Discussion with Congressman's Office regarding USCIS K-1, Processing timelines

[rebeccajo 14]

I'm not sure which came first - the chicken or the egg - ie the site or the protests.

My opinion - the 'disparaging comments' come from the fact that those who have been around a bit longer realize that what is happening now - long timelines - isn't something new. It has happened before. Everytime there's a 'hiccup' with the service, the current batch of 'hiccupees' start protesting about the unfairness, etc. They are right, I suppose, but the unfairness has happened before and the 'disparaging remarks' are made to try and help the currently frustrated see that fact.

Ah I'm not referring to the gentle reminders of historical fact and advice that this is nothing new. I have no objection to that at all. In fact, it makes it easier going through the process to know that delays are not unusual. What I am referring to is jokes at newbie K1 filers expense. I just think it's unnecessary. Everyone here has been in similar boats at one point or other.

If you are seeing outright 'jokes' or something said to someone in a hateful manner or at their expense, you should report that post either via PM to the mods, or by the Report button at the lower left corner of the post window.

It is frustrating to older members (sometimes) to see the same questions over and over again. For me, those 'over and over' questions are ones I usually don't anwser. Newer members can usually handle those questions - it's part of their learning curve and it's welcomed, IMO.

Different people use the site differently. Personally, I read for ages before I ever posted. I recall that I was initially looking for stories of couples in long-distance relationships. I ended up on VJ via the photos in the gallery. After I found the site, I started reading the Guides. Seriously. It is hard for me to understand people not doing that before posting.

[Cassie 8]

http://www.visajourney.com/gallery/index.p...at=3&page=2

Check out the "TSC" and "Valentines Day" photos. Click on them.

Thanks Rebecca for that. So it all started as a result of people getting together to protest about visa processing delays in Texas? Thank goodness these people got together and organised all of this for the rest of us.

If this is true then it raises the question for me as to why there is so many disparaging comments from some VJ members about K1 filers getting stressed about delays on their petitions. Surely they are knocking the very motivation for this site being here in the first place.

I'm not sure which came first - the chicken or the egg - ie the site or the protests.

My opinion - the 'disparaging comments' come from the fact that those who have been around a bit longer realize that what is happening now - long timelines - isn't something new. It has happened before. Everytime there's a 'hiccup' with the service, the current batch of 'hiccupees' start protesting about the unfairness, etc. They are right, I suppose, but the unfairness has happened before and the 'disparaging remarks' are made to try and help the currently frustrated see that fact.

Disparaging is such an interesting word. I suppose one could intepret someone saying "you aren't the first to experience delays, and you certainly won't be the last" as such -- I remember the one time I complained about waiting for something during the K-1 and I got roundly scolded for it. It stung for a moment, until I thought about what was said, who was saying it, etc and realized that it was coming from a place of wisdom and experience. As an "old-timer" here on VJ I have received many a "you need to be quiet, you have no idea how I feel, etc etc" -- what people fail to see is that we do know how you feel even if we may not have experienced the exact same thing, I have read all about it the past 4 years here on VJ!

I also think that part of the success of VJ has been to ferret out information about delays etc and make that information more widely known. Before this site, I think it was harder to find helpful information about this process.

[rebeccajo 14]

http://www.visajourney.com/gallery/index.p...at=3&page=2

Check out the "TSC" and "Valentines Day" photos. Click on them.

Thanks Rebecca for that. So it all started as a result of people getting together to protest about visa processing delays in Texas? Thank goodness these people got together and organised all of this for the rest of us.

If this is true then it raises the question for me as to why there is so many disparaging comments from some VJ members about K1 filers getting stressed about delays on their petitions. Surely they are knocking the very motivation for this site being here in the first place.

I'm not sure which came first - the chicken or the egg - ie the site or the protests.

My opinion - the 'disparaging comments' come from the fact that those who have been around a bit longer realize that what is happening now - long timelines - isn't something new. It has happened before. Everytime there's a 'hiccup' with the service, the current batch of 'hiccupees' start protesting about the unfairness, etc. They are right, I suppose, but the unfairness has happened before and the 'disparaging remarks' are made to try and help the currently frustrated see that fact.

Disparaging is such an interesting word. I suppose one could intepret someone saying "you aren't the first to experience delays, and you certainly won't be the last" as such -- I remember the one time I complained about waiting for something during the K-1 and I got roundly scolded for it. It stung for a moment, until I thought about what was said, who was saying it, etc and realized that it was coming from a place of wisdom and experience. As an "old-timer" here on VJ I have received many a "you need to be quiet, you have no idea how I feel, etc etc" -- what people fail to see is that we do know how you feel even if we may not have experienced the exact same thing, I have read all about it the past 4 years here on VJ!

I also think that part of the success of VJ has been to ferret out information about delays etc and make that information more widely known. Before this site, I think it was harder to find helpful information about this process.

Exactly. We do know how people feel. Even if something didn't happen to us personally, we made friends and saw how their situations impacted them. We learned via those experiences and we have empathy for that. And we continue to learn, even if we sound jaded. Even though we are reunited with our loved ones, we learn. We are grateful, we learn, and we try so hard to help.

You know what is the most interesting thing about this process - the most interesting emotional thing (IMO that is)? It's all any of us have! There is no other way to bring someone you love here! Not legally anyway. We are STUCK with this situation and all the nuances of it. And we are stuck for a good long while - 4 years minimum for most of us (on a good day).

[bakofoil 27]

If you are seeing outright 'jokes' or something said to someone in a hateful manner or at their expense, you should report that post either via PM to the mods, or by the Report button at the lower left corner of the post window.

It is frustrating to older members (sometimes) to see the same questions over and over again. For me, those 'over and over' questions are ones I usually don't anwser. Newer members can usually handle those questions - it's part of their learning curve and it's welcomed, IMO.

Different people use the site differently. Personally, I read for ages before I ever posted. I recall that I was initially looking for stories of couples in long-distance relationships. I ended up on VJ via the photos in the gallery. After I found the site, I started reading the Guides. Seriously. It is hard for me to understand people not doing that before posting.

It's not a big deal to me personally. Meanness and derision forms a small part of this community. It happens, you know it does. That does not have any bearing on your comments about people not using the search function before posting in a mad panic. I can appreciate the frustration that causes amongst older members and they would be right to skip those threads and let the newer members have the opportunity to build up their own knowledge of the process by helping out on those threads. That to me makes perfect sense and it has been part of my own learning curve.

The only reason I brought it up was that it interested me that frustration in delays in K1 processing were a motivation to start this community. I just wish some members would remember that and skip the threads which frustrate them instead of posting something which reflects their annoyance.

[bakofoil 27]

Disparaging is such an interesting word. I suppose one could intepret someone saying "you aren't the first to experience delays, and you certainly won't be the last" as such -- I remember the one time I complained about waiting for something during the K-1 and I got roundly scolded for it. It stung for a moment, until I thought about what was said, who was saying it, etc and realized that it was coming from a place of wisdom and experience.

Totally agree. Interpretation is the key and I am careful to read the context of someone's post before getting too upset. In actual fact, I have been scolded a couple of times in the same way you described and I did not take it in a negative way at all. I am always grateful for any responses to questions as long as they are constructive. Certainly telling someone that delays are normal is a positive way to deal with an OP's frustration.

I am speaking rather generalistically about a minority of incidences I have witnessed on VJ. It wasn't meant to come across that every response the OP might not like to hear is disparaging.

[rupa 2]

http://www.visajourney.com/gallery/index.p...at=3&page=2

Check out the "TSC" and "Valentines Day" photos. Click on them.

Thanks Rebecca for that. So it all started as a result of people getting together to protest about visa processing delays in Texas? Thank goodness these people got together and organised all of this for the rest of us.

If this is true then it raises the question for me as to why there is so many disparaging comments from some VJ members about K1 filers getting stressed about delays on their petitions. Surely they are knocking the very motivation for this site being here in the first place.

I'm not sure which came first - the chicken or the egg - ie the site or the protests.

My opinion - the 'disparaging comments' come from the fact that those who have been around a bit longer realize that what is happening now - long timelines - isn't something new. It has happened before. Everytime there's a 'hiccup' with the service, the current batch of 'hiccupees' start protesting about the unfairness, etc. They are right, I suppose, but the unfairness has happened before and the 'disparaging remarks' are made to try and help the currently frustrated see that fact.

I'm so grateful for the collective knowlege that came through the birth and growth of VJ. I appreciate that is is a place where people can both learn, vent, and find encouragement for those long waits. No matter how right or wrong it is to get upset at USCIS, we would not have what we have in this forum today if people did not use their frustration as a motivation to try to find answers and gain understanding. Holding public officials accountable in a democratic society is fundamental to our rights and freedoms. Even though there are logical explanation for delays, people who end up waiting longer than is reasonable, should be heard and heard in a way that is effective. I'm Canadian, but if I had the power to call a congressman, write a letter, notify the media, I would. How else will we ensure that those who are facing unreasonable waits get treated with the fairness and decency that is promised to them in your constitution?

On another note...wouldn't it be nice if USCIS would provide a link to VJ on their site. Not likely to ever happen, but just thinking that the things I've learned here have helped me gain a far better handle on this process and be better prepared than the information provided by USCIS resources or our lawyer!

[bakofoil 27]

Exactly. We do know how people feel. Even if something didn't happen to us personally, we made friends and saw how their situations impacted them. We learned via those experiences and we have empathy for that. And we continue to learn, even if we sound jaded. Even though we are reunited with our loved ones, we learn. We are grateful, we learn, and we try so hard to help.

You know what is the most interesting thing about this process - the most interesting emotional thing (IMO that is)? It's all any of us have! There is no other way to bring someone you love here! Not legally anyway. We are STUCK with this situation and all the nuances of it. And we are stuck for a good long while - 4 years minimum for most of us (on a good day).

I don't think you ever come across as being jaded. What you describe here is what I like most about the site. Learning from others experiences and knowledge of the process, helping where you can and being able to put into perspective your own situation as a result of hearing stories which make you feel glad to be where you are. I guess it just narks me a bit when someone posts something a bit snarky. Doesn't happen too much fortunately.

[rebeccajo 14]

If you are seeing outright 'jokes' or something said to someone in a hateful manner or at their expense, you should report that post either via PM to the mods, or by the Report button at the lower left corner of the post window.

It is frustrating to older members (sometimes) to see the same questions over and over again. For me, those 'over and over' questions are ones I usually don't anwser. Newer members can usually handle those questions - it's part of their learning curve and it's welcomed, IMO.

Different people use the site differently. Personally, I read for ages before I ever posted. I recall that I was initially looking for stories of couples in long-distance relationships. I ended up on VJ via the photos in the gallery. After I found the site, I started reading the Guides. Seriously. It is hard for me to understand people not doing that before posting.

It's not a big deal to me personally. Meanness and derision forms a small part of this community. It happens, you know it does. That does not have any bearing on your comments about people not using the search function before posting in a mad panic. I can appreciate the frustration that causes amongst older members and they would be right to skip those threads and let the newer members have the opportunity to build up their own knowledge of the process by helping out on those threads. That to me makes perfect sense and it has been part of my own learning curve.

The only reason I brought it up was that it interested me that frustration in delays in K1 processing were a motivation to start this community. I just wish some members would remember that and skip the threads which frustrate them instead of posting something which reflects their annoyance.

LOL.

Some people are just mean, ya know?

I think members should do, politically, whatever they feel compelled to do. I do believe though, they should realize whatever they do probably won't benefit them personally. The wheels of justice and change normally grind too slowly. Cases do move at a snails pace (as we are particularly seeing at the present) but they do get approved. And they get approved a LOT quicker than political change takes place.

The TSC protests were intetesting as they were a collective and visible effort. And they were performed for the good of the whole, rather than the individual. I'll be brutally honest here and state that whenever I see people whining - and yes I'm going to use that word - about their own case delay and how they personally are being treated unfairly - well I pretty much have no patience with that. USCIS is non-discriminate in its unfairness. At the end of the day none of us are 'special' in their stack of papers. Not unless there is security issue.

If your own case is inordinately stuck beyond what you are seeing is typical, it's not out of line to seek congressional assistance. We used that path when my husband was stuck in namecheck. Mostly though we did that to document our records that we were staying on top of his file, in case it was ever necessary to pursue litigation. Litigation is not fruitful unless one is WELL outside of normal processing times. And I do mean WELL outside and not just a few weeks or even months. I should also add that our congressional inquiry didn't change the outcome of our case - it was simply what it was - an inquiry. No one could speed the case progress for us.

[bakofoil 27]

I have a little whine every now and again. It's certainly not constant.

I am interested in political change though even if it will have no bearing on my petition. I don't think six months is a long time to wait for approval but I do think there are improvements which could be made to streamline the process and make it more consistent and practical. Those are my main gripes.

[mox 298]

I'll be brutally honest here and state that whenever I see people whining - and yes I'm going to use that word - about their own case delay and how they personally are being treated unfairly - well I pretty much have no patience with that. USCIS is non-discriminate in its unfairness. At the end of the day none of us are 'special' in their stack of papers. Not unless there is security issue.

You took the words completely out of my mouth. (sorry for the saliva...) There is "venting," and I'm completely on board with that. Real venting where you just pull up a chair and rant about the inequity of it all, etc, etc, is helpful on an individual level. You can share your unhappiness with others who are going through the same thing you are.

Then there is whining. Entire threads are completely destroyed (and some are even created) by this monster. The "USCIS hates us" and "USCIS employees are all incompetent retards" comments are just completely inane, but more importantly it tears apart any kind of real commiseration we can share with each other. It completely shuts down any kind of real communication. When faced with "USCIS are jerks and they HATE HATE HATE all of us!" the poster has forced you to either agree or disagree with them. If you disagree and try to talk about the situation logically, you are branded as a trouble-maker or insensitive. So you say nothing. And you watch as all the "agree'ers" rip the thread to pieces and cause emotions to do nothing but skyrocket out of control.

And while I'm almost sad to say I haven't experienced both sides of this argument directly, there are a lot of people who've drawn a line between the pre-NOA2 crowd and the post-NOA2 crowd, or even pre-married and post-married. Many a well-intentioned post-NOA2 person has offered the counsel of "patience" to be rebuffed by "you can't possibly know how I feel, you've been approved already." This is usually followed by some kind of timeline comparison. "You only had to wait 87 days, and I'm on day 91!" The irony is that the person who's been approved is the most qualified to speak on how to deal with waiting frustrations. They've been through it, they've learned coping strategies, and most importantly they have the benefit of hindsight.

Fortunately all I've described seems to be a very small minority of VJ members. Of all the online communities I've been a member of, I have to say this one is the most cohesive. I've been in some pretty heated arguments with members who I've later come to know as a friend. There are very few members I consider an "enemy," and even that's too harsh a word. And so it goes. Next year at this time there will be a lot more new faces, some of the same old faces, and very likely the same questions, arguments, and tirades. I look forward to it all.

Edited January 19, 2008 by mox

[bakofoil 27]

And while I'm almost sad to say I haven't experienced both sides of this argument directly, there are a lot of people who've drawn a line between the pre-NOA2 crowd and the post-NOA2 crowd, or even pre-married and post-married. Many a well-intentioned post-NOA2 person has offered the counsel of "patience" to be rebuffed by "you can't possibly know how I feel, you've been approved already." This is usually followed by some kind of timeline comparison. "You only had to wait 87 days, and I'm on day 91!" The irony is that the person who's been approved is the most qualified to speak on how to deal with waiting frustrations. They've been through it, they've learned coping strategies, and most importantly they have the benefit of hindsight.

Fortunately all I've described seems to be a very small minority of VJ members. Of all the online communities I've been a member of, I have to say this one is the most cohesive. I've been in some pretty heated arguments with members who I've later come to know as a friend. There are very few members I consider an "enemy," and even that's too harsh a word. And so it goes. Next year at this time there will be a lot more new faces, some of the same old faces, and very likely the same questions, arguments, and tirades. I look forward to it all.

It is sad that people you've waited with and formed a bond with feel either uncomfortable/bitter about having/not having an approval. I don't really subscribe to those thoughts. I am happy any time I see an approval because it indicates the system is moving forward.

I would like to see more consistent wait times though. I realise that legitimate delays are caused by RFE's and security checks but it would be helpful for USCIS to post both of those situations on the case update site (I know RFE's are). That knowledge would prevent people feeling anxious about their petitions and prevent a lot of unnecessary swipes at other members.

edited to add: well, perhaps less anxious

Edited January 19, 2008 by babblesgirl

[mox 298]

It is sad that people you've waited with and formed a bond with feel either uncomfortable/bitter about having/not having an approval. I don't really subscribe to those thoughts. I am happy any time I see an approval because it indicates the system is moving forward.

I agree, and I hope nobody on the other side of whatever line I happen to be on (NOA1/NOA2, pre-VSC/post-VSC, pre-interview/post-interview, etc) ever feels bitter or uncomfortable about it when speaking with me. Envy is understandable, but bitterness or discomfort is unhelpful and crazy-inducing.

I would like to see more consistent wait times though. I realise that legitimate delays are caused by RFE's and security checks but it would be helpful for USCIS to post both of those situations on the case update site (I know RFE's are). That knowledge would prevent people feeling anxious about their petitions and prevent a lot of unnecessary swipes at other members.

edited to add: well, perhaps less anxious

I don't know that we're ever going to see more consistency in timelines. USCIS are for the most part meeting their 6-month criteria, so the question becomes how many resources do you dedicate to a problem that gives you diminishing returns? What they do need to fix though is communication. Why, for example, is VSC working on October filers and CSC have for all practical purposes stopped approving K-1''s right about the end of July filers? There are a lot of possible reasons, some of which may be good reasons, but we can only speculate because they tell us nothing. The ombudsman, who is supposed to provide that communication, has been nothing but a USCIS mouthpiece for the party line. That needs to change. If I could change one thing about the process overnight, that would be the one.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

It is sad that people you've waited with and formed a bond with feel either uncomfortable/bitter about having/not having an approval. I don't really subscribe to those thoughts. I am happy any time I see an approval because it indicates the system is moving forward.

I agree, and I hope nobody on the other side of whatever line I happen to be on (NOA1/NOA2, pre-VSC/post-VSC, pre-interview/post-interview, etc) ever feels bitter or uncomfortable about it when speaking with me. Envy is understandable, but bitterness or discomfort is unhelpful and crazy-inducing.

I would like to see more consistent wait times though. I realise that legitimate delays are caused by RFE's and security checks but it would be helpful for USCIS to post both of those situations on the case update site (I know RFE's are). That knowledge would prevent people feeling anxious about their petitions and prevent a lot of unnecessary swipes at other members.

edited to add: well, perhaps less anxious

I don't know that we're ever going to see more consistency in timelines. USCIS are for the most part meeting their 6-month criteria, so the question becomes how many resources do you dedicate to a problem that gives you diminishing returns? What they do need to fix though is communication. Why, for example, is VSC working on October filers and CSC have for all practical purposes stopped approving K-1''s right about the end of July filers? There are a lot of possible reasons, some of which may be good reasons, but we can only speculate because they tell us nothing. The ombudsman, who is supposed to provide that communication, has been nothing but a USCIS mouthpiece for the party line. That needs to change. If I could change one thing about the process overnight, that would be the one.

Agreed. I think the most frustrating thing is that all of the possible paths we have been destroyed over the years. I really wish the ombudsman office would do a better job. I think too how frustrating it is that congress basically offered the director help and flat out turned it down on what i can only assume is a part of this partisan war thats been raging.

In my personal case I know I will go well over 6 months, likely 9 or more because of USCIS error. And I know I have no hope of getting my original application's filing honored nor will I be awarded an expedite based on the error. Thats not going to stop me from trying to raise as much hell as possible to get my petition processed faster even if I've seen the failure of those before me to do the same. I'm still going to ask my congressman to submit and back my formal request for an expedite for the error that occured. Its very likely to fail, I've seen it fail for others last year but I'm still going to try.

[psiprez 3]

Well I have something positive to say...

We all know the stresses that petitioners are potentially going through (being at the mercy of a govt agency, separation from the one you love and not sure you'll ever be with them again, separation from children, months without any news on their case, financial demands, lack of understanding of family and friends, one person uprooting their life and moving to a foreign land, finding work in that new land, and for years the worry about the current application being rejected).

And yet everyone here is almost always upbeat, supportive and optimistic.

We all must go through periods when we feel anxious, hopeless, screwed by the system, or worse. I suspect that there is a large percentage of members (like me) who just don't have anywhere else to turn to for advice or support, or even just to vent. My own family doesn't yet know we are engaged, and that we have submitted the petition, so I can't even turn to them. Since the people who understand best what you are going through are those going through it themselves, it must then really sting to be scolded by fellow VJers.

I found that the best way to keep yourself feeling upbeat and optimistic, is to encourage that in others. That's especially true if someone is 'whining' (yes, I've been guilty), which is really just a cry for support. It's nice to think that learning to help others through membership in the VJ community can be be a side benefit of the otherwise stressful petition process.

So, I'd like to thank VJ and it's community for providing that support over the past year, and in the year(s) to come!!

[rebeccajo 14]

I feel like I need to clarify 'whining' - LOL.

So I'm gonna re-quote my post - with an emphasis I probably should have placed in earlier.

"I'll be brutally honest here and state that whenever I see people whining - and yes I'm going to use that word - about their own case delay and how they personally are being treated unfairly - well I pretty much have no patience with that. USCIS is non-discriminate in its unfairness. At the end of the day none of us are 'special' in their stack of papers. Not unless there is security issue."

It's the second qualifier that constitutes a 'whine' to me.

I've had my dark days where I looked for support here also. That's part of why we are here.

So my apols if anyone thought I was being judgmental.

Edited January 20, 2008 by rebeccajo