Lohninck

Good morning All!

Hope everyone is having a great day and that ALL Jan filers have their NOA2's in hand...

Status report:

Embassy, San Jose Costa received Vanessa's petition yesterday. Medicals for Vanessa and Miranda Friday morning and all we're waiting for is interview date (currently San Jose is running from 10-14 days for interview dates).

Wishing the best for everyone!

Alan

It's great to see progress moving so quickly for you! You and your girls really do deserve it. 2 people on VJ with my NOA1 date have been approved now.. will VSC be kind enough to give me the okay, too? We'll see!

Congratulations!

Lohninck -

I will bet that your NOA2 is coming any day now! You'll be soon joining the ranks of approved I-129F petitions any day!

We're rooting for you.

Alan

Aww, thank you! Someone who has the exact same packet mailed date and NOA1 date got approved a few days ago, they even posted on my profile a few months back that they would race me to the NOA2. I've never been too good at races anyway. But thanks! We're keeping our chins up, and I get to go in for my first wedding dress fitting tomorrow, so I'm in good spirits.

Anyone left from Jan 2010 class that hasn't received their NOA2?

*raises hand*

approved. Just got out from the consulate.

Congratulations! You must feel like you're on the top of the world, man.

Hey, I'm cleaning too and I'm not an owner of a man cave! Maybe we're all just nesting or something? Or does that sound too cutesy for you manly men?

O the hassles of those airports though.

Thanks. I will check them out

Newark airport seems to always get great reviews when it comes to POE. I've flown in and out of there all my life and never had any problems, nor has my fiance, and it usually seems to have pretty cheap flights. The border patrol are great.. my fiance has long hair and the second time he was ever in America the border patrol guy told him he could pick up his luggage to the left and get a free haircut to the right, because he's never seen so much hair in his life. So, it's worth checking out, but I would definitely avoid JFK since they're undergoing construction and is FULL of delays, even moreso than usual.

First, I will be politically incorrect. Just look at my screen name. I hunt tall blondes. This is a joke people. Don't get the lynch mob after me, yet.

Seriously, right now it is turkey season. I also hunt deer, bear, boar, ducks, and geese. I own 1100 acres in eastern North Carolina. I hunt geese and deer in southern Jersey, boar in South Carolina, ducks and geese in Canada. I will travel all over for good hunting. Texas or Montana will happen this fall. When I am not hunting I am fishing. My drinking team has a fishing problem.

The threat about the thong is still real.

I almost forgot, "wishing the fine people at VSC a good weekend." Now pick up my application and get busy.

Well I certainly applaud you for hunting geese and deer in my state, we have too many of the bastards threatening to ruin my car. As pretty as they are, they're pretty damn tasty, so.. awesome!

My patience is growing thin with VSC.. they approved someone who has the exact same NOA1 as me.. but not me yet, so I'm feeling lucky, but you can never, ever tell with the jerks. But, let's be civil. Happy weekend, VSC. Now hurry the hell up!

As for airfare. I check 5 different carriers websites, then the ones like orbitz, expedia, airgorilla, etc. I hit them all everyday for about two weeks. It is amazing how much they fluctuate. I can usually save 300 to 400 doing this. It is a pain, but can be beneficial. Sometimes airfares make no sense. I can fly to Kyiv cheaper, transiting through Amsterdam, cheaper than just flying to Amsterdam. I have worked every angle possible for the past 5 years.

It is Friday. We need some life here. After the gym today, it is off to hunt camp for me. Got to add more to the freezer. Okay, I just want to go drink beer. I probably will not shoot tomorrow. I might be calling for a guy that has never got a turkey before.

If this thread doesn't start getting some life, I will start posting pics of me in a leopard skin thong. Yes, that is a threat. Let's get this party going.

Okay, okay, okay! Let's not go too far now.

What do you hunt? If not for my fiance's father, I never would have had deer, pheasant, rabbit, or any of those delicious gamer critters. I don't think I could hunt, personally, but my fiance has expressed interest in applying for a permit once he gets here. Guess the shell doesn't fall too far from the gun or something.

WooooHooo....! My fiancee passed her medical exam today!!! Thank You Lord!!!

Yay! Congratulations! You deserve it, Johnny! Lots of health and happiness for you and your girl!

She passed her interview, but they lost her medical report.. I guess this is fairly common.. They did receive the report, but couldn't find it..

I still consider this a win, and a victory when the visa is in hand. :thumbs:

Congrats!

Hey Congrats....!!

Now it's your turn Christina!!

I certainly hope so! Seeing all these 25'ers get approved is giving me a boost of faith.. maybe next week will be mine?

OMG I just got home from a 12 hour shift, opened my email and got the APPROVAL NOTICE FROM USCIS...OMG I'm SO excited!!!

Yaaaaaaaaaaay! Congratulations!

Updated stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm still sitting here in shock at actually hearing the Congressman on the phone with the USCIS. They were sure a lot nicer to him than they were to me ... lol...

OMG! That's amazing! Congratulations! You deserve every last bit of justice! CONGRATS!

(I'm just in a good mood cos I got my wedding dress in today, but that's a thousand times better!)

WE JUST GOT APPROVED!!!! VSC is working!!!

Congratulations!!!

I sent each politician a 2 page letter basically telling them the the intire immigration process is mismanaged with no equity involved and that USCIS personnel are oblivious to the trauma and damage they cause relationships. I also sent copies of IGOR's list screenshots showing how people who filed in March are already being approved, and a copy of the screenshot showing CSC is processing I-129F's filed on March 1st.

Very nicely phrased, I hope it will go well for you. You deserve it!

We found the swift response interesting, as well. We were shocked, actually.

It didn't even involve a telephone call, as I am living abroad with my fiancée. I just faxed a cover sheet explaining my situation, the privacy act release form (which is necessary for them to legally act on your behalf), and zipped it off.

Again, I have a few variables that played into my favor, but nevertheless we got our NOA2 within a week of contacting his office, and then -- even more surprisingly -- the NVC appears to have almost immediately approved it and sent it to the embassy. I suppose that in itself isn't rare, but we were growing accustomed to things moving a bit slower.

We'll find out soon when our interview date is, so that'll tell us if it was truly expedited or not.

Like I said earlier in this post, it can't hurt to contact your Senator. They field innumerable requests every day, and have staff dedicated to doing so. I personally feel you may as well use every resource at hand.

I feel the same way. It can't really hurt, the worst they can do is say "sorry, out of our control," but it might wind up saving weeks or months (who knows how long they'll take) if I just plead my case and ask and they.. fix it.

On my senator's website it says this: "Dealing with federal agencies can sometimes be frustrating and time-consuming. The constituent liaison staff can "cut the red tape" and help identify an appropriate - and hopefully positive - solution. Here are the types of issues with which we can assist you: (blah blah blah) Immigration and Passports: Clarify and track visa applications; passport information, including renewals and expedition; overseas travel updates." So it seems like he and his peeps are certainly willing to help. I'll write up the situation soon and send it off. Thanks for the inspiration, my friend suggested it like, two months ago and I was like "uhh I think I'll be a bit more patient" but I've been patient long enough and would like some kind of response from some kind of government worker.

I hope it is just that it is either all non VJ people getting approved or people are not updating their timelines! I hope it is not that VSC has just decided to stop

Go VSC!!

I think a lot of people take VJ for granted. They sign up, ask for help and advice, then once they get their NOA2 they abandon it and clog up Igor's List and leave the rest of us hanging. People are selfish, news at 11. BUT, there are a lot of lurkers and, yes, hundreds of people who apply and never even use VJ so we can hope and hope that that's the case. Their burst at the end of last month was awesome, I hope they keep it up.

We landed ours in 71-days, and were really surprised. Being the cynic that I am, I fully expected at least another month or more to pass. The funny thing is that the very day after I gave up checking the USCIS web portal we received the NOA2 email notification!

Clearly the trigger is to have your will completely broken by this bureaucratic monster. Once it senses your vacant heart, it takes pity upon you and releases your petition from it's jaded claws.

We should devise a new standard on VJ by which we visually measure our progress in tears of despair. Web developer, please take note.

Very well said. I think I might take your idea of just giving up on the website and hoping that my negligence will have the NOA2 running my way in tears. I'm also curious about how you contacted your senator and the interestingly swift time you got your NOA2 afterwards.. please go on.

Well I checked the USCIS site yet again today and of course - no action. I finally had enough and called my Congressman and spoke to one of his aides. In a nutshell I told her what the situation is and she said the congressman has a full time employee that strictly deals with federal Governmental issues (ie: USCIS, IRS, etc). She said she would send me a privacy form authorizing the release of private information (which I received 10 minutes later).

I cited on my form the inequity of this system and that folks were recieving their NOA2's within 3 weeks of their application while I've been sitting in initial review since January 8th.

We shall see what happens...

"As the stomach turns, so are the days of our lives dealing with USCIS"...

Alan

Good for you! You should have complained a long time ago. Maybe it's in my New Jersian nature to complain about everything as soon as there's a hint of injustice, but you've been patient for too long. I hope this means you get yours soon, it's insane for the CSC to be so slow. Vermont, it's understandable, they're a little special, but geez. Best of luck!

i think every Jan filer is getting a lil impatient! I convinced myself to only check USCIS for updates every saturday...otherwise...im gonna go nuts

You've got more willpower than me, I've limited it to only twice a day. I hope people are just terrible at filling in their timelines, I refuse to believe that only one person on VJ has been approved in the month of April so far. Granted, a LOT of filers that aren't on VJ might be very happy.

Just out of curiosity, how are the interviews scheduled, anyway? Do they only have certain days and times open for interviews and do you have to work around that schedule or is it whenever's most convenient for you? Are all embassies different? I'm super happy things are going so smoothly for you now, it seems like not long ago you got your NOA2.. very, very happy for you, cap'n!

Interview scheduled!!! April 19th!

AWESOME! Congratulations!

Hey Feb filers, a late Jan/might as well be Feb filer checking in here. The January threads are usually dead for some reason or another, so just jumping in to say hi and try to stir up some more life in this forum. This wait is hell, my case hasn't had a touch since the 02/03.. I came home a little tipsy one night and clicked on my case and thought it said Last Updated 03/02 and got excited for no reason until my vision returned to me. I've limited my addiction to checking once in the morning and once after 5 PM.. but we'll see how long I can be good.

Can't believe it's April already. Every day without the NOA2 is one more day of stress, but there's good days and bad days. Seeing plenty of people being approved in a day is uplifting as hell. I hope they keep up whatever inspiration they had a few weeks ago where they were approving December/January filers left and right and move it onto late Jan/early Feb filers asap. Maybe if we all ask nicely at once?

Have there really been so few April approvals so far or do people really just suck at filling in their timelines..? Don't fail us now, VSC. You still have Dec/Jan filers to make happy, you big jerks.