How to Shake Your NOA2 Loose from the CSC

[Minya's wife 24]

Well, I might be an 'old timer' but - I do have a pending receipt notice (you see, even once the VisaJourney is over, the ImmigrationJourney is not).

At any rate, I decided to give this a whirl by following the prompts in TBone's original post.

I haven't reached the conclusion of my experiment yet (and won't be able to until tomorrow) but I have already learned that attempting this in the hopes of reaching an Immigration Officer will not work unless you try during normal business hours. My call was directed to the Information Line.

[TBoneTX 45,284]

I have already learned that attempting this in the hopes of reaching an Immigration Officer will not work unless you try during normal business hours. My call was directed to the Information Line.

That's helpful to know, RJ -- I never tried at any other time, so it didn't occur to me that time could be a factor.

Everyone: If interested, see the thread "I-129F June Filers" for the response letter that I got (on 24-hour turnaround) from the Guayaquil consulate.

[carlosg 0]

THIS TIPS WERE GREAT. I CALLED TODAY EXACTLY LIKE YOU SAID AND I SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH AN IMMIGRATION OFFICER. THEY SAID THAT AT THE MOMENT THEY ARE REVIEWING OUR K-1 VISA. AND WE SHOULD RECEIVE A RESPONSE PROBABBLY AT THE END OF MARCH.

MABEL AND ME ARE A LITTLE MORE EXITED BECAUSE THE WEBSITE DOES NOT SAY THAT OR THE MESSAGES AT THE 1-800 NUMBER. SO NOW WE GET A RESPONSE.

THANK YOU FOR GREAT INFORMATION.

AND HOPEFULLY IT IS ALL POSITIVE FOR ME AND EVERYONE ELSE.

CARLOS Y MABEL

[sara..... 371]

THIS TIPS WERE GREAT. I CALLED TODAY EXACTLY LIKE YOU SAID AND I SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH AN IMMIGRATION OFFICER. THEY SAID THAT AT THE MOMENT THEY ARE REVIEWING OUR K-1 VISA. AND WE SHOULD RECEIVE A RESPONSE PROBABBLY AT THE END OF MARCH.

MABEL AND ME ARE A LITTLE MORE EXITED BECAUSE THE WEBSITE DOES NOT SAY THAT OR THE MESSAGES AT THE 1-800 NUMBER. SO NOW WE GET A RESPONSE.

THANK YOU FOR GREAT INFORMATION.

AND HOPEFULLY IT IS ALL POSITIVE FOR ME AND EVERYONE ELSE.

CARLOS Y MABEL

Thats wonderful......... :)

[TBoneTX 45,284]

THIS TIPS WERE GREAT. I CALLED TODAY EXACTLY LIKE YOU SAID AND I SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH AN IMMIGRATION OFFICER. THEY SAID THAT AT THE MOMENT THEY ARE REVIEWING OUR K-1 VISA. AND WE SHOULD RECEIVE A RESPONSE PROBABBLY AT THE END OF MARCH.

MABEL AND ME ARE A LITTLE MORE EXITED BECAUSE THE WEBSITE DOES NOT SAY THAT OR THE MESSAGES AT THE 1-800 NUMBER. SO NOW WE GET A RESPONSE.

THANK YOU FOR GREAT INFORMATION.

AND HOPEFULLY IT IS ALL POSITIVE FOR ME AND EVERYONE ELSE.

CARLOS Y MABEL

Muy bueno, Carlos! You might want to call again in earlier March just to learn exactly where your file is, and to find out if someone can carry it from its current place to the next station. By the way, I looked at your fotos, and you and Mabel are guapo/guapa together!

[mox 298]

Eagerly awaiting your report, Rebeccajo.

[rebeccajo 14]

Eagerly awaiting your report, Rebeccajo.

I'm working all day today and I left my freaking I797 at home. It'll have to wait till tomorrow. Sorry.

[mox 298]

Eagerly awaiting your report, Rebeccajo.

I'm working all day today and I left my freaking I797 at home. It'll have to wait till tomorrow. Sorry.

Thhhhhppppptttttt!

[TBoneTX 45,284]

Eagerly awaiting your report, Rebeccajo.

I'm working all day today and I left my freaking I797 at home. It'll have to wait till tomorrow. Sorry.

Meanwhile, we can eagerly await others who might try. It will be interesting to learn if the approach works for both CSC and VSC (I'm guessing so), and for any case (I-797s, etc.) that an Immigration Officer could provide an answer on (not just K-1s).

Mox, what data points would it be valuable/valid to measure? For discussion purposes, I suggest these: [1] Whether the caller successfully reached an actual ImmigOff (not just a contracted screener); [2] Caller's evaluation of whether the information provided was helpful; [3] Caller's self-evaluation of his/her own satisfaction (e.g., "feeling much better now") after completing the exercise; and [4] Measurement of the number of days after the first (second, third...) such call before NOA2 (or non-K1 fulfillment) is granted (this could be deduced by the promptness or number of touches after the call).

I am not an engineer or statistician, so it's unclear how to most effectively evaluate the subjective reports or how to adjust for variables, margins of error, etc., because people will not all be performing the exercise on the same time frame or even using the exact script (because not everyone's timeline or situation would be the same).

As a test of what to look for and how, we could use those who have reported so far -- me, you if you're sure that you reached an actual ImmigOff, John & Maria from the "Waiting for an NOA2" thread, estadia, CarlosYMabel, and anyone else. Your thoughts, si man? Thoughts from others, si men?

[Noah&Diah 2]

I tried the tips and got some info. I filed for 1-129F in August and hadn't heard anything...called yesterday and they said my case had not been assigned to an officer yet??????????? That kinda pissed me off but I was very polite to the lady on the phone. After I got off the phone I checked my case status and it there was a touch on my case and again another touch today Feb 21st!!! I hope this is a good sign?? Any thoughts????

[sara..... 371]

I tried the tips and got some info. I filed for 1-129F in August and hadn't heard anything...called yesterday and they said my case had not been assigned to an officer yet??????????? That kinda pissed me off but I was very polite to the lady on the phone. After I got off the phone I checked my case status and it there was a touch on my case and again another touch today Feb 21st!!! I hope this is a good sign?? Any thoughts????

I got two touches also after calling and we also filed in aug but we got our noa1 in sept 24th......im feeling pretty good about it i mean is more than i had before..........

[mox 298]

I tried the tips and got some info. I filed for 1-129F in August and hadn't heard anything...called yesterday and they said my case had not been assigned to an officer yet??????????? That kinda pissed me off but I was very polite to the lady on the phone. After I got off the phone I checked my case status and it there was a touch on my case and again another touch today Feb 21st!!! I hope this is a good sign?? Any thoughts????

Okay, to be a little more "scientific" about the process, here's how I see it breaking down. Noah&Diah, can you please list exactly which of these steps you followed (to the letter), and what the outcome was at each step?

1: Call 800-375-5283, then hit 1,2,2,4,2,1; enter your receipt number; hit 1,1.

2: Speak with an immigration officer.

3: Ask the immigration officer "Why does the recording say I have a Request for Evidence?"

4: Immigration officer says there is no request for evidence.

5: Thank the immigration officer.

6: Ask the immigration officer "Will you please tell me exactly where in the Division my file is?"

7: The immigration officer tells you what division your file is in.

8: Tell the immigration officer "I'm aware that several files received after mine have already been approved, and the USCIS website clearly says 'we process applications in the order we receive them.' Will you please send an e-mail to the floor, and ask the person at the ____ station [whatever the ImmOff told you] to please hand-carry the file to the next station?"

9: The immigration officer agrees to email "the floor."

10: Case online status may register a "touch."

11: Outcome (probably a few days or so later): Was your case approved?

Anyone else who follows these tips, please address each step in your report. Saying you "followed the tips" won't be near as helpful as a blow-by-blow account of how the conversation went.

Edited February 21, 2008 by mox

[TBoneTX 45,284]

Mox remains the greatest, si man. The steps all look good and are scientific; can we add one extra nonscientific item -- that of "I feel better" or "This is more than I got from calling before"?

The answers to the suggested steps will depend on whether everyone who calls falls into a category where they can ask each of those questions.

Noah, ANY touch is better than no touch; it means that someone "there" is aware of your file and is at least picking it up to look at it, if not more. Sara, let's keep our fingers crossed!

[AbyBavy 0]

These tips are not guaranteed for speeding receipt of your NOA2, but they worked for me after many weeks of banging my head against stone walls and unhelpful front-line call-screeners. They have also worked for other VJ members whose K-1 files had been sitting unapproved for some time. I recommend trying these tips if you're approaching or have exceeded the posted "we are processing applications received as of" date at the CSC.

These recommendations may (or may not) appear similar to what has been called the "RFE Trick." There is no "trick" involved here. Until now, I have posted these tips in individual response to plaintive cries for help. Without exception, others have stated that trying the recommendations proved effective and served to relieve their own personal stress. Perhaps the VJ moderators will consider pinning this thread so that all who are frustrated can have one place to look.

---

Here is what I did to shake things loose. The keys are to [1] reach a correct person, and [2] speak USCIS's language.

Call 800-375-5283, then hit 1,2,2,4,2,1; enter your receipt number; hit 1,1. (There is no need to wait for all of the recorded options to be read before you hit these buttons.) The recording will almost certainly say that "additional evidence is required," but don't necessarily believe it.

When the phone rings, you should be speaking with an actual Immigration Officer (not a clueless front-line screener who can tell you only what you already know). If the recording said that "additional evidence is required," ask the ImmOff exactly this: "Why does the recording say that I have a Request For Evidence?" He/she will almost certainly tell you that there's no record of an RFE; thank him/her profusely.

Then (or first), ask exactly this: "Will you please tell me exactly where in the Division my file is?" He/she will tell you. Then say exactly this: "I'm aware that several files received after mine have already been approved, and the USCIS website clearly says 'we process applications in the order we receive them.' Will you please send an e-mail to the floor, and ask the person at the ____ station [whatever the ImmOff told you] to please hand-carry the file to the next station?"

The ImmOff will appreciate your "speaking the language," because it is so different from the usual plaintive "do something!" that they hear all day, every day. The e-mail should at least cause one of the processors on the floor to handle your file, and your record on the USCIS Case Status website may soon reflect a "touch."

The procedures that I have recommended are worth it, and you should feel better afterwards. Depending on how long ago you have submitted your application (the longer, the "better"), you can repeat this process every 10 to 14 days.

Do NOT mention that you are part of an on-line community; this is not necessary, and mentioning it could hinder your success. However, feel free to post your stories on VJ!

i wanted to thank u for putting up this post. i tried the trick today and i got the actual VSC and she couldn't tell me where in the process my case was well i did not ask, but she did tell me that some type of notice she was not sure what it was, was well will be sent out today so she said i should recieve that in about a week and a half, but thank you so very much! this really helped!

[mox 298]

Noah, ANY touch is better than no touch; it means that someone "there" is aware of your file and is at least picking it up to look at it, if not more. Sara, let's keep our fingers crossed!

Actually any call to the service center where you give them your receipt number will result in a touch, and often 2 consecutive touches. It is unfortunately not an indicator of progress.

You are welcome to include the "do I feel..?" criteria if you like. It's probably a better indicator than touches.