Just having a bit of a moan about postage!

[Jo Amelia Finlay 20]

I don't think anyone can actually help, other than give me sympathy! But I needed to vent my frustration at having posted my part of the I-129F package (I'm the foreign fiance, currently residing in the UK) to my fiance Bob on the 22/01 and he still hasn't received it. I guess a little over a week is pretty standard from UK to US, but I was advised to use the 'Airsure' service, so I paid £10 to do this, and it doesn't seem to have made much of a difference, other than getting to the USA quicker and being track-able.

Frankly I'm undecided as to whether being able to track this package is a good or bad thing in this instance, seeing as USPS is telling me it's been sitting in Jamaica, NY since the 28/01 (having been scanned twice??).

This isn't a huge problem, I know. I am sure it will be fine, but Bob and I are so ready to get this visa process underway and this hold up is really frustrating!

I guess I will cough up for special delivery next time, or just plain standard post - which granted, we've never had a problem with... other than impatience

Anyway as I said, just needed a rant really

(first time poster so feel free to move if there is a more appropriate forum for this, and apologies if this is the case!) xx

[BeachMusic 8]

I don't think anyone can actually help, other than give me sympathy! But I needed to vent my frustration at having posted my part of the I-129F package (I'm the foreign fiance, currently residing in the UK) to my fiance Bob on the 22/01 and he still hasn't received it. I guess a little over a week is pretty standard from UK to US, but I was advised to use the 'Airsure' service, so I paid £10 to do this, and it doesn't seem to have made much of a difference, other than getting to the USA quicker and being track-able.

Frankly I'm undecided as to whether being able to track this package is a good or bad thing in this instance, seeing as USPS is telling me it's been sitting in Jamaica, NY since the 28/01 (having been scanned twice??).

This isn't a huge problem, I know. I am sure it will be fine, but Bob and I are so ready to get this visa process underway and this hold up is really frustrating!

I guess I will cough up for special delivery next time, or just plain standard post - which granted, we've never had a problem with... other than impatience

Anyway as I said, just needed a rant really

(first time poster so feel free to move if there is a more appropriate forum for this, and apologies if this is the case!) xx

That sucks, I sent mine from INDIA and that reached my fiance in 5 days ! and i spend 15$. If that hadn't worked I'd just considered sending it via Fedex (and paid whatever 50-60USD it would have cost)

I understand the frustration. Especially with all the waiting this process entails you don't want to be stuck in delays.

Edited February 1, 2013 by BeachMusic

[nicebloke 0]

I don't think anyone can actually help, other than give me sympathy! But I needed to vent my frustration at having posted my part of the I-129F package (I'm the foreign fiance, currently residing in the UK) to my fiance Bob on the 22/01 and he still hasn't received it. I guess a little over a week is pretty standard from UK to US, but I was advised to use the 'Airsure' service, so I paid £10 to do this, and it doesn't seem to have made much of a difference, other than getting to the USA quicker and being track-able.

Frankly I'm undecided as to whether being able to track this package is a good or bad thing in this instance, seeing as USPS is telling me it's been sitting in Jamaica, NY since the 28/01 (having been scanned twice??).

This isn't a huge problem, I know. I am sure it will be fine, but Bob and I are so ready to get this visa process underway and this hold up is really frustrating!

I guess I will cough up for special delivery next time, or just plain standard post - which granted, we've never had a problem with... other than impatience

Anyway as I said, just needed a rant really

(first time poster so feel free to move if there is a more appropriate forum for this, and apologies if this is the case!) xx

I am in the same boat. In my case, my mom sent some documents from India on Jan 18th. The postal service in India can confirm it has arrived at JFK. USPS however has no trace. At this point there seems to be no recourse but to wait patiently.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I don't think anyone can actually help, other than give me sympathy! But I needed to vent my frustration at having posted my part of the I-129F package (I'm the foreign fiance, currently residing in the UK) to my fiance Bob on the 22/01 and he still hasn't received it. I guess a little over a week is pretty standard from UK to US, but I was advised to use the 'Airsure' service, so I paid £10 to do this, and it doesn't seem to have made much of a difference, other than getting to the USA quicker and being track-able.

Frankly I'm undecided as to whether being able to track this package is a good or bad thing in this instance, seeing as USPS is telling me it's been sitting in Jamaica, NY since the 28/01 (having been scanned twice??).

This isn't a huge problem, I know. I am sure it will be fine, but Bob and I are so ready to get this visa process underway and this hold up is really frustrating!

I guess I will cough up for special delivery next time, or just plain standard post - which granted, we've never had a problem with... other than impatience

Anyway as I said, just needed a rant really

(first time poster so feel free to move if there is a more appropriate forum for this, and apologies if this is the case!) xx

If you are already "ranting" about the costs and wait time to mail something to the USA, then I suggest you wrap your head in duct tape because before this is over, your head will explode and you should try to keep all the pieces

Some famous guy said "Never give up, never give up, Never, never, never, never, never give up."

The same guy said

"Yes, I am drunk. But YOU are ugly. In the morning I will be sober, YOU will still be ugly" to the same person, who said if he were her husband she would poison his tea, he said..."If you were my wife, I would drink it"

That should help anyway

[LORIEandPHIL 123]

I used airsure, it took 19 days for my letter to get delivered to Illinois. Would never send anything that way again!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

If you are already "ranting" about the costs and wait time to mail something to the USA, then I suggest you wrap your head in duct tape because before this is over, your head will explode and you should try to keep all the pieces

I LOVE this response. So true!

[Jo Amelia Finlay 20]

I understand (well I don't, because I've yet to go through it) that this complaint seems petty next to everything which lies ahead and what other people have already been through. In any case, thanks for your replies guys.

[QueenOfBlades 224]

Would recommend paying the little bit extra. I sent two 129Fs to my US fiance (From the UK as well). First one Airsure, took 2 weeks. I re-did it as we'd realised I'd missed some stuff out, and I went the whole hog and paid £50 to get top of the line FedEx postage. It was there in like, 2 days.

[Bob Bever 11]

If you are already "ranting" about the costs and wait time to mail something to the USA, then I suggest you wrap your head in duct tape because before this is over, your head will explode and you should try to keep all the pieces

Some famous guy said "Never give up, never give up, Never, never, never, never, never give up."

The same guy said

"Yes, I am drunk. But YOU are ugly. In the morning I will be sober, YOU will still be ugly" to the same person, who said if he were her husband she would poison his tea, he said..."If you were my wife, I would drink it"

That should help anyway

I'm sorry but this just comes off as really rude... For a community that is for aiding people in this journey through the system this post seems to be a bad representation. We understand that the process is going to take it's time and it's going to involve waiting a lot. Jo's post wasn't to complain that the wait is unbearable at this moment. It was simply having a poke at the USPS and the fact that sometimes the system you think you are paying for to mail important documents to even get the process started seemed a little slow as it's been sitting in one of the sort facilities for a couple days. She wasn't looking to have a serious rant and rave about the system because the bureaucracy is going to be in your way every step of the way and slowing it down. It was to say "Hey, looks like the usps wants to hold things up before we get started It seems that tracking is sometimes not the way to go in this case. What do other people use? How's everyone doing." The "rant" about the price and time was merely for being irked about paying for a service that is expected to get things here faster and let you know it's on the way isn't functioning as advertised. It's a break from expectation of the services expected whereas once everything is filed the expectation is that it's a waiting game. We are fully prepared for that.

Seriously, I understand what your post was trying to say. Putting it in a nice and succinct way that would have been helpful you could have said something along the lines of "Trust me, it doesn't get any faster from here on out. Sorry it's got you frustrated. Next time, I'd pay that little bit extra if you want it to get there quicker. Be prepared though, as soon as you get things filed it's a long process as I'm sure you've seen because you've read through the other helpful things on VisaJourney. You have read through those haven't you? If not, I'd go and read up on them and prepare yourself for the full experience."

Instead, your post comes off condescending at best and doesn't actually offer anything helpful in it. Maybe you had a hard go with your own experiences but it doesn't mean you should be looking to come down hard on people who haven't even fully started.

TL;DR - I think your post came off very rude and offered a better way to handle things in the future. This is a community that is supposed to be helpful and your comment wasn't. Don't be this harsh with a first time poster about something that isn't all that serious.

-Bob

[Jo Amelia Finlay 20]

Well this was an eventful first post

But I do genuinely appreciate all the opinions and perspective given. I wish everyone all the best on their respective journeys, wherever you may be on the timeline - or way past it now! And I'm sure I will be back at some point to have another gripe or ask advice Cheers.

[dwheels76 5,469]

I understand (well I don't, because I've yet to go through it) that this complaint seems petty next to everything which lies ahead and what other people have already been through. In any case, thanks for your replies guys.

Rant all you want. What seems petty to some is major to others.

Trust me I feel your pain of the mailing system. Different country same story (sort of).

I am stuck at NVC because of Nigerian sucky mail. To the point we have given up and requesting our case be complete due to unobtainable documents.

See husband tried not once, not twice but three times to ship me his civil documents.

By postal mail(never arrived), by DHl(never arrived) and FedEx. The FedEx at least finally got to me in 2 weeks and guess what all the documents removed and replaced with 5 blank sheets of paper.

My husband had added christmas cards and love letters it weighed 2 lbs when it got to me it weighed 1.2 oz. It has cost us more in gathering civil documents 3 times and shipping than this whole immigration fee business combined.

I got approved at USCIS in 3 months. I have been at NVC for 7 months (would be 8 months fcro NOA2 but USCIS lost my file for 30 days...sorry way another story).

So rant baby its your right. Everyone may not understand but trust me, I feel your pain.

It will all work out for your good.

Just keep smiling and be happy. Because everyday gets you closer to the day you and your hunni are together forever.

[baron555 934]

I always used FedEx when sending to Russia. Cost was not an issue and it shouldn't be to you also since as you know this is an expensive process (international relationships and immigration to the US).

[Dave&Roza 748]

I don't think anyone can actually help, other than give me sympathy! But I needed to vent my frustration at having posted my part of the I-129F package (I'm the foreign fiance, currently residing in the UK) to my fiance Bob on the 22/01 and he still hasn't received it. I guess a little over a week is pretty standard from UK to US, but I was advised to use the 'Airsure' service, so I paid £10 to do this, and it doesn't seem to have made much of a difference, other than getting to the USA quicker and being track-able.

Frankly I'm undecided as to whether being able to track this package is a good or bad thing in this instance, seeing as USPS is telling me it's been sitting in Jamaica, NY since the 28/01 (having been scanned twice??).

This isn't a huge problem, I know. I am sure it will be fine, but Bob and I are so ready to get this visa process underway and this hold up is really frustrating!

I guess I will cough up for special delivery next time, or just plain standard post - which granted, we've never had a problem with... other than impatience

Anyway as I said, just needed a rant really

(first time poster so feel free to move if there is a more appropriate forum for this, and apologies if this is the case!) xx

I had to send things via FedEx to Kazakhstan as that was the most sure way it would get there and clear customs in a timely manner. $100 each way for the Consulate stuff my fiancee sent to me and I then had to send back to her. I hope this makes you feel better that you did not spend $200 to mail something to and from the US . Fastest service is 6 days mainly due to the time difference.

Congrats on starting the process, but you will need either patience, a stiff drink, or the duct tape Gary mentioned.

Dave

[CaroSL 68]

TL;DR - I think your post came off very rude and offered a better way to handle things in the future. This is a community that is supposed to be helpful and your comment wasn't. Don't be this harsh with a first time poster about something that isn't all that serious.

-Bob

If you spend a little time on that forum, you'll see that Gary has been there a long time and answered a THOUSAND questions. I am not in his head, but I don't think he means anything bad, he is just straight forward. He knows so much about this process and is very usefull to the community. If you want someone to pat your back, he is probably not the right guy, but if you have a serious problem and want serious advice count on him. I am sure there is no reason for anyone to be or feel upset

Plus, after answering the same kind of questions again and again and again (because, yes, those questions were asked before), one can answer with a little bit more irony sometimes, or in a more "to the point" fashion.

@Jo, Welcome to VJ!

Yes, the process is long. It will cost money, and I would really recommend not to try to save on it. UPS, FedEX, and DHL are probably better... If it is too long and you have a full copy of what you sent to your fiancé, you can always resend it via FedEX... He'll have it in 2 days. It is ok to be frustrated. You are probably gonna be frustrated for a long while. I got totally used to the feeling

[pieroot 43]

OMG, try DHL for $87 to Taiwan! only 2 lbs or something like that! Man that was shocking!