February 09 - VSC

[Dave & Jenny 0]

Ok, I went to the whitehouse.gov site where President Obama posted his "immigration principles" and decided to express myself. I sent something via the contact us button. I do NOT expect anything except an automated response (if that). Here is what I wrote:

"I am contacting you to express my frustration with the USCIS and my support of the guiding principles stated by President Obama. I am a US citizen currently suffering (yes, that is an appropriate term) through the process of applying for a fiancee (K1) visa. We are now 4 months into the process with no action, and no information available from the USCIS. I will spare the details as there are frankly thousands or 10's of thousands that in myriad situations for which there is no information, let alone recourse.

I know that the pricnciple of enabling families to stay together is important to this administration, but the USCIS as an agency and a bureaucracy has and is utterly failing this. This is frankly not due to political issues, but due to a failure as an organization. There are many who would provide comment on how the existing process has failed them (including myself).

I would urge the President to take action to correct this as soon as possible. Some basic first steps to consider:

- Provide an ability to get the current, detailed status of a pending application (case)

- Provide an updated , accurate estimate of processing time (or in lieu of this, an count of cases "ahead in the queue" on a weekly basis, or average time-frame of cases being adjudicated - NOT oldest cases being adjudicated)

- Provide an ability to correct any issue identified by the filer while the case is in the queue (sitting in a box waiting)

- Provide the ability to escalate an issue with fair adjudication to address exceptional extreme situations (ex. a child being deported even though both parents are legal residents and/or citizens).

- Provide a guarantee for a level of service - if an application is not adjudicated by the expressly targeted time frame, refund the application fee (currently $455 just for this step of the visa process).

Please note, that I do not believe that *ANY* of the items I have suggested could not be implemented almost immediately, or require significant cost. Please consider some or all of these. Simply implementing these would not only help those of us waiting to be reunited with your loved ones, but also lighten the burden of other government agencies and offices as many who apply ultimately turn to our Congressmen or Senator for help, or to the NVC to try to get information on our cases - inquiries that should not be necessary, let alone inquiries that we need to resort to other government offices to handle.

Thank you for your time and attention,

David" ...

Hi Guys & Gals,

Thought I would drop in and say hello... This thread sure is quiet when I am not chatting it up like a school girl

My SO did make it and the border patrol gave her NO issues... and even though they asked to see her return ticket which is for July 8, they gave her until 12/21 to leave.... Go figure?????

Maire... I guess I will see you in hell?

Miss you guys, but this is better!!!! LOL

Lee, chin up (and I know it is)

Derek, you too... you and Lee are great for the positive attitude... and it goes a LONG way!

well, gotta go since it hasn't fallen off yet!

Richard, dumb question? Can you change you girls return ticket? Why NOT! More time trying to "make it fall off"...

[Maire 1]

Richard..im sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo jealousssssssssssss of u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!enjoyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

PS: I miss u

[IgorK 0]

Ok, I went to the whitehouse.gov site where President Obama posted his "immigration principles" and decided to express myself. I sent something via the contact us button. I do NOT expect anything except an automated response (if that). Here is what I wrote:

"I am contacting you to express my frustration with the USCIS and my support of the guiding principles stated by President Obama. I am a US citizen currently suffering (yes, that is an appropriate term) through the process of applying for a fiancee (K1) visa. We are now 4 months into the process with no action, and no information available from the USCIS. I will spare the details as there are frankly thousands or 10's of thousands that in myriad situations for which there is no information, let alone recourse.

I know that the pricnciple of enabling families to stay together is important to this administration, but the USCIS as an agency and a bureaucracy has and is utterly failing this. This is frankly not due to political issues, but due to a failure as an organization. There are many who would provide comment on how the existing process has failed them (including myself).

I would urge the President to take action to correct this as soon as possible. Some basic first steps to consider:

- Provide an ability to get the current, detailed status of a pending application (case)

- Provide an updated , accurate estimate of processing time (or in lieu of this, an count of cases "ahead in the queue" on a weekly basis, or average time-frame of cases being adjudicated - NOT oldest cases being adjudicated)

- Provide an ability to correct any issue identified by the filer while the case is in the queue (sitting in a box waiting)

- Provide the ability to escalate an issue with fair adjudication to address exceptional extreme situations (ex. a child being deported even though both parents are legal residents and/or citizens).

- Provide a guarantee for a level of service - if an application is not adjudicated by the expressly targeted time frame, refund the application fee (currently $455 just for this step of the visa process).

Please note, that I do not believe that *ANY* of the items I have suggested could not be implemented almost immediately, or require significant cost. Please consider some or all of these. Simply implementing these would not only help those of us waiting to be reunited with your loved ones, but also lighten the burden of other government agencies and offices as many who apply ultimately turn to our Congressmen or Senator for help, or to the NVC to try to get information on our cases - inquiries that should not be necessary, let alone inquiries that we need to resort to other government offices to handle.

Thank you for your time and attention,

David" ...

Word. The only thing is we (or at least I) face this in every organization I go to, public, private, government or what have you. It is just nature of things get done around here. I do however appreciate you taking your time and sending this email. I do this every now and than as well, some times there is success, but more often I am not sure if it even gets read.

Thanks David!

[Naito 0]

Ok, I went to the whitehouse.gov site where President Obama posted his "immigration principles" and decided to express myself. I sent something via the contact us button. I do NOT expect anything except an automated response (if that). Here is what I wrote:

"I am contacting you to express my frustration with the USCIS and my support of the guiding principles stated by President Obama. I am a US citizen currently suffering (yes, that is an appropriate term) through the process of applying for a fiancee (K1) visa. We are now 4 months into the process with no action, and no information available from the USCIS. I will spare the details as there are frankly thousands or 10's of thousands that in myriad situations for which there is no information, let alone recourse.

I know that the pricnciple of enabling families to stay together is important to this administration, but the USCIS as an agency and a bureaucracy has and is utterly failing this. This is frankly not due to political issues, but due to a failure as an organization. There are many who would provide comment on how the existing process has failed them (including myself).

I would urge the President to take action to correct this as soon as possible. Some basic first steps to consider:

- Provide an ability to get the current, detailed status of a pending application (case)

- Provide an updated , accurate estimate of processing time (or in lieu of this, an count of cases "ahead in the queue" on a weekly basis, or average time-frame of cases being adjudicated - NOT oldest cases being adjudicated)

- Provide an ability to correct any issue identified by the filer while the case is in the queue (sitting in a box waiting)

- Provide the ability to escalate an issue with fair adjudication to address exceptional extreme situations (ex. a child being deported even though both parents are legal residents and/or citizens).

- Provide a guarantee for a level of service - if an application is not adjudicated by the expressly targeted time frame, refund the application fee (currently $455 just for this step of the visa process).

Please note, that I do not believe that *ANY* of the items I have suggested could not be implemented almost immediately, or require significant cost. Please consider some or all of these. Simply implementing these would not only help those of us waiting to be reunited with your loved ones, but also lighten the burden of other government agencies and offices as many who apply ultimately turn to our Congressmen or Senator for help, or to the NVC to try to get information on our cases - inquiries that should not be necessary, let alone inquiries that we need to resort to other government offices to handle.

Thank you for your time and attention,

David" ...

Thanks a lot, David! I doubt this will affect our applications, but hopefully you just improved the waiting times for all of the future people trying to get their true loves into the US. You're really thoughtful to do this.

Edited June 24, 2009 by Naito

[lee b 2]

Good morning everyone.

Dave, lets see if your letter gets any type of response. I have my fingers crossed.

[Rich and Bey 1]

Good Morning Everyone!!!!!!

[Maire 1]

Morning my sunshinesss..it feels sooo sad without Richard in here...but I guess he is having fun....grrrr..iam jealous

[Maire 1]

anybody home????????????????

[D_n_M 0]

Morning everyone... Another great day in the neighborhood. I'm not paying much attention to the process lately. All I can do is wait and be prepared. I know Obama is working on the immigration thing as Bush royally screwed it up. In fact Bush royally screwed up a lot that Obama is fixing/changing. At least the Widows are not getting deported!

[Roman&Marina 0]

Ok, I went to the whitehouse.gov site where President Obama posted his "immigration principles" and decided to express myself. I sent something via the contact us button. I do NOT expect anything except an automated response (if that). Here is what I wrote:

"I am contacting you to express my frustration with the USCIS and my support of the guiding principles stated by President Obama. I am a US citizen currently suffering (yes, that is an appropriate term) through the process of applying for a fiancee (K1) visa. We are now 4 months into the process with no action, and no information available from the USCIS. I will spare the details as there are frankly thousands or 10's of thousands that in myriad situations for which there is no information, let alone recourse.

I know that the pricnciple of enabling families to stay together is important to this administration, but the USCIS as an agency and a bureaucracy has and is utterly failing this. This is frankly not due to political issues, but due to a failure as an organization. There are many who would provide comment on how the existing process has failed them (including myself).

I would urge the President to take action to correct this as soon as possible. Some basic first steps to consider:

- Provide an ability to get the current, detailed status of a pending application (case)

- Provide an updated , accurate estimate of processing time (or in lieu of this, an count of cases "ahead in the queue" on a weekly basis, or average time-frame of cases being adjudicated - NOT oldest cases being adjudicated)

- Provide an ability to correct any issue identified by the filer while the case is in the queue (sitting in a box waiting)

- Provide the ability to escalate an issue with fair adjudication to address exceptional extreme situations (ex. a child being deported even though both parents are legal residents and/or citizens).

- Provide a guarantee for a level of service - if an application is not adjudicated by the expressly targeted time frame, refund the application fee (currently $455 just for this step of the visa process).

Please note, that I do not believe that *ANY* of the items I have suggested could not be implemented almost immediately, or require significant cost. Please consider some or all of these. Simply implementing these would not only help those of us waiting to be reunited with your loved ones, but also lighten the burden of other government agencies and offices as many who apply ultimately turn to our Congressmen or Senator for help, or to the NVC to try to get information on our cases - inquiries that should not be necessary, let alone inquiries that we need to resort to other government offices to handle.

Thank you for your time and attention,

David" ...

Hi Guys & Gals,

Thought I would drop in and say hello... This thread sure is quiet when I am not chatting it up like a school girl

My SO did make it and the border patrol gave her NO issues... and even though they asked to see her return ticket which is for July 8, they gave her until 12/21 to leave.... Go figure?????

Maire... I guess I will see you in hell?

Miss you guys, but this is better!!!! LOL

Lee, chin up (and I know it is)

Derek, you too... you and Lee are great for the positive attitude... and it goes a LONG way!

well, gotta go since it hasn't fallen off yet!

Richard, dumb question? Can you change you girls return ticket? Why NOT! More time trying to "make it fall off"...

Right on Dave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that was an email!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lee b 2]

Yeah I feel bad for Obama. He walked into such a mess and unless he is able to clean it up in record time he will have a very hard time being re-elected. As of now though I would vote for him again.

[Roman&Marina 0]

Yeah I feel bad for Obama. He walked into such a mess and unless he is able to clean it up in record time he will have a very hard time being re-elected. As of now though I would vote for him again.

Lee you got to be kidding me. Why would you ever want to vote for Obama and his socialist views??????????

[D_n_M 0]

The things Obama has going for him are his energy, enthusiasm, drive, and intelligence. Because of the task at hand (i.e. cleaning up the ultimate mess) he is, without a doubt the man for the job. Could you imagine if McCain was elected? He is old and broken down and lacks the energy to do anything. I am confident that Obama will be successful. However, die-hard republicans always find a way to rain on the parade.

[Roman&Marina 0]

The things Obama has going for him are his energy, enthusiasm, drive, and intelligence. Because of the task at hand (i.e. cleaning up the ultimate mess) he is, without a doubt the man for the job. Could you imagine if McCain was elected? He is old and broken down and lacks the energy to do anything. I am confident that Obama will be successful. However, die-hard republicans always find a way to rain on the parade.

Derek I was never a republican until last elections. People who were born in this country don't seem to understand or see that this man has socialist views (i.e. Healthcare). As a person who grew up in USSR, I can safely say that his politics are not leading us in a good direction. Bigger government and smaller private sector.

[lee b 2]

I have to agree with Derek on that one Roman. I disagree with him on healthcare, but since it will never pass anyways I am not too worried about his socialist views there. I absolutley love his new regulations in the financial district. The reality of it is noone is ever going to get it all right, but you go with the one you agree with the most. Plus hey in the worldwide view we have already moved down the scale as the SECOND most hated country in the world. We have been replaced by the U.K.