Incompenent #%*@%(#$ idiots!!

[Brian_bellingham 0]

I just need to vent with people who understand.

We filed for AP on November 18th, we had everything, including the two pictures. Belinda needs to travel to her brothers' wedding next week. In early February, we got the email saying we had an RFE. Didn't tell us what it was, but we would get it soon. Two weeks went by, nothing. How long does it take to mail something? I got my congressperson involved, after getting no response for 4 days, she finally heard back, we were missing the passport photos (I know we sent them, I put them in an envelope, sealed it with the application and marked them "PHOTOS" and paperclipped it.).

She gave us a name of a person in the office in Missiouri that handles this, so things look fine. We thought. We overnighted it to the office labeled "ATTN: (name of peron)." It arrived Saturday, but they still have not found it. The person who signed for it does not work at the office, so I am told. Now they have no idea where it is.

1. They lose the photos

2. They take more then two weeks to send out the RFE

3. They take four days to respond to my congressperson (they say the NBC is a nightmare to work with)

4. They have people sign for packages who don't work there.

Now we need to take two new photos, scan them, email them to the congressman's office, and hope for the best. She did say the person in the office is just as upset as we are, she is really trying. At least someone in that office cares.

[tsunamihart 0]

Brian, do you want to take a $180 gamble? Cristina and I were in the same boat before Xmas. We had filed in early Oct. got our email notice to expect the AP in "60" days. Plenty of time to acquire one before our Dec 30 flight, right? Wrong! I tried the congressman routine, then bypassed that and scheduled 2 Infopass appts., the first went as I expected in early Dec., "we can't bypass all the people in front of you" routine. Our 2nd one I scheduled on the last day available in Dec (22nd) for appts. We brought with us our Noas and our purchased Plane tix (which we had purchased back in Oct after receiving our email notice of 60days processing time). The Spvr said, if you want to pay for another AP app. I'll give you a Emergency AP since we had already purchased the tix. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. We were lucky...

By the by, we got the Regular AP good until 1/10/07 on 1/14/06

[Brian_bellingham 0]

I did allow for extra time in case something like this happened, and I am glad I did. Had they not lost the photos, we would have already had it in hand, but at least there still is a little bit of time. I am glad your case turned out ok. I was allowing for about 100 days, which should have been good enough if they had not lost the photos or if they knew who their employees are who sign for packages.

[Brian_bellingham 0]

Now the update is that the person in Missouri at the NBC can access the photos that Belinda will have taken tomorrow at her biometrics appointment and use those. That actually sounds efficient, too bad they could not do that for the fingerprints and photos she had taken at the border. That would be efficient.

My congressperson did say the person in Missouri has really tried hard, and really wants this to work out, so it is nice to know that someone there does care and does go the extra mile.

[gemini23nj 2]

They totally screwed up the processing of our AP, we had to send it back to them 2 times, then they cashed the check, started the process, two months later they sent the app back to us requesting payment?? I sent it back with proof of payment. Bottom line, we applied 7/1/05, AP was received in December.

[one_coolchiq 0]

wow such incompetent people! I'm sorry guys one fellow vjers told us about uscis screwing up their vaccination supplement and their AOS application got denied.

[daisy16 0]

Crazy! I hope this works out for you in time Brian.

[claire 0]

My sympathies are with you. My receipt for the AP was 22nd November - I have heard NOTHING! My dad is sick, so I really really want to go home. I scheduled an infopass and went to the Phoenix office - but without a letter from his doctor stating his prognosis (which I don't feel like asking for - 'dad - I need a letter from your doctor witha prediction of how long you are going to be around for') they were unwilling to do anything. Yesterday (23rd Feb) I was touched - but that was it. So 94 days and counting. I'm half expecting to get a letter, like you did, telling me something's wrong. Please keep us posted on what happens. And yes, they are incompetent *********** idiots!!! Good luck.

[nayalamb 0]

i'm glad there is progress brian, but dang... even when you leave a wide window, they still managed to screw it up. i guess when i apply next month, i better not plan to travel till Christmas, just in case.

[Brian_bellingham 0]

Thanks for the support. I do think most people get it in about 2-2.5 months, but there are exceptions. Claire, my congressman's assistant was a big help, perhaps you should make an inquiry with him or her, and give them your case number. The NBC is hard for them to deal with, but not impossible, someone can look into it, and since it has been so long, they should expedite it. When they found out that we have a wedding to go to in Canada very soon, the person at the NBC has been trying very hard to get it done for us in time.

[Peggy 1]

I am thinking the same. Planing a trip to Canada in August. I better get my butt in gear and apply for AP now.

[govols 0]

Brian,

Sorry to hear that this is taking so long. It seems as if you did plan ahead. As for the others here that are not sure when they should file. I would definitely file for AP as soon as possible after arriving to the US whether you have any specific plans or not. We made that mistake and Tony needed to travel in December back to the UK due to his father's terminal illness. Fortunately, he received emergency AP and was able to go see his father just before he died.

Good luck,

Karen

[claire 0]

Thanks for the advice Brian. I was touched yesterday - so if nothing moves next week I will try the congressman route. Hope your AP arrives soon.

[AnnTaylor 0]

I just need to vent with people who understand.

We filed for AP on November 18th, we had everything, including the two pictures. Belinda needs to travel to her brothers' wedding next week. In early February, we got the email saying we had an RFE. Didn't tell us what it was, but we would get it soon. Two weeks went by, nothing. How long does it take to mail something? I got my congressperson involved, after getting no response for 4 days, she finally heard back, we were missing the passport photos (I know we sent them, I put them in an envelope, sealed it with the application and marked them "PHOTOS" and paperclipped it.).

She gave us a name of a person in the office in Missiouri that handles this, so things look fine. We thought. We overnighted it to the office labeled "ATTN: (name of peron)." It arrived Saturday, but they still have not found it. The person who signed for it does not work at the office, so I am told. Now they have no idea where it is.

1. They lose the photos

2. They take more then two weeks to send out the RFE

3. They take four days to respond to my congressperson (they say the NBC is a nightmare to work with)

4. They have people sign for packages who don't work there.

Now we need to take two new photos, scan them, email them to the congressman's office, and hope for the best. She did say the person in the office is just as upset as we are, she is really trying. At least someone in that office cares.

Is your case being processed in Lee's Summit, Mo?

[Brian_bellingham 0]

Yes, it was being processed there at Lee's Summit. I did get the news today that I was hoping for, they have processed it, and are sending it overnight to us, so we should get it tomorrow. Not only that, but they also went ahead and processed the EAD, even though we had not received a biometrics letter yet. That will be sent by regular mail, so we will get that in a couple of weeks. That was a nice bonus, especially considering that at her biometrics appointement, they would not do her EAD biometrics without a letter.

Thanks for the support and the chance to vent, I hope those of you who have been waiting get your AP soon. Also, do know that congresspeople can help, and there are people in the office who really do want to get it done right. Apparantly the lady there in Lee's Summit was quite upset over what had happened to us, and was willing to stay late on a Friday night to help.

And I should also mention, because of the lessons learned here on VisaJourney, we planned everything with extra time allowed just in case something like this happened, and now I am very glad I did.

Edited February 27, 2006 by Brian_bellingham