Top (non forum) area of VJ you would like improved for 2009?

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Please let me know what you think. This will help me focus on areas of most importance when doing updates in the short term. If you have an area you would like to comment on that is not listed let me know in this topic. Also feel free to elaborate on your choice that you voted for.

[William33 110]

VJ moderation may take some hits here, but overall; it is fair, balanced and effective.

[TBoneTX 45,267]

Thanks for asking, Cap'n! Following are absolutely tip-of-the-forebrain responses from memory, not looking at anything, and way past bedtime, but I wanted to get them in early:

1. An updated section on the I-693 needs to be pinned, with current & updated information on Dr. L.E. Arnold (the civil surgeon). The present information (someone in a recent thread provided a link to it) is badly outdated -- suggesting a $10 fee, wrong suite number, etc. People have no guidance as to procedures, etc., except anecdotally. I posted the updated information in a thread last month or so. I never saw on VJ -- intact, accurately, and in one place -- most of the information that I gained from calling Dr. Arnold's office directly.

This is one of those areas of information that someone should ideally check on directly (with Dr. Arnold's office) at least quarterly, to ensure that addresses, fees, etc. remain accurate.

2. Next, in one of the guides (K-1?), there's a reference to the long-obsolete filing program for residents of Texas & Oklahoma (with a blank page after the link). This ought to be corrected, and other details of a special nature throughout the Guides could be double-checked for pertinence.

3. The "step-by-step" AOS guide starts great guns but then fizzles. Consider listing ALL the required and potentially required attachments for ALL of the forms, not just the I-485.

4. The VJ "search" function has never been of value to me. I put in a topic and get dozens (hundreds?) of "hits," including individual replies from long, long threads. What's worse is that these individual replies seem to be strewn randomly within the search results. There seems to be no way to sort results by date, or by separate threads rather than by individual posts within threads.

5. The pinned threads atop every forum should optimally be re-titled so that there is zero doubt regarding what they are about, and all extraneous reply posts removed from them. Information within pinned threads needs to be scrutinized for accuracy on a regular schedule.

6. Consider adding a pinned section (akin to FAQs) that features common UNTRUTHS, WRONG ASSUMPTIONS, and FALLACIES. I strongly recommend that the VJ member pushbrk be consulted or involved in such a project.

7. For God's sake, please remove that "Q&A with former adjudicator" completely. That information is five years old by now, and policies, procedures, and practices have evolved. Too many VJers may take the information literally or as current gospel.

8. Consider splitting the Latin America/Mexico/Caribbean regional forum into two forums: Latin America/Mexico, and Caribbean.

9. This is probably the most serious and heartfelt request of all: Enable the various timeline databases to accept and tally DENIED VISAS and SECOND INTERVIEWS REQUIRED. For example, a large number of VJ members have experienced both of the above messes in Ecuador, yet there's no mechanism by which to report this (except consular reviews, which the denied parties will almost certainly not post, or individual threads, which get buried). This seems to me to be utterly crucial information for absolutely everyone.

10. The instructions for posting photos in one's profile were unclear to me when I joined (and they may have been "buried"); I tried posting a photo a couple of months ago and got nothing. Please consider "steps for idiots," and "what to do if nothing happens," etc.

Finally, I sincerely urge that the VJ member pushbrk be specifically consulted and heeded regarding potential improvements to the VJ system. I have no right to volunteer him, but he has remarkable knowledge and common sense that apply to many different areas of VJ.

Thank you for your receptivity.

Edited December 20, 2008 by TBoneTX

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Thanks for asking, Cap'n! Following are absolutely tip-of-the-forebrain responses from memory, not looking at anything, and way past bedtime, but I wanted to get them in early:

1. An updated section on the I-693 needs to be pinned, with current & updated information on Dr. L.E. Arnold (the civil surgeon). The present information (someone in a recent thread provided a link to it) is badly outdated -- suggesting a $10 fee, wrong suite number, etc. People have no guidance as to procedures, etc., except anecdotally. I posted the updated information in a thread last month or so. I never saw on VJ -- intact, accurately, and in one place -- most of the information that I gained from calling Dr. Arnold's office directly.

This is one of those areas of information that someone should ideally check on directly (with Dr. Arnold's office) at least quarterly, to ensure that addresses, fees, etc. remain accurate.

2. Next, in one of the guides (K-1?), there's a reference to the long-obsolete filing program for residents of Texas & Oklahoma (with a blank page after the link). This ought to be corrected, and other details of a special nature throughout the Guides could be double-checked for pertinence.

3. The "step-by-step" AOS guide starts great guns but then fizzles. Consider listing ALL the required and potentially required attachments for ALL of the forms, not just the I-485.

4. The VJ "search" function has never been of value to me. I put in a topic and get dozens (hundreds?) of "hits," including individual replies from long, long threads. What's worse is that these individual replies seem to be strewn randomly within the search results. There seems to be no way to sort results by date, or by separate threads rather than by individual posts within threads.

5. The pinned threads atop every forum should optimally be re-titled so that there is zero doubt regarding what they are about, and all extraneous reply posts removed from them. Information within pinned threads needs to be scrutinized for accuracy on a regular schedule.

6. Consider adding a pinned section (akin to FAQs) that features common UNTRUTHS, WRONG ASSUMPTIONS, and FALLACIES. I strongly recommend that the VJ member pushbrk be consulted or involved in such a project.

7. For God's sake, please remove that "Q&A with former adjudicator" completely. That information is five years old by now, and policies, procedures, and practices have evolved. Too many VJers may take the information literally or as current gospel.

8. Consider splitting the Latin America/Mexico/Caribbean regional forum into two forums: Latin America/Mexico, and Caribbean.

9. This is probably the most serious and heartfelt request of all: Enable the various timeline databases to accept and tally DENIED VISAS and SECOND INTERVIEWS REQUIRED. For example, a large number of VJ members have experienced both of the above messes in Ecuador, yet there's no mechanism by which to report this (except consular reviews, which the denied parties will almost certainly not post, or individual threads, which get buried). This seems to me to be utterly crucial information for absolutely everyone.

10. The instructions for posting photos in one's profile were unclear to me when I joined (and they may have been "buried"); I tried posting a photo a couple of months ago and got nothing. Please consider "steps for idiots," and "what to do if nothing happens," etc.

Finally, I sincerely urge that the VJ member pushbrk be specifically consulted and heeded regarding potential improvements to the VJ system. I have no right to volunteer him, but he has remarkable knowledge and common sense that apply to many different areas of VJ.

Thank you for your receptivity.

Great ideas! Here are a few that I think may already be fixed:

Item #2 should be fixed (updated recently)

Item #4 can be accessed via the "Advanced forums search" here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...ch&mode=adv

You can access by clicking "forums search" then "more search options"

Also the Google Powered Search at the top is pretty good for not only the forums but the entire site

Comments on your ideas:

#3 This is a good idea and easy enough to fix

#5 Good idea to collect any updates and fix them up

#6 is awesome! Something like, "Immigration Rumor Control: Truths and Fallacies"

#7 Can anyone verify this is not true anymore? Maybe keep but label with the date of the information... Also I am pretty sure we can arrange to interview the USCIS and get updated information if needed.

#8 I will have to look at usage data to see if this makes sense

#9 Making the timeline data more robust is useful but we have to be careful about information overload (need to be smart about how the user is presented the data and forms

#10 I have heard this many times. The welcome email can certainly have this added.

[minnew 4]

Thanks for asking, Cap'n! Following are absolutely tip-of-the-forebrain responses from memory, not looking at anything, and way past bedtime, but I wanted to get them in early:

1. An updated section on the I-693 needs to be pinned, with current & updated information on Dr. L.E. Arnold (the civil surgeon). The present information (someone in a recent thread provided a link to it) is badly outdated -- suggesting a $10 fee, wrong suite number, etc. People have no guidance as to procedures, etc., except anecdotally. I posted the updated information in a thread last month or so. I never saw on VJ -- intact, accurately, and in one place -- most of the information that I gained from calling Dr. Arnold's office directly.

This is one of those areas of information that someone should ideally check on directly (with Dr. Arnold's office) at least quarterly, to ensure that addresses, fees, etc. remain accurate.

2. Next, in one of the guides (K-1?), there's a reference to the long-obsolete filing program for residents of Texas & Oklahoma (with a blank page after the link). This ought to be corrected, and other details of a special nature throughout the Guides could be double-checked for pertinence.

3. The "step-by-step" AOS guide starts great guns but then fizzles. Consider listing ALL the required and potentially required attachments for ALL of the forms, not just the I-485.

4. The VJ "search" function has never been of value to me. I put in a topic and get dozens (hundreds?) of "hits," including individual replies from long, long threads. What's worse is that these individual replies seem to be strewn randomly within the search results. There seems to be no way to sort results by date, or by separate threads rather than by individual posts within threads.

5. The pinned threads atop every forum should optimally be re-titled so that there is zero doubt regarding what they are about, and all extraneous reply posts removed from them. Information within pinned threads needs to be scrutinized for accuracy on a regular schedule.

6. Consider adding a pinned section (akin to FAQs) that features common UNTRUTHS, WRONG ASSUMPTIONS, and FALLACIES. I strongly recommend that the VJ member pushbrk be consulted or involved in such a project.

7. For God's sake, please remove that "Q&A with former adjudicator" completely. That information is five years old by now, and policies, procedures, and practices have evolved. Too many VJers may take the information literally or as current gospel.

8. Consider splitting the Latin America/Mexico/Caribbean regional forum into two forums: Latin America/Mexico, and Caribbean.

9. This is probably the most serious and heartfelt request of all: Enable the various timeline databases to accept and tally DENIED VISAS and SECOND INTERVIEWS REQUIRED. For example, a large number of VJ members have experienced both of the above messes in Ecuador, yet there's no mechanism by which to report this (except consular reviews, which the denied parties will almost certainly not post, or individual threads, which get buried). This seems to me to be utterly crucial information for absolutely everyone.

10. The instructions for posting photos in one's profile were unclear to me when I joined (and they may have been "buried"); I tried posting a photo a couple of months ago and got nothing. Please consider "steps for idiots," and "what to do if nothing happens," etc.

Finally, I sincerely urge that the VJ member pushbrk be specifically consulted and heeded regarding potential improvements to the VJ system. I have no right to volunteer him, but he has remarkable knowledge and common sense that apply to many different areas of VJ.

Thank you for your receptivity.

Great ideas! Here are a few that I think may already be fixed:

Item #2 should be fixed (updated recently)

Item #4 can be accessed via the "Advanced forums search" here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...ch&mode=adv

You can access by clicking "forums search" then "more search options"

Also the Google Powered Search at the top is pretty good for not only the forums but the entire site

Comments on your ideas:

#3 This is a good idea and easy enough to fix

#5 Good idea to collect any updates and fix them up

#6 is awesome! Something like, "Immigration Rumor Control: Truths and Fallacies"

#7 Can anyone verify this is not true anymore? Maybe keep but label with the date of the information... Also I am pretty sure we can arrange to interview the USCIS and get updated information if needed.

#8 I will have to look at usage data to see if this makes sense

#9 Making the timeline data more robust is useful but we have to be careful about information overload (need to be smart about how the user is presented the data and forms

#10 I have heard this many times. The welcome email can certainly have this added.

I wanted to pick two answers actually...the guides and the example forms.

1. The previous post about the guides I agree with totally..especially the medical information I-693 is outdated.

2. Under the topic of denied visa, or second interview required I would strongly urge that people fill out their timelines as it helps others in the process to estimate approvals, but I find that unfortunately there are alot of incomplete, and if there is a reason it is incomplete...then why? Withdrew the petition? Abandoned AOS process? or just did not follow up on VJ with the outcomes.

3. For the example forms, and I do not know if this is possible because I have not done a DS-160...but most consulates are switching to the DS-160 and eliminating the 156,157 and 158, is there any way to get an example form of the DS-160 on VJ?

4. Medical exam information-needs a bit of updating, I would also add that the HPV vaccine is a new requirement for women under a certain age.

5. Searching Immigration Timelines-for myself in preparing to file the petition it was helpful to search timelines of others who have already filed. Is there a way to search for a specific month/year without having to go through 10 or 15 pages of results? I know that you can get the results in chronological order. Also for my country (Canada) there are two consulates, but there is no way to search for a specific consulate, only a specific service center and country. Sometimes one consulate is slower/faster than the other in processing and interviewing applicants.

Thank you for asking for VJ members input! Hope this is helpful!

[PlatyPius 5]

There's another part of VJ? Not just forums?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

There's another part of VJ? Not just forums?

Yeah, what he said...

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

5. Searching Immigration Timelines-for myself in preparing to file the petition it was helpful to search timelines of others who have already filed. Is there a way to search for a specific month/year without having to go through 10 or 15 pages of results? I know that you can get the results in chronological order. Also for my country (Canada) there are two consulates, but there is no way to search for a specific consulate, only a specific service center and country. Sometimes one consulate is slower/faster than the other in processing and interviewing applicants.

Thank you for asking for VJ members input! Hope this is helpful!

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/filterlist.php

[rebeccajo 14]

Finally, I sincerely urge that the VJ member pushbrk be specifically consulted and heeded regarding potential improvements to the VJ system. I have no right to volunteer him, but he has remarkable knowledge and common sense that apply to many different areas of VJ.

Thank you for your receptivity.

There's been plenty of people on VJ before pushbrk came along that knew a heck of a lot more about immigration than he could ever hope for, and they certainly were never put on Admin's pedestal. In fact, they were pretty much used, abused and tossed out.

And NO, I'm certainly NOT referring to myself!

Edited December 20, 2008 by rebeccajo

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

rebecca,

pushbrk is by far the most knowledgeable and accomplished vjer I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

In fact, I do believe Ewok should step down and hand over the reigns of power to him instead.

He's earned it.

[Nagishkaw 510]

I would like to see improvement with the example forms.

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

3. The "step-by-step" AOS guide starts great guns but then fizzles. Consider listing ALL the required and potentially required attachments for ALL of the forms, not just the I-485.

I have greatly improved the AOS Guide (specifically the second half where you said it fizzled).

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1k3aos

If you can think of other revisions to it let me know!

[Ban Hammer 13,333]

VJ moderation may take some hits here, but overall; it is fair, balanced and effective.

you mean the mods ARE fox news?

[Ban Hammer 13,333]

rebecca,

pushbrk is by far the most knowledgeable and accomplished vjer I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

In fact, I do believe Ewok should step down and hand over the reigns of power to him instead.

He's earned it.

apparently you've never heard of the mermaid, and becca can hold her own with anyone.

Edited December 20, 2008 by charles!

[Ban Hammer 13,333]

i'd like to see a subform for "K-3 Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports" like the "K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports"