APRIL '08 Vermont K-1 Filers

[Nicoxcx 1]

Brian you are correct, you can only see the latest Touch. I have been writing my touches down on notepad Document I started to keep mind of all the important dates etc;, for future reference, or even to look back on when I am old and say "remember when.."

I think getting 'groped' would be the last touch before the NOA2 hehe.

[brian87 0]

Thanks a lot Graham I checked my update today (as I knew I would) and there is no change and it bummed me out for a minute. Just kidding, but that is why I soooo did not want to sign up for those updates.

And yes Kim, I would like to think that my file was lovingly "caressed" by a thoughtful and caring USCIS worker who is happy with their job and looks forward to processing my file.

And as far as the final "grope" for approval Nicoxcx, the only thing that really bothers me is that I paid $455 to be groped.

Have a great day everybody,

Brian

[Susita 175]

I haven't had my file touched yet.

Although the "last updated" date is different from my NOA1 date, but I thought that was because I signed up for the account on that date. Is this true?

I'm not too savvy on this stuff, lol

[brian87 0]

I haven't had my file touched yet.

Although the "last updated" date is different from my NOA1 date, but I thought that was because I signed up for the account on that date. Is this true?

I'm not too savvy on this stuff, lol

One has nothing to do with the other. I did not register on-line until 5/13 but my last update was and still is 4/29.

Of course I could be completely wrong, but then my update date would be 5/13.

I think it was just a coincidence, that you registered the same day as your file was lovingly "caressed" by the gentle hands of a caring and supportive USCIS worker.

Brian

[Sal and Jay 2]

I haven't had my file touched yet.

Although the "last updated" date is different from my NOA1 date, but I thought that was because I signed up for the account on that date. Is this true?

I'm not too savvy on this stuff, lol

No that would be a touch susita wtg, lets hope for more or even an approval

[Susita 175]

woohoo! thanks guys, you just made my day!!!

[av8or1 246]

Brian - PLEASE add me to your statistics we received NOA2 yesterday! Woooooohoooooo. There are still people alive at VSC

Good Luck April filers/

Lots of Love

Bex xxx

Congratulations Bex!

[av8or1 246]

adair, I don't think brian was trying to irritate you. He is making a choice here to remain positive...like many of us. You stated yourself that the only thing certain about this whole process...is the uncertainty.

Hey, how's it going. Well my comment on the irritating thing was half tongue-in-cheek, I wasn't really bent out of shape or anything. I don't consider Brian's comments all that serious enough anyway, they're just too emotional to be reasonable, IMO. And let me say that again, "IMO". Take note of that before you flame away, 'cause I won't listen to any flames, it is MO only. Anyway I guess several of you missed the "irritating" joke.

What I don't like from him and possibly you/others is being labelled as a "glass half empty" person though, to be open about it. I don't see myself as that, I'm just more realistic with what I see and don't live so much on the "hope" factor. I consider myself lucky overall, so life is good and yes, my "glass is half full", to borrow your phrase. So you can quit making your little "those of you whose glass is half empty" backhanded remarks Brian...

Yes, there are those, like you, waiting for long periods of time and it's a shame. Many of those waiting have either received RFE's or were stuck in namechecks or database hits. A few are the result of a uscis error. Yes, it's unfair. But it is what it is. That's why we have a voice and that's why we use it by contacting our representatives. Good for you in doing so. Whether change is immediate or not, at least it's one more voice added to the cause. I'm certainly with you there.

Yeah that is really the thing to do. Personally I don't give much weight to people who complain a lot (on the forums or otherwise) but who actually DO very little about their issues in life. WRT the petition approval process within our government I have made attempts on three occasions now to get our voice of discontent out there, with the basic pitch advocating various arguments, such as the assertion that we as citizens should take priority in the proverbial USCIS adjudication queue over petitions for foreign workers, that kind of thing. I've done this at community town hall meetings with my local representation and - since I live in the capitol of TEXAS - once inside the capitol building.

This is TAKING ACTION and carries much more significance than posting on boards. Heck, I'm only here tonight 'cause I have nothing else to do and I'm feeling a little "combative", but I digress.

As far as statistcal data... you can't really base anything as 'fact' when it comes to the numbers. The uscis number show a consistent increase in visa's over the last decade. That's all we know for sure. Times are changing fast. We have to consider there are new officials as well as lots of new staff. I, like Brian and others here, choose to believe they are headed in more positive direction...not the other way. Time will tell. We have to also consider that the database driven searches and name hits may come up more frequently as the DHS tries to better it's own process.

Well that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. Let's just agree to disagree, shall we?

Personally I will still advocate that little will change with the increased fees and new personnel hirings. This is based on my experience as a former government employee who has seen this same kind of thing happen before. Our agency increased our "fees", which really were something slightly different but analogous, and nothing changed. I saw this same phenomenon within other governmental agencies too and more than once. So I'll stand by my assertion that over the next few months the approval rate will continue to slow and in the longer term picture, the overall NOA1 - NOA2 timeframe will not improve significantly over previous years.

Again, and I hope you "glass is half full" people (gawd!) are listening: I am NOT trying to be negative, "glass is half full", rain on anyone's parade, or anything of that nature. Did you hear that? Read that first sentence again, just to make sure you got it. I am only advocating a different position than yours, but that in and of itself does not make me negative or "glass is half empty". Panamyish?

According to these same stats that show the 'general' picture... VSC has a long history (years) of being much quicker than even 60 days and that does not fall off seasonally. The work visa's seem to slow it down a bit about this time of year and, of course, those dreaded fee hikes, but it picks up again once those are cleared up. The H visa's could very well explain the difference in how quickly January's approvals went through to the 2-4 weeks more it seems to take now.

Well the previous years are when the other SCs were still accepting and processing I-129F petitions, which they are no longer doing, so you can't really use that data for making the argument you're making, at least not logically. (emotionally perhaps, but not logically) I also do not agree (based in part on the aforementioned assertion) with you regarding the seasonal dropoffs. Those do and will continue to happen, though they may not be aligned with what we would refer to as "seasons" per se, so much as they will with performance review cycles and the like. (just one possibility) However I do agree with you in part regarding the H visa thing.

Last years influx threw the numbers way off, they weren't prepared and admittedly mismanaged it, Unfortunately, it also seemed to hold those last quarter filers with any kind of 'rfe' or 'hit' up even more. We can speculate all we want but the uscis are the only ones that know why that's happening. It does seem to be clearing out now. I hope that means you are on your way soon.

Well thanks for the well wishes, I return the same to you, Brian and all the other folk who have engaged themselves in this somewhat arduous process. Contrary to what Brian and co have asserted, I am hopeful that things will improve, but I am also realistic too, and I know that such improvement is not likely.

Yes, we feel fortunate to be able to file with VSC. I'm also glad that Russell is not from a 'higher fraud' country and that we wont get stuck in AP for years like those poor folks over there do. There are tons of things that can happen. Things beyond our control. Things that will disapoint us. Why should we live in even more misery now just in case that happens to us? Just because you choose not to let it consume you doesn't mean that you don't understand the realities off he process.

Ok if that last sentence was in relation to me, I take true exception to that comment. And just incase it was: This thing hasn't consumed me or Olga, thank you very much. Once again, don't mistake my realistic commentary and opinion for some kind of "ba! humbug" Scroog-ish outlook on the process or the time constraints therein. I simply choose to look at what's happening with an unbiased, unemotional perspective, that's all. And if that comment wasn't directed to me, my apologies.

I've waited many, many years to share my life with this man. We've had enough pain and misery to last a lifetime. We've opened a new chapter with this petition. So, even though we are well aware that there are more obstacles to face, nothing is gained by worrying about what 'could' happen and nobody is going to rain on our parade. It's hard enough already.

Don't know what that means, but glad that you've turned a corner in your relations. And yet again (you'd think that y'all would get the picture by now), noone is trying to rain on your parade, and that includes me.

The chances are very good that we will be approved within a couple months time. Yes, it could be more... it could also be less...

Yes quite possibly, that's true. And for y'all (and everyone else), I hope that bears truth in the end. And before you ask yourself, YES I do mean that.

However, with that having been said, I think that in the near future people will be looking at a 60-day approval in the VSC (where "approval" means from the NOA1 date until the NOA2 date inclusive) with the same "Eeeeeeewwww-Aaaahhhhhh!" quality that they used to look at a 30-day VSC approval just earlier this year. Heck, even if you go to the "Processing Times" here on the VJ website, you'll see the graph that indicates that what I'm advocating appears to be happening. I can remember when the average was down around 60 days at VSC and now that same graph is showing around 78! Personally I think it'll be up into the 90s by the summer time and perhaps even into the triple digits again, though you April filers will likely come in before that happens...

One final thing. Remember that the data here on VJ is only representative of a sample of the overall number of petitions in the VSC/CSC/wherever. There are SO many more folk who have filed but who have never heard of VJ before, so to make any real analysis like "...of the 65 March filers..." is simply ridiculous. Although it can give you a "feel" of what's happening, that's all it can really do.

Anyway, enough ramblings. There's a barbeque dinner with my name written on it, so I need to head out and give it the attention it requires.

Y'all have a good week! Good talking with you and Best Speed on getting your NOA2s!

Thanks,

Jerry

[Susita 175]

Stop the negativity ahhhh!

It was a sunny day in NY today! About 65 degrees, much better than the nasty cold weather we've been having!

Somebody else say something nice!

My fiancee, however, is cold in Peru. Well good for him, because when he was bragging about the sunshine and beaches in Peru I was freezing my a$$ off here in NYC.

LOL

What else is new with everyone? Remember, think happy thoughts hehehe

[KimandRuss 0]

Jerry, thanks for your comments. Anything directed at you was addressed to you..the rest was 'in general'. I realize you said you weren't raining on anyone's parade but perhaps, if you read your own words again, you might see where many of us feel you might be just a tad. Therefore, forced to be defensive on our own behalf as you seem to be. We do understand that you have a different perspective on the process and we can respect that you have that opinion without having to believe in the same thing. In return, you should respect the fact that we have our own opinions as well.

The management style in Vermont has been attributed to it's speedy process. They hired new employees to handle the new petitions.. who are trained by the same managment team... I don't see how that slows them down more. ...just MHO tho. As you stated many times, we just dont know. So, why argue the points you're trying to make? I believe you're just trying to explain your position but you must see that are you a tad combative in your approach.

You state your facts as though we are all too emotionally distraught to see the clear picture. Firstly, I am an edjucated woman, close enough to your age and with more tragedy and life experience than most people get in a lifetime. Sure this is difficult, but it's not like losing a child.... it's not like trying to breathe life into your own parent. It's about patience. My vision is not skewed because I want Russell here earlier. I am a computer programmer, graphic/web designer and I write all my own code by hand. I have an extremely analytical mind and i've been studying the numbers and patterns now for months... basically because I had nothing else to do with regards to the petition while we waited to file! Pathetic, I know!

The true and only facts are that we just have no way of knowing. All we can base our perception on is that the people who are being approved right now, the people that we know about, have waited approximately 60 days. I don't see anything wrong with assuming the same will happen for us. And I don't see basis for your argument... besides well... argument.

Again, thanks for interjecting and letting us know how you feel and why. We've heard you. We wish you well. Now we're moving on and awaiting our 60 day approvals!

Hi Susy, was gorgeous here in MA today too! Getting cold in NZ but my man is on the North Island where it stays a little warmer so he's hanging in there. Boy was I envious when he was in the warmth and beauty of that beautiful country and I was here buried in 3' of snow!

Now if my boys in red can beat the Orioles and if my boys in Green can crush Cleveland tonight, then all will be (almost) right in the world! Tell me you're not a yankee fan!

[enchantedtikiman 0]

[There's a barbeque dinner with my name written on it

mmmmm Edited May 15, 2008 by desenchantee

[brian87 0]

Yesterday, another March filer was approved in under 60 days. Almost 10% of all the March VJ filers have received NOA2's this week so far.

A really good week for March filers, unless your a GHE person.

I think I will order my tax transcripts next week. I would rather my SO present those as part of my financial proof, instead of my actual tax returns. A one page summary for each year would be easier for the consulate to review, than sifting through my returns.

Susita, I am glad you got confirmation that you were "touched."

I have a feeling that someone soon will be the first to get approved.

Brian

[Sal and Jay 2]

Yesterday, another March filer was approved in under 60 days. Almost 10% of all the March VJ filers have received NOA2's this week so far.

A really good week for March filers, unless your a GHE person.

I think I will order my tax transcripts next week. I would rather my SO present those as part of my financial proof, instead of my actual tax returns. A one page summary for each year would be easier for the consulate to review, than sifting through my returns.

Susita, I am glad you got confirmation that you were "touched."

I have a feeling that someone soon will be the first to get approved.

Brian

I reckon for what its worth you will start seeing approvals at end of this month. hope its earlier.

[BexandAlan 0]

Brian I love your statistical outbursts!

Thanx for the congratulations adair - your touches look like good news could possibly be on the way for you too. Yes this site is representational of only a small percentage of filers but it is a representation after all.

I hope everyone is having a lovely week. This time next Thursday I will have finished my degree so I'm getting a wee bit stressed out with revision right now. Fingers crossed VSC keep up their pace on March filers and move onto April by the end of the month!

*hugs*

Bex xxx

[KimandRuss 0]

Oh Geeez that Bex is here again! congrats on the degree! Good for you hon!

A really good week for March filers, unless your a GHE person.

Sh!t Stirrer!

A little dreary in MA here today. Immediately after I posted last night the orioles got a grand slam and beat the red sox! Wont be any more of that! At least the celtics won and it's on to game 6... on the road *gulp*! Lots of work to do and I have no interest in doing it. Did I mention how much I hate computers?

Well i'll start getting more excited once I see Brian and a few of the other April early birds approved. Then i'll start checking more often. I do hope they pick up the pace some as seeing others approved seems to really brighten my days! Let's go vsc! csc's been showing you up lately!