Texas Service Center

[Canuck16 4]

Keep your head up my love! One day this will be all be memories to us it'll all be worth it!

Aww thanks I am trying And that is very true - my guy is so worth it. I guess I need to focus more on that.

[Canuck16 4]

As a September filer, I am hopeful for April and praying that it isn't later than that, which it very well could be. Sorry Jabl2rom, but March is a bit optimistic it seems. Granted, I hope to hell you're correct, but I'm not planning on it at this point.

As for my document at the white house, we had a contact who is supposed to help get it into the right hands, but we haven't heard back from them yet. Gonna ping them either today or tomorrow to see what is happening. In addition, I managed to get in a question about the processing times imbalance to the USCIS director yesterday during the conference call, amazingly enough. I followed up by sending the entire white house packet to their public relations email address afterwards. Point being that we're doing all we can and then some to raise awareness of the issue and affect change. We'll see what happens...

This is great! I would like to read your letter

[Limey 551]

Ohh, that was you? I thought you did great! Sadly, my initial impression of the director was that I', not 100% positive that he *really* was listening---it sounded like he was a little quick to go right to "we're looking at our staffing needs" and to me it feels like all he heard at first was "womp womp womp processing time womp womp womp". Especially because USCIS is SO huge with SO many service centers and field offices, how would he even understand one form for a relatively obscure type of visa etc etc....my first impression was that he just got the idea of what you were saying and replied "yes, everything is slow, sorry, NEXT".

However, good news: I thought about it more and replayed it a bit in my memory and I wonder if part of the reason he was so quick to agree was because if they really ARE monitoring on a daily basis as he claims, then they are already well aware of the problem and the moment you said I-129f....he knew what was up. THAT would be a great sign and maybe an indication that something is happening. Here's hoping it's my second impression!

I'm an August filer, they have only just started a trickle of those, so I might well still be waiting well into March.

I appreciate all the efforts being made here, but I think we have to bear in mind that this guy who is head of USCIS is a civil servant. He gets paid whatever the backlog is at Texas. If he was that bothered about doing his job well you wouldn't have the situation that we see today with the mismatch between the two service centers - its been like that for months, this isn't a new problem. I've dealt with a lot of civil servants over the years, and it isn't like working for a private company - there is no competition. What do you do if Texas is slow? Take your visa application somewhere else? You can't. These civil servants know that, and its a different culture to the real world where we have customers and competition. They are just interested in an easy life, the size of their pensions and getting out of the office at 5pm. Trust me, these things are much more important to him than a 7 month wait for our K1 visas.

I don't mean to belittle the efforts of anyone here - I really appreciate them, and its better to do something than nothing. I just don't want anyone to get their hopes up unrealistically.

[Wooderz 314]

This is great! I would like to read your letter

The letter can be found at the tumblr site in my signature

[Garcial130 0]

I am a September filer who received NOA2 Feb 5

Edited February 26, 2015 by Garcial130

[av8or1 246]

Ohh, that was you? I thought you did great! Sadly, my initial impression of the director was that I', not 100% positive that he *really* was listening---it sounded like he was a little quick to go right to "we're looking at our staffing needs" and to me it feels like all he heard at first was "womp womp womp processing time womp womp womp". Especially because USCIS is SO huge with SO many service centers and field offices, how would he even understand one form for a relatively obscure type of visa etc etc....my first impression was that he just got the idea of what you were saying and replied "yes, everything is slow, sorry, NEXT".

However, good news: I thought about it more and replayed it a bit in my memory and I wonder if part of the reason he was so quick to agree was because if they really ARE monitoring on a daily basis as he claims, then they are already well aware of the problem and the moment you said I-129f....he knew what was up. THAT would be a great sign and maybe an indication that something is happening. Here's hoping it's my second impression!

Yes, I can understand both impressions. I had the same initial impression but he did thank me for the detail in the data that I provided during my statement. I seem to recall him mentioning that he was not aware of the time imbalance, but I could be incorrect; don't remember now. Of course, as I mentioned he did give a rather generic political reply in the end, at least in part. However, seeing as how everything else in that entire conference call was in regard to the H4 or I-90 business, we did good just to make our voice heard. Who knows what will come of it, but I sure as hell followed up with more detailed information (ergo the White House packet) in a subsequent email to the public relations address that was given during the conference. I made a point of stating that I was the person who posed the question regarding the processing time imbalance for the I-129F and that I was supplying more detailed information for his/their consideration. I concluded by stating that I would be glad to answer any questions they might have. (doubtful that they'd have any, I realize, but hey, I got it out there...)

[av8or1 246]

Limey-

Yeah, no unrealistic expectations here; we all know the likelihood of success in these efforts isn't high. But we also know that not doing anything won't help either, and I for one just feel better by being proactive about the situation. That's all.

Edited February 26, 2015 by av8or1

[Limey 551]

Limey-

Yeah, no unrealistic expectations here; we all know the likelihood of success in these efforts isn't high. But we also know that not doing anything won't help either, and I for one just feel better by being proactive about the situation. That's all.

Yes, I certainly wasn't criticizing anyone for giving it a go - I really appreciate the efforts made on behalf of us and those that are further back in the queue, and it can't possibly hurt to keep pushing.

[Pennycat 880]

I'm an August filer, they have only just started a trickle of those, so I might well still be waiting well into March.

I appreciate all the efforts being made here, but I think we have to bear in mind that this guy who is head of USCIS is a civil servant. He gets paid whatever the backlog is at Texas. If he was that bothered about doing his job well you wouldn't have the situation that we see today with the mismatch between the two service centers - its been like that for months, this isn't a new problem. I've dealt with a lot of civil servants over the years, and it isn't like working for a private company - there is no competition. What do you do if Texas is slow? Take your visa application somewhere else? You can't. These civil servants know that, and its a different culture to the real world where we have customers and competition. They are just interested in an easy life, the size of their pensions and getting out of the office at 5pm. Trust me, these things are much more important to him than a 7 month wait for our K1 visas.

I don't mean to belittle the efforts of anyone here - I really appreciate them, and its better to do something than nothing. I just don't want anyone to get their hopes up unrealistically.

I've worked both as a "civil servant" or as a private contractor (through a major multinational consulting firm) to various executive branch agencies. While some of the problems you have pointed out are applicable to some problem employees, it is not really all. The biggest problem is that these agencies are SO huge and are constantly having new projects and programs introduced, organizational structure moved around, *frequently* changing priorities based on who the president is, who's in congress, how the two of them are getting along that week and whatever hot new urgent issue recently made the news. And then the trouble is that it's so huge, it's like trying to turn the Titanic. You can't just shift priorities and add new programs and change policies on a dime, even though it really seems like it's possible, and even if the new programs and policies are a good idea.

Anyway, the director is relatively new so he gets a little slack there, from me at least, and remember.....while this is the biggest function of USCIS to US....we are a relatively small number of people going through a relatively obscure process. Think about what he's had thrown at him....I'd be impressed if he knows off the top of his head what an I-129f is (and actually, based on the conversation it sounds like he does). The top guys like this guy DO do a lot of work and they do have a high stake in it. They want to keep moving up and up and up and maybe run for office themselves one day, or get assigned a plush ambassadorship.

Not to say that this means that he WILL do something.....just that he's not in a position or sounds like the kind of person who wants to and is able to just show up for the paycheck.

[Pishi_Pishi 63]

I know someone in California got approved in 10 days! I'm happy for them, but for those who wait it really sucks!!!!!

[TondaFranklin123 0]

September filer, nothing yet, happy that its getting closer

[CheekyMonkeys154 27]

I am an August filer with TSC and I'm hoping to hear something any day now. It is a hard process waiting I know. Keep your head up. I am just hoping that if they were going to RFE they would have done it by now. I am hoping for no delays. Good luck ?

[stef_curls 42]

I am a September filer who received NOA2 Feb 5

Just to be sure here, you are sure you were at texas service center? It seems so since the petitioner is in ny. Did you do anything , contact anyone regarding your case? Any reason to be expedited?

I saw another DR approval that was only 2 months in a few weeks ago, can't remember who for the life of me, but they claimed no expedites.. it's intriguing

[mariadulse 4]

Would someone help me understand how it works. Someone who filed by the end of September got NOA2 and someone from August didn't get it. Is there any order that they follow?

[CheekyMonkeys154 27]

Would someone help me understand how it works. Someone who filed by the end of September got NOA2 and someone from August didn't get it. Is there any order that they follow?

It depends really on luck, where the case is, what country etc... Etc... They do go in date order but there are also other factors and each case is different and no way to know really