richard! I missed you too, my friend. Glad to hear you're heading that way to be at the interview. You have a cooler head than I - I'd be worried I might do something stupid after all the headache. Brings up an interesting question - can they kick you out of your embassy? Would be like deporting you to a foreign country.

Maybe Richard can try it and let us know!

Update on us - Amy passed her medical finally and is scheduled for her interview Dec 1 at 7a. I'm enrolling her in the Suzanne Somers School of Fingerprint Strengthening just to be safe, but she has certain strong anatomical features that I think will pull her through. As soon as she has the visa in hand, we'll get her here - we've been ready for weeks.

Glad to see all the great news with approvals, etc. Way to go!

Weak fingerprints? I had to google for the visa scoring guide. I've seen Lars' picture, and he has a strong jaw. So strong jaw beats out weak fingerprints, according to the scoring guide. You're in there!

He went in at 6:00 a.m. (my time) and it's been almost an hour. I am just sitting with the phone in my hand, waiting......

Phone in one hand, keyboard in the other.............

Well?? Any news?

On Tues, St Lukes was giving resched appointments to folks who had just passed the sputum culture for this Thurs and Fri. When I called the appointment center, they told me the first available was Dec 1. Amy went back to St Lukes to see if they would reschedule her. They told her they couldn't, but were showing openings on Nov 12. When I called the appointment center again, they didn't see those in their system. So it would seem that St Lukes sees openings not seen in the appointment center. They could be other appointments they (St Lukes) cancelled due to requiring the sputum test.

But my question remains - has anyone had success in rescheduling an interview to an earlier date through the appointment center?

Thanks

Hi everyone. Has anyone had success rescheduling an interview to an earlier one? Amy is finally through the medical but the earliest I could schedule her interview was Dec 1. Is it possible that there will be cancellations and we can reschedule? I've called back twice so far and they still say nothing available earlier. I'm wondering if cancelled appointments due to St Lukes are then reserved for St Lukes. Thanks in advance.

I am glad you are back!

Thanks Missy!

Another question how do i check DHL for deliveries ?

This is what I have on DHL tracking. Adjust dates accordingly.

1) 2 days after NOA2, starting calling NVC: 603-334-0700 press 1 then 5.

2) Once NVC has your case, they assign a new case #. Ask them what date they sent your file to the embassy & also for the NVC case #.

3) Once you know the date NVC sent off the file, track it at DHL's website: http://track.dhl-usa.com/TrackByRef.asp?nav=TrackByRef For the reference code, enter EXP 10 JUL 2009A (adjust using dates around the date NVC told you), with a shipping range of that day to a few days later (July 13 - July 14 worked for the example above). Look for shipments to your beneficiary's embassy.

4) To find out if the embassy processed the packet, call the Dept of State before 5pm: 202-663-1225 press 1 then 0

5) You can also call the DoS to find out your interview date once you believe the embassy has scheduled it.

Hello my March VJ family! I'm sorry I haven't been around much. Great to see that almost everyone is progressing. Is anyone still waiting for the NOA2? I see there were some delays getting through NVC. Hopefully that's getting straightened out. You have all been in our thoughts and prayers.

We're still waiting for the culture results - halfway through, with 4 weeks to go. We're doing well, just trying to keep the faith. If her results are positive, we'll have another 8 months. I don't even want to think about that. With any luck, she still might make it here by the end of November. Just in time for the temperature to occasionally drop to around 20 degrees colder than she's ever felt in her life. She says she wants to see snow. I told her I'd buy her a postcard - snow is great, when it's on a postcard.

I'll update everyone as things happen. We're about to be very busy once those results come through.

morning march!

Stephen... hopefully you will be out of the NVC today... they havent mentioned AP right?

Stan, I filled out a special form and sent it in as they said do not email them... My letter of discontent on this whole process I sent to the dierctor and the deputy director.

I hope it gets some attention and that not only does it help you and others, but that it also ends up making someone accountable for this mess.

The response I got from them in June is below. Never heard another word. I basically complained that they should have more transparency and should get their web site up to date. If VJ can do it, then that proves it can be done. I volunteered severl years ago as an ombudsman for the department of aging here in Texas - basically going to nursing homes a few evenings a month and listening to complaints. I didn't have any weight to do anything, but the state did. And the NH would try and settle anything I brought to them rather than hearing from the state. So it worked out well - just depressing in a way.

This office is obviously a paid employee and so one would think they'd have more power - but I agree I doubt they do much other than say "thanks for the mail."

Dear Sir/Madam:

Thank you for contacting the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CISOMB) in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Under the authority of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, 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.

We believe that first hand information from individuals like you is the best source for identifying systemic problems in the immigration benefits process. Our office will consider the information you provided as we develop recommendations to improve USCIS’ practices and procedures.

Thank you for contacting our office.

Sincerely,

CIS Ombudsman

I just wrote a general gripe back in June about lack of information once a petition is filed. I got a canned email response. I thought Richard had sent a complaint in email, but I might have missed the purpose or what exactly was occurring.

An ombudsman is someone who researches problems or helps settle complaints. The USCIS has one - must be very busy, even if not very useful.

Richard - the email address I used for the ombudsman is below. Or have you tried that? I got a reply, albeit a canned one.

cisombudsman <Cisombudsman@dhs.gov>

ugh yes I remember now.....8 week wait wasn't it? What a pain in the ####.

Yes, 8 weeks starting Friday when she finishes giving samples. I've had to wake her yesterday and today (and again tomorrow) at 3a so she can get to the clinic on time. A pain - too true. In a way it sucks because there is no hope for it to come faster. On the other hand, I don't know how everyone can stand the not knowing while the case is still with VSC. So I don't know which is worse, to be honest.

Phillipines is slow on the interviews as well? I know Canada is horrible.....people waiting 3-4 months before even getting scheduled.

Not slow in general, we're stuck waiting for more medical clearance to be done. I'm engaged to Typhoid Amy.

That was a JOKE

Called the Congressman's aid that handles the immigration stuff... and she has not yet heard back from her liaison at the USICS who was out of the office last week.... grumble!

do you think we are going to be like NatPenBen or Wendy&Gregor.....still keeping this room alive in November, cheering because everyone's getting married, except me and you? If that's the case, I'm moving to Atlanta and buying a house next door to you so I can have some company!

God, I sure hope not... not that I wont cheer on the others or that I wouldnt want you as a neighbor

I'll still be here in November waiting for the interview. We have zero chance of getting it before then. But if we're neighbors, share some of the sprinkler with me. My water bill is outrageous.

And to whomever was saying VSC has "a thing" for the Philippines, I say no way - that'd mean they have excellent taste, which obviously they do not.

Won my case, thanks for asking AND probably going to write an offer tomorrow. THAT is the big news of the day!

As for the wait - I talked to Lars this morning. I just had a big ol' crying fit and he was absolutely marvelous about it. He has assured me that even if we can't get the visa approved in time for him to be here November 15th, we will spend those three weeks that he is out of Congo. I guess I better explain - he is there for 90 days and out for 21. We had planned on getting married the day before my birthday, November 27 - if we could get it all done.

So, as it stands now - if we can't get the visa approved and embassy issues worked out, I will still get to spend three weeks with Lars in November, we just don't know exactly where. You have no idea how much better that makes me feel! He wasn't moving here permanently anyway. I just want to see him.

Sounds great Missy. Having a date you can count on has got to be a "good thing" (as someone else familiar with courtrooms would say). Make it a really cool location and take your camera! No hospitals!!

I still believe that the USCIS is padding the numbers and will be well into June by the end of the month for the fiscal year end. I normally do not subscribe to the conspiracy theory... but in this case I do... Sorry to say, that I believe that many March, April and May filers will be left in the dust while the USCIS tries to make themselves look better for the year end. Just my opinion mind you.

I am in complete agreement. It's the only thing that makes sense - at the same time making us all very angry.

Richard - Are any Feb filers out there with no update, no rhyme/reason as to why they haven't been approved?

there appear to be 6 couples that have logged on recently but have not updated a NOA2 status

Hopefully just a matter of not updating timelines. March is low hanging fruit VSC needs to get off the tree.

Richard - Are any Feb filers out there with no update, no rhyme/reason as to why they haven't been approved?