How to Shake Your NOA2 Loose from the CSC

[KandD 1]

I just called the lady was very polite , although when i asked where exactly my petiton was in the procress, she clicked me on hold with out asking me if i minded holding , thought i was being shafted but she did finally come back to the phone. Just told me they are working on recieved date of Aug 29 2007 right now could be a few more months till they get to me. Thats it.

[rupa 2]

Thanks! I just realized that they may have been closed

[sara..... 371]

well if nothing else i have correctly learned how to spell congratulations lol

[TBoneTX 45,304]

well if nothing else i have correctly learned how to spell congratulations lol

¡Felicitaciones, si man! Ja!

[mox 298]

o.k., so my fiance just called....please don't shoot me!!!!! Not sure if this is normal, but we got transferred to the National customer service centre, message said that there was no one available at Vermont to take our call. My fiance spoke with a fellow named Matt, asked where in the devision our petition was, he did not understand and asked where we filed at. I think we got bumped to the front line call centre. Anyway, I was listning in on another line and he was very friendly and asked twice if we had any more questions. We asked why others were getting approved ahead of us and he said he did not know, but that they are still working on August filers...(sound familiar?) We asked if the FBI name check was the reason for the delay in our petition and he said no and that our case was not yet assigned and that we could call back if we had more questions. I have a feeling that we did not get through to an officer, but at least this guy was courtious and that at the very least has made me feel a bit better.

We may try again in about three weeks, but still a little perplexed as to why we did not get through to Vermont. Maybe they have to many calls?

Just for my own edification, can you tell me tomorrow if you got a touch from this? Some people report their cases were touched when they called, and some people report no touch. I'm operating under the theory that when you call the National customer service center, no touch is generated. But when you call the actual service center, a touch is always generated.

Thanks!

[sara..... 371]

we got a touch yesterday when we called but the first time we called we got a touch two days in a row but maybe that was because she really sent a email to where ever it is lost in that jungle of application to find out why it was taking so long?

[Andres and Diana 0]

Ok....so I called and I got the nicest girl on the phone! She sounded Asian because of her accent and she was very courtious and professional.

I took the RFE "approach" and inquired on what division my paperwork was in. I had stated to her that some October filers have already been approved and that I knew for a fact that none of them had expedited requests. She placed me on hold and after a few seconds she said she would speak to the "officer" and give me a call back. She verified my phone number and that was it.

I buttered her up by giving her a little background on my fiance story and told her that if she had ever been in love she would know how much a minute away from that person could be an eternity. She laughed and agreed and promised she would get back to me as soon as she heard from the officer.

Its funny really...when this forum had posted I had tried the approach kinda late in the afternoon. Since no IO's were available I was routed to the blockheads in customer service and what they said to me was a total scrypt on how they were working on july 19th up until then (mind you this was the same day that the website was updated to show processing on 8/19!). She then proceeded to tell me that my case hasn't even been given to an officer and that more than likely it wouldn't be touched for another 3 months.

I was pissed off but decided to call during normal business hours...and then thats what I did today and got a real IO.

I'll keep you posted on what the IO will tell me when and if she calls...I just hope she keeps her promise.

Didn't someone else give their phone number and was promised a call back? Did they ever receive that call?

well...either way..my mind is at ease and that by far makes me feel productive even if it doesn't really forward my app any...but if it does...GREAT!

Diana

[sara..... 371]

Ok....so I called and I got the nicest girl on the phone! She sounded Asian because of her accent and she was very courtious and professional.

I took the RFE "approach" and inquired on what division my paperwork was in. I had stated to her that some October filers have already been approved and that I knew for a fact that none of them had expedited requests. She placed me on hold and after a few seconds she said she would speak to the "officer" and give me a call back. She verified my phone number and that was it.

I buttered her up by giving her a little background on my fiance story and told her that if she had ever been in love she would know how much a minute away from that person could be an eternity. She laughed and agreed and promised she would get back to me as soon as she heard from the officer.

Its funny really...when this forum had posted I had tried the approach kinda late in the afternoon. Since no IO's were available I was routed to the blockheads in customer service and what they said to me was a total scrypt on how they were working on july 19th up until then (mind you this was the same day that the website was updated to show processing on 8/19!). She then proceeded to tell me that my case hasn't even been given to an officer and that more than likely it wouldn't be touched for another 3 months.

I was pissed off but decided to call during normal business hours...and then thats what I did today and got a real IO.

I'll keep you posted on what the IO will tell me when and if she calls...I just hope she keeps her promise.

Didn't someone else give their phone number and was promised a call back? Did they ever receive that call?

well...either way..my mind is at ease and that by far makes me feel productive even if it doesn't really forward my app any...but if it does...GREAT!

Diana

yes we gave ours and she was really nice but never called back

we called again on the 25th she was not as nice the second time around

[rebeccajo 14]

You know what? Someday, when you are reunited with your fiance, you'll hardly remember all this BS!

Sadly, we cannot be certain about some of this.

Sure we can. I've been there, done that. And it all melts away. (I realize I didn't wait nearly as long as most of you are waiting now - so let me just acknowledge right away that NO, I didn't wait as long as anybody processing right now. But my timeline was fairly typical for a Vermont/London case at that time).

There's about - oh, THOUSANDS of VJ members who are now reunited with their loved ones who will testify to the same thing. Because I've been through it, I can also tell you this. I didn't believe it (before we were reunited) either. But your real life becomes real and normal (thank heavens); you become an everyday couple.

Except.......just because the visajourney is over, the immigration journey is not. There is AOS; there is LOC; there is Natz (if you choose it). There is waiting for EAD's (some of us renewed those puppies); there is namecheck and security clearance.

There is getting married; there is getting your spouse a Social Security number; there is getting them a state ID; maybe teaching them to drive and getting the license; for some learning English; learning new currency; learning how to write a resume to US standards; looking for work; homesickness; planning financially for future visits 'back home'; adjusting to the American social structure and figuring out 'where they fit in'.

Oh yeah - all that and the normal adjustments of marriage!

So here's what I know after getting a K1 visa and being reunited with and marrying the sweetest, kindest, most gentle man on earth - that if you are going to marry someone from a foreign country, you better prepare yourself for your 'normal' life to be a little less than - well - normal. Some of the very things that attracted you to each other will make your life different as a couple in America. It's hard sometimes, but it's ever so sweet. And you better develop some patience - or you will have a truly difficult road ahead of you.

This separation you are enduring now - it's NOTHING compared to what your spouse will endure when they arrive. Completely separated from everyone they have ever known and ripped from the culture and life they have always lived. You better get some patience, US Citizen - because your spouse is going to need that calmness; that placidness to help them adjust.

Edited February 27, 2008 by rebeccajo

[mox 298]

You know what? Someday, when you are reunited with your fiance, you'll hardly remember all this BS!

Sadly, we cannot be certain about some of this.

Sure we can.

I think TB is referring to his own situation, which is somewhat complicated at the moment.

This separation you are enduring now - it's NOTHING compared to what your spouse will endure when they arrive. Completely separated from everyone they have ever known and ripped from the culture and life they have always lived. You better get some patience, US Citizen - because your spouse is going to need that calmness; that placidness to help them adjust.

Although I haven't experienced it yet, this is my own gut feeling, and I'm glad to have someone as experienced as yourself verbalize it so eloquently. I'm engaged to a smart, smart girl, but I suspect that even she doesn't realize how tough it's going to be for her at first. Patience and calmness will be my mantra.

[rebeccajo 14]

I think TB is referring to his own situation, which is somewhat complicated at the moment.

Well, if there are personal things I'm not aware of, I hope that gets sorted soon.

[CBR 0]

Ok....so I called and I got the nicest girl on the phone! She sounded Asian because of her accent and she was very courtious and professional.

I took the RFE "approach" and inquired on what division my paperwork was in. I had stated to her that some October filers have already been approved and that I knew for a fact that none of them had expedited requests. She placed me on hold and after a few seconds she said she would speak to the "officer" and give me a call back. She verified my phone number and that was it.

I buttered her up by giving her a little background on my fiance story and told her that if she had ever been in love she would know how much a minute away from that person could be an eternity. She laughed and agreed and promised she would get back to me as soon as she heard from the officer.

Its funny really...when this forum had posted I had tried the approach kinda late in the afternoon. Since no IO's were available I was routed to the blockheads in customer service and what they said to me was a total scrypt on how they were working on july 19th up until then (mind you this was the same day that the website was updated to show processing on 8/19!). She then proceeded to tell me that my case hasn't even been given to an officer and that more than likely it wouldn't be touched for another 3 months.

I was pissed off but decided to call during normal business hours...and then thats what I did today and got a real IO.

I'll keep you posted on what the IO will tell me when and if she calls...I just hope she keeps her promise.

Didn't someone else give their phone number and was promised a call back? Did they ever receive that call?

I did, and nope she never called.

well...either way..my mind is at ease and that by far makes me feel productive even if it doesn't really forward my app any...but if it does...GREAT!

Diana

She's got to be the same girl I talked to once. You describe her to a T. Nope she never called me back. I wonder what she'd think if she found out we're on to her lololol. Nice way to get us off the phone though. I must give her credit for that. It's better than the crabby ones.

[TBoneTX 45,304]

[...] well...either way..my mind is at ease and that by far makes me feel productive even if it doesn't really forward my app any...but if it does...GREAT!

Diana

Diana, thank you for your complete report; what you're experiencing now is the exact point of the exercise. It's the minimum that can happen when we reach someone supportive and who's not one of those blockheaded customer-disservants.

One would guess that there are dozens of Immigration Officers staffing the Centers, but it appears that a couple of folks are talking to the same IO twice or to the same IO as someone else here did. If you didn't like the IO to whom you spoke once, perhaps a way to minimize a repeat would be to place the next call on a different day at a different time (during business hours, of course).

Don't count on being phoned back. However, if that promise is made and is broken, it provides even more ammunition to us when we phone them back: "I was promised a call back and never got it, but I know that YOU can help me. Please tell me where in the Division my file is..."

The information provided, the relief conferred merely as a result of our FINALLY having reached someone sympathetic and supportive, and the mood that we project as we convey the information and relief to others can go a long way in maintaining romances during the infernal NOA2 marathon. Si, man.

[TracyTN 237]

They are not processing petitions in the order they are received. People who filed the same day I got my NOA2 are being approved. If that's the marker then it will get really silly. You are asking people to use it reasonably but if I had filed mid-January you can bet I would be wanting my NOA2 now too. Would I use the RFE trick? No, because I've been around here long enough to know the system is unfair and based on a fair amount of luck. I don't begrudge the lucky ones at all, I envy them and wish I had been them. But, I fail to see how calling the RFE line will help change the system. It's not like they feel compelled to make their customers happy.

You would?

If people here would rather remain in the dark (and probably remain miserable or anxious), then don't call. It's that simple.

I agree with that logic - call or don't call, whichever suits you.

But I have also seen people here who, once their cases got to the consulate, called the Dept Of State EVERY SINGLE DAY for an update. I honestly do not understand that logic, I'm sorry. The best part was those of us who questioned that logic were called out as insensitive and that we weren't as concerned about our cases as those who called every day were. :lol: That had to be one of my most frustrated moments here on VJ. And I'm not sad to say that the main culprit in all of that (and proponent of the 'badger them once daily' routine) is no longer here.

Yes, we all want to know what is going on with our cases - but isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? That doesn't apply in this situation, obviously, but I make this point to show you how far this can go down the wormhole. Everything in moderation. Hopefully most folks will remember that.

[mox 298]

Yes, we all want to know what is going on with our cases - but isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?

It's why I hate fishing.