Shout Out Loud Or It Will Get Much WORSE

[Amy and Nick 37]

However, a US citizen has a RIGHT to bring a loved one, a spouse or a fiancee, into this country to live together. It is a RIGHT, not a priviledge.

Again, a US citizen does not have the right to bring a loved one into their country.

A US citizen has the right to PETITION to bring a loved one into the country.

I think that we are forgetting here that when people here are stating that is it a privilge, it is a fact, not an opinion.

In the eyes of the USCIS, a US citizen does not have the right to demand this, they have a right to ASK.

Wrong or right, that is the way it is, and the law that we as petitioners or beneficiarys must follow.

[Bob g 11]

Again, a US citizen does not have the right to bring a loved one into their country.

A US citizen has the right to PETITION to bring a loved one into the country.

I think that we are forgetting here that when people here are stating that is it a privilge, it is a fact, not an opinion.

In the eyes of the USCIS, a US citizen does not have the right to demand this, they have a right to ASK.

Wrong or right, that is the way it is, and the law that we as petitioners or beneficiarys must follow.

And we can only bring our loved one here if we have not rubbed the Interview Officer the

wrong way. The end result of getting a visa or not, comes down to the personal

opinion of the Interview Officer. That is the way Congress has it set up, and it

will take an act of congress to change that.

Edited January 23, 2011 by Bob g

[wshc 46]

Again, a US citizen does not have the right to bring a loved one into their country.

A US citizen has the right to PETITION to bring a loved one into the country.

I think that we are forgetting here that when people here are stating that is it a privilege, it is a fact, not an opinion.

In the eyes of the USCIS, a US citizen does not have the right to demand this; they have a right to ASK.

Wrong or right, that is the way it is, and the law that we as petitioners or beneficiaries must follow.

You are totally off and wrong. The US Government has absolutely no moral authority telling a US citizen who they can marry, be that person from another country or another planet. I have a right to marry anyone I choose and I have a right to bring my spouse to this country with no unreasonably delays. I grant the government the privilege to run a background check on my spouse as long as it is done in a timely manner. The petition is simply the manner that the government is notified of my intentions, they CANNOT deny for any reason if the background check is clean. If you say they can deny for any other ground then you do not understand America or our constitution as far as equal protection under the law. If they can deny a couple the RIGHT to marriage and immigrate, then they can also deny the right to marry between two US citizens in the US if all law are applied equally.

The process of a background check might be appropriate, but the length of time to perform that check should not exceed a reasonable time of 30 days or so. If the applicant for immigration is a mass murderer, or has 20 previous marriages or some other grievous crime, then that story is different, but once that background check is performed, that is all that should be required.

In my case, my wife and I got married during the cold war and we waited forever for her security check since I had a Security Clearance. After our marriage when she applied for the Green Card all was smooth. Now thinks to the USCIS we are separated because of some rubber stamp paperwork bullshit. After 26 years of marriage, this great agency seems fit to separate us because of their incompetence. I am sick of people trying to defend them or the broken system. The letter from the OP is great (need to run a spelling checker on it :-)) I have contacted my congressman, a major sponsor of the dream act and he has been useless.

I don't care what the law says because it has been written and changed so much over the years I am sure by people with the same misguided attitude that spousal immigration is a privilege and not a right that it is all messed up now. Fact is, it is a RIGHT. If you don't get it, then you will never will.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

You are totally off and wrong. The US Government has absolutely no moral authority telling a US citizen who they can marry, be that person from another country or another planet. I have a right to marry anyone I choose and I have a right to bring my spouse to this country with no unreasonably delays. I grant the government the privilege to run a background check on my spouse as long as it is done in a timely manner. The petition is simply the manner that the government is notified of my intentions, they CANNOT deny for any reason if the background check is clean. If you say they can deny for any other ground then you do not understand America or our constitution as far as equal protection under the law. If they can deny a couple the RIGHT to marriage and immigrate, then they can also deny the right to marry between two US citizens in the US if all law are applied equally.

The process of a background check might be appropriate, but the length of time to perform that check should not exceed a reasonable time of 30 days or so. If the applicant for immigration is a mass murderer, or has 20 previous marriages or some other grievous crime, then that story is different, but once that background check is performed, that is all that should be required.

In my case, my wife and I got married during the cold war and we waited forever for her security check since I had a Security Clearance. After our marriage when she applied for the Green Card all was smooth. Now thinks to the USCIS we are separated because of some rubber stamp paperwork bullshit. After 26 years of marriage, this great agency seems fit to separate us because of their incompetence. I am sick of people trying to defend them or the broken system. The letter from the OP is great (need to run a spelling checker on it :-)) I have contacted my congressman, a major sponsor of the dream act and he has been useless.

I don't care what the law says because it has been written and changed so much over the years I am sure by people with the same misguided attitude that spousal immigration is a privilege and not a right that it is all messed up now. Fact is, it is a RIGHT. If you don't get it, then you will never will.

Marriage is a right? Glad to hear that. Try to marry your first cousin, or your same sex partner, or your 14 year old girl friend, or add a second wife. Let me know how it goes.

[DiZZyLoX 114]

Marriage is a right? Glad to hear that. Try to marry your first cousin, or your same sex partner, or your 14 year old girl friend, or add a second wife. Let me know how it goes.

lol, ew.

[wshc 46]

Marriage is a right? Glad to hear that. Try to marry your first cousin, or your same sex partner, or your 14 year old girl friend, or add a second wife. Let me know how it goes.

Don't be stupid. You know what I am talking about. You are too intelligent not to get the point.

[amykathleen2005 441]

Don't be stupid. You know what I am talking about. You are too intelligent not to get the point.

I think the point is that although marriage is a right, there are still guidelines and rules as to what that defines. I have the right to free speech, but I can't yell "Fire!" in a crowded building....

Edited January 23, 2011 by amykathleen2005

[Amy and Nick 37]

You are totally off and wrong. The US Government has absolutely no moral authority telling a US citizen who they can marry, be that person from another country or another planet. I have a right to marry anyone I choose and I have a right to bring my spouse to this country with no unreasonably delays. I grant the government the privilege to run a background check on my spouse as long as it is done in a timely manner. The petition is simply the manner that the government is notified of my intentions, they CANNOT deny for any reason if the background check is clean. If you say they can deny for any other ground then you do not understand America or our constitution as far as equal protection under the law. If they can deny a couple the RIGHT to marriage and immigrate, then they can also deny the right to marry between two US citizens in the US if all law are applied equally.

The process of a background check might be appropriate, but the length of time to perform that check should not exceed a reasonable time of 30 days or so. If the applicant for immigration is a mass murderer, or has 20 previous marriages or some other grievous crime, then that story is different, but once that background check is performed, that is all that should be required.

In my case, my wife and I got married during the cold war and we waited forever for her security check since I had a Security Clearance. After our marriage when she applied for the Green Card all was smooth. Now thinks to the USCIS we are separated because of some rubber stamp paperwork bullshit. After 26 years of marriage, this great agency seems fit to separate us because of their incompetence. I am sick of people trying to defend them or the broken system. The letter from the OP is great (need to run a spelling checker on it :-)) I have contacted my congressman, a major sponsor of the dream act and he has been useless.

I don't care what the law says because it has been written and changed so much over the years I am sure by people with the same misguided attitude that spousal immigration is a privilege and not a right that it is all messed up now. Fact is, it is a RIGHT. If you don't get it, then you will never will.

Yet again you miss the point. You are correct that the government cannot prohibit you from marrying whoever you like (although, as Jim states, even this does come with certain constraints!) but for immgration purposes, the government COULD, hypothetically, at any point decide that spousal immigration is no longer feasible. It is a privilege.

You are also missing the point if you think I am "trying to defend a broken system". This could not be further from the truth. I am 2 months into my visa journey, and it is already far too long. For the poor souls sitting and waiting still after 6, 7 or 8 months I cannot even imagine the frustrations.

I am simply stating that in the eyes of the USCIS, its is NOT, in any way, a RIGHT.

I dont know why lately simple conversations have to turn into slanging matches against each other. We at VJ are supposed to support and guide each other through this process that we are ALL tangled up in - not turn against each other.

[JoyDee 21]

Amen on that! Every time I went to Russia, and I was there four times, I never needed more than 5 days to get a 30 day visa. And if I went to the Russian Consulate personally, I could have gotten it in 2 days, but I did not bother because I just did not need it that quickily. One form, their $200.00 fee, and done.

The one time Elena came here, though, it took 60 days to get a visitor's visa to come here. To do that, she had to show:

1. A letter from her employer and pay stubs to prove a steady job.

2. The deed to her apartment to show property ownership.

AND she had to appear at the U.S. Consulate for a personal interview

All this, despite a long history, all shown in her passport, of international travel, never overstaying one visa by even 1 day.

But of course there are other options: Talk to the 30 million illegal aliens here, who just walked across the border and who now hold jobs, have drivers' licenses, and have bank accounts. No paperwork, no fee, no waiting. Presto: Walk across the border, and in 1 day., WELCOME TO AMERICA!!!!

The attitude that you have toward undocumented immigrants is certainly shared by millions of other Americans. It's also precisely the reason why it takes 60 days for your fiance to get a visitors visa.

[thaiv 15]

I paid $455 for my K-1 application. I have the RIGHT to hear back from them.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

I paid $455 for my K-1 application. I have the RIGHT to hear back from them.

You will.

[Amy and Nick 37]

I paid $455 for my K-1 application. I have the RIGHT to hear back from them.

Agreed!

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Don't be stupid. You know what I am talking about. You are too intelligent not to get the point.

I understood exactly what you meant. Your supposed "right" to get married is not really a "right" because there are substantial government imposed restrictions on it.

The rest of your rant wasn't worth responding to. Your sense of personal entitlement is offensive to people who believe in the democratic process, which is what most people in this thread are endorsing. If you want to change the way the US government works then rally the support of your fellow citizens and present your grievances to your elected officials, but be willing to accept the results if you discover that most Americans don't agree with you. Stamping your feet and demanding recognition of rights you don't have makes you look like either a petty dictator or a child throwing a tantrum.

...stepping off my soap box now...

[MochiKamo 93]

Jim, your earlier post was one of the most knowledgeable posts I have read here! You're an asset to the community.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Jim, your earlier post was one of the most knowledgeable posts I have read here! You're an asset to the community.

Agreed, well said.