I am outraged!

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Why is everyone shooting him down? None of us is happy with the way this process is handled and that VSC is so far behind CSC. If he wants to try to organize a letter-writing campaign, why discourage him? Are we so beaten down by "the man" that we believe that this process is actually satisfactory? In this day and age and with the technology available to us, NOTHING should take as long as this does.

I'm pretty happy with the way the process is running.

But then again, I was in the military, so I am quite use to "hurry up and wait..."

[rmncm 0]

Actually I didn't vote to Obama bin Laden

Lets see, the members of VJ is just a small slice of the pie so to speak. There are what a few thousand members here but nation wide, 10's of 1000's of people filing petitions. Sure if you could get them all organized and act as one you might get noticed...

I looked for a link to a member here who had a radio interview a while back but have been unable to find it, if I remember right this brought national attention but do you think it did any good? NOPE

I wish I could live in the land of milk and honey but I live in the land of taxes and big government and with that comes a government who doesn't care. Personally I am happy that some petitions take longer, this gives me a better sense of security so when I go to the local mall or farmers market I don't have to worry about some suicide bomber blowing me and my family up.

[james&adry 3]

I am a little shocked that people want this to continue in this manner? Sure everyone who already has their loved one can sit back now and lay low. But would you want someone else to go through the same heartache and trouble as you did before when you went through this process? Thats a bit selfish if you should think that someone else after you has to wait in line like the rest of you people. I know you waited a long time but the system should be always getting better. If it has gotten better in the past it should be continuously getting better till one day the results are exceptionally quick. So whats gotten USCIS's attention in the past? What seems to work in fighting for our rights?

[AmyStan 0]

I wrote the ombudsman office and received a form letter for my effort. I have it framed next to my toilet with instructions "In case of emergency, break glass."

While it's true that things probably won't change through anything we attempt, it is most definitely true that things won't change if we do nothing. Behavior only changes when enough force is applied. I don't know if we have enough force, but I certainly wouldn't discourage anyone from trying.

[daboyz 36]

At best only 50% of the people involved in this process can even vote, so there is no incentive for lawmakers to do anything.

[Tinkerbell TX 0]

I didn't vote for Obama either. please don't let him anywhere near VSC..........I don't want any more tax increases and complete overhauls of systems that are working (even if they are slower than we'd like).

Anyone know how many cases are at VSC and how many are being worked on at any given time? And how many people there are working these cases? If there are 10 people working 1000 cases.........yeah, it's gonna take some time.

[rmncm 0]

I am a little shocked that people want this to continue in this manner? Sure everyone who already has their loved one can sit back now and lay low. But would you want someone else to go through the same heartache and trouble as you did before when you went through this process? Thats a bit selfish if you should think that someone else after you has to wait in line like the rest of you people. I know you waited a long time but the system should be always getting better. If it has gotten better in the past it should be continuously getting better till one day the results are exceptionally quick. So whats gotten USCIS's attention in the past? What seems to work in fighting for our rights?

Hey lets have immigration take 10 days and fill our country up with bad people who want nothing more then to crash planes into buildings and blow school buses up!!! I'm all for population control!!

It has nothing to do with our loved ones being here already, it has all to do waiting your turn, keeping out the would be bombers and making people who live in the VCS service region whine and cry!!! Just over a year ago it was VCS who was fast and CSC that was slow. Such is life. Write your letters and complain and let me know how the IRS visit was

[John & Nan 0]

Hello fellow VJers!

I am outraged at the fact that VSC is operating at such a slow pace. In the last few months they have slowed in aproving petitions drasticaly. Our lives are tied in this, our finances, our jobs, future, even our health. I myself I am putting off buying a home and loosing a lot of money in finance charges and the $8000 goverment stimulus because they are moving so slow. CSC is working on petitions from May while VSC is still November and December. This is not acceptable and unless we bring this to their attention nothing will happen.

I know that we are at their mercy but we can stir the waters and write some letters to USCIS ombudsman, to senators, congressmen, even to the white house. I believe that if they get enough letters maybe someone might take a look at this problem and try to do something about it. One: it is our right as US citizens to pursue hapiness and two: it is a service we paid for. If we do nothing about it nothing will happen but if we draw some attention to this problem, maybe something might happen and have them hire more, train more, or at least try to do something to rectify the situation. If we don't write, call, complain they will not act on anything.

Mr. President spoke about "change" lets ask for change in this department!

I have read the ombudsman office report on the USCIS, They know about all the problems so write more letters to them will not fix it. I see they are working on new Immigration laws, but non are direct at US citizens, just green card holder that must way 8 to 10 years not 8 to 10 months to bring there family.

Even if congress make change that we all want, It still will take a year to become law.

[reeses16 8]

I see people complaining about the processing dates without understanding what they mean. The processing dates that USCIS post on their site is just the date of the OLDEST case that remains unadjudicated. Processing of petitions do not stop. Thats why you will ocassionally see the processing date just by a month or so at the next update. Its not because USCIS suddenly became more efficient, its because they cleared out a very old case.

For example, let say 5 people mailed a petition in November 2008. And then another 10 people mailed in December 2008, 10 in January 2009 and 10 in February 2009. Cases are processed in the order they are received. 4 of the 5 November filers were approved, but 1 is still pending (imagine that they have an RFE they have responded to, they got a 2nd RFE, waiting on a waiver, any number of things). USCIS has not approved not denied that 1 person from November 2008, but they continue to process the others. So maybe the other people that filled in December and January are already approved.

The immigration processes does leave a lot desired. But I think there is a common misunderstanding out what the posted USCIS dates mean.

[Stephen + Elisha 92]

Cases are processed in the order they are received.

USCIS likes to say this, but saying it doesn't make it so. The truth is, cases are processed in whatever order happens to please the USCIS adjudicators on any given day. This may or may not correspond to the order they are received.

Case in point: VSC approved two late May filers on June 17th—less than four weeks from NOA1 to NOA2. These were not expedites (believe me, I've checked).

The process is often arbitrary and capricious, and invariably lacking in transparency and accountability.

Edited July 21, 2009 by Stephen + Elisha

[Sinergy 3]

It has only been 3 months since your NOA1...the processing time is 90-120 days. Some wait longer, i dont think it is time yet to be outraged.

[Sinergy 3]

I am a little shocked that people want this to continue in this manner? Sure everyone who already has their loved one can sit back now and lay low. But would you want someone else to go through the same heartache and trouble as you did before when you went through this process? Thats a bit selfish if you should think that someone else after you has to wait in line like the rest of you people. I know you waited a long time but the system should be always getting better. If it has gotten better in the past it should be continuously getting better till one day the results are exceptionally quick. So whats gotten USCIS's attention in the past? What seems to work in fighting for our rights?

So what are you saying? bc our spouses are here we can not adv you on the process? regardless, every year the petition amount raises, causing for longer delays. And i started this process 4 years ago, the process approval time was 90-120 days then, and its the same now. No one wants anyone to have to wait for their loved ones, but its awefully funny to see ppl who have waited a month or 2 or 3 get mad and think its a personal issue with USCIS. its not, its the legit processing time. This is immigration, if you studied it before starting it, you would know its not an easy or short road to take. We are asking for the government to bring over someone who is not a citizen...this is OUR choice, not immigrations. They have immigration laws in place for a reason (not followed by alot of immigrants, but nevertheless if you want to do it legally their are laws). USCIS will never be quick. especially now since the only processing centers are CSC and VSC. 4 yrs ago we have 3 service centers and things were slow then as well. But attacking memebers who already have a spouse here is uncalled for and incredibly rude.

[Joseph Hales 0]

Hmm.. I have a feeling that all of you "complacent" types also voted for Obama and are realllly going to love nationalized health care.

You are out of line

[TracyTN 237]

This is nothing new, and unfortunately, those of us outraged before you never found any clear answers on how to get our voices heard, either.

Honestly what bugged me the most when I was waiting on our petition approval was a.) those filing after us being approved before us and b.) the complete lack of information you can get about your case while it's in the system.

I encourage everyone to keep thinking about ways to improve the process, and trying to find someway to be 'heard'. But it will not be easy or clear cut (if it were, we'd already have done it), and it will not be fast.

I think contacting the ombudsman's office is a place to start. If you've ever read one of his reports (I have, though not in it's entirety), you can see that they DO research things based on the rumblings of those in the system.

It also may not hurt to try and meet or speak with your elected officials to offer your suggestions, as well as get their input on 'where to start'.

I am frankly proud of our immigration system on the whole. It has it's foibles, to be sure, and things that definitely must be fixed. But look at countries who basically have no system or policies in place - like the UK. Their immigrant problem is crushing them on all sides - it isn't pretty.

[Sinergy 3]

This is nothing new, and unfortunately, those of us outraged before you never found any clear answers on how to get our voices heard, either.

Honestly what bugged me the most when I was waiting on our petition approval was a.) those filing after us being approved before us and b.) the complete lack of information you can get about your case while it's in the system.

I encourage everyone to keep thinking about ways to improve the process, and trying to find someway to be 'heard'. But it will not be easy or clear cut (if it were, we'd already have done it), and it will not be fast.

I think contacting the ombudsman's office is a place to start. If you've ever read one of his reports (I have, though not in it's entirety), you can see that they DO research things based on the rumblings of those in the system.

It also may not hurt to try and meet or speak with your elected officials to offer your suggestions, as well as get their input on 'where to start'.

I am frankly proud of our immigration system on the whole. It has it's foibles, to be sure, and things that definitely must be fixed. But look at countries who basically have no system or policies in place - like the UK. Their immigrant problem is crushing them on all sides - it isn't pretty.

Yea...that was so annoying!!!