Suggestions for VisaJourney

[doodlebug 3]

I would like to see filling out timelines enforced. When searching for particular embassies I notice more and more that there are a lot of posters from those embassies who post but they dont' show up on the timeline search. I have no clue of course how to enforce this since you'd have to have someone read everyone's posts to know if they've hit an NOA2 and didn't update it and such but maybe someone smarter than me can come up with a way. Maybe a voluntary timeline police force. lol

[payxibka 10,045]

Yes, backup is nice. One of the 'problems' of this site (IMHO) is that people use it for more than just backup. Many users essentially ignore or pay little attention to the primary sources of immigration info (USCIS.GOV, State Dept website, consular post websites) and go straight to VJ. VJ should never be a primary source of info for anyone but sadly it is.

If we cannot make the primary sources of evidence or the guides mandatory reading then I think the INSTRUCTIONS for the forms should be mandatory...

"Who do I make the check payable to?"

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I have no clue of course how to enforce this...

The only feasible way to do it would be to automate the enforcement. But that won't work perfectly at all, since all one would have to do is fill in dummy data to fool the software.

Yes, backup is nice. One of the 'problems' of this site (IMHO) is that people use it for more than just backup. Many users essentially ignore or pay little attention to the primary sources of immigration info (USCIS.GOV, State Dept website, consular post websites) and go straight to VJ. VJ should never be a primary source of info for anyone but sadly it is.

If we cannot make the primary sources of evidence or the guides mandatory reading then I think the INSTRUCTIONS for the forms should be mandatory...

"Who do I make the check payable to?"

LOL.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I like the suggestion of not counting OT in post count.

[Caladan 19]

- making the guides a req to read before posting

I disagree with that. VJ shouldn't even have guides. They detract from people reading the primary sources (USCIS, state.gov, consular post sites). People need to get in the habit of reading difficult-to-read content on government websites if they are going to get through this process without a lawyer and with a smattering of bad fortune. To imply otherwise does people a disservice.

The guides are useful to the extent that they serve as a checklist and help for making sense of the sometimes confusing directions on the I-129F. (My favorite being the passport photo requirement. I have my NOA2 and I still have no clue what the directions for that actually mean if interpreted literally.) What sorts of things constitute evidence? What sorts of timelines can I expect to see? And the one I found the most useful: what's coming down the pipe? What should I get ready? What do I need to wait on?

The guides are good like a recipe is good; knowing that in forty-five minutes (days) you need to start the potatoes (proof of citizenship) so you'd better start the water boiling (order the birth certificates) now.

That sort of thing.

It's no excuse for wading through the paperwork (says she, who has read about 300 pages of various manuals to answer her questions), but there is something to be said for not reinventing the wheel.

[Irisheyes 0]

The timeline function doesn't allow for people who are adjusting from situations other than K1, K3 or DCF. We have more and more people on here adjusting from VWPs and student/visitor visas for example, they are not included in the options, so maybe thats one reason that people are not using it.....I tried and gave up when I was forced to choose K3 and Armenia as my consulate, even though I am adjusting from J1 and didn't have to go through any consulate!!!! Can we get this fixed please?

Now, excuse me while I figure out how to shrink my baby pictures!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I'd love the ability to kill pics in sigs. I use and post from slower systems and all the pics really make for a slow experience.

Can't you already do that by choosing not to view signatures? That's what I do and I don't have to see any of the extra #######.

I like sigs as in text for timelines. Pics I can do without.

Robert, if you're using Firefox, just go under options and uncheck 'load images'. I use that option while at work and it will definitely speed things up.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Capt. Ewok, the format is top notch compared to other sites (although I did find another site that uses almost the same exact format).

With regard to uploading personal photos - it would be nice to be able to have more bandwith to allow more photos and if there's anyway to streamline the upload process - it's a bit cumbersum (requiring that we have a folder and then all the labelling).

[rebeccajo 14]

We have one person moderating over 30000 members. That's an impossible task.

The regional forums need moderated heavily. People are spending too much time in them. When I first came to VJ there were no regional forums. We got to know members from other cultures and other consulates. The knowledge gained by that free flow of dialougue gave a better understanding of the overall process.

It's my recollection that the regional forums were originally created so people could compare notes with others from their same consulate, which is extremely valuable. IMO nowadays members seem to stay within their own Regional Forum and don't gravitate out much.

I really think this kind of behavior helps create the 'silly question' behavior we are seeing so much of. If someone can't find the answer amongst their compatriots, they just willy-nilly up to their petition forum and ask a question.

All the phases of immigration EXCEPT the actual granting of the visa are non-consulate specific. But I believe the amount of traffic in regionals and OT exceeds the traffic in other areas. Kinda weird, I think.

[doodlebug 3]

I just thought of one!! How about adding a section for travel ? It could have a lot of different things in it such as places for people to post great airfare deals, reviews of different airlines, tips on what to bring to such and such country, handy tips on how to survive long flights, ideas on what countries require visas and all of that. We seem to talk a lot about this stuff in the different regional sections but a lot could apply to everyone and to have it all in one nifty area would be cool.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The regional forums need moderated heavily. People are spending too much time in them. When I first came to VJ there were no regional forums. We got to know members from other cultures and other consulates. The knowledge gained by that free flow of dialougue gave a better understanding of the overall process.

It's my recollection that the regional forums were originally created so people could compare notes with others from their same consulate, which is extremely valuable. IMO nowadays members seem to stay within their own Regional Forum and don't gravitate out much.

I really think this kind of behavior helps create the 'silly question' behavior we are seeing so much of. If someone can't find the answer amongst their compatriots, they just willy-nilly up to their petition forum and ask a question.

All the phases of immigration EXCEPT the actual granting of the visa are non-consulate specific. But I believe the amount of traffic in regionals and OT exceeds the traffic in other areas. Kinda weird, I think.

The regional forums should have never been started. Get rid of them, Ewok.

[Mags 112]

I agree with Rebecca. Moderation would be good. Not the type where the mods are there to offer their infinite wisdom and answer questions, but the type where if flaming starts they can step in and issue a warning, or lock a thread if it continues. A calming measure perhaps.

Two mods per forum.

They could have the ability to lock a thread, move a thread etc, but only in/from their forum. That way, no one would get too "big for their boots" either.

I also agree with the limiting of pics in siggys. Some of them are so big I can't fit the whole picture in my browser window.

[Robor007 0]

As far as the older or more respected members go, I'm a member of another forum (computer related) and there is a post count in the users profile. Same as here the more posts made the higher 'ranked' the member is. However, there's also 'Elite' members who are nominated by other members and then voted on by the moderators who evaluate the nominated members contributions to the forum.

[Robor007 0]

I'd love the ability to kill pics in sigs. I use and post from slower systems and all the pics really make for a slow experience.

Can't you already do that by choosing not to view signatures? That's what I do and I don't have to see any of the extra #######.

I like sigs as in text for timelines. Pics I can do without.

Robert, if you're using Firefox, just go under options and uncheck 'load images'. I use that option while at work and it will definitely speed things up.

That would unload all images though and not just on VJ but everywhere.

It's really not a problem so much with my browser or even with VJ in general. It's just that when I'm using Ubuntu with Beryl and AiXGL it makes Firefox chug when there's a lot of images on the page. I could just run the standard Gnome or even a 'lighter' windows manager but I love the eye candy of Beryl & AiXGL.

[Marilyn. 340]

Have the members "joined" date in a larger font.

I agree, it gets kinda lost down near the bottom when you click on a person's profile. It would be hlpeful to have that right under all the boxes and hearts.

I'm a big fan of limiting pictures in signatures.

I just wanted to point out that the "joined date" is already there and has been there for awhile....