It is not fair

[Bob-KhaHan 1]

It should only take 5 - 10 minutes to fill out. It won't hurt... I promise.

Edit: If you're not sure where to go, it is at this link: http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/intro.php

Edited June 10, 2009 by Bob-KhaHan

[emmaline_g 2]

But he/she is not complaining about the U.S.A., they're complaining about the government Everyone does that. There are many good things about the U.S.A. but I do not think bureaucracy is a shining example of how cool America is.

To Clueless, I truly understand where you're coming from. I do not know how long you've been waiting so I can't really comment. No the process is not fair but what can you do? I'm also not thrilled with the way they process cases but maybe this is as good as it gets. One single EU country is much smaller than the whole entire USA -- something I think people forget when comparing the two/

If you are feeling particularly upset I recommend you to take a break from looking at VJ because then you will be comparing yourself to other people and thinking bleak, judgmental thoughts. VJ helps in many ways with the process, but it also allows you to see who is "in front/behind of" you in the process and you can become obsessed with that.

[Chocolot 0]

I'm pretty sure you're right about Australia having a fiance visa (I believe ours is valid a little longer than the K-1 and you are actually allowed to leave Australia to honeymoon, within the conditions, of course). We were considering having Jesse move over here but we weren't engaged at the time and were looking more actively at a working visa... I only briefly checked out the Aussie fiance visa because I was daydreaming

I do wholeheartedly support the opinion that when you fall in love with a foreigner, that in itself presents hurdles and you MUST be prepared either to jump them or walk away from that relationship. Yes, the time apart sucks, but I'm getting through every day with the gratitude that I have this special person in my life who loves me and who wants to share his future with me... and isn't that a reward in itself?

As I read it the current rules allow a fiance to apply for a visa which allows entry and if marriage is completed within 9 months it is converted to a spouse visa, which gains Temporary Permanent Residence. With TPR travel overseas and return is fine. If the relationship doesnt last 2 years I am not sure what happens, as we are obviously over that and have all our USCIS copies to add to our proof.

The visa for "defacto" can be same or opposite sex couples and eligiblity depends on proof of co habitation for 12 months. If temporary PR is awared (for married couples with no children married less than 2 years or those married less than 5 years is awarded then the equivalent of adjustment of status is undertaken by the dept and costs no extra, which is just as well because the application costs about $2000.

I think although a TPR has to wait 2 years for some benefits the Permanent Resident is eligible to use the health system and the education system straight away.

Citizenship which gains the right to vote and hold some jobs that demand it, is allowed after 4 years from application.

I may let you know more in 2010 when we either apply in Washington or go on an ETA and apply onshore (I have conflicting advice on whether this is permissible) and we will go the legal way

<edit: grammar> and yes I am a granma 2

Edited June 10, 2009 by Jayde

[brad836 0]

I understand your frustration and it okay to complain. it can be unfair so i dont know how old you are, but many other things in life are too. a timeline would help to understand better and it would help other maybe. if you feel your application is taking too long make an infopass appointment or contact an attorney. most attorney will discuss your issue for free, and at the very least this may reduce your frustration at the process. i can tell you though please be patient and good luck.

peace

[clueless_in_usa 8]

I read this topic and I got mad. I want to know if I missed something. Is the OP the one trying to immigrate here or bringing someone else here? What did EU countries have to do with the topic? Why haven't you filled in your timeline, after being asked by just about everyone that answered your original post? And, finally - how old are you? Maybe it's because I'm old, who knows, but I have learned that waiting is just part of life. It's hard, but in the end, it's usually worth it. Anything worth having, is worth working hard and waiting for. I get the feeling that you are much younger than I am and just at that stage in life when waiting for anything is just about impossible.

I don't believe that race, sex or religion have anything to do with the processing of visa's, not in the United States anyway. I also don't believe that they process certain countries faster than others - there are just some countries with high fraud rates, or other issues that just take a longer processing time.

And finally, life isn't fair, it never will be, get over it. I am not trying to be mean, but complaining about the country you are trying to move to seems.....wrong?

Another judgmental post. Oh! How much I love people who are this judgmental. This is exactly why I do not give details about my personal life, because I am sure that I will get plenty of flame for my heritage. I am already used to it, but I am not masochist to expose my dirty laundry in a public forum.

Answering directly to this poster, no! I am not going to tell you how old I am. Why does it matter how old I am when I express a "valid" opinion. Isn't judging based on age (and heritage) a form of prejudice?

And yes! You completely missed the point. My complaint is solely about the process people go through. If not for myself, I feel sorry for the people who filed last year and are still waiting, with not even a message from USCIS to show for. This process wrecks relationships in many cases, unless people are super-rich, can leave their jobs at will, and go visit their SO constantly ... and then the consular officer can still deny the visa because the USC has not seen the SO in a long time, so their relationship may be a fraud ... not only do we put up with an unfair process, but we are also at the mercy of the mood of a consular person.

Another lottery: if your SO has the bad luck to be interviewed by somebody in a bad mood, Good help her/him!

Before I get flamed again, when I say unfair process I mean the way it is handled and not the process itself. Every country has the right to institute any process it desires, but if the country is going to make people go through such process, the least it can do is make it fair for everybody. If I sent all the correct paperwork in December and you sent it in February, unless there is a valid reason and it is clearly communicated, you should not get the same benefit ahead of me. That is called fairness!

By the way, what difference does it make if the OP is trying to immigrate and/or bring a family (even future) member? Whatever I am doing, I am comparing Apples with Apples, and making a judgment about the unfairness of the process this way.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

Give Clueless a break.

Yes, please fill in your timeline, but some of the people that are being so critical waited 2-3 months for their noa2. Until you are getting close to the threshold or passed it, I don't believe you can really understand the frustration.

About USCIS, well, if they would update their website, and maybe even add some additional things so that you knew your petition was not supporting the coke machine in the break room, I think a lot more people would be tollerant of the wait.

If you get an RFE, your processing stops (fair), when they get the response, it should start again after finishing the case they are currently working on, not two months later cases.....

Well said!

[Mr Twister 1]

Give Clueless a break.

Yes, please fill in your timeline, but some of the people that are being so critical waited 2-3 months for their noa2. Until you are getting close to the threshold or passed it, I don't believe you can really understand the frustration.

About USCIS, well, if they would update their website, and maybe even add some additional things so that you knew your petition was not supporting the coke machine in the break room, I think a lot more people would be tollerant of the wait.

If you get an RFE, your processing stops (fair), when they get the response, it should start again after finishing the case they are currently working on, not two months later cases.....

Well said!

Clueless has some valid points!

What if the delay is because the person has family members.....is it rite to just skip the person and review the next person in line because this might cause a bottle neck?

While i do understand that some folks might have a shaky background, this could lead to extended processing time but if it's because they have family members than I say SHAME on you!

[LiLMermaid 2]

I checked Igor's list and I saw that many people who submitted the petition after I did have already been approved. Meanwhile I keep waiting and not even an RFE. Nothing, Nada, Nichivo.

When is USCIS going to learn to process applications in the order they were received? This is very unfair!!!

Worse yet is not being able to plan anything because approval may come tomorrow or one year from today. Of the countries I know, this is the one that makes it most difficult for a citizen to be with his/her SO. Meanwhile, illegals come and go as they please.

It makes me wonder about the fairness of following the letter of the, so called, law

Hard to say anything when you won't fill in your timeline. I see alot of people that have been waiting for over a year....they in my eyes have every right to vent. If you've been waiting 2 months...then you seriously need to chill. Why won't you fill in your timeline? That does annoy me because you are relying on that data for your vent about how long you've waited but you won't share that and help the data improve and give us a clue as to how you are feeling. At this point though I'm assuming you haven't been really waiting long at all.

[missmissy 38]

I didn't mean to be judgmental, I am having my own bad waiting day and just vented here. It's hard to wait no matter who you are or how old you are and I recognize that. Hope you don't have to wait much longer and I hope things work out for you.

[Aniomaman 0]

It's casework dear and sometimes they need to make more enquiries on some cases more than they do on others, just like someone pointed out about them being stuck in name checks. They might be checking on your SO's records and waiting on things to come back, sometimes govt departments are really understaffed and remember that members on VJ are not the only people applying for immigration benefits, we are just a drop in the ocean of the cases these guys receive daily.

You are really stressing yourself out over nothing, what you need is patience and a positive attitude to be able to get through this process. I really don't think anyone would wanna be judgemental but you sound like it's a personal thing which it isn't. Even people in the UK have the occassional trouble with visa issues and it's not easy-peezy for everyone. This is probably going to be the hardest time for your relationship of you are not able to visit your partner, so spend this waiting time strengthening that relationship and just let them deal with your case. Whilst stressing about this visa issue, you can sometimes forget the main reason why you are doing it in the first place.

All the best.

[Neonred 3,648]

Did the OP ever fill in their timeline or are they here just to ###### and complain?

[T0dd&Chr1ssy 0]

I can understand clueless's frustration as our case is hitting 5 months and nothing on Sunday. But there literally isn't anything you can do about it until 6 months hits. It isn't fair but what things in life are? Its very easy for people who have there noa2 after only 2-3 months to say just be patient and you'll be fine and for people with double and triple that waiting time, saying that sort of thing doesn't really help and I can understand why people get offended when they hear it. But I know and understand that you all in a good place and have good intentions when you say it and I appreciate the support I receive from this website which Is is why, although it frustrates me that it happens, I don't slag anyone off because they've got lucky and slid through the process. At the sametime I wish everyone had the same processing times so this wouldn't happen but that would be in a perfect world, which we all know doesn't exist, cause in a perfect world you wouldn't need a visa to be with your love one. (Steps into day dream ).

But all in all there's nothing we can actually do for now and if you updated your timeline we could then possibly help you or reassure you that things will be ok, cause in the end if your getting married then there shouldn't be any issues on how long you should have to wait to be with your special person. The wait is always going to be worth it in the end.

Good luck to everyone still waiting (but my fingers are kind of crossed a little harder for ours No offense)

[TBoneTX 46,166]

Did the OP ever fill in their timeline

Not as of this posting. Perhaps all of us should declare a moratorium on responding until the OP shows us the common courtesy of completing a timeline.

[missmissy 38]

Did the OP ever fill in their timeline

Not as of this posting. Perhaps all of us should declare a moratorium on responding until the OP shows us the common courtesy of completing a timeline.

I am going to agree whole heartedly with you on this one. I think the truth is in the timeline and not posting it says a lot.