How do we change this system?

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

I don't have a problem with the government keeping us safe from Terrorists, and i understand that it is a privilege to have my fiance come and live with me. What i don't understand though, is why the system that is put into place is so shoddy. I read on this forum that it only takes the adjudicator about 15 or 20 minutes to look over a case and approve it. If that is true, then what kind of background check was really being done there? Were the people on this forum misinformed about the amount of time it takes to approve a petition?

It's simple.

Your petition has to get to the adjudicator's desk. There are not enough adjudicators to handle the volume.

[Nate & Dina 1]

To the OP: Check out this thread: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/291889-shout-out-loud-or-it-will-get-much-worse/

We are preparing a letter to send to the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives so when the Director of USCIS appears before them in about two months or so, looking for his annual appropriation, he can be held accountable for his abject failure to run USCIS in a competent manner. The more of us who send the letter to our Congress Members, the more attention it will get.

Excellent. Thank you!

[Nate & Dina 1]

It's simple.

Your petition has to get to the adjudicator's desk. There are not enough adjudicators to handle the volume.

So what exactly is happening to the petition before it arrives at the adjudicators desk? Nothing? If that's the case, then when exactly does the background check occur and how long/how thorough of a check is it? Sorry if it seems like i'm directing this at you. I'm really not. I'm just confused about the whole 15-20 minute approval thing, if they actually need to do thorough background checks for the countries safety.

[jpidgley 9]

So what exactly is happening to the petition before it arrives at the adjudicators desk? Nothing? If that's the case, then when exactly does the background check occur and how long/how thorough of a check is it? Sorry if it seems like i'm directing this at you. I'm really not. I'm just confused about the whole 15-20 minute approval thing, if they actually need to do thorough background checks for the countries safety.

i think its basically loads of people wanting to get in. and only limited staff. so yea it just sits on the desk for months, and then goes through like a half hour screening to see if anything about you or people you may know gets flagged on their system.

[On the Road Again 2]

I have to admit, i've never been one to vote. But this process is so mind numbingly bad, i'm now asking myself how can i get involved, and how i can contribute to some sort of change. Whether that's through voting, sending mass emails, i don't know, whatever! I will literally do anything in my power as a citizen, to bring about change to this ridiculously poor process. I know that my one little vote won't mean much, but if there is ever a guy running for office who could possibly bring about some change, i will personally organize my own little group of supporters and hope that he lands in office. This is not just because i haven't received my NOA2 yet. This is because i feel for everybody who goes through this. There's no excuse for keeping loved ones apart for this long. Yes i know they have to do background checks, and yes i know there's a LOT of petitions they have to deal with, but if it's more workers they need, then by all means tax me, and i'll be happy to help land an additional worker or two in there. I'm not quite sure how they are funded, so that point may be moot however.

Moral to the story, if there is anything, ANYTHING at all, that us citizens could do to bring about change to this process, what exactly would that be? Btw....does anyone know how one becomes an adjudicator?

Thanks for all your replies.

Back in 2002 when I first applied for a K-1 visa the same problems were happening. The TSC was taking 8 months to turn out a 2nd NOA while Vermont was doing it in 30 days. Now TSC is not really doing K-1's and Vermont got stuck (because they were so good,fast) Now we have problems in Vermont. Over worked, under-staffed. This system will not change and trutfully it's not a priority for our elected officals.

Edited January 22, 2011 by On the Road Again

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

So what exactly is happening to the petition before it arrives at the adjudicators desk? Nothing? If that's the case, then when exactly does the background check occur and how long/how thorough of a check is it? Sorry if it seems like i'm directing this at you. I'm really not. I'm just confused about the whole 15-20 minute approval thing, if they actually need to do thorough background checks for the countries safety.

My understanding is your case basically lies in a box until it gets to someone's desk.

I've lost my way on when checks are done as it's been a few years for us. I know there is a check done at the adjudicator's desk on the alien. One done on the beneficiary at NVC. There may be more now.

[Nate & Dina 1]

Thank you for all your replies. What it seems to be, according to your replies, is that this is simply a staffing issue/being understaffed? That it's not a priority of the politicians? So my question then becomes, what can we as citizens do, to get some attention towards the fact that they are severely understaffed? Wouldn't just getting people to notice that they are understaffed and need more workers make a difference?

[LoveMyMiky 35]

Moral to the story, if there is anything, ANYTHING at all, that us citizens could do to bring about change to this process, what exactly would that be? Btw....does anyone know how one becomes an adjudicator?

Thanks for all your replies.

My guess is that your mind will be on the next steps of the process shortly as you filed with the CSC which has been pretty close to the 5 month mark on most versus what those are experiencing at the VSC. Wouldn't be surprised that if you were able to connect with second level support next week your NOA2 may already be approved providing no RFE's.

Thought we were done with the frustration once we got the NAO2, but took 3 weeks to directly connect with the embassy to schedule an appointment due to numerous phone disconnects, fax machines not working, rejected emails, etc. Thought I may be going crazy! Once connected with them (1st caller on a Monday morning) they were fantastic and helped out within minutes scheduling an appointment within 2 weeks.

I would bet that these agencies are all being overly stressed by the workloads. The bottom-line is likely budget allocation, in a time where the US absolutely needs to cut spending. Really doubt you will see anybody stand up, Republican or Democrat, and say they need more budget for immigration other than protecting the Mexican border. Doubt you would have the majority in any congressional district want to have more of their tax dollars go towards immigration, in fact if put to a vote, most would believe it would be a place that spending should be cut. Most people just are not in our position nor would they care and would probably be negative.

I would suspect as Globalization gains further momentum, the amount of overall cases will grow exponentially over the next 5 – 10 years; they will need to figure out how to handle it - with more money or no money.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Thank you for all your replies. What it seems to be, according to your replies, is that this is simply a staffing issue/being understaffed? That it's not a priority of the politicians? So my question then becomes, what can we as citizens do, to get some attention towards the fact that they are severely understaffed? Wouldn't just getting people to notice that they are understaffed and need more workers make a difference?

No.

Because the only immigration issue the general US public has the slightest inkling about is our porous southern border. And they've got a whole bunch of that wrong. Most people don't realize those illegal workers might get papers if papers were available, i.e. if there was an immigrant category for unskilled foreign labor.

Everything that most of the US population knows about family immigration they have learned at the movies. And they don't really care beyond that because it does not affect them.

And, a whole lot of them don't want your wife to come here, legally or illegally. I hope you never run across such a person face to face. But there are plenty of them out there.

Depending on how sophisticated of a place you live, most of your friends, co workers, and acquaintances will regard your marriage as either "romantic" or "weird". They really don't give two cents about the technical details of how you got to live together as a couple in the US.

[matt y andrea 0]

Thank you for all your replies. What it seems to be, according to your replies, is that this is simply a staffing issue/being understaffed? That it's not a priority of the politicians? So my question then becomes, what can we as citizens do, to get some attention towards the fact that they are severely understaffed? Wouldn't just getting people to notice that they are understaffed and need more workers make a difference?

There are so many issues with immigration now, so I completely understand that getting our loves ones here cannot be an immediate thing, although it's a frustrating pill to swallow. What I've been wondering, though, is we hear all these politicians talking about how we née to create more jobs to produce the economy. Why not hire more people at the uscis? Considering the cost of just applying, which they gladly cash in immediately when they get it, how can they not afford to hire more employees to speed up the process and keep our files from collecting dust? I also understand the goal is 5 months, so we have to accept it cAn take that long, it's just annoying knowing at previous points in time it was taking 30 days. But like everyone who is with the person they love now, I'm sure I'll look back at this time and realize it wasn't as bad as it seems, but at the moment it is the longest 4 months of my life!!

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

But like everyone who is with the person they love now, I'm sure I'll look back at this time and realize it wasn't as bad as it seems, but at the moment it is the longest 4 months of my life!!

Yes, someday you will.

Really.

And it will be grand!

[Al422 221]

It is all done on the computer and takes just a few minutes. The whole adjudication really does take 15 minutes. Where is your file the rest of the time? Ever hear of dust?

Don't believe government propaganda that they need the time to keep us safe from terrorists. It is a lie, plain and simple. They need the time because they can't get their act together to do it any faster.

If it were otherwise, then back in 2004 when petitions were being processed in 30 days, there should now be thousands of terrorist fiances in our country. Where are they? Why haven't they blown us up yet?

[thaiv 15]

It is all done on the computer and takes just a few minutes. The whole adjudication really does take 15 minutes. Where is your file the rest of the time? Ever hear of dust?

Don't believe government propaganda that they need the time to keep us safe from terrorists. It is a lie, plain and simple. They need the time because they can't get their act together to do it any faster.

If it were otherwise, then back in 2004 when petitions were being processed in 30 days, there should now be thousands of terrorist fiances in our country. Where are they? Why haven't they blown us up yet?

Exactly. The issue isn't terrorism. Even a year ago at this time they were adjudicating much faster. They simply can't get it together because they can't set their priorities straight.

I've read multiple times on this forum that applying for a fiancee visa is a privilege not a right. Anyone heard of the Life Act? Remember you paid $455 for this? Sure maybe its not an explicit constitutional right, but its definitely not a mere "privilege." Is it a privilege to receive an iMac you bought from Best Buy for $2000? Hence, it is not a mere privilege that they review your case. That is what you are paying them to do.

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

It is all done on the computer and takes just a few minutes. The whole adjudication really does take 15 minutes. Where is your file the rest of the time? Ever hear of dust?

Don't believe government propaganda that they need the time to keep us safe from terrorists. It is a lie, plain and simple. They need the time because they can't get their act together to do it any faster.

If it were otherwise, then back in 2004 when petitions were being processed in 30 days, there should now be thousands of terrorist fiances in our country. Where are they? Why haven't they blown us up yet?

Have you every adjudicated a claim/petition at . To say everything is done on the computer is a incomplete statement. Every document submitted for proof of citizenship in the US or in the SO country is verified. This doesn't happen over-night. Your parents information is verified from the application. There are many agencies involved in the verification.

[On the Road Again 2]

No.

Because the only immigration issue the general US public has the slightest inkling about is our porous southern border. And they've got a whole bunch of that wrong. Most people don't realize those illegal workers might get papers if papers were available, i.e. if there was an immigrant category for unskilled foreign labor.

Everything that most of the US population knows about family immigration they have learned at the movies. And they don't really care beyond that because it does not affect them.

And, a whole lot of them don't want your wife to come here, legally or illegally. I hope you never run across such a person face to face. But there are plenty of them out there.

Depending on how sophisticated of a place you live, most of your friends, co workers, and acquaintances will regard your marriage as either "romantic" or "weird". They really don't give two cents about the technical details of how you got to live together as a couple in the US.

What you just wrote here here so true.....good job