Lets collect some information about IMBRA effects

[rlt 0]

How in the world do you get to a human on the USCIS phone?

I just pretend like I have a rotary phone, listen to the spanish messages for 10 min, then I get transfered to a spanish speaking operator and tell them I need english and get helped everytime. I gave up trying to figure it out by pressing numbers.

I finally got through. To bad I wasted 30 minutes of my life. The nice lady I talked to didn't seem to know much about it. She went to talk to her supervisor and came back and read something off of a paper to me that had nothing to do with IMBRA. I asked her about wether we would be getting RFE for our criminal backround check or not and she said something about "fingerprinting". I doubt if she really knew what she was talking about.

As a beneficiary, when I went to get my police certificate in Brazil I they got my fingerprints.

Maybe it´s the same in the USA and that´s what she meant.

But I think you´re right. She probably had no idea.

[Cigarovich 1]

Can I make a really straightforward, bordering on idiotic suggestion?

a ) It seems that the problems are with the VSC (as has been noted)

b ) People are reaching out to their Congesspeople, who have the power to find out info not available to us mortals.

I suggest the following:

By any means necc., find out the name (and email, if possible) of the head honco at VSC, and write him/her via FedEx (and email if possible), voice our concerns and demand (nicely) a response and an open line of communication (at least through one of us, and I nominate Gary) through which we can get real updates and info as comes out of the HH's office. the VSC boss owes us this much, and, if spun correctly, will remind him/her of their ability to be fired through the political pressure we WILL apply if we don't start getting answers.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want another boss at VSC, I just want transparency!!!

I will gladly contribute more than my share to the FedEx fund!!

Who's with me?

Edited May 24, 2006 by Cigarovich

[rlt 0]

Can I make a really straightforward, bordering on idiotic suggestion?

a) It seems that the problems are with the VSC (as has been noted)

B) People are reaching out to their Congesspeople, who have the power to find out info not available to us mortals.

I suggest the following:

By any means necc., find out the name (and email, if possible) of the head honco at VSC, and write him/her via FedEx (and email if possible), voice our concerns and demand (nicely) a response and an open line of communication (at least through one of us, and I nominate Gary) through which we can get real updates and info as comes out of the HH's office. the VSC boss owes us this much, and, if spun correctly, will remind him/her of their ability to be fired through the political pressure we WILL apply if we don't start getting answers.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want another boss at VSC, I just want transparency!!!

I will gladly contribute more than my share to the FedEx fund!!

Who's with me?

I´m with you.

You can count on my contribution as well.

They owe us explanation.

[tbone 0]

Director of VSC:

Paul Novak

USCIS Vermont Service Center

75 Lower Weldon

St. Albans, VT 08479

Not sure on the spelling of Weldon. I received the info on the phone.

[rlt 0]

Director of VSC:

Paul Novak

USCIS Vermont Service Center

75 Lower Weldon

St. Albans, VT 08479

Not sure on the spelling of Weldon. I received the info on the phone.

Ok, how are we gonna unite our strenght and contact him???

I just received an email from NVC. I didn´t even remember that I had emailed them on May 19th.

Here´s what they said:

"Dear Sir or Madam, Your inquiry has been received at the National Visa Center (NVC).

The petition has been returned to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS-formerly known as INS). Any further inquiries should be directed to CIS."

So we now have a proof that USCIS has the recalled petitions.

I´m just wondering if there is such place as USCIS... shouldn´t my application have been fwd to Vermont?

For tose who want to email the NVC here´s their contact: NVCInquiry@state.gov

[tbone 0]

The CIS is in Vermont, so your case should be there.

One thing that I've started to do is request copies of my criminal history from the FBI and any state that I've lived in for over 6 months. I'm hoping that this will not be needed, but just in case it is, it won't hurt.

Some of these reports take many weeks to obtain.

[rlt 0]

The CIS is in Vermont, so your case should be there.

One thing that I've started to do is request copies of my criminal history from the FBI and any state that I've lived in for over 6 months. I'm hoping that this will not be needed, but just in case it is, it won't hurt.

Some of these reports take many weeks to obtain.

I think it will be needed. In fact, I think that´s exactly what they will be looking for.

If the criminal records procedure for the petitioners is anything like it is for the beneficiary, you might need to wait for the paper that USCIS is gonna send you, requesting those facts.

But as you said, it won´t hurt to start colleting them, if possible.

The CIS is really in Vermont? What about the ones in Texas, California, Nebraska...? Aren´t they called CIS as well?

thanks

[De & Al 0]

I am wondering, particularly now, how important it is going to be to write more then a few words when it comes to Q18 on the I-129F as to how one met especially if one has met over the internet. Whilst meeting online itself, in various chat rooms, groups etc do not seem to come under this act.....how are they to know if one leaves too much to the imagination. My advice is to perhaps go into a lot more detail under these circumstances to safeguard against being caught up in it. Any thoughts?????

Maybe you're right about this. But I wonder if there's any pattern thus far connecting how couple met with whether they've been affected by the IMBRA or whether they wrote a lot or a little in Q18.

What I don't get is the people who have NOA1's before March 6th getting their stuff returned -- they're retroactively enforcing a law that wasn't in effect at the time. At least for petitions that got the NOA1 on or after 3/6 they could say it's when the law technically came into effect, but before that ... even if the NOA1 was recorded on March 5th 5 minutes before the SC was closing, the law still wasn't active at the time.

Ahhhghghgh-- no rhyme or reason !

I would like to be added to the list too.

[tbone 0]

somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but the 4 service centers are all CIS.

something else i read on the uscis website was that on some applications (not I-129 F), they will have you come in to one of their fingerprinting centers for the background check. I have no idea if this will apply here.

[rlt 0]

somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but the 4 service centers are all CIS.

something else i read on the uscis website was that on some applications (not I-129 F), they will have you come in to one of their fingerprinting centers for the background check. I have no idea if this will apply here.

I think so too, they are all CIS.

If they sent it to USCIS, there would be in Washington too.

I´m afraid my petition will get lost with all these trips...

[Aquelunya 0]

somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but the 4 service centers are all CIS.

something else i read on the uscis website was that on some applications (not I-129 F), they will have you come in to one of their fingerprinting centers for the background check. I have no idea if this will apply here.

I think so too, they are all CIS.

If they sent it to USCIS, there would be in Washington too.

I´m afraid my petition will get lost with all these trips...

dont be silly, as far as I know they do not use regular mail for these documents, they use Fedex or DHL. I think this should be the LAST worry on your mind.

[rlt 0]

somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but the 4 service centers are all CIS.

something else i read on the uscis website was that on some applications (not I-129 F), they will have you come in to one of their fingerprinting centers for the background check. I have no idea if this will apply here.

I think so too, they are all CIS.

If they sent it to USCIS, there would be in Washington too.

I´m afraid my petition will get lost with all these trips...

dont be silly, as far as I know they do not use regular mail for these documents, they use Fedex or DHL. I think this should be the LAST worry on your mind.

Thank you.

It´s just that I´m worried about everything right now.

But come on.. ALL I129Fs after March 6th are on hold. They gotta be doing something about it, right?

[Aquelunya 0]

somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but the 4 service centers are all CIS.

something else i read on the uscis website was that on some applications (not I-129 F), they will have you come in to one of their fingerprinting centers for the background check. I have no idea if this will apply here.

I think so too, they are all CIS.

If they sent it to USCIS, there would be in Washington too.

I´m afraid my petition will get lost with all these trips...

dont be silly, as far as I know they do not use regular mail for these documents, they use Fedex or DHL. I think this should be the LAST worry on your mind.

Thank you.

It´s just that I´m worried about everything right now.

But come on.. ALL I129Fs after March 6th are on hold. They gotta be doing something about it, right?

I understand, I'm trying to just stay positive. it really doesnt help if you start to fall apart now. You need to try and be strong for each other. I am convinced that Vermont is working on the recalled petitions, why else would they switch the date back to March 6? The point is, dont let it get you down and continue to push on, we'll all get there eventually

[rl2009 0]

Thank you all for replying to my question about Rosana and Lais coming at the same time. It was helpful and appreciated.

Now if we all just get through this USCIS #######. I find it to be a violation of our rights and do not see how they can get away with this. Since when to you have to have a background check to have an engagement or get married even it that engagement is with someone in another country.

This is not right and it has affected many lives.

Thanks

Luke and Rosana

[Cigarovich 1]

Ok folks,

The below is an email I sent to the NVC email that was posted here a couple of hours ago. I suggest sending the same or similar letter by FedEx to the boss at VSC if we don't get info soon. Please feel free to critique my plea as it's 5am here...

Dear Sirs:

Please forward this to the attention of Mr. Paul Novak or current director:

Dear Mr. Novak:

I am one of many individuals that has recently learned of the IMBRA compliance error from the VSC. I have found these brave souls through the internet. The bond the dozens of us share is that we are current K1 petitioners who are either in limbo about IMBRA compliance procedures for the future, or much worse, suffered the emotional stress of hearing from a loved one that the petition was returned, their interview canceled, or even worse, as recipients of the news firsthand.

Among our number are the pregnant, the ones who left their jobs after being approved on the consular interview only to be tripped up the following day with the new requirement, and all whose plan to join their loved one and begin a happily married life in the US has been thown into purgatory.

Our group has contacted their congresspeople, spent countless hours on hold to governmental agencies at home and abroad, with no clear idea of progress on the current situation or what will be required from us to re-process our petitions as quickly as possible.

We don't ask much, Mr. Novak, other than an open channel of communication during what is for us a very difficult period. We ask for a level of transparency in a gesture of goodwill in recognition of the countless lost hours of time and sleep we have swallowed in the last 2 weeks without information.

We certainly don't hold any individual responsible for the errors that have occurred, but the greater mistake would be if we can't begin to restore faith in your offices at this crucial time. I ask you to contact me or post an update to the website below as soon as possible.

We look foward to hearing from you personally,

Sincerely,

Steve Shaw

EAC-06-117-50418

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http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=13584