Service Requests/Contacting Senators - does it actually help?

[bunnygirl 86]

We hit our 5 month mark tomorrow and my fiance will submit a service request using the online form.

I just wondered if doing this actually helps? Does anybody at USCIS even look at them?! I've looked at the Texas senators' websites and can see it's quite easy to get them involved - but will it make a difference? They say they, obviously, can't force USCIS to make a decision and can only make sure that our case is being handled correctly.

So, if the reason that we haven't been approved yet is, as I suspect, simply the backlog at TSC, is it even worth getting a senator involved? Or is this simply a case of waiting TSC out?

FWIW there's nothing odd about our application at all, no convictions, low fraud country etc.

[Caryh 5,206]

Nothing will do any good until your case goes over the published current processing time of the center that has it. My own experience with service requests is often you'll just get a letter saying wait another 30 or 45 days. You cannot put in a service request until you're over the processing time.

If you're over the published time, it appears getting a congressman or senator to look at case can sometimes, not always, help to get it brought to the top of the pile.

[MaLo 15]

We hit our 5 month mark tomorrow and my fiance will submit a service request using the online form.

I just wondered if doing this actually helps? Does anybody at USCIS even look at them?! I've looked at the Texas senators' websites and can see it's quite easy to get them involved - but will it make a difference? They say they, obviously, can't force USCIS to make a decision and can only make sure that our case is being handled correctly.

So, if the reason that we haven't been approved yet is, as I suspect, simply the backlog at TSC, is it even worth getting a senator involved? Or is this simply a case of waiting TSC out?

FWIW there's nothing odd about our application at all, no convictions, low fraud country etc.

well if your service center is TSC, then normal processing time is 6 months currently, not 5 months. and they require you to wait one additional month before filing a service request. so you will have to wait 7 months for them to consider a request. right now they will say you will have to wait.

[Marco&Bettina 502]

well if your service center is TSC, then normal processing time is 6 months currently, not 5 months. and they require you to wait one additional month before filing a service request. so you will have to wait 7 months for them to consider a request. right now they will say you will have to wait.

Where is this 6 stated publicly? Or are you just going by times of VJ posters?

[dbuizert 14]

You can go by the current trend. Look at nov/dec. they are still processing november.

So the way it looks I wonr be with my fiancee until december. Having gone 13 months without being with her. Its going to be hard.

[MaLo 15]

Where is this 6 stated publicly? Or are you just going by times of VJ posters?

Stated on the USCIS website.

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/Dashboard/ProcTimes.do

[Marco&Bettina 502]

Stated on the USCIS website.

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/Dashboard/ProcTimes.do

That's a dead link.

Edit: https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processingTimesDisplay.do shows 5 months still. But yes, I know that if looking on VJ, trends show 6 months by those who update their profiles. But officially, USCIS still claims 5.

Re-edit: You have to login to view that link.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Marco&Bettina

[Caryh 5,206]

Stated on the USCIS website.

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/Dashboard/ProcTimes.do

I was going to post that. Texas is currently stating 5 months on the I-129F. Senator or congressman might get involved at this point if the OP has been waiting 5 months. I know our's did on my wife's AOS. We had in green card approval shortly afterwards. Those that were not more proactive at the time were tending to wait 2 to 4 months longer. The CSC was not meeting its published time frame for the majority of its cases at the time.

A trick the service centers appear to pull when they get behind, is they will immediately process a small percentage of petitions upon arrival. Because these are done many months early, their average, or published time, will appear months shorter than it is actually taking for most petitions. It is my opinion, that getting your congressman or senator involved at such times can help speed up the process for you by a couple months. If they're not pulling that trick, then it doesn't seem to help much, unless they've truly screwed up on your case, and then you often must have their assistance to get anything done.

[TheFoxxy 76]

Yes