Vermont + RFE = ??

[Rob & Angie 0]

Hi,

Does anyone know much about the Vermont Service Center? I received an RFE on Jan 13th, and Vermont replied that they had my response (they needed another photo of me) on Jan 27th. I am in RFE response review according to USCIS website. On the website and in the RFE letter, it says that I will receive a response within 60 days. My 60 days ends on March 27th. My question is does that 60 day limit have any meaning to Vermont. Do they care if it goes over the 60 days, or are they good at keeping to their statement? My soon to be step daughter has a birthday coming and I would dearly love to go there to be in the Ukraine for it, if I do get approved by 27th I can easily make it and then stay for interview, but I have no idea if I will even get a response by that date

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hi,

Does anyone know much about the Vermont Service Center? I received an RFE on Jan 13th, and Vermont replied that they had my response (they needed another photo of me) on Jan 27th. I am in RFE response review according to USCIS website. On the website and in the RFE letter, it says that I will receive a response within 60 days. My 60 days ends on March 27th. My question is does that 60 day limit have any meaning to Vermont. Do they care if it goes over the 60 days, or are they good at keeping to their statement? My soon to be step daughter has a birthday coming and I would dearly love to go there to be in the Ukraine for it, if I do get approved by 27th I can easily make it and then stay for interview, but I have no idea if I will even get a response by that date

Answered in order...usually, no, not always. And I know VSC better than anyone. Do not make any plans based on speculation of approval times. I also do not know when her birthday is but be advised it will be 6 weeks to 2 months after the I-129f is approved before there is an interview. First to NVC, (1-8 weeks) then to Kiev, then wait until Kiev enters it in the system (2 weeks)then lead time for the interview (??? 3 days to 8 weeks).

[Rob & Angie 0]

I can stay in Ukraine for upto 12 weeks without a visa, her birthday is April 10th, but from what you are saying (and I really appreciate your answer) is that the 60 day limit is nothing to go by. So that leads to maybe asking Congressman or IG to look into my case if it goes past 60 days?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I can stay in Ukraine for upto 12 weeks without a visa, her birthday is April 10th, but from what you are saying (and I really appreciate your answer) is that the 60 day limit is nothing to go by. So that leads to maybe asking Congressman or IG to look into my case if it goes past 60 days?

You can do that now if you want. The results will the the same. IGs only get involved in cases of gross negligence or law violations. The IG for the VSC is in Boston,I used to have his direct number but lost it now. There is no law requiring them to respond in any given time. You cannot assume that the RFE is the only thing you are waiting for. You could also be waiting for a manual background check, for example. You can contact a Senator or Rep any time you want. USCIS does not report to congress, but they will give them the courtesy of an answer to an inquiry and congress people have direct lines to special liasons at USCIS, But if your case is undergoing a manual background check, for example, the answer will be "this case is in process, check back in 60 days"

Yes, you can stay in Ukraine for 90 days without a visa

[Neash 2]

Hi,

Does anyone know much about the Vermont Service Center? I received an RFE on Jan 13th, and Vermont replied that they had my response (they needed another photo of me) on Jan 27th. I am in RFE response review according to USCIS website. On the website and in the RFE letter, it says that I will receive a response within 60 days. My 60 days ends on March 27th. My question is does that 60 day limit have any meaning to Vermont. Do they care if it goes over the 60 days, or are they good at keeping to their statement? My soon to be step daughter has a birthday coming and I would dearly love to go there to be in the Ukraine for it, if I do get approved by 27th I can easily make it and then stay for interview, but I have no idea if I will even get a response by that date

Hi there,

I saw your time and noticed that you've filed in August!!! wow, how come it took so long and you didn't get your NOA2 yet?

By the way we sent our RFE reply to Vermont and we are waiting to hear from them. These days are TERRIBLE!

Good Luck!

[feli114 65]

VSC really does not care about the 60 days if you look at my timeline. I really don't understand why they even bother giving people time frames. You will probably miss the birthday if you wait on them. I planned to get married on valentine's day. So now I will be planning to leave the country next month to see my fiance because its been a yr since I have seen him. Good luck to you

[Rob & Angie 0]

To Gary and Alla, what is a manual background check as compared to 'normal' one and what are some reasons for having to have a manual check??

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

To Gary and Alla, what is a manual background check as compared to 'normal' one and what are some reasons for having to have a manual check??

In a normal check they put your ID number (SSN for example) and name in a computer while they review your file. It takes a few seconds, it is a computerized background check. When the adjudicator finishes her checklist she looks up at the screen and sees that you passed and if everything was there and her checklist is complete VOILA! you are approved. It taks about as long to do as typing this to you. The rest of the time your file was in a box. Any "touches" you got were when the box was moved around and scanned, all files in that box get a "touch", an update. "Box 3546ACH756Q23 is now in the west storage room."

If your background check turns up a "HIT" on any of many data bases, either from your name OR your fiancees name, the file is handed over to a contingent of FBI officers that are officed at VSC and it is assigned to them to sort out why you got a "hit" Your name is "John Dillinger" for example. They have to determine you are not THE John Dillinger. See? If it was your fiancees name or you matched some terrorist name from a guy in Yemen, then they may need information from the KGB in Yemen, or whoever, and who knows how long that takes? I may be exaggerating a bit for illustration purposes Suffice to say that just because you got an RFE for a photo does NOT mean that is the only problem with your file, there could be many. We have two Russian speaking friends at VSC, one of the "problems" they sometimes have to resolve is an illegible translation, or unclear translation of a document. It gets thrown in the "Let Lena look at this" pile and who knows how long it is before Lena looks at it.

They will not give you details of this nor will they give details to a congress person. They may say "We have not completed the background checks yet, check back in 60 days" and the congress person will say "Thank you for your time" Then they will tell you what I just did.

On the other hand it may have fallen behind their desk and is trapped between the modesty panel and the cube wall, in which case the congress persons call will get them to look around and say "Oh holy #######! How did that get there?" And their answer to the congress person will be "the backgorund checks are not complete, please check back in 60 days" but your approval will come like 2 days later and you will never complain. You will send a nice letter to your congress person and vote for them next time they are running for office PLUS tell your firends that your congress person is the best n the whole effin' world! And THAT is what it is all about.

In the time I spent on this response VSC adjudicated 5 petitions.

Edited March 15, 2012 by Gary and Alla