February 09 - VSC

[Rich and Bey 1]

is this accurate that the lucky february filers have 496000 views.. that cant be right/

[lee b 2]

Derek i am happy for you that things are progressing for you and Maria. I am sure that you are right about the AP being brief. I miss you as well, but being to busy to post here is never a bad thing.

[biggestchallenge 0]

Richard I could send you a copy of my NOA2. It would show their dates are completely inacurate. If it'll help I'd be happy to send it.

Thanks Lee... I don't think anything will help really, but thank you. The system is just broken and until it is fixed they are free to respond to things like my inquiry with a form letter saying nothing.

I had to chuckle when I saw that someone started a thread "I am outraged" and in 2 or 3 days had 130 replies... I admit, I didnt read many of the posts... just a small sample... because mainly... everyone is just like us... frustrated, angry, confused etc....

I really do not expect to achieve anything from my letter, Lee. It just was an outlet to vent (which felt good) at least until I get a reply that says more gobbledygook.

I am starting my efforts by working within the system - posting it for others who are interested in taking action to use. I posted this on the "I'm Outraged Thread", and also in the March 2009 VSC thread. I watch your groups to see if and how things are progressing. We used to have an Ombudsman at the office I worked at in the fed. government - if she got enough complaints things did actually shake loose.

The Letter I Sumitted to the USCIS Ombudsman today:

To Whom It May Concern:

In April of this year I applied for a K1 visa for my finance. Because I am a resident of Virginia I was required to submit my application to the USCIS center in Vermont. Since I have applied for this visa, the processing times at the VSC have slowed dramatically (to over 180 days).

When I contacted the USCIS today, they said that the VSC was processing applications from December 30, 2008 and that my application would not be reviewed until October 22 of this year in the best-case scenario (more than 180 days after I submitted my application). Meanwhile, residents of states that feed into the USCIS servicing center in California are being processed within 66 to 100 days.

I find this inequity unacceptable, given that all applicants pay the same application fee. After having researched this issue, I do not think that it is caused by a difference in the efficiency of VSC employees versus CSC employees, but more likely by a misallocation of workloads vis a vis resources by either the USCIS or its subcontractor Northrop Grumman. Furthermore, I do not understand why processing times are increasing while the volume of applications is decreasing (as your office itself noted in its June 2009 report to Congress).

Unless steps are taken to remedy this inequity immediately, which is unlikely given my conversation with USCIS today, I will be forced to cancel my wedding in November of this year. My parents will incur significant financial losses, as well as my family and friends who have already purchased tickets to attend the ceremony and reception. As I am sure you are aware, these misfortunes pale in comparison to some other people standing in line at the VSC under far worse circumstances, while May and June filers begin to be approved at the CSC.

I realize that my application is currently within the USCIS' “normal” processing time. Nonetheless, today when I called for the first time I was told that my application will be adjudicated around October 22, more than 180 days after my submission. Further, it is not "normal" for residents of one state, like Virginia, to arbitrarily receive such significantly inferior service from the USCIS than residents of California or Oregon. Why isn't the I-129F workload distributed more evenly among these centers and why can't files be sent from one center to another when one center falls significantly behind another?

It is infuriating to see large numbers of people who filed their petitions in May and June being approved by the CSC before all of us who filed our applications in January, February, March, and April at the VSC. While I know that the memebership of the primary tracking site for I129F petitions (VisaJourney) does not comprise the entire pool of I129F applicants, its membership pool does represent a statistically valid number of applicants and it is therefore possible to ascertain broad trends in visa processing extracted from its data. On top of this, USCIS' own bulletins display the existing inequity, albeit on a more publicly digestible magnitude.

Ironically, my fiancé is more peaceful about this issue, noting that the USCIS seems to me no more equitable or effective than its counterpart agency in his largely corrupt country of the former Soviet Union. In fact he advised me to not to send this letter, for fear of the type of retribution one would encounter in his country for voicing concerns about a what seems to be a systemic problem that no one has an interest in or incentive to correct.

As a patriot and former federal government employee, however, I assured my fiancé that things were different in America. I sincerely hope that your office will propose and implement a long term solution to this problem, rather than simply add my letter as a tally mark on a count of "Top Ten Complaints in the Ombudsman E-Mail Box" for inclusion in an annual propaganda piece, like they would in the former Soviet Union. It is hard enough to wait six months plus for adjudication. Adding the knowledge that people in different states are waiting half the time you are for no apparent good reason is like adding salt to an open wound. I hope that future customers do not have to suffer from an inequality that does not seem too complex to solve.

im about to send a letter in myself

[Rich and Bey 1]

Good Morning Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!

[RachelMarie 0]

Good luck fellow Feb '09 fillers!

We just got our NOA 2 July 7!!! WhooHoo! (L)

[Rich and Bey 1]

Congratulations!!!!1

[Rich and Bey 1]

RIchard where are you this morning? I have the piping hot coffee ready for you. Even brought you a danish this morning. I felt this will wake you up and make you less grumpy.

[lee b 2]

Good luck fellow Feb '09 fillers!

We just got our NOA 2 July 7!!! WhooHoo! (L)

Congrats. Good luck with the rest of the journey.

[Richard-Joanna 1]

Good luck fellow Feb '09 fillers!

We just got our NOA 2 July 7!!! WhooHoo! (L)

Waaaaaaaaahoooooooooooooooo! Good luck with the rest of your journey!

RIchard where are you this morning? I have the piping hot coffee ready for you. Even brought you a danish this morning. I felt this will wake you up and make you less grumpy.

Mornin' Rich, sorry, i slept in a little this morning.

I have almost concluded that what I am feeling is not grumpy... but anxiety... go figure....

[IgorK 0]

(kick the door out with his left foot) "How y'aaaall doing this Thursday morning?"

[Richard-Joanna 1]

(kick the door out with his left foot) "How y'aaaall doing this Thursday morning?"

Good morning Igor... kicking the door huh? I am going to look for some xanax today... want one?

[IgorK 0]

(kick the door out with his left foot) "How y'aaaall doing this Thursday morning?"

Good morning Igor... kicking the door huh? I am going to look for some xanax today... want one?

Had my last crit in school last night where I just blew them away! Finally got more than 3 hrs of sleep too.

[Richard-Joanna 1]

(kick the door out with his left foot) "How y'aaaall doing this Thursday morning?"

Good morning Igor... kicking the door huh? I am going to look for some xanax today... want one?

Had my last crit in school last night where I just blew them away! Finally got more than 3 hrs of sleep too.

Let's celebrate!

[lizandpat 0]

Morning all....

Thought I'd show you really quick some more of my handy painting work.....hehe!

Living room before:

Living room after:

And this is what color the kitchen floor was supposed to be from the beginning!

[Roman&Marina 0]

Good Morning All!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just finished reading the letter from Michelle R (from yesterday). Impressive, we will see if it will accomplish anything in a long run.

Great job Liz!!!!!!!!

Edited July 23, 2009 by Roman&Marina