Comments on How Often is Too Often to Call USCIS?

[netsatwork 0]

I am just wondering if anyone has called USCIS frequently and either found that they were consistently helpful or if they eventually were like 'stop calling us'?

Our 212+K1 is processing in Seoul and I've called twice so far (after two weeks each time). So far they have been helpful. The first time I called they said they should have a decision in a week, so I waited and then called two weeks later and now they say they are waiting for paperwork from the US. I have no idea what paperwork or how long it takes for an office in the US to mail it. Things seem to process quickly in Seoul, but I am disappointed to hear that they are waiting on anything from the US. I hope I am wrong in assuming anything from the US is slower than it should be....

Well, my main question is about calling USCIS. I want to call in a week to see what's up, but I am worried they will get annoyed. I am really trying to be patient, but it is getting so hard. Any comments?

[payxibka 10,045]

I am just wondering if anyone has called USCIS frequently and either found that they were consistently helpful or if they eventually were like 'stop calling us'?

Our 212+K1 is processing in Seoul and I've called twice so far (after two weeks each time). So far they have been helpful. The first time I called they said they should have a decision in a week, so I waited and then called two weeks later and now they say they are waiting for paperwork from the US. I have no idea what paperwork or how long it takes for an office in the US to mail it. Things seem to process quickly in Seoul, but I am disappointed to hear that they are waiting on anything from the US. I hope I am wrong in assuming anything from the US is slower than it should be....

Well, my main question is about calling USCIS. I want to call in a week to see what's up, but I am worried they will get annoyed. I am really trying to be patient, but it is getting so hard. Any comments?

Why are you calling the USCIS? If the case is in Seoul it is not there issue but belongs to the DOS

[netsatwork 0]

Why are you calling the USCIS? If the case is in Seoul it is not there issue but belongs to the DOS

How do you mean? Seoul is the USCIS field office that adjudicates our case from Japan.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

How do you mean? Seoul is the USCIS field office that adjudicates our case from Japan.

Field offices are in the US and under the auspices of USCIS.

Consulates are abroad and under the auspices of the Department of State.

[payxibka 10,045]

Field offices are in the US and under the auspices of USCIS.

Consulates are abroad and under the auspices of the Department of State.

Unless it is a USCIS foreign field office which was not clearly indicated in the OP's first post

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Unless it is a USCIS foreign field office which was not clearly indicated in the OP's first post

Well then yes there's that too.

[DanielParul 50]

I would call the DOS once a week or so. In my experience DOS has more information about cases (atleast my case they did). USCIS will sometimes just give scripted answers.

[smiley1 3]

I am just wondering if anyone has called USCIS frequently and either found that they were consistently helpful or if they eventually were like 'stop calling us'?

Our 212+K1 is processing in Seoul and I've called twice so far (after two weeks each time). So far they have been helpful. The first time I called they said they should have a decision in a week, so I waited and then called two weeks later and now they say they are waiting for paperwork from the US. I have no idea what paperwork or how long it takes for an office in the US to mail it. Things seem to process quickly in Seoul, but I am disappointed to hear that they are waiting on anything from the US. I hope I am wrong in assuming anything from the US is slower than it should be....

Well, my main question is about calling USCIS. I want to call in a week to see what's up, but I am worried they will get annoyed. I am really trying to be patient, but it is getting so hard. Any comments?

I called USCIS every day for 1 month and noone told me to stop calling them. I kept calling until one day I was so mad that I kept asking to be tranferred to a supervisor. I have no idea how high I got but I spoke to 4 persons and finally got some helpful answer.

When you call uscis be aware that the first persond answeing has no idea what he/she is talking about the second one knows a little more and so one.

So just keep asking for a supervisor until you get something. Actually the 3rd person didn't want to transfer me and asked my phone number to be called back. Just be firm and say that you need an answer now and you are willing to be on hold for a whole day if that is what it takes to get an answer. That is what I did and it worked.

Good luck!

[momof1 205]

I am just wondering if anyone has called USCIS frequently and either found that they were consistently helpful or if they eventually were like 'stop calling us'?

Our 212+K1 is processing in Seoul and I've called twice so far (after two weeks each time). So far they have been helpful. The first time I called they said they should have a decision in a week, so I waited and then called two weeks later and now they say they are waiting for paperwork from the US. I have no idea what paperwork or how long it takes for an office in the US to mail it. Things seem to process quickly in Seoul, but I am disappointed to hear that they are waiting on anything from the US. I hope I am wrong in assuming anything from the US is slower than it should be....

Well, my main question is about calling USCIS. I want to call in a week to see what's up, but I am worried they will get annoyed. I am really trying to be patient, but it is getting so hard. Any comments?

Why did you file the 212 in Seoul? If you are filing a lone 212, it is supposed to be filed in the US where the removal occurred. A 212 is filed at the consulate if it is in conjunction with a 601 waiver.

The processing of waivers comes under the jurisdiction of Department of Homeland Security which is separate from USCIS.

Processing time for waivers varies. We were told that Rome's processing time was 180 days. Offices ask that you respect their quoted timeframes because answering to inquiries slows down their processing time.

In my opinion, once every couple weeks is too much unless you are outside of their posted processing times.

[netsatwork 0]

"I would call the DOS once a week or so. In my experience DOS has more information about cases (atleast my case they did). USCIS will sometimes just give scripted answers."

DOS does not seem to have any info since this is processing at the USCIS field office. Last info they had was that it was sent to Seoul from Tokyo and that was over a month ago. They have always been helpful when I called though, it just seems the field office does not have any tracking system which they update.

"I called USCIS every day for 1 month and noone told me to stop calling them. I kept calling until one day I was so mad that I kept asking to be tranferred to a supervisor. I have no idea how high I got but I spoke to 4 persons and finally got some helpful answer."

My fear was, since I assume Seoul Field Office is fairly small (one person i talked to knew about my case before I even said my name once I said '212 and K1'), that I would piss them off if I called too much. That is why I was trying to gauge from you guys what your experience has been.

"Why did you file the 212 in Seoul? If you are filing a lone 212, it is supposed to be filed in the US where the removal occurred. A 212 is filed at the consulate if it is in conjunction with a 601 waiver."

Seoul is processing because it is a 212 with a K1. This is a special combination that processes similar to a 601 whereas a standalone 212 would be sent back to the US.

The processing times, from the documentation I found about 601 processing in Jan'09 (http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/Jan_stakeholder_27Jan09.pdf) seemed to indicate that processing times were about 1-2 months in Seoul. In fact, I called after two weeks and they had already looked at it and said it should be about a week before they had a decision. This was apparently before they realized they needed some paperwork from the US. I don't know what they need and the lady did not know how long it would take.

Edited March 4, 2010 by netsatwork