December 2011 IR-1/CR-1 USCIS Filers

[twocastles 26]

the waiting is really depressing and the way uscis work is frustrating... they let our petitions sit for 5mos and then we have to call their attention for them to start working... they shouldn't ask for another 6mos to do extensive background check since they have 5mos to do it already...isn't initial review status for 5mos given to them for background check and all that stuff???.. it is just irresponsible... if we have deadline and target at work, we work our *ss off and meet everything.. how come they don't do that? .. i'm just really frustrated about this

I hear you there and I've said it before. If we miss a deadline, we risk losing our jobs, or at least get put on the radar for failure. These people at the Service Centers face no repercussions for their failures or sloth. They'll always have their jobs no matter how fast or slow they work. There's no complaint department. There's no managers coming down on them for taking too long or losing cases. It's horrible.

And the rules are ridiculous. DCF's get top priority? Why do they get a pass on the wait? Why are their spouses no subject to months of background checks? I don't begrudge anyone getting an expedited case, but a few weeks vs. 6 - 9 months is a VERY drastic difference!

Why can't I request that my local office process my petition? When I went to my local office in person, I was the only person/customer in there. Six agents standing around chit-chatting, and who knows how many more in the offices behind the counter and upstairs? They obviously have a LOT of free time...they could easily find the time to process my case in just as short of a time as a DCF case.

So frustrating...waiting to hear something from my Representative's office today. If not, I'll call both my Senators. Then the local press...News often gets slow in Buffalo, so maybe they'll jump on it and make a stink, especially with so much attention on illegal immigration and the lack of enforcement on them, while our families, the ones putting in the time, money, and effort to do things legally and properly get torn apart and scrutinized as if criminals for months on end.

[Mr. Borkström 63]

I don't understand that kind of thinking. It is not my intention to offend anyone, but i do not think the processing takes time because the people working for the USCIS/NVC/whatever are incompetent/sloppy/lazy/cold-hearted/evil. Maybe I am naive but I always assume they are doing their best. If it takes time it's because they have a lot to do. I cannot bring myself to think they let my petition collect dust for five months at the CSC because they thought that was the best way to mess with me; I assume they would have started working on it sooner, had they not been busy.

That said, I don't think there is anything wrong with lighting a fire under their a$$es. This is our lives they have in the palm of their hands, so if they could get things done more quickly, that would be wonderful. The waiting sucks so bad, and it gets worse in a way when you get closer to (or past) the date when the prognosis says you'll have a case decision.

[ullnvrkno 95]

@Mr. Borkstrom: My case is taking forever because of laziness. My evidence has been stuck in my local office's mail-room since 5/17/2012 now!!!!! You can't TELL me that's not due to someone's incompetence. 3 weeks now??

[Mr. Borkström 63]

How am I supposed to know? I have zero insight into how things are done. What I'm saying is I give them the benefit of a doubt.

ADD: And for the record, I didn't mean anyone's specific case. I meant more in general. Mistakes happen, not all employees are good worker bees of course. I realize that.

Edited June 6, 2012 by Mr. Borkström

[ullnvrkno 95]

Yeah it certainly sucks for all of us who filed in December and still don't have NOA2s. Makes us bitter.

[Mr. Borkström 63]

Yeah. I totally understand that. I wish everyone here the best of luck and a speedy processing.

I'm pretty tired of waiting myself. Last time I saw my wife in person was July 2nd last year. It seems likely that when I finally do get to see her again, it will be over a year between times we've been together in person.

Skype and MSN is nice, our relationship may not have made it this far without them... but man! Nothing compares to being together in person.

[reelss 4]

I don't understand that kind of thinking. It is not my intention to offend anyone, but i do not think the processing takes time because the people working for the USCIS/NVC/whatever are incompetent/sloppy/lazy/cold-hearted/evil. Maybe I am naive but I always assume they are doing their best. If it takes time it's because they have a lot to do. I cannot bring myself to think they let my petition collect dust for five months at the CSC because they thought that was the best way to mess with me; I assume they would have started working on it sooner, had they not been busy.

That said, I don't think there is anything wrong with lighting a fire under their a$$es. This is our lives they have in the palm of their hands, so if they could get things done more quickly, that would be wonderful. The waiting sucks so bad, and it gets worse in a way when you get closer to (or past) the date when the prognosis says you'll have a case decision.

The thinking stems from the following facts:

* Inconsistent information being provided when you call and try to talk to someone. I was told I could initiate a Service Request (SR) when 5 months are up. Now I am being told I have to wait 14 more days just to initiate a SR.

* The SR takes 14 days (I think) to process. And even then you are not guaranteed a decision. They may just tell you to wait longer, sometimes 6 more months!

* If you are not happy with the response you got from National Customer Service Center, you can write an email to the Service Center. Then wait 21 days. And if you don't hear a response from them, you can then write to the Headquarter and wait for their response.

* Throughout the process you have no access to anyone who can tell you what is going on with your application.

* The perceived randomness in which cases are processed...why are Jan, Feb and March filers being processed when there are tons of Dec filers still waiting? I can understand they may be behind, but they have to process cases that came first before going that far ahead.

And for reasons above, it appears there is no accountability and no sense of 'customer service'. I am absolutely frustrated with the process. It is a helpless feeling to be honest.

[Mr. Borkström 63]

It is. Being in limbo is what sucks the most. If you have information, you have something to relate to, something to "work with". If you have no information, you have nothing. That's what I dislike the most about bureaucracy, when you can't get a straight answer to a simple question. Have you ever read Kafka's The Trial?

[twocastles 26]

I don't understand that kind of thinking. It is not my intention to offend anyone, but i do not think the processing takes time because the people working for the USCIS/NVC/whatever are incompetent/sloppy/lazy/cold-hearted/evil. Maybe I am naive but I always assume they are doing their best. If it takes time it's because they have a lot to do. I cannot bring myself to think they let my petition collect dust for five months at the CSC because they thought that was the best way to mess with me; I assume they would have started working on it sooner, had they not been busy.

That said, I don't think there is anything wrong with lighting a fire under their a$$es. This is our lives they have in the palm of their hands, so if they could get things done more quickly, that would be wonderful. The waiting sucks so bad, and it gets worse in a way when you get closer to (or past) the date when the prognosis says you'll have a case decision.

Well I was going to send this semi-long note explaining my thinking and then I seen some of the responses after me and your response of "Last time I saw my wife in person was July 2nd last year." I admire your positive outlook, I do. That is a very long time. My wife also, tries to remain positive throughout this ordeal and I try to follow her example. But sometimes I have to vent my frustration, and when something looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, I can't call it a majestic bald eagle.

Ultimately, there is SO much more they could do to provide better service and transparency with today's technology, even on their current system. Seeing "initial review" for 6 months isn't the answer. They could easily track it with much more detail, like a UPS package. Show you where your file is, who has it, what step they're on, what they are waiting for, etc. At least then your calls for inquiry would be much more specific and you'd have peace of mind that your case isn't one of the 27,000 per month that the service centers lose. (data from 2009)

http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_11-85_May11.pdf (page 9)

[Mr. Borkström 63]

I admire your positive outlook, I do. That is a very long time. My wife also, tries to remain positive throughout this ordeal and I try to follow her example.

Thank you. I am a very patient person. But I'll tell you this: this process is testing my patience to the limit, that's for sure. But even if I wasn't (my wife is not as patient as I am), what choice do I have? I try really hard not to let things that are out of my control get to me. But sometimes they do and I feel very negative and nervous and frustrated too. I am, after all, only human.

And one reason why I try to project an image of patience and positive thinking on here is cause while I do think it's good to vent and get your frustrations out (god knows this process is frustrating!), bitterness is not good, it's not productive, and those things I said about the USCIS/NVC/whatever, and there are so many negative posts about something that we don't know much about, and.. well, you know. I try to counter that in my own little way. I really do believe in that; that they're not making us wait out of spite (with the exceptions that disproves the rules, of course, there will always be those). I wouldn't be saying it if I didn't believe it.

But sometimes I have to vent my frustration, and when something looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, I can't call it a majestic bald eagle.

Hehe, majestic bald eagle.

Like I said, venting your frustration is a good thing. Get it all out of your system.

Ultimately, there is SO much more they could do to provide better service and transparency with today's technology, even on their current system. Seeing "initial review" for 6 months isn't the answer. They could easily track it with much more detail, like a UPS package. Show you where your file is, who has it, what step they're on, what they are waiting for, etc. At least then your calls for inquiry would be much more specific and you'd have peace of mind that your case isn't one of the 27,000 per month that the service centers lose. (data from 2009)

I whole-heartedly agree. There's so much you could do with technology and the Internet. Time to step out of the dark ages and move into the 21st century. FInding a way (which should not be too hard) to keep your customers (or whatever you wanna call us) updated would be a huge plus. Come on USCIS, git'r'done!

[itsmeleila 6]

i'm just glad that there are people who can totally relate to my frustration over uscis... i don't know what to do next.. will just wait for the 14days from service request and we'll see what happens..that sounds like hitting the 6month mark... terrible!!!

[ullnvrkno 95]

Does anyone know if you can do a service request on a file that's at a local office?

I'll join the year-long club. It'll be 1 year on June 21st for me. Granted, I was able to take a vacation with our then 5 month old to see my husband for a week this past March...

[itsmeleila 6]

hi guys!! i don't know what happen but my husband got an email from NVC and we have a case number..unbelievable...i cried when i got the email...i;m so happy..so thankful to God...one month less of waiting for a case number...i hope this happens to the rest of the dec filers too..the waiting really got me so depressed and frustrated...i don't know who made this possible but my husband did asked his senator and congressman for assistance..and an SR was generated too....hoping for some good news from my fellow dec filers...so we can all join the june nvc thread goodluck and Godbless to us

[twocastles 26]

hi guys!! i don't know what happen but my husband got an email from NVC and we have a case number..unbelievable...i cried when i got the email...i;m so happy..so thankful to God...one month less of waiting for a case number...i hope this happens to the rest of the dec filers too..the waiting really got me so depressed and frustrated...i don't know who made this possible but my husband did asked his senator and congressman for assistance..and an SR was generated too....hoping for some good news from my fellow dec filers...so we can all join the june nvc thread goodluck and Godbless to us

Congratulations! Good luck on the remainder of the process! I hope I get that NOA2 email soon!

[Jamaican Luv 13]

hi guys!! i don't know what happen but my husband got an email from NVC and we have a case number..unbelievable...i cried when i got the email...i;m so happy..so thankful to God...one month less of waiting for a case number...i hope this happens to the rest of the dec filers too..the waiting really got me so depressed and frustrated...i don't know who made this possible but my husband did asked his senator and congressman for assistance..and an SR was generated too....hoping for some good news from my fellow dec filers...so we can all join the june nvc thread goodluck and Godbless to us

well thats great!!! i hope i hear something soon to then.. so no noa2 huh? weird.. just a case number.. i guess thats better!! lol ... yeh i guess the senator is looking into my case to, but havent heard anything as of yet for it. so well see. pos. thoughts tho...