Disparity Between VSC and CSC and

[BigCityDave 0]

That they key, don't worry about others cases. Just sit tight, relax and enjoy the show.

[Cassie 8]

If I had a dollar for every time I have read a "it's not fair, Vermont is so fast" post over the last 3 years, I'd be a rich rich woman!

[Chris Future 0]

219 days from filing petition @ CSC to NOA2, we're still alive. It sucks but our love is as strong as ever because of the long process.

Thats ridiculous. It shouldn't take more than a month.

Everyone has the right to contact their representative. That's doing something!

All that will do is .... nothing. Their is no political will to make this process work better. We are not enough of a voting bloc to make a difference.

[mox 298]

Thats ridiculous. It shouldn't take more than a month.

I agree that 219 days is unacceptable, but 30 days is equally unrealistic.

[Chris Future 0]

could the disparity beween east and west have to do with the foreign locations of the beneficiaries?

Does CSC handle more K-1, K-3 from beneficiaries of Mexico and Asia where fraud rates and waiver delays are more prevelant....?

Just a thought... I agree with an earlier poster that if everyone is paying the same fee for a government service, there should be a similar timeframe.

Another thought is the actual location and thus type of persons working in the service center... CSC is right outside LA and the working situation will be urban, commutes, diverse group of people. VSC is in bumblef*k Vermont. I would think a better commute... happier people

Just some thoughts in the wind

This is true. I bet that they have trouble finding people to work at CSC, the salaries are higher and the standards are lower. I'm actually surprised that the office IS in any kind of metro area - I thought most government agencies were in remote locations as part of a job creation program for those areas. In fact, isn't the CSC the only center in a metro area? Nebraska, Vermont etc etc. The N-400 apps go to Lincoln, NE, right? Why are we forced to go to the only backlogged urban center??

[Chris Future 0]

Here's the thing: The system is what it is. We can try to work through the political process to affect change if that's something we really feel passionate about, but the fact is that all of our cases will be long gone through the system by the time any change is made. Mark Twain said "everyone talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it." Think of USCIS like that.

The system is frustrating, slow, and opaque. But the key to making it through with your sanity intact is to try to be positive and resolve to settle in for a long wait. Blowing steam is ok, but be careful not to get sucked into a vortex of unhappiness. I've seen threads on these boards that I couldn't even read anymore because they made me so unhappy. You do not want to go there. You don't have to post about rainbows and puppies, but you'll only make it worse on yourself by dwelling on the negatives.

I've said this before, but it bears repeating: If you think the waiting is hard right now, wait until people start getting approved around you. The wait will get about 10 times harder the minute you see that first approval past your date. That's why you need to go into those last weeks of waiting in as good a mental place as you can be. If you go into those last weeks miserable, you will be a complete wreck by the time you're approved.

Yes, but I'm ranting not just for myself but for ALL affected couples, present and future. People like us, who follow the rules of the land, get shafted, while the law breakers get deals. Look at THOMAS to see what bills have to do with visas. There are tons of bills which mention illegals, and a ton of "special" dispensations handing citizenship directly to individual people (mixed in with the very important business of renaming post offices, btw). The difference is that with the weather, we can't do anything about it, when it comes to this - we SHOULD be able to do something about it. Just sitting and grumbling about injustice seems to me to NOT be the American way - we DO something about it - or at least try to. Just grumbling about it seems so...Canadian.

People ARE already getting approved around us - those at VSC that is...

[Susan and Chris 0]

Thats ridiculous. It shouldn't take more than a month.

I agree that 219 days is unacceptable, but 30 days is equally unrealistic.

219 unacceptable...30 days why not???? why cant the government streamline this process for ALL locations...why are we EXPECTED to lie down and roll over until its our turn... sure we can dance and dream when we are finally together... couples that dont expect turn around to be so fast dont mind paying money into the blackhole of the government purse ...

[Chris Future 0]

Thats ridiculous. It shouldn't take more than a month.

I agree that 219 days is unacceptable, but 30 days is equally unrealistic.

I disagree. All they need to to is hire enough people to get it down to 30 days. Its job creation. You're telling me they had no idea that they'd have a huge influx of visas the moment they announced a fee increase? Thats pretty poor planning and would probably get people fired in the business world.

[KimandRuss 0]

Everyone has the right to contact their representative. That's doing something!

All that will do is .... nothing. Their is no political will to make this process work better. We are not enough of a voting bloc to make a difference.

I disagree. That's like saying your vote doesn't count. If everybody thought that way....

I did state earlier in the thread that we have very little voice as most are uneducated to the process and just dont care enough to change it. I do agree with that. But reaching out to those who do have a bigger voice is a step, is it not?

Related or not... they are there for us... they are our voice. My Congressperson is a decent person who listens. Whether it has an effect on the process or not is irrelevant really. At least when I ###### and moan about the process I can say that I did 'something'. And at least that's one more person in the 'chain of command' that knows the woes of those of us faced with this situation so perhaps when there is a vote regarding legal immigration my small little voice will be at the back of his head and will bring a sense of reality and real life to his vote.

Just my opinion. Best of luck!

[Chris Future 0]

Out of curiosity I checked the job posting for adjudication officers for the USCIS California Service center. All applicants must complete an exam to even be considered and the time it takes to score this multiple choice exam is 6-8weeks from the date of testing. And that doesn't even take into account the background checks, interviews, or training of the officers. So I think in order to hire the proper people and train them to do the job it takes quite a while. Which is sad, but a reality. I wish the process could be expedited to speed it up for everyone, but alas it is hiring is slow as well.

Geez. Even the exam takes 6 weeks. If the private sector worked this slow we'd still be using stone knives and bearskins.

[mox 298]

219 unacceptable...30 days why not???? why cant the government streamline this process for ALL locations...why are we EXPECTED to lie down and roll over until its our turn... sure we can dance and dream when we are finally together... couples that dont expect turn around to be so fast dont mind paying money into the blackhole of the government purse ...

I disagree. All they need to to is hire enough people to get it down to 30 days. Its job creation. You're telling me they had no idea that they'd have a huge influx of visas the moment they announced a fee increase? Thats pretty poor planning and would probably get people fired in the business world.

USCIS are funded solely from revenue from filing fees, not tax dollars. They can only hire as many people as our filing fees will support. June and July experienced a huge influx of filers, but that increase in income is only temporary. USCIS need to hire based on a typical caseload or they'll go broke. This is why they can't simply hire more people.

I agree the system is broken. I have no idea why some people at VSC are being approved in record time, other than sheer managerial incompetence. I agree that 6+ months is way too long. There was a day when 60 days was about the average wait, and I don't think that's unreasonable.

If you look back, you'll see this kind of thing is cyclical. Back in October I think it was, I think there were something like 3 approvals out of VSC.

Edited March 3, 2008 by mox

[Chris Future 0]

Everyone has the right to contact their representative. That's doing something!

All that will do is .... nothing. Their is no political will to make this process work better. We are not enough of a voting bloc to make a difference.

I disagree. That's like saying your vote doesn't count. If everybody thought that way....

I did state earlier in the thread that we have very little voice as most are uneducated to the process and just dont care enough to change it. I do agree with that. But reaching out to those who do have a bigger voice is a step, is it not?

Related or not... they are there for us... they are our voice. My Congressperson is a decent person who listens. Whether it has an effect on the process or not is irrelevant really. At least when I ###### and moan about the process I can say that I did 'something'. And at least that's one more person in the 'chain of command' that knows the woes of those of us faced with this situation so perhaps when there is a vote regarding legal immigration my small little voice will be at the back of his head and will bring a sense of reality and real life to his vote.

Just my opinion. Best of luck!

Sure - contacting my rep is akin to placing a curse - it probably doesn't do anything but it possibly could make me feel better.

I wonder if Lou Dobbs would do a piece on this for CNN. He is usually tuned into immigration issues. We need some big head in the media to promote our cause. I'm sure that there a TON of stories about couples and families being kept apart by idiotic government policies. Maybe John Stossel. He's good at unearthing failing government programs.

[Caladan 19]

If I had a dollar for every time I have read a "it's not fair, Vermont is so fast" post over the last 3 years, I'd be a rich rich woman!

And they've even reorganized it since then to make it a more equitable distribution of family-based petitions, IIRC. It is also cyclical. VSC slowed down earlier.

CSC hasn't recovered from the backlog yet (I believe they handle more AOS-related stuff than Vermont does, and it was a *huge* hit last August, and people who are here waiting for green cards took priority.)

[Chris Future 0]

If I had a dollar for every time I have read a "it's not fair, Vermont is so fast" post over the last 3 years, I'd be a rich rich woman!

And they've even reorganized it since then to make it a more equitable distribution of family-based petitions, IIRC. It is also cyclical. VSC slowed down earlier.

CSC hasn't recovered from the backlog yet (I believe they handle more AOS-related stuff than Vermont does, and it was a *huge* hit last August, and people who are here waiting for green cards took priority.)

Interesting. Green card processing does not keep families apart. Neither does AOS as far as i know. I know that employment visas, which keep people from taking a job here, are expedited. Why do marriage visas take the lowest priority, I wonder? Is marriage the #1 immigration fraud that it needs so much scrutiny. I'm starting to feel that the post that someone made once that they want it to take a long time on purpose so that the prospective emigrant will give up, only those that don't give up are real relationships. Cynical? I'll bet that factors into their processing times. I wonders if there is some historical precedent that fraudsters will give up after 6 months??

[mox 298]

Interesting. Green card processing does not keep families apart. Neither does AOS as far as i know. I know that employment visas, which keep people from taking a job here, are expedited. Why do marriage visas take the lowest priority, I wonder? Is marriage the #1 immigration fraud that it needs so much scrutiny. I'm starting to feel that the post that someone made once that they want it to take a long time on purpose so that the prospective emigrant will give up, only those that don't give up are real relationships. Cynical? I'll bet that factors into their processing times. I wonders if there is some historical precedent that fraudsters will give up after 6 months??

Conspiracy theories not withstanding, the reason green cards are prioritized is because people need them to stay in the country. I think you'll agree that it's important that once your fiance(e)/spouse is in the country, you'll want him/her to be able to stay.

Edited to add: I should say, I don't know for a fact that this is why they prioritize them, but it seems the most logical answer to me.

Edited March 3, 2008 by mox