May 2011 Filers

[Alex & Rachel 78]

From all I've heard on these forums (from people who have known USCIS workers), the only thing affecting approvals is the order in which they arrive on people's desks.

Of course, some workers may be quicker than others, or sometimes the order of files may be muddled, etc.

As for Vermont being slower with regards to ROC, sadly that's just the way it is. When I was going through the K-1 process, it was California that was much slower, and people going through Vermont were considered 'lucky'.

[Dagobert 0]

Updating Bio Date

California Service Center (21 applicants, 16 approved 76%)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

BIANCA'N'DOUG........05/02/11........05/??/11.......06/13/11........09/27/11....

SHEFELLFROMHEAVEN....05/03/11........05/05/11.......06/06/11........09/01/11.... (card received 9/08/11)

ALEX & RACHEL........05/03/11........05/06/11.......06/15/11........10/06/11.... (card received 10/13/11)

NW MUSHROOM..........05/03/11........05/05/11.......07/11/11........--/--/11....

CHRISTERA22..........05/06/11........05/09/11.......06/06/11........09/06/11.... (card received 9/12/11)

DIAZY................05/09/11........05/10/11.......07/06/11........09/28/11.... (Early bio 6/20) (Card received 10/03/11)

TRICIA599............05/10/11........05/11/11.......06/20/11........--/--/11.... (RFE received 10/21/11)

RROBIN...............05/10/11........05/12/11.......06/20/11........--/--/11....

FRENCHY..............05/16/11........05/17/11.......06/14/11........09/21/11.... (card received 9/26/11)

DANIELWHITE..........05/16/11........05/17/11.......06/22/11........10/07/11.... (card received 10/13/11)

SEPTEMBERGOLD........05/17/11........05/25/11.......06/27/11........10/17/11.... (card received 10/21/11)

SUZANNYO.............05/19/11........05/23/11.......06/27/11........07/14/11....

DALE_TRISHA..........05/20/11........05/23/11.......08/03/11........10/20/11.... (card received 10/24/11)

CANADIANMADE.........05/20/11........05/23/11.......06/13/11........09/20/11.... (card received 9/24/11)

RASBERRY.............05/20/11........05/23/11.......06/23/11........10/11/11.... (card received 10/15/11)

BLONDPRINCESS........05/23/11........05/31/11.......06/27/11........10/17/11....

SFU + TFU............05/24/11........05/25/11.......06/21/11........10/03/11.... (card received 10/7/11)

D&I..................05/24/11........05/25/11.......06/20/11........11/05/11.... (RFE received 10/19) (card received 11/07/11)

ON-QUEUE.............05/24/11........05/25/11.......07/20/11........--/--/11.... (Early Bio 7/06)

THREEC...............05/24/11........05/25/11.......06/15/11........06/27/11.... (Card received 6/29/11)

ANGELA & PAUL........05/31/11........06/02/11.......07/11/11........--/--/11....

Vermont Service Center (41 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

WELSHDAN.............04/27/11........05/03/11.......08/10/11........--/--/11....

YOINK................05/02/11........05/05/11.......07/08/11........--/--/11.... (Scheduled Late Bio)

HARRY_SIDHU..........05/02/11........05/10/11.......06/24/11........--/--/11....

TINKERBELLUK.........05/02/11........05/09/11.......06/17/11........--/--/11....

JEAN0414.............05/03/11........05/05/11.......06/20/11........--/--/11....

SHERRY09.............05/??/11........05/06/11.......06/20/11........--/--/11....

EDINA................05/04/11........05/09/11.......06/27/11........--/--/11.... (early bio 06/24)

SWANTIGER............05/04/11........05/24/11.......06/27/11........--/--/11....

KMEHMOOD1............05/06/11........05/10/11.......06/26/11........--/--/11.... (Early bio 6/07)

PRINCESS_MARICAR.....05/06/11........05/10/11.......06/17/11........--/--/11....

J&N79................05/07/11........05/09/11.......06/17/11........--/--/11....

CLAUSKI..............05/07/11........05/10/11.......06/15/11........--/--/11....

JOHN HALL............05/09/11........05/11/11.......06/26/11........--/--/11....

CHIC.................05/09/11........05/12/11.......06/27/11........--/--/11.... (NOA1 info derived from immigration lawyer.)

FLORIDA RES..........05/10/11........--/--/11.......06/17/11........--/--/11.... (never received NOA1)

HARRY_SIDHU..........05/10/11........05/??/11.......06/24/11........--/--/11....

VIP1.................05/11/11........05/16/11.......06/23/11........--/--/11....

MARY AND ENRIQUE.....05/12/11........05/16/11.......07/19/11........--/--/11....

SUZUKIWOOKIE.........05/13/11........05/17/11.......06/21/11........--/--/11....

FURIOUSNG............05/14/11........05/19/11.......06/23/11........--/--/11....

~LAURA AND NICK~.....05/14/11........05/17/11.......06/28/11........--/--/11....

AUDREYBELLA..........05/16/11........05/18/11.......06/23/11........--/--/11....

MADWOMAN.............05/16/11........05/31/11.......--/--/11........--/--/11....

DEIDRE...............05/17/11........05/19/11.......07/20/11........--/--/11.... (Early bio 06/28 Raleigh-Durham)

HELLOMIFFY...........05/17/11........05/20/11.......06/27/11........--/--/11.... (Early bio 6/16 New York)

VMM..................05/17/11........05/20/11.......06/23/11........--/--/11....

DAGOBERT.............05/19/11........05/23/11.......07/28/11........--/--/11....

PATTU RANI...........05/19/11........--/--/11.......07/11/11........--/--/11....

TJBRUM...............05/19/11........--/--/11.......--/--/11........--/--/11....

EDDY67...............05/19/11........05/23/11.......08/15/11........--/--/11...

RUPA.................05/20/11........05/23/11.......07/11/11........--/--/11....

ANGUS28..............05/23/11........05/25/11.......06/30/11........--/--/11....

METEORO0915..........05/23/11........05/26/11.......07/11/11........--/--/11....

DFFKTLZL.............05/24/11........05/25/11.......06/30/11........--/--/11....

WINIFREDBEE..........05/??/11........05/27/11.......07/11/11........--/--/11....

SAL AND JAY..........05/26/11........06/01/11.......07/13/11........--/--/11....

CHRIS39..............05/26/11........05/31/11.......07/17/11........--/--/11....

CATT.................05/26/11........05/31/11.......07/13/11........--/--/11....

OPHELIA783...........05/27/11........06/01/11.......07/06/11........--/--/11....

JAMES_N_KAREN........05/27/11........06/01/11.......07/25/11........--/--/11....

DARKLUCK909..........05/27/11........05/30/11.......06/21/11........--/--/11.... (Early bio 6/17 New York)

ADRIAN01.............05/31/11........06/02/11.......07/13/11........--/--/11....

IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

* Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.

* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.

* Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

Approved = The Date your case was approved

* Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list.

* When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly

* If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

[rrobin 2]

I called USCIS to open a service request since my case is outside the 'normal processing time'. I was sent to the second level since the lady at the first level could not see a service request option for my case.

At the second level, the officer told me that the normal processing times (on the USCIS website) are just approximations and do not necessarily apply to all cases. The officer told me that according to the 'notes' on my case, I should expect a response within the next 26 days. The officer also added that if I don't hear anything back in the next 26 days then and only then my case would be considered outside the 'normal processing time' and would be eligible for a service request.

When I asked the officer why my case is delayed. She said it is not a delay; the processing time depends on how much work an individual case requires.

Is this a standard response from the USCIS?

Edited November 14, 2011 by rrobin

[Exasperated 5]

I called USCIS to open a service request since my case is outside the 'normal processing time'. I was sent to the second level since the lady at the first level could not see a service request option for my case.

At the second level, the officer told me that the normal processing times (on the USCIS website) are just approximations and do not necessarily apply to all cases. The officer told me that according to the 'notes' on my case, I should expect a response within the next 26 days. The officer also added that if I don't hear anything back in the next 26 days then and only then my case would be considered outside the 'normal processing time' and would be eligible for a service request.

When I asked the officer why my case is delayed. She said it is not a delay; the processing time depends on how much work an individual case requires.

Is this a standard response from the USCIS?

Pretty typical. I had the same hassle opening my first service request at the Vermont service center back in August (and it had been 6.5 months - back then the website listed 6 months as the normal processing time, until they realized it was ridiculous and changed it to a static "February 24th". She finally reluctantly opened one anyway (or at least she said she did - I never did receive an answer to that one).

I wouldn't really worry about your individual case requiring "extra work" and that being the reason for the delay. While it's obvious that certain cases can take longer than others, it appears that 99% of the time there is no rhyme or reason behind why someone is approved before someone else. As I mentioned in other forums, my case should be straightforward by all accounts, and yet here I am over 9 months later still waiting. I have a friend who applied a month AFTER I did, with a divorce waiver, while pregnant with the child of someone other than the initial petitioner..and she was approved back in September. Not much logic behind that, other than the fact that maybe she actually got an officer that does some work.

[Mary and Enrique 8]

I have a friend who applied a month AFTER I did, with a divorce waiver, while pregnant with the child of someone other than the initial petitioner..and she was approved back in September. Not much logic behind that, other than the fact that maybe she actually got an officer that does some work.

Was she carrying the USCIS officer's baby perhaps? hahaha....

[Exasperated 5]

Was she carrying the USCIS officer's baby perhaps? hahaha....

Haha, thanks for making me spill my coffee.

In fact, maybe that's the step I'm missing in order to finally get my case approved. I'm not quite that desperate yet to get the I-751 adjudicated (though honestly not far from it!)

[Mary and Enrique 8]

Haha, thanks for making me spill my coffee.

In fact, maybe that's the step I'm missing in order to finally get my case approved. I'm not quite that desperate yet to get the I-751 adjudicated (though honestly not far from it!)

Haha! I was thinking the same thing -- "Thank God it hasn't come to that...yet."

[angus28 7]

15 more days and we will all hit 6 month time period.

[deidre 13]

Well uscis has gone and changed their "processing time" yet again...back to 6 months as at Sept 30....

[J&N79 1]

Ok so we called today because our 6 months was last week. Our experience was not the nicest, i did not expect it at all.

So the 1st person was so nice, and said because your outside the processing time im gonna transfer you to a higher agent so you can get a service request. We were transferred and the lady said you're actually in the normal processing time, we told her that the website processing time says 6 months, and she said IT IS 18 to 18 MONTHS, and the status of your case is pending! when we said that how come the website states its 6 months ? her response was ( REAL LIFE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE WEBSITE)!!!!! i was so shocked from the way she actually put her words, and then i said that even the other lady said its outside the processing time and we need a service request because its over 6 months for the ROC, she said the other agent is a lower level and she only access what you can access which is 6 months...I asked to speak with her supervisor, in a laughing careless voice tone she responses i'll check if anyone is available, she put me on hold for less than a minute and gets back to me saying, no one is here that you can speak to!! we took her name and we are sending a letter.

This was my experience, not appealing... :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:

[KoreaT 0]

Ok so we called today because our 6 months was last week. Our experience was not the nicest, i did not expect it at all.

So the 1st person was so nice, and said because your outside the processing time im gonna transfer you to a higher agent so you can get a service request. We were transferred and the lady said you're actually in the normal processing time, we told her that the website processing time says 6 months, and she said IT IS 18 to 18 MONTHS, and the status of your case is pending! when we said that how come the website states its 6 months ? her response was ( REAL LIFE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE WEBSITE)!!!!! i was so shocked from the way she actually put her words, and then i said that even the other lady said its outside the processing time and we need a service request because its over 6 months for the ROC, she said the other agent is a lower level and she only access what you can access which is 6 months...I asked to speak with her supervisor, in a laughing careless voice tone she responses i'll check if anyone is available, she put me on hold for less than a minute and gets back to me saying, no one is here that you can speak to!! we took her name and we are sending a letter.

This was my experience, not appealing... :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:

My gut tells me that Vermont has been overloaded (why they are overloaded is a different topic ... bad management/planning/adjustment, etc) for the past 4-5 months and have been getting "hammered" with complaints and questions, etc. As a result of this pressure, they give snide responses (see above) to folks like yourself. It is no less shameful and disturbing ... but that is my takeaway from reading your post. The reality is, unfortunately, these civil servants have really very little (to almost none) accountability to stakeholders (citizens/ "the public"). Welcome to the U.S. Government and the wonderful use of our tax dollars!

For what it is worth, our weekly calls (we hit 6 months a couple weeks ago) have pretty much hit brick walls. Virtually no information given, the on-line status says NOTHING, and we've received no communication beyond notification the application was received (we did our biometrics before we filed). I'm thinking I'll be lucky to get approved by the end of January (and would not be surprised if it is even longer).

[Exasperated 5]

Ok so we called today because our 6 months was last week. Our experience was not the nicest, i did not expect it at all.

So the 1st person was so nice, and said because your outside the processing time im gonna transfer you to a higher agent so you can get a service request. We were transferred and the lady said you're actually in the normal processing time, we told her that the website processing time says 6 months, and she said IT IS 18 to 18 MONTHS, and the status of your case is pending! when we said that how come the website states its 6 months ? her response was ( REAL LIFE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE WEBSITE)!!!!! i was so shocked from the way she actually put her words, and then i said that even the other lady said its outside the processing time and we need a service request because its over 6 months for the ROC, she said the other agent is a lower level and she only access what you can access which is 6 months...I asked to speak with her supervisor, in a laughing careless voice tone she responses i'll check if anyone is available, she put me on hold for less than a minute and gets back to me saying, no one is here that you can speak to!! we took her name and we are sending a letter.

This was my experience, not appealing... :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:

Wow...it's interesting how some people seem to get a kick out of being unpleasant and rude to the extreme. Real life is different than the website? So what's the website for? To accompany popcorn movie night on Fridays?

[mr and mrs 187]

Wow...it's interesting how some people seem to get a kick out of being unpleasant and rude to the extreme.

i went to anger management and im better now. well, slightly improved.

come on, USCIS! give us a may approval to distract us!

[J&N79 1]

Wow...it's interesting how some people seem to get a kick out of being unpleasant and rude to the extreme. Real life is different than the website? So what's the website for? To accompany popcorn movie night on Fridays?

Exactly!!! I mean its the unprofessional way of responding what really got us :bonk: ...im not that bothered with the fact that I didn't get the card yet, as long as I have my extension letter, but what she said did not even make sense 12-18 months is something I never heard of, and what would the people do if the 1 year extension is no longer valid (after the 12-18 months??) I did not even bother to question that with her. I don't know if we want to waste the time calling again.

i went to anger management and im better now. well, slightly improved.

come on, USCIS! give us a may approval to distract us!

[mr and mrs 187]

i wonder if the reference to 16-18 months is a reference to the mysterious 16.7 months on the USCIS website.