samiam95124

sam - yay ! one less thing, aye?

can you tell us , what prompted a contractor from homeland security to call you, though? That'd be cool, if you can tell us about that.

To subtle for you eh? Let's see. About one month ago, I finally got through to ELIS customer support. It took 1 and 1/2 hour to get through to them, and I had called and waited 3 times before that, giving up because I had other work to do.

A month later I heard nothing from them, and the problem was still there. So I tried to reach them 3 times, waiting more than an hour each time, and in one case, 4 hours without result (no I didn't sit there for 4 hours, I just wanted to see if they ever picked up, which they didn't).

So I sent an inquiry to my congresswoman. About a week later they called me. It would have taken about 2 to three days for the letter to show up at Anna Eschoo's office (my congresswoman), then they would have called USCIS, about another 2 days.

But I am sure it was all a coincidence.

Scott

Solved,

A guy from something like "hanson security" called me (didn't quite hear it). I thought it was some burglar alarm company with a wrong number. Turns out it was the USCIS contractor for ELIS.

They had backed out the bad transaction that was causing my account to always fail. It was proceeding to pay the $165. I kept the guy on the line anyways, just in case. What a good idea, because the site crashed yet again while trying to process the payment. I started again, and this time it worked. Huzza!

I'm quite sure the fact that my letter detailing the problems I am having arrived at my congresswoman's office (Go Anna Eschoo!!!!) 2 days ago was just a wild coincidence ;-)

I hope for everyone's sake that they take the suggestion about providing an alternative way to pay, preferably via low tech regular mail. I made sure to make that suggestion yet again to the tech on the phone.

Anyways, huge load off.....

Scott and Doris in San Jose, CA

So the result appears to be that nobody else is stuck in ELIS. Having difficulties, yes, but able to proceed.

That's great, glad to hear it.

On my case, there seems to be a want to shoot the messenger here. Because the system works for %99

of people just not justify keeping %1 from getting a green card because someone low bid the ELIS web site.

The problem is not that USCIS tried to create a new more efficient way to pay. The problem is that they allowed

no backup plan at all, such as using the old system or allowing mail in payments, and now have defaulted

completely on support (and telling callers that you have 1000 minutes of average hold times or not picking up

for 4 hours certainly qualifies as default).

Keep in mind this is not someone disputing a USCIS immigration decision. We went through with flying colors

and the USCIS handled my case well and rapidly. We are done. My wife is here.

Now she is effectively being denied her earned green card by a third party bureaucracy appointed to run a

web site that apparently is responsive to nobody -- including USCIS.

It needs to stop. It is not right.

Scott Moore

In San Jose with my beautiful wife Doris.

What is the problem you are having and more importantly what steps did you take for the problem to arise? Unfortunately, I don't think I could help you find a solution to your issue but VJ members can benefit from your experience.

Sorry you're experiencing this problem. I hope it will be resolved soon.

Thanks, it was well documented on another thread, so I'll spare the board from repeating it.

Scott

I suggest you chase down the original account,

using a PC with internet explorer V7 or better.

----

As to reaching an ISO Human with USCIS, please read the following:

http://www.dhs.gov/cis-ombudsman-update-getting-most-out-your-call-uscis-national-customer-service-center

http://www.dhs.gov/cis-ombudsman-update-getting-most-out-your-call-uscis-national-customer-service-center

http://www.dhs.gov/cis-ombudsman-update-getting-most-out-your-call-uscis-national-customer-service-center

Thank you for the link, I will try that avenue as well.

I don't know what you mean by original account. I tried both google chrome and internet explorer. Both give a "internal server

error message".

Scott

Thats a new one on me. What I tried was to ask for a supervisor, and pleaded with her for any way to pay the fee.

Who are tier 2 people and how do you get ahold of them?

Thanks,

Scott

Its going on a month that I have not been able to get anywhere simply paying my bill with ELIS. I am going to move to

complaining to my congressperson.

I'd be interested in how many others are stuck in this horrible system.

I have been simply trying to pay the $165 fee for a month now. I waited 1 and 1/2 hours to get a hold of a tech, who tried to work it out, failed and said they would "look into it". That was a month ago. They have done nothing. My login there is still wedged, and they have the system rigged so that if you do try to open a new account with another email, it tells you you can't use the same alien registration number again. As it is, the existing account just tells me I have an incomplete application to pay the fee -- then crashes when I try to continue it (as in spills incomprehensible error messages across the screen).

My wife arrived long ago. All this is doing is denying her her green card, which we worked very hard for and paid for. If their system is having problems, fine -- they should allow another way to pay (by mail) while they work it out.

I was in their technical help queue for 4 hours today (yes four, not a misprint). I left it playing dumb music on speakerphone, and finally just shut it down.

Scott Moore

Lubnajavid is right...I had to add a zero (0) after the letter A. So instead of it being eight digits is was nine...I wish they would tell you this on the website. Thankfully VJ has been helpful regarding this matter...

It does say this on the right side. It took me a while to find it as well.

So glad the system is moving for some of you. For me, after waiting 1 and 1/2 hours to talk to ELIS "techs", they

went through everything with me, said they would "look into it", then never called me or did anything.

Scott

And do they actually withhold the green card? The docs said it arrived shortly after she does...

Scott

Need to escalate this. We are done with our interview, done with everything, my wife is getting on an airplane and coming here.

BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO PAY THE ALIEN REGISTRATION FEE of $165. The document they sent my wife says that she MUST pay the fee before entry. It says they will withhold her green card, but I am worried in general.

The only way they gave us to pay this, the "ELIS" system, has collapsed. Attempts to get ahold of USCIS personnel get routed to a "special department" that does not answer the phone. Even their automated wait queue says "current hold time 1000 hours", meaning that nobody is picking up. Ever.

Several people here mentioned that they were able to get the system to work, but I notice that they are also saying that the status does not change to reflect the payment. I'd suggest that none of those payments are going through as well, since the system appears to be completely stopped.

Thanks,

Scott Moore

Today waited another hour using the "callback" system. It doesn't work. They call you back and put you on hold again.

Their system appears to have collapsed at this point.

Has anyone found a way to pay the fee outside of the ELIS system? Anyone know what happens if you can't pay it?

My wife does not get her green card? Or?

Scott

So yesterday I waited 1 hour on hold for ELIS service guys (they have their own hold queue) to fix this, and gave up.

Today I just called them, their automated system says the hold time will be 1000 minutes! No I am not making this up.

That is 16 hours by my calculation. I choose the callback option, lets see if that works.

The system (my account with elis) is still broken. It just says "you have to finish your draft", then when I try that button,

their system crashes and gives me a nonsense error (about 7 lines of spagetti). I even tried registering under another

email account, but it says "that alien number is already registered here". Grrrrrr.

Scott

I sent them an email asking them to unlock the account and it was unlocked next day. Just leave it for the night is what I suggest and try again tomorrow after sending the email.

So after trying over and over again for several hours, I think I can tell you how the process works. The site says "you account is locked", but if you wait, it seems about 10-15 minutes, you find that it is ok to access again, but they have invalidated your password. You have to reset the password to get back in.

Since it does not like you using the same password again, you have to change it, even if that was only 15 minutes ago you created the last one.

The reason I go into this is that the site has been crashing and dying of late in the middle of trying to get something done, as others here have mentioned. Taking a whole day to ask permission, then trying it again is a great way to make the process take weeks.

Right now, my request on the site is simply wedged (stuck). Each time I log in it tells me I have a pending, unfinished request, and won't let me do anything else. When I try to complete the "draft", it crashes. I'll call them tomorrow and try to get them to reset it.

Scott

And then I get back in again, only to see "account locked" yet again.

Really tired of this.

Scott

Now I discovered that when it "locks" your account, it invalidates your password. So you have to request a new password, and that cannot match

the last password. I have changed it 3 times now!

Scott

I've been trying to pay this ^&*( fee for 2 hours now. I finally figured out that you have to add a "0" to the alien number or keeps saying "invalid". Finally the form advanced to the next stage, then waited for a long time and announced an error, something

like "problem with request". I logged out, and logged back in, and tried it again. Now it says "you have to finish your draft request", and there is no other option. Hit "finish draft", and you get an incomprehensible error message.

Tried again, now it says "your account has been locked".

I spent 1 HOUR WAITING ON HOLD FOR HELP and finally gave up.

What IDIOT did they get to program this thing? I'll bet they paid double the going rate for some contractor that paid a larger

bribe than the rest to get the job. Unbelievable.

Oh yea, and for extra credit, they told me on the phone that THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO PAY THE FEE except this stupid system.

Scott

Yes, that was my experience.

Scott

So sorry guys to keep going on, but do you know where the $165 gets paid online? My NVC fees were all paid for, $230 and $88. I haven't seen

anything about $165 in any of the online Visa interview preparation material....

Thanks,

Scott

And they need cash?

Scott

I-130.

Hi all,

I am trying to get everything in order for the interview at the embassy. In the appointment package it says:

Visa payment: if the petitioner has not yet paid the nonrefundable visa application and surcharge fees (or

you are not sure if they have paid), you should bring $404 US dollars ....

I had assumed they were talking about the fees I paid back in the NVC processing, but I see the fees were:

Transaction Date Service Amount Payment Status

Select 01-MAR-2013 22:44 AOS $88.00 PAID

Select 27-MAR-2013 18:35 IV $230.00 PAID

ie., they don't match the $404. Is this really a new fee?

Thanks,

Scott

Hi,

I have an appointment for a visa interview and have completed the I-130 / CR-1 process, we are about done.

In the meantime, I got an RFE on the I-129F application I sent in way back when. Should I go ahead and send them

a request to cancel it? Is there a form for that, or do I just send them a letter?

Thanks,

Scott

To anyone who has gone through the interview:

We are coming up on our visa interview. I want my wife to be able to travel as soon as possible after

the interview. What is the fastest way to get the visa after the interview? I assume they take her

passport? Can she pay extra for faster/secure delivery? Can she pick it up at the embassy instead

of mailing it?

Thanks in advance,

Scott Moore

Hi all,

Does anyone have experience with the CSC visa information web site? We are moving on to the embassy

appointment phase of our visa, and the "appointment package - immigrant visas" instructions says:

First: register at http://colombia.usvisa-info.com

that word "register" is fairly ambiguous. If I try to log in to an existing account, it says the passport number

is not in the system. If I establish a new account, it says we have no appointment, even though we do.

Has anyone gone through this process already, and did you find a preexisting account with your

interview appointment date?

Thanks,

Scott

Thanks