cuban filers

[NonyGuy 0]

Anyone know the answer to this? It seems Cuban filers for K1/K3 and VERY VERY fast.

forgive me if I'm stupid and missed something.

[rebecchina 0]

Maybe it's because they know the process will be extended in Cuba. I was sorely misled by my very quick approval up here. When I called to get him an interview appointment in July they said there were no open dates until Dec 5! And he had to have his passport before I could schedule the appointment. Finally he does and I set up an interview date for Dec 24, but that's about 6 months from the date of my approval!

Plus there's the anxiety of not knowing whether you will be approved or not, or if you are, whether the Cuban government will let the citizen leave.

So not all is rosy in Cuban fiance-land...

Anyone know the answer to this? It seems Cuban filers for K1/K3 and VERY VERY fast.

forgive me if I'm stupid and missed something.

[Mononoke28 134]

The USCIS part of the process is a faster than the speed of light. It's a different thing when the cases get to the embassy.

Diana

[qbertz7 1]

This has been discussed in multiple other threads...the conclusion that those threads came to is that they get approved so quickly because from NOA2 to the interview can take sometimes up to a year since there is so much red tape to get here from Cuba. In the end, if you look up timelines of past Cuban filers, their timelines are almost always longer than anyone elses even though they get their NOA2 so quickly.

[ischia 0]

This has been discussed in multiple other threads...the conclusion that those threads came to is that they get approved so quickly because from NOA2 to the interview can take sometimes up to a year since there is so much red tape to get here from Cuba. In the end, if you look up timelines of past Cuban filers, their timelines are almost always longer than anyone elses even though they get their NOA2 so quickly.

I got a rather quick approval (42 days) but just like the poster says, consulate process for cubans can easily take a year and exit visa from cuba is another obstacle to deal with. So a faster approvals from this end does go a long way...Also, it's a political thing as US and cuba have been going at it for the past 50 years without any positive results and the only one's who pays dearly are the cuban people...

Edited August 21, 2007 by ischia

[*julez* 124]

I understand that there are some major issues with Cuba, but they aren't the only consulate that takes 6 months to schedule an interview. One that immediately pops into mind is Montreal. If you look at the average processing time from NOA1 to approved K1 visa for the last year and a half,Cuba averages 172 days. And, if you look at the timelines for the Cuban beneficiaries, all of those who've gotten to the interview were approved and are in the US. Not one was an overly long wait. I think the longest was 214 days, while most were significantly less. There are many more countries that take significantly longer.

[qbertz7 1]

Yes, the average might be 172 days, but keep in mind that is the average only because they get their NOA2 in an average of about 10 days. If they were like the rest of us, and had to wait an average of 100 days for their NOA2 their timelines would average rougly 262 days. Now julez, please tell me, what other country's average timeline is that long?

[*julez* 124]

Yes, the average might be 172 days, but keep in mind that is the average only because they get their NOA2 in an average of about 10 days. If they were like the rest of us, and had to wait an average of 100 days for their NOA2 their timelines would average rougly 262 days. Now julez, please tell me, what other country's average timeline is that long?

Hmmmm.....lets see.....

Vietnam averages 260 days.

China averages 274 days.

Iraq averages 282 days.

Uzbekistan is the clear winner, though at a whopping 394 days.

So, remind me why its fair for Cuban beneficiaries to get preferential processing?

[qbertz7 1]

Before quoting an average of 394 for Uzbekistan, you might want to actually look at the timelines of the people that you get in your search. You will notice that the only reason that average is so high is because a few of those people filled in their timeline as far as their NOA2 date, and then never bothered to fill in the rest, so that average will just keep going up because VJ assumes they haven't had their dates yet. In reality, the ones who did actually fill in their timeline were on par with any other country.

Anyway, we can argue till the cows come home, but in the end it will accomplish nothing, Cuban filers get their NOA2's in a little less time than we do...so what? Is it the end of the world? Life's not fair, deal with it.

[*julez* 124]

I never used the term "its not fair", so please don't put words in my mouth! I seriously DO NOT understand why they get expedited processing and so far, NO ONE has given me compelling reasons why they do. There are plenty of countries where the average time to K1 is over 200 days.

I am well aware that life is not fair and understand perfectly that its not the end of the world for Cubans to receive preferential treatment. I wasn't looking for a lecture. I am truly wondering why. So unless you can provide me with a legitimate reason, you can just get off your soap box and put it away until you do have the correct answer.

[qbertz7 1]

So, remind me why its fair for Cuban beneficiaries to get preferential processing?

Sure sounds like you were saying 'it's not fair' to me! But that's besides the point. Sorry if I sounded like I was lecturing, that wasn't the intention. It's probably time for a Cuban filer to get on here and explain it to you, I don't think you fully realize the hardships entailed in getting here from there, and of course, neither do I. But I'll be the last person to mind them getting 'preferrential treatment'. Sure, a few other countries out there might deserve the same, but hey, this is our government we're talking about, since when has anything they've done been completely logical?

[bszoom42 0]

I highly doubt Cuban fiancees get "preferential" treatment because the embassy process is long. My guess is that there is probably some directive from high up in USCIS or perhaps embedded in some Executive order or maybe even some law which dictates USCIS to treat Cuban fiancee petitions as expedited.

My guess is that this has more to do with the U.S. Goverment relationship to Cuba then with the consular processing times.

[StillThePrettiest 3]

I think that sounds much more likely than any of the other theories put forward so far...

[ischia 0]

So, remind me why its fair for Cuban beneficiaries to get preferential processing?

Sure sounds like you were saying 'it's not fair' to me! But that's besides the point. Sorry if I sounded like I was lecturing, that wasn't the intention. It's probably time for a Cuban filer to get on here and explain it to you, I don't think you fully realize the hardships entailed in getting here from there, and of course, neither do I. But I'll be the last person to mind them getting 'preferrential treatment'. Sure, a few other countries out there might deserve the same, but hey, this is our government we're talking about, since when has anything they've done been completely logical?

Here is an interesting news piece from NPR and may be the reason as to why cubans are getting quick approvals...Politics make me vomit!

Things are heating up between the U.S. and Cuba.As he welcomed reporters with Cuban coffee and cigars, the man who represents Havana in Washington, D.C., Dagoberto Rodriguez, explains why he is fuming these days. The U.S. agreed in 1994 to issue at least 20,000 visas a year for Cubans, and he says this year the number was only about half of that.

"This is a kind of encouragement to illegal migration," Rodriguez says. "On purpose or not, it is encouragement, and there is a history of the U.S. government using this issue as part of the political rift with Cuba."

By turning down visa requests, the U.S. is giving Cubans a green light to risk their lives to head to Florida in unsafe boats, Rodriguez says.

The state department has been quick to respond, saying it is the Cubans who are not keeping up their side of the deal. Deputy spokesman Tom Casey this week said Cuba has been blocking U.S. supply shipments and interfering in the work of the U.S. Interests Section, this country's diplomatic mission in Havana.

"There have been any number of instances over the last few months where vital equipment and supplies, personnel needed to repair some of the things in our Interests Section have been blocked or prevented from entry by the Cuban government," Casey says. "And that's made it very difficult for us to meet our obligations."

But Rodriguez, who heads Cuba's Interests Section in Washington, D.C., says that is not true.

"I must say that Pinocchio looks pale compared to those people when they talk about Cuba," Rodriguez says.

He says the U.S. has brought in tons of supplies, which should be enough visa application forms or whatever diplomats need to do their work. The problem is, he says, that the U.S. has also been bringing in money and supplies for Cuban opposition figures. And Cuba, he says, has the right to stop that.

"Instead of trying to promote transitions and overthrow governments, they should rather be analyzing why bridges are falling down and why 60 million Americans are without insurance," Rodriguez says.

But Washington shows no sign of backing off. Casey says the leading cause of misery in Cuba is Cuba's government.

"I think it's pretty clear by the demand for Cubans by Cubans to try and leave Cuba exactly what kind of a worker's paradise has been created over the last half-century by Fidel Castro," Casey says.

This is one diplomatic showdown with no signs of cooling off.