What can be done to put pressure on VSC?

[amtank 1]

I like the idea of a congressional mandate that all user fee supported government services have a maximum turn around of somewhere between 2 and 3 months max. ..... and that the user fee cannot go up by more than 20% because of the changes.

(That is for major items. Minor items like CO FILED with AOS EAD and AP be approved in a time frame measured in weeks not months....cough Passports)

Edited March 31, 2011 by amtank

[Sergi9 110]

I agree things are a slow process right now...seem to be taking long. We filed in November and our application hasn't been touched since 11/16. We did have to postpone our wedding until further notice it was scheduled for mid-may, and I don't appreciate the rude comment about it being our fault. I understand people are advised not to plan these events until all is done, however, you must be married within three months of them arriving...do you know how hard it is to plan a real wedding in three months?! We've been planning ours for a year and half and still aren't finished even if it had gone off in May. So I'm sorry that comment was rude and it seems to be the same people that always have some "cocky" comment to make. I agree with the contacting your congressman, when you love someone you just want to be with them so you will go above and beyond to be with that person and do what it takes, otherwise none of us would be on here. I feel bad for anyone who has to deal with this stuff, it's no fun, but it'll all be worth it in the end. I wish everyone the best of luck with things and hope to see most of you posting soon that YOU GOT YOUR APPROVALS:) I appreciate having this site to communicate with others who understand what I'm going through, it's been 5 months now since I've seen my fiancee and I'm going crazy here...as I'm sure most of you are as well. So hang in there everyone, we'll get through all this together. And for those with a negative/cocky answer for everything (you know who you are)...take it somewhere else, this is a positive place for all of us.

There is a civil ceremony that satisfies the immigration process and the 90 days requirement after entry. A large expensive elaborate wedding ceremony with friends and family is a completely separate event and should be approached as such in the case of a K VISA for all the reasons mentioned in this and other threads. Your also taking a risk with the hard earned money and vacation time of friends and relatives who make arrangements to attend a wedding celebration that might not even happen. There are thousands of threads on this forum advising against rolling the dice and spending the money to plan the latter without VISA in hand and every Embassy website advises against it.

Is it really rude to discuss "reality" in this forum? VJ folks are here to give information on how the process really works not how we wish it worked. Against all advice including historical and empirical evidence K1's still plan events that probably will not happen.

K VISA folks are very excited about the prospect of a life together being held at bay for what seems an eternity (5-6 months) in their exuberant premarital bliss. I am mindful that there are other VISA types and those families have significant and long term equities such as US Citizens spouses, parents and children. These families have been separated for extremely long periods of time.

Many special circumstances that involve family hardship and family tragedies require legitimate expedites and prompt attention by USCIS and the Embassies. IMO waylaying congressional staff to get what you want because you want it now, undermines the effectiveness of congressional inquiries to USCIS. What they should be is a vehicle to effect a remedy in a case where there really is an extreme emergent need or legitimate family emergency, again IMHO.

Calling someone cocky negative or rude because you disagree with their assessment of a situation is probably not contributing to the "positive" vibe you are looking for.

[Blob18 111]

A lot of ignorance in this thread, it is astounding.

I will just hold onto my letter from my Congresman that says "We have contacted USCIS on your behalf and would like to inform you that your case will be looked at within 7 days etcetc" and 3 days later, NOA2. So everytime someone here says "Don't contact your Senators or Congressman it slows things down", I will just look at this letter and laugh out loud.

PS: Love the cheapshot about Americans in this thread too. Civility for the win.

[Blob18 111]

I agree things are a slow process right now...seem to be taking long. We filed in November and our application hasn't been touched since 11/16. We did have to postpone our wedding until further notice it was scheduled for mid-may, and I don't appreciate the rude comment about it being our fault. I understand people are advised not to plan these events until all is done, however, you must be married within three months of them arriving...do you know how hard it is to plan a real wedding in three months?! We've been planning ours for a year and half and still aren't finished even if it had gone off in May. So I'm sorry that comment was rude and it seems to be the same people that always have some "cocky" comment to make. I agree with the contacting your congressman, when you love someone you just want to be with them so you will go above and beyond to be with that person and do what it takes, otherwise none of us would be on here. I feel bad for anyone who has to deal with this stuff, it's no fun, but it'll all be worth it in the end. I wish everyonje the best of luck with things and hope to see most of you posting soon that YOU GOT YOUR APPROVALS:) I appreciate having this site to communicate with others who understand what I'm going through, it's been 5 months now since I've seen my fiancee and I'm going crazy here...as I'm sure most of you are as well. So hang in there everyone, we'll get through all this together. And for those with a negative/cocky answer for everything (you know who you are)...take it somewhere else, this is a positive place for all of us.

That's the norm around here now. Place is starting to turn into a b**ch fest with those who are done taking it out on those complaining, while handing out incorrect and false information.

[MsZ 6]

Brilliant logic if you want to slow things down to a crawl. Instead of actually processing the files and approving them you are advocating people distract workers and that USCIS now become involved full time in responding to congressional inquiries into where in the process the files are? Seems like it would be counterproductive. In fact I know it is.

Sergi, what's your timeline? Why not fill it in and contribute some actual information instead of speculation? Remember, some of us have been through the process before and are trying to suggest that after an unreasonable amount of time, contacting a Congressman is a good idea. My Congressman made 2 inquiries and followed up with me with phone calls. Well, his assistant did. I still remember her name because she was so thorough and dedicated to serving the Congressman's constituents.

You're free to believe what you want to believe. But don't speak like you are the voice of authority, telling people what to do about their weddings and how they should feel. That's just not cool.

[Sergi9 110]

Sergi, what's your timeline? Why not fill it in and contribute some actual information instead of speculation? Remember, some of us have been through the process before and are trying to suggest that after an unreasonable amount of time, contacting a Congressman is a good idea. My Congressman made 2 inquiries and followed up with me with phone calls. Well, his assistant did. I still remember her name because she was so thorough and dedicated to serving the Congressman's constituents.

You're free to believe what you want to believe. But don't speak like you are the voice of authority, telling people what to do about their weddings and how they should feel. That's just not cool.

My timeline due to family situation is no reflection on USCIS processing times. It would not help anyone else to skew the averages and certainly does not represent the typical case.

I never said that after an unreasonable amount of time one should not contact a congressman. The problem is "a reasonable amount of time" is a moving target and looks like , 5,6 and even 7 months at VSC is the new "Normal". The thread was about trying to get people on the bandwagon to put pressure on VSC. I am not the only one who posted this is probably NOT going to work amd might have the opposite effect.

In this thread I didn't tell anyone specifically "what they should do about thier wedding" other than the general observation from reading these forums that making plans before VISA in hand can end badly. When someone asks in an opinion request thread, sometimes I have one.

Having personal experience with the process and being in personal contact with a large number of people going through the process over the last few years doesn't make me an "authority" and I never claimed to be, my input is no less or more credible than anyone else here on the board.

How people "feel" about my comments ... I have no control over that.

Edited March 31, 2011 by Sergi9