WAKE UP F2A FELLOW MEMBERS AND SEND THIS DRAFT

[jhp 10]

IMHO, the one congress woman who is active or atleast shows support to legal immigration is Zoe Lofgren. If anyone is targeting to meet with someone in DC(now that the house is in session after a month long recess), then my choice would be Congresswoman Zoe. She is also a part of House Immigration committee which needs to approve any changes to the laws concerning immigration if it is going to be tabled on the house floor. Her address in DC

Washington, D.C. Office

1401 Longworth HOB

Washington, D.C. 20515

Telephone (202) 225-3072

http://lofgren.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=56&Itemid=29

I am sure one needs to schedule an appointment in prior. I have sent email and hard copy letters on the F2A issue before and personally haven't had any communication back other than acknowledgment in this regard.

thanks friend....mxjoh29 asked for this and certainly i dont have any idea about the address...now friends residing near washington D.C. can help our movement by personally meeting them and conveying our message to them...

Asking them for the full use of our quotas...

[Mxjoh29 1]

thanks friend....mxjoh29 asked for this and certainly i dont have any idea about the address...now friends residing near washington D.C. can help our movement by personally meeting them and conveying our message to them...

Asking them for the full use of our quotas...

Sure, i will schedule an appointment as soon as possible and will meet in person. Getting the attention via media is definitely not a bad idea. We can think about that too. Let's go step by step. I will give our request in person first, I will keep you all posted

[kumbahara 3]

Sure, i will schedule an appointment as soon as possible and will meet in person. Getting the attention via media is definitely not a bad idea. We can think about that too. Let's go step by step. I will give our request in person first, I will keep you all posted

Thanks a bunch on taking the initiative on this, Mxjoh29!

[PD is Current. 50]

has anyone gotten any real response?

[jhp 10]

Sure, i will schedule an appointment as soon as possible and will meet in person. Getting the attention via media is definitely not a bad idea. We can think about that too. Let's go step by step. I will give our request in person first, I will keep you all posted

thanks friend...

[Ma^Kali 0]

Sure, i will schedule an appointment as soon as possible and will meet in person. Getting the attention via media is definitely not a bad idea. We can think about that too. Let's go step by step. I will give our request in person first, I will keep you all posted

Here is person you may contact in person::

Vincent Beirne, Deputy Director,

Office of Legislation, Regulations and Advisory Assistance,

Visa Office Bureau of Consular Affairs,

Department of State, Washington, DC

You can also drop one hard copy to the following person too:

Palma R. Yanni (dl), DOS Liaison Committee Chair,

AILA Past President, Washington, DC

Mailing AddressDickstein Shapiro LLP1825 Eye Street, NWWashington, DC 20006 E-mailyannip@dicksteinshapiro.com

[jhp 10]

Here is person you may contact in person::

Vincent Beirne, Deputy Director,

Office of Legislation, Regulations and Advisory Assistance,

Visa Office Bureau of Consular Affairs,

Department of State, Washington, DC

You can also drop one hard copy to the following person too:

Palma R. Yanni (dl), DOS Liaison Committee Chair,

AILA Past President, Washington, DC

Mailing AddressDickstein Shapiro LLP1825 Eye Street, NWWashington, DC 20006 E-mailyannip@dicksteinshapiro.com

thanks friend...

[jhp 10]

friends...plz support the movement and send the emails....as interview letters will be sent in few days..people will visit this forum .....so convey our message...thanks

[flint35 0]

Dear Sir/Madam:

Your inquiry has been received at the National Visa Center (NVC).

Please forward your inquiry regarding the length of time to become a US Citizen to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) at the number (800) 375-5283 or visit their web site for additional information at www.uscis.gov.

The applicant's name has been placed on the list of documentarily qualified cases awaiting the availability of visa numbers under the numerical limitations prescribed by statute. The designated representative of this case (applicant, petitioner, or attorney) will be notified of an appointment date as soon as the numbers have been received. The applicant should NOT make any travel arrangements, sell property, or give up employment until the US Embassy or Consulate General has issued a visa.

An immigrant visa is usually valid for six months from the date it is issued. It may be used to apply for admission into the United States any time during its validity.

Please be advised that we schedule interview appointments based on the capacity of the respective U.S. Embassy/Consulate General. We are unable to predict when an interview will be scheduled.

email received today from nvc.....

[kumbahara 3]

Finally, a word from the people who run the visa office - Mr. Charles Oppenheim

Good afternoon. I am writing in response to your correspondence (attached) to the Ombudsman’s Office. Thank you for contacting our office and raising these concerns. We have communicated with the U.S. Department of State, and Mr. Charlie Oppenheim, Chief of Immigrant Visa Control, has provided the following response:

Your message was forwarded to me and I will try to address your concerns. I must start by pointing out that if intended to represent number use, the totals you listed are incorrect, and I am not sure how you arrived at them. My records show the approximate amount of F2A number use in recent years as:

FY-2006: 86,500

FY-2007: 66,500

FY-2008: 82,800

FY-2009: 75,000

FY-2010: 60,700

FY-2011: 88,200

I share your concern with number use in all of the numerically limited visa categories. Every attempt is made to fully utilize all of the numbers available to each preference category. Unfortunately in recent years the lack of demand by qualified F2A applicants who were proceeding with action on their cases had been very low. There are a number of potential reasons for that, such as: 1) economic issues in the U.S. which may have caused some applicants to feel they should delay action, 2) economic issues preventing applicants from being able to meet the Affidavit of Support requirements, 3) economic issues which prevented applicants from being able to afford filing fees, 4) applicants were not able to pursue action because they had been in the U.S. illegally, and 5) applicants may not have been receiving notifications regarding their case because they had not provided updated information regarding their current address.

The lack of demand resulted in the cut-off dates being advanced at an extremely rapid pace during FY-2009 and FY-2010 in an effort to generate additional demand. At the times when there is not sufficient demand to fully utilize all available F2A numbers (or any other category), they were made available to other categories in an attempt to reach the overall Family annual limit. During FY-2011 the amount of demand by F2A applicants pursing final action on their case has already allowed that F2A limit to be reached. The current rate of demand being received should allow the F2A annual limit to be fully utilized for the foreseeable future.

One final item needs to be mentioned. It is extremely important to remember that not all eligible applicants, with a priority date which is earlier than the applicable cut-off off date, have acted on their case. As mentioned above, there may be a multitude of reasons action is delayed. In “normal” times of demand we received thousands of applicants who are finally acting on their case, and have priority dates which are often significantly earlier than the established cut-off date.

I have attached a document which explains how the Numerical Control process works. This may provide you with some additional insight into the issue, and help answer some of the questions you may have.

Again, thank you for contacting the Ombudsman’s Office. I hope this addresses your concerns.

Regards,

Gary

Gary N. Merson

Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Mail Stop 1225

Washington, DC 20528-1225

Tel: (202) 357-8100

Fax: (202) 357-0042

Gary.Merson@dhs.gov

Although it helps to hear from Mr.Oppenheim, it seems that visa office /DOS always make excuses with their numbers, especially the numbers stating the requisite demand, however, consulates not issuing visas with reasons of their "qualified F2A applicant" as stated above, leading to overflow to other categories like F1, F3, F4 etc or other countries like mexico or dominican republic.

Still one step forward. Hoping the commuincation to members of congress will yield some results or atleast some positive steps.

[jhp 10]

Finally, a word from the people who run the visa office - Mr. Charles Oppenheim

Although it helps to hear from Mr.Oppenheim, it seems that visa office /DOS always make excuses with their numbers, especially the numbers stating the requisite demand, however, consulates not issuing visas with reasons of their "qualified F2A applicant" as stated above, leading to overflow to other categories like F1, F3, F4 etc or other countries like mexico or dominican republic.

Still one step forward. Hoping the commuincation to members of congress will yield some results or atleast some positive steps.

i dont know how they are manipulating with numbers ....their own web site travl.state.gov is showing different numbers....still its good that someone replied and good reply i must say....lets hope for the best...

[Mrs Green 6]

Great effort JHP and all those who worked on getting these letters out!!! I am sure if we keep the issue in the face of the immigration unit, something will eventually be done to make the process easier. Hopefully, we will see speedy movement but moreso, future immigrants will not have to go thru the long waiting period that we are going through, and even worse what those before us went thru.

I am very optimistic that this fiscal year we will see more transparency, and hopefully 2010 applicants will all be processed. If there is any need to take a representative letter to our local office, i can be the liason person for newark, new jersey area

Edited September 22, 2011 by fashiondoll

[jelaru 6]

I reposted the letter at the USEmbassy Manila facebook page...I really pray this works. My priority date is Oct 2009 and is already documentarily qualified. I thought our appointment for interview will come out soon after but by reading the visa bulletin's progress saying it will move from three to six weeks, I feel crushed.

Let's all pray for the best.

[kumbahara 3]

I did respond back to Mr. Oppenheim comments on cutoff dates and visa issuance as highlighted in the previous post. I would like to mention to fellow members to voice their concern on the slow movement of cutoff dates on behest of visa issuance in a couple of countries with exceeding demands to Mr. Gary Merson, below if you want to see any action at all in the coming months.

Gary N. Merson

Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Mail Stop 1225

Washington, DC 20528-1225

Tel: (202) 357-8100

Fax: (202) 357-0042

Gary.Merson@dhs.gov

Below is my response that I mailed today

9/22/2011

ATTN : Charles Oppenheim, IV Control and Reports Division L415 SA1

Citizenship & Immigration Services Ombudsman

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Mail Stop 1225

Washington, DC 20528 - 1225

Dear Sir

SUB: CUTOFF DATES FOR F2AAND VISA UNDER UTILIZATION (REST OF WORLD) LEADING TO SPILLOVER

Thank you for responding to my earlier mail relating to F2A visa wastage and underutilization. It is most helpful for petitioners and beneficiaries alike. I do understand that DOS visa office follows rules related to establishing cutoff dates in accordance with the numerical limitations and if not filled by the fiscal year, spills over to other categories. But my earlier mail and this one alike would like to reiterate the fact that

- Some countries like Mexico and Dominican Republic getting more than 7% of visas while beneficiaries belonging to other countries are regressed even though the usage of F2A visas is less than 10% of the allotted quotas.

- For countries like India, the F2A visas get spilled over to F3 and F4 categories owing to cutoff dates not enabling beneficiaries to file for Adjustment of Status (for those in U.S. on different visas).

I have attached along copies of statistics from Report of the visa office, which includes consular and Adjustment of Status applications [http://travel.state.gov/visa/statistics/statistics_1476.html]

------------------------------------------------------------
       Total           Dominican          % visa issuance 
       issued	Mexico	Republic   India   (Mexico & DR)
------------------------------------------------------------
2010	60,700	24,203	10,788	     910	58%
2009	75,000	46,551	8,498	     902	73%
2008	82,800	56,465	2,330	     965	71%

While demand for F2A remains low in majority of countries, because of non issuance, since “qualified F2A applicants” aren’t filling up the visa quotas and cutoff dates prevent qualified F2A applicants who have completed NVC process from consular actions or applying for Adjustment of Status. Hence I would request, based on historical reports from the visa office, that the cutoff date be made to reflect the demand of F2A (not belonging to Mexico/Dominican Republic) to be able fill up their share of visas thus preventing from spillover to other categories or wasted like FY-2009/ FY-2010.

Thanks and appreciate your feedback.

[Ma^Kali 0]

I did respond back to Mr. Oppenheim comments on cutoff dates and visa issuance as highlighted in the previous post. I would like to mention to fellow members to voice their concern on the slow movement of cutoff dates on behest of visa issuance in a couple of countries with exceeding demands to Mr. Gary Merson, below if you want to see any action at all in the coming months.

Gary N. Merson

Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Mail Stop 1225

Washington, DC 20528-1225

Tel: (202) 357-8100

Fax: (202) 357-0042

Gary.Merson@dhs.gov

Below is my response that I mailed today

Great Job! I don't know how I could give you thanks for this!! I am hoping that something will be definitely outcome soon!!!

May God bless you doing this noble job!!