Letter to your Congressman

[SimoAndYvette 0]

Hello Everyone!

Happy Sunday to you all!

Only recently I have noticed many people writing a letter to their congressman, in regards to their visa application. Can anyone tell me a little about that?

For example:

1. What should the content be?

2. How does it help?

3. How do you follow up on that?

As always....Have a wonderful day and THANK YOU!!!

Yvette

[ninjarocket 1]

Below are two letters I sent to which I got a response. I would only use them for inspiration as your situation is slightly different. In the response to the first one Cheney's office didn't know the difference between USCIS and the Department of State! So much for the Bush administration. In the response to the 2nd one I got some standard boiler plate letter back from USCIS via my senator [see thread http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=132761]. You may well get something similar. If you're lucky, you might get an expedite:

The While House,

Attn. Vice President Richard B. Cheney,

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,

Washington DC 20500,

fax. 202-456-2461 June 1, 2008

Re. Long overdue USCIS petitions: case numbers ..... / .....

Dear Vice President Cheney.

I’m a ... at ..... where I have been for 12 years. On July 6, 2007 I filed a I-130 petition (case # .....) for my foreign wife to come to the USA, as I am legally entitled to do. On becoming Naturalized on August 31, 2007 (formerly ....), I further petitioned a I-129F spousal K3 visa (case # ....) on September 6, 2007, so that my wife can come to the USA sooner. Both of these applications are now long overdue. The published USCIS processing date is currently November 17, 2007 for both types of application, and, according to visa-tracking websites such as visajourney.com, most applications received as late as February 2008 are now already approved.

Something seems to have gone terribly wrong with my petition(s) or the adjudication process at the California Service Center where my case currently resides. I have made numerous attempts at service requests over the last 6 months with no result. I’m very much hoping for some assistance in this matter. By signing this letter I authorize release of information concerning my case to the appropriate authorities.

sincerely yours

This one was included in a privacyreleaseform which is available on line (i.e. website of senator)

I'm a ... at ... and filed petitions for Conditional Residence (CR, case # ..., July 10, 2007) and spousal (K3, case # ...., Sept 06, 2007) visas last year to be reunited with my wife by allowing her entry to the US. Unfortunately, we have been subjected to unusually long wait times compared both to other applicants (e.g. those registered at visajourney.com) and to the published USCIS processing times (i.e. on the USCIS website). My long wait is caused entirely by a recent USCIS procedural change in which the department of homeland security (i.e. USCIS) decided to nullify certain benefits of the immigration law introduced in the 2000 LIFE ACT.

To reunite families of US citizens separated by the long wait times encountered with their I-130 CR (alien spouse) visa petitions, a new visa category (K3) was introduced as part of the LIFE ACT, signed into law by the president in December 2000. The intended purpose of the K3 visa (as outlined in the LIFE ACT) is to facilitate family reunion by enabling the faster entry into the US of a spouse (and/or children) while their I-130 petition awaits adjudication. As stated in the LIFE ACT, the K3 visa is not intended to be dependent on the prior approval of a I-130 petition (which can sometimes take a year or more) as that defeats its original intended purpose. Recently, however, USCIS began circumventing the LIFE ACT by changing the processing procedure. In contradiction to the requirements of the LIFE ACT, K3 visas are now conditional upon the prior approval of an I-130 CR. While this matters little to the vast majority of I-130 petitions that are approved in just a few months, those applicants with very long I-130 wait times (such as myself) are now completely disenfranchised from their rights to the benefits introduced in the 2000 LIFE ACT.

[Jhatch 0]

Hello Everyone!

Happy Sunday to you all!

Only recently I have noticed many people writing a letter to their congressman, in regards to their visa application. Can anyone tell me a little about that?

For example:

1. What should the content be?

2. How does it help?

3. How do you follow up on that?

As always....Have a wonderful day and THANK YOU!!!

Yvette

I sent letters to a senator and congressman in Maine. Both pretty much told me that their was nothing that they could do unless it qualified for an expidite, which for USCIS is life or death. They tried to explain my case but to no avail. So I found it not much help, but still worth the try.

[john & jean 37]

MY CONGRESSMANS AID WAS WHO I TALKED TO, SHE WAS VERY HELPFUL. SENT THE FORMS, WHICH WERE NEEDED. I RETURNED THEM BY REGISTERED MAIL AND BY FAX. TEN DAYS LATER WE WERE APPROVED!

j&J

[rebeccajo 14]

Congressional liasons do have contacts at service centers who can report to them the status of a case.

Congressional liasons get dozens of requests each week to perform this task. As such, they know when a case is a 'true' hardship or not. What you or I think is dire may not be to them.

I hate beating up on you folks about this all the time, but while what many of you are going through right now is unfair, most of you haven't gotten the short end of the immigration stick by any stretch of the imagination. That being said though, a congressional inquiry made for a case that is beyond USCIS published timelines isn't a bad idea. It shows you are being pro-active about your case should it really come up against a brick wall.

[Jhatch 0]

MY CONGRESSMANS AID WAS WHO I TALKED TO, SHE WAS VERY HELPFUL. SENT THE FORMS, WHICH WERE NEEDED. I RETURNED THEM BY REGISTERED MAIL AND BY FAX. TEN DAYS LATER WE WERE APPROVED!

j&J

What kind of forms did you have to give them if you dont mind me asking?

[Chet 0]

With all due respect, I don't understand your comment for the following quote:

I hate beating up on you folks about this all the time, but while what many of you are going through right now is unfair, most of you haven't gotten the short end of the immigration stick by any stretch of the imagination.

What would you constitute as unfair? (1) If USCIS continues to post their processing time July 30 for VSC one year, two years, or 5 years from now, they are still within their processing time and by your standard, that is still fair? (2) The fact that USCIS contradicts their own statement both on paper and on the phone system where they "process petition in the order received" but is not practicing it? The process seems so inconsistent in which people filed more recently are being approved before those who submitted prior?. (3) Substantial amount of resources [people, money] has already been invested in the organization with no result on progress.

I have no intention to contradict you, but I don't know if your statement accurately reflects the situation at hand.

[Todd-Leah 0]

MY CONGRESSMANS AID WAS WHO I TALKED TO, SHE WAS VERY HELPFUL. SENT THE FORMS, WHICH WERE NEEDED. I RETURNED THEM BY REGISTERED MAIL AND BY FAX. TEN DAYS LATER WE WERE APPROVED!

j&J

What kind of forms did you have to give them if you dont mind me asking?

It's the "privacy authorization form". Actually, regardless of which agency you need help with, you need to complete the privacy authorization form to comply with the provisions of the Privacy Act.

Then they can contact the congressional liasons at USCIS and/or request for a report of the status of your petition.

Leah

[Jhatch 0]

With all due respect, I don't understand your comment for the following quote:

I hate beating up on you folks about this all the time, but while what many of you are going through right now is unfair, most of you haven't gotten the short end of the immigration stick by any stretch of the imagination.

What would you constitute as unfair? (1) If USCIS continues to post their processing time July 30 for VSC one year, two years, or 5 years from now, they are still within their processing time and by your standard, that is still fair? (2) The fact that USCIS contradicts their own statement both on paper and on the phone system where they "process petition in the order received" but is not practicing it? The process seems so inconsistent in which people filed more recently are being approved before those who submitted prior?. (3) Substantial amount of resources [people, money] has already been invested in the organization with no result on progress.

I have no intention to contradict you, but I don't know if your statement accurately reflects the situation at hand.

Hey I totally agree with you. It just bothers me that someone says they got the short end of the stick but after looking at their timeline it seems they got approved by VSC in 15 days. Wow that is definitly the short end!

Edited June 22, 2008 by Jhatch

[rebeccajo 14]

With all due respect, I don't understand your comment for the following quote:

I hate beating up on you folks about this all the time, but while what many of you are going through right now is unfair, most of you haven't gotten the short end of the immigration stick by any stretch of the imagination.

What would you constitute as unfair? (1) If USCIS continues to post their processing time July 30 for VSC one year, two years, or 5 years from now, they are still within their processing time and by your standard, that is still fair? (2) The fact that USCIS contradicts their own statement both on paper and on the phone system where they "process petition in the order received" but is not practicing it? The process seems so inconsistent in which people filed more recently are being approved before those who submitted prior?. (3) Substantial amount of resources [people, money] has already been invested in the organization with no result on progress.

I have no intention to contradict you, but I don't know if your statement accurately reflects the situation at hand.

You aren't contradicting me. I said your situation was unfair. Unfair is all the things you cited.

But to me there are a lot worse situations in immigration than this. Cases stuck for over a year with no real reasons given to the couple; greencards not issued for years because your name matches some flunkie hood in an old FBI file; people stuck in their home country because of some minor mis-statement they made when they tried to enter the country; people being banned for life from the country for a minor drug infraction they committed in youthful years - stuff like that.

I believe I can always find somebody in a worse situation than I am in. So that's why I advocate that type of thinking - it helps me deal with my troubles.

Hey I totally agree with you. It just bothers me that someone says they got the short end of the stick but after looking at their timeline it seems they got approved by VSC in 15 days. Wow that is definitly the short end!

Would you like some cheese to go with your whine?

Grow up. I'm so sick of hearing that $hit.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

first this talk is uncalled for

Would you like some cheese to go with your whine?

Grow up. I'm so sick of hearing that $hit.

all i will comment on that, if your tired of hearing it dont read it

Your state reps can not work miracles, they can often get answers we can not. Mine has been good for me anyway, my case was returned the first time, after a time she got with calif and got them to finally say it was actually now expired and i was free to refile. Now we are having a tax return issue and she has taken that over also. So she can help to help me with problems but not to hurry my case along. I dont belive you stated your requesst, just write to them, they will send u a legal form to allow them to represent you, give them all the details, and whatever it is you want them to do. It may take talking to a few not all will take interest but hoepfully u will find one that will stick with you. Also its been shown on many cases a email fr your rep right before the interview seems to help, those that did this got the visa in most cases, (of course not 100%) but compared to those that didnt it seems worth that little effort. Good luck

[LaL 418]

first this talk is uncalled for

Would you like some cheese to go with your whine?

Grow up. I'm so sick of hearing that $hit.

all i will comment on that, if your tired of hearing it dont read it

With all due respect Brnid - this has been going on for a long time for Rebecca - she may not sugar coat things, however I have seen it time & time again where if the recipient does not prefer the message posted - attack a timeline? I don't see how that makes any logical sense.

[rebeccajo 14]

first this talk is uncalled for

Would you like some cheese to go with your whine?

Grow up. I'm so sick of hearing that $hit.

all i will comment on that, if your tired of hearing it dont read it

Your state reps can not work miracles, they can often get answers we can not. Mine has been good for me anyway, my case was returned the first time, after a time she got with calif and got them to finally say it was actually now expired and i was free to refile. Now we are having a tax return issue and she has taken that over also. So she can help to help me with problems but not to hurry my case along. I dont belive you stated your requesst, just write to them, they will send u a legal form to allow them to represent you, give them all the details, and whatever it is you want them to do. It may take talking to a few not all will take interest but hoepfully u will find one that will stick with you. Also its been shown on many cases a email fr your rep right before the interview seems to help, those that did this got the visa in most cases, (of course not 100%) but compared to those that didnt it seems worth that little effort. Good luck

Don't read it? It was addressed to me?

Are you saying it is perfectly OK for someone to insult me but I am just to lie down and take it?

For the umpteenth time - the length of time it took someone to get their NOA2 is no reason for other members to ridicule them. My previous posts in this thread were all polite. The comments made to ME were uncalled for.

I'm not taking this lying down anymore.

[SimoAndYvette 0]

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO REPLIED.....

For those who decided to use this as a form of venting: so sorry you are having a bad day! It was only a simple question, based on the fact that I did not know if I was missing a piece of the application process.

One thing I think we all need to remember is.......we have a loved one who is not with us right now, so to us, it is of the utmost importance.....this should in NO WAY negate what someone else is going through. We are not walking in anyone else's shoes, other than our own.

Please take care and have a better day!

Yvette

With all due respect, I don't understand your comment for the following quote:

I hate beating up on you folks about this all the time, but while what many of you are going through right now is unfair, most of you haven't gotten the short end of the immigration stick by any stretch of the imagination.

What would you constitute as unfair? (1) If USCIS continues to post their processing time July 30 for VSC one year, two years, or 5 years from now, they are still within their processing time and by your standard, that is still fair? (2) The fact that USCIS contradicts their own statement both on paper and on the phone system where they "process petition in the order received" but is not practicing it? The process seems so inconsistent in which people filed more recently are being approved before those who submitted prior?. (3) Substantial amount of resources [people, money] has already been invested in the organization with no result on progress.

I have no intention to contradict you, but I don't know if your statement accurately reflects the situation at hand.

You aren't contradicting me. I said your situation was unfair. Unfair is all the things you cited.

But to me there are a lot worse situations in immigration than this. Cases stuck for over a year with no real reasons given to the couple; greencards not issued for years because your name matches some flunkie hood in an old FBI file; people stuck in their home country because of some minor mis-statement they made when they tried to enter the country; people being banned for life from the country for a minor drug infraction they committed in youthful years - stuff like that.

I believe I can always find somebody in a worse situation than I am in. So that's why I advocate that type of thinking - it helps me deal with my troubles.

Hey I totally agree with you. It just bothers me that someone says they got the short end of the stick but after looking at their timeline it seems they got approved by VSC in 15 days. Wow that is definitly the short end!

Would you like some cheese to go with your whine?

Grow up. I'm so sick of hearing that $hit.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

this is not the first thread this has been started, im sure u are very knowledgeable in this subject and we all know in the end nothing will prob change with the times, we are free to address our reps, we are free to send letters, to sit back and never do anything will never help to change anything later down the line. We each have to at least do what we feel is right for ourselves and dont need comments about cheese and whining. You have nothing to take anyway most of these threads were written to others doing the CR1 etc or asking advice now about our reps. Tell them how to contact there reps, how they did or didnt help.. and no insults are not good fr either side and accomplish nothing, maybe its all in the choice of words or the way its presented