New processing times - is the USCIS lying?

[NickD 202]

I have learned to bring my full brief case loaded with all the original documents and copies I can leave so the interviewer can quickly check the copies are exactly as the originals. That included full hi res color copies of every page of my wife's and daughter's passports.

Also full color copies of their permanent resident cards, but don't try that at any professional copying place, they claim it's illegal to copy this document, but yet the USCIS wants it. So I invested in a high quality scanner and color printer and did it myself.

Another problem is getting certified copies, no such thing, was able to get that done at my register of deeds, but they don't do that anymore, claim budget cuts, but just see a bunch of people sitting around there doing nothing. Said I would be happy to pay, we can't do that.

Same with the SS office where I went personally to get cards for my wife and daughter, no way in hell was I going to send an original document to that cost me a thousand bucks with court costs and a professional translation. Already had copies made of it, and showed it, not even allowing the person behind the counter to touch the pages, I turned them over one at a time wearing latex gloves, teasing about that. That was a 80 mile round trip for me, go in and pull a number and sit and wait until that number is called, took half a day for a two minute conference.

At least when I go to a store and make a 89 cent purchase, they say thank you for shopping at X-Mart, but go in with a huge fortune to pay my property tax bill, never get a thanks. So fed up with government agencies and don't they realize it is us that is paying their paychecks?

Did have one wasted trip to the SS office, didn't check my calendar, but knew it wasn't Veterans day, was Mickey Mouse's birthday or something like that, and they were closed.

[Ruairi 0]

Thanks for the info re: Chicago office, might take the Amtrak down there and just take it easy, if anything make a day of it and have a bit of fun afterwards.

Ruairi

[iansig40 1]

@Nick,

re: Chicago office... I think I paid $12 for parking, just a block South on State street (that's the intersection to the East, right?) there is a garage w/valet parking. The office has security, and folding chairs but my wait was actually pretty short. I was there first thing in the morning, a small crowd had gathered to be let in when they opened but they all went their seperate ways once inside.

Bring a print out of your appointment confirmation and the valid passport for your wife. I would also bring copies of the I751 petition and NOAs and Bio.Appointment letter. Can never have too much, who knows what they'll ask for.

What is your actual local office though? You plug in your ZIP code when scheduling the infopass, so I don't think that you can pick where to go?! GOod luck anyway. I'll be back at the Chicago office in a couple of weeks myself.

@Iansig, congrats on your approval! The squeeky wheel gets the oil... :D It paid off for you. Let us know how quick you actually receive the card.

Thank you !

Sure ...I willl let you know as soon as I get my GC. It says 30 days but hopefully this time will be less however ....it's USCIS so you never know .Can't wait to be done with them !!!!!!!!!

[MDZJ 0]

Who lives in Denver? Can you recommend about which Senator to contact? Or should I contact a Congressman?

@Nick,

re: Chicago office... I think I paid $12 for parking, just a block South on State street (that's the intersection to the East, right?) there is a garage w/valet parking. The office has security, and folding chairs but my wait was actually pretty short. I was there first thing in the morning, a small crowd had gathered to be let in when they opened but they all went their seperate ways once inside.

Bring a print out of your appointment confirmation and the valid passport for your wife. I would also bring copies of the I751 petition and NOAs and Bio.Appointment letter. Can never have too much, who knows what they'll ask for.

What is your actual local office though? You plug in your ZIP code when scheduling the infopass, so I don't think that you can pick where to go?! GOod luck anyway. I'll be back at the Chicago office in a couple of weeks myself.

@Iansig, congrats on your approval! The squeeky wheel gets the oil... :D It paid off for you. Let us know how quick you actually receive the card.

Thank you !

Sure ...I willl let you know as soon as I get my GC. It says 30 days but hopefully this time will be less however ....it's USCIS so you never know .Can't wait to be done with them !!!!!!!!!

[iansig40 1]

Who lives in Denver? Can you recommend about which Senator to contact? Or should I contact a Congressman?

@Nick,

re: Chicago office... I think I paid $12 for parking, just a block South on State street (that's the intersection to the East, right?) there is a garage w/valet parking. The office has security, and folding chairs but my wait was actually pretty short. I was there first thing in the morning, a small crowd had gathered to be let in when they opened but they all went their seperate ways once inside.

Bring a print out of your appointment confirmation and the valid passport for your wife. I would also bring copies of the I751 petition and NOAs and Bio.Appointment letter. Can never have too much, who knows what they'll ask for.

What is your actual local office though? You plug in your ZIP code when scheduling the infopass, so I don't think that you can pick where to go?! GOod luck anyway. I'll be back at the Chicago office in a couple of weeks myself.

@Iansig, congrats on your approval! The squeeky wheel gets the oil... :D It paid off for you. Let us know how quick you actually receive the card.

Thank you !

Sure ...I willl let you know as soon as I get my GC. It says 30 days but hopefully this time will be less however ....it's USCIS so you never know .Can't wait to be done with them !!!!!!!!!

http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/index.html

[MDZJ 0]

Awesome, I filled out the electronic form, and the letter was sent with one click. Thanks, iansig40, for staying here and helping out us who is still stuck with USCIS!!!

Who lives in Denver? Can you recommend about which Senator to contact? Or should I contact a Congressman?

@Nick,

re: Chicago office... I think I paid $12 for parking, just a block South on State street (that's the intersection to the East, right?) there is a garage w/valet parking. The office has security, and folding chairs but my wait was actually pretty short. I was there first thing in the morning, a small crowd had gathered to be let in when they opened but they all went their seperate ways once inside.

Bring a print out of your appointment confirmation and the valid passport for your wife. I would also bring copies of the I751 petition and NOAs and Bio.Appointment letter. Can never have too much, who knows what they'll ask for.

What is your actual local office though? You plug in your ZIP code when scheduling the infopass, so I don't think that you can pick where to go?! GOod luck anyway. I'll be back at the Chicago office in a couple of weeks myself.

@Iansig, congrats on your approval! The squeeky wheel gets the oil... :D It paid off for you. Let us know how quick you actually receive the card.

Thank you !

Sure ...I willl let you know as soon as I get my GC. It says 30 days but hopefully this time will be less however ....it's USCIS so you never know .Can't wait to be done with them !!!!!!!!!

http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/index.html

[iansig40 1]

Awesome, I filled out the electronic form, and the letter was sent with one click. Thanks, iansig40, for staying here and helping out us who is still stuck with USCIS!!!

Who lives in Denver? Can you recommend about which Senator to contact? Or should I contact a Congressman?

@Nick,

re: Chicago office... I think I paid $12 for parking, just a block South on State street (that's the intersection to the East, right?) there is a garage w/valet parking. The office has security, and folding chairs but my wait was actually pretty short. I was there first thing in the morning, a small crowd had gathered to be let in when they opened but they all went their seperate ways once inside.

Bring a print out of your appointment confirmation and the valid passport for your wife. I would also bring copies of the I751 petition and NOAs and Bio.Appointment letter. Can never have too much, who knows what they'll ask for.

What is your actual local office though? You plug in your ZIP code when scheduling the infopass, so I don't think that you can pick where to go?! GOod luck anyway. I'll be back at the Chicago office in a couple of weeks myself.

@Iansig, congrats on your approval! The squeeky wheel gets the oil... :D It paid off for you. Let us know how quick you actually receive the card.

Thank you !

Sure ...I willl let you know as soon as I get my GC. It says 30 days but hopefully this time will be less however ....it's USCIS so you never know .Can't wait to be done with them !!!!!!!!!

http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/index.html

You're welcome !

To increase your chances contact both .

Also send a letter to Ombudsman

Good luck

Edited March 20, 2008 by iansig40

[2long 0]

Another mistake on my part. I didn't think to make a copy of my I-751 before I mailed it out. Other than that, my letter to the ombudsman's office will be on its way today. I seriously hope USCIS still have all the files for I-751 I sent them. Keep my fingers crossed.

Yep,download the form and send it over together with all the papers you received so far from USCIS (copies) Include a copy of I-751 application.

Good luck !

Thanks for this, letters on the way.

Your Mistake is very small Compared to what I did.I send My condtional GC with Package hoping that they will approve it in few weeks and I dont need it anyway(that is what my attorney said).and now when I went to Social security office today and wanted to remove wording"Not Valid for work" on my SS card they asked for green cardTO My surprise at social Security office they dont Recognize your extention letter,They said it is just a receipt not a proof of Permanent resident.I wonder If one GOverment agency dont Recognizes other's document,How my employer will approve it.So Basically I dont have no proof that Ican work in US.

[MDZJ 0]

Another mistake on my part. I didn't think to make a copy of my I-751 before I mailed it out. Other than that, my letter to the ombudsman's office will be on its way today. I seriously hope USCIS still have all the files for I-751 I sent them. Keep my fingers crossed.

Yep,download the form and send it over together with all the papers you received so far from USCIS (copies) Include a copy of I-751 application.

Good luck !

Thanks for this, letters on the way.

Your Mistake is very small Compared to what I did.I send My condtional GC with Package hoping that they will approve it in few weeks and I dont need it anyway(that is what my attorney said).and now when I went to Social security office today and wanted to remove wording"Not Valid for work" on my SS card they asked for green cardTO My surprise at social Security office they dont Recognize your extention letter,They said it is just a receipt not a proof of Permanent resident.I wonder If one GOverment agency dont Recognizes other's document,How my employer will approve it.So Basically I dont have no proof that Ican work in US.

My sympathy... I can totally understand your frustration. Maybe by showing the I-551 stamp in your passport, they will let you remove those words on your SSN card. Otherwise, you will have trouble with employers since they ask for either (1) PRC or (2) SSN and Driver's license and you don't have either. The DMV has changed my name before by putting an extra space in my name because they insisted the spelling on the US visa (mistakenly spelled) is official instead of my "original" name on my country's passport. It took my 5 years to correct this mistake. From then on, I always had a USED name though involuntarily. So trust me, I know your frustration. Wish you the best in solving this problem.

[NickD 202]

With the I-765 application approved, wife and daughter got a "Valid for work only with DHS Authorization", stamped on their SS cards. Got that removed the instant they received their PRC's with a trip to my nearest SS office. Major concern of SS is to get that 15% of your gross wages between you and your employer and since they are getting that, haven't heard a word from them.

Our DMV wouldn't recognize that one year extension and refused to renew my wife's drivers license, daughter is okay yet until the end of August 2008. They didn't pull their licenses, just wouldn't renew them. I got on the horn with our governor and again making excuses for the USCIS for their delays, and showed all records to the head of the DMV that we did everything we could, the I-751 was sent precisely 90 days before their PRC's expired. The same with my wife's employer.

How do you answer this simple question? Allow 90 days before your PRC expires to allow time for the USCIS to process your case and instead of sending you a new PRC, they send you that extension notice, why did they send you that extension notice instead of a new card?

The extension notice gives no reason why it was sent instead of your card, so am asked if we falsified information on this application causing further investigation. Not to my knowledge, but also bring in my I-130, her I-485 and G-325A and we go over line by line on the I-751, and backed up with that I-797C, "Welcome to the United States of America". And I bring in a printed off statement from the USCIS where my wife underwent a background check for her I-485. What else can I do? I do not know why she didn't receive her new card in the timeframe given by the USCIS, and I show out a print out of her case status and even give them a link so they can check it out on their own computer. I bring in the stamped biometrics appointment to show we kept our appointment and it was completed.

Am told they do not understand this, I can only reply, I do not understand it either. But they let it go, but keep us informed as to the progress, what progress? On the processing dates, only advance a couple of days than goes backwards seven months. Oh, and I also brought in my canceled check and fee schedule to the USCIS and show that they accepted and cashed that.

And then to top everything off, the USCIS expects you to maintain a valid current passport from a foreign country while expecting that person to give full allegiance to the USA. Did it ever occur to them that a foreign country may not want to grant a passport to one of their former citizens that left their country?

I am kind of use to this stuff, as a veteran of a foreign war, applied for benefits after my honorable discharge served with distinction and was told I was NOT eligible because all of my records were burnt in a fire in St. Louis. Said no problem, I have all of my original records and brought those in, was told, they would not recognize those. I had to pay for my own college, and was really teed off about that. Thirty some years later I get a letter out of the clear blue sky with an apology and am now fully covered with VA benefits, ask about a refund for my college, oh, we can't do that, but you are fully eligible for all benefits now. It's a one way street with our government, have to learn how to deal with that.

[iansig40 1]

@Nick,

re: Chicago office... I think I paid $12 for parking, just a block South on State street (that's the intersection to the East, right?) there is a garage w/valet parking. The office has security, and folding chairs but my wait was actually pretty short. I was there first thing in the morning, a small crowd had gathered to be let in when they opened but they all went their seperate ways once inside.

Bring a print out of your appointment confirmation and the valid passport for your wife. I would also bring copies of the I751 petition and NOAs and Bio.Appointment letter. Can never have too much, who knows what they'll ask for.

What is your actual local office though? You plug in your ZIP code when scheduling the infopass, so I don't think that you can pick where to go?! GOod luck anyway. I'll be back at the Chicago office in a couple of weeks myself.

@Iansig, congrats on your approval! The squeeky wheel gets the oil... :D It paid off for you. Let us know how quick you actually receive the card.

GC received today ...it took five days !

The good news is :

http://www.nysun.com/article/72897?page_no=2

Good luck everyone !

[iansig40 1]

@Nick,

re: Chicago office... I think I paid $12 for parking, just a block South on State street (that's the intersection to the East, right?) there is a garage w/valet parking. The office has security, and folding chairs but my wait was actually pretty short. I was there first thing in the morning, a small crowd had gathered to be let in when they opened but they all went their seperate ways once inside.

Bring a print out of your appointment confirmation and the valid passport for your wife. I would also bring copies of the I751 petition and NOAs and Bio.Appointment letter. Can never have too much, who knows what they'll ask for.

What is your actual local office though? You plug in your ZIP code when scheduling the infopass, so I don't think that you can pick where to go?! GOod luck anyway. I'll be back at the Chicago office in a couple of weeks myself.

@Iansig, congrats on your approval! The squeeky wheel gets the oil... :D It paid off for you. Let us know how quick you actually receive the card.

GC received today ...it took five days !

The good news is :

http://www.nysun.com/article/72897?page_no=2

Good luck everyone !

http://www.nysun.com/comments/63252

"The Ombudsman left DHS also, but he was actually trying to help petitioners and beneficiaries by actually RESPONDING to the complaints and concerns and attempting to resolve the problems.....and if you look at all the recommendations he's made to USCIS to improve their services and ease the immigration process, he was right on point. Sadly, USCIS hasn't responded to ANY of his suggestions since July 2007, after the price hikes....and coincidently a serious decline in customer service and efficiency. Gonzales was NOT prepared for the surge in applications just before they raised ALL application fees....and that's poor leadership. He should go, only they shouldn't have given him the 'option' to resign, they should have just fired him....months ago."

[MDZJ 0]

Congrats, iansig40. Your persistence (in bugging them) finally pays off!

I am not sure how the recent changes of USCIS officials will help the people on this board in the near future. I am glad to see Gonzales go but the ombudsman left, too. That means my letter to him is rendered useless. On the other hand, someone at the senator's office wrote back to me and said they have contacted NSC on my behalf. I will wait to see what the response is. My husband starts talking about taking a vacation in Europe after working really hard for the past few months (50-70 hours a week). It will make me really happy if they give me my card so that I can go on this trip.

@Nick,

re: Chicago office... I think I paid $12 for parking, just a block South on State street (that's the intersection to the East, right?) there is a garage w/valet parking. The office has security, and folding chairs but my wait was actually pretty short. I was there first thing in the morning, a small crowd had gathered to be let in when they opened but they all went their seperate ways once inside.

Bring a print out of your appointment confirmation and the valid passport for your wife. I would also bring copies of the I751 petition and NOAs and Bio.Appointment letter. Can never have too much, who knows what they'll ask for.

What is your actual local office though? You plug in your ZIP code when scheduling the infopass, so I don't think that you can pick where to go?! GOod luck anyway. I'll be back at the Chicago office in a couple of weeks myself.

@Iansig, congrats on your approval! The squeeky wheel gets the oil... :D It paid off for you. Let us know how quick you actually receive the card.

GC received today ...it took five days !

The good news is :

http://www.nysun.com/article/72897?page_no=2

Good luck everyone !

http://www.nysun.com/comments/63252

"The Ombudsman left DHS also, but he was actually trying to help petitioners and beneficiaries by actually RESPONDING to the complaints and concerns and attempting to resolve the problems.....and if you look at all the recommendations he's made to USCIS to improve their services and ease the immigration process, he was right on point. Sadly, USCIS hasn't responded to ANY of his suggestions since July 2007, after the price hikes....and coincidently a serious decline in customer service and efficiency. Gonzales was NOT prepared for the surge in applications just before they raised ALL application fees....and that's poor leadership. He should go, only they shouldn't have given him the 'option' to resign, they should have just fired him....months ago."

[iansig40 1]

Congrats, iansig40. Your persistence (in bugging them) finally pays off!

I am not sure how the recent changes of USCIS officials will help the people on this board in the near future. I am glad to see Gonzales go but the ombudsman left, too. That means my letter to him is rendered useless. On the other hand, someone at the senator's office wrote back to me and said they have contacted NSC on my behalf. I will wait to see what the response is. My husband starts talking about taking a vacation in Europe after working really hard for the past few months (50-70 hours a week). It will make me really happy if they give me my card so that I can go on this trip.

@Nick,

re: Chicago office... I think I paid $12 for parking, just a block South on State street (that's the intersection to the East, right?) there is a garage w/valet parking. The office has security, and folding chairs but my wait was actually pretty short. I was there first thing in the morning, a small crowd had gathered to be let in when they opened but they all went their seperate ways once inside.

Bring a print out of your appointment confirmation and the valid passport for your wife. I would also bring copies of the I751 petition and NOAs and Bio.Appointment letter. Can never have too much, who knows what they'll ask for.

What is your actual local office though? You plug in your ZIP code when scheduling the infopass, so I don't think that you can pick where to go?! GOod luck anyway. I'll be back at the Chicago office in a couple of weeks myself.

@Iansig, congrats on your approval! The squeeky wheel gets the oil... :D It paid off for you. Let us know how quick you actually receive the card.

GC received today ...it took five days !

The good news is :

http://www.nysun.com/article/72897?page_no=2

Good luck everyone !

http://www.nysun.com/comments/63252

"The Ombudsman left DHS also, but he was actually trying to help petitioners and beneficiaries by actually RESPONDING to the complaints and concerns and attempting to resolve the problems.....and if you look at all the recommendations he's made to USCIS to improve their services and ease the immigration process, he was right on point. Sadly, USCIS hasn't responded to ANY of his suggestions since July 2007, after the price hikes....and coincidently a serious decline in customer service and efficiency. Gonzales was NOT prepared for the surge in applications just before they raised ALL application fees....and that's poor leadership. He should go, only they shouldn't have given him the 'option' to resign, they should have just fired him....months ago."

I guess now is the time for all of you guys that you've been waiting for more then 12 months to start harassing them in any way possible(letters, calls, Congressman, Senators....etc) .Finally their incompetence was made public and I see more coming in the next few months ,THIS IS JUST THE BEGINING

[sandy2000 0]

USCIS will only care about citizenship applications , but not about the I751 and now everybody left in leadership in USCIS , who will care about us waiting for the I-751? I am pretty sure the person that will replace Gonzales will only care about the N-400 applications so he/she show themselfes, but not I -751 anyone thinks the same??????