New K1 subforums?

[Alex+R 0]

I, uh, third what Jenn and Laura said. It took me four months to get my NOA1 and I saw lots of VSCers get theirs earlier. And sometimes it evened out (people going through Manila or Casa had much longer waits than we did for an interview) and sometimes it didn't even out at all (visas processed in 3 months total) but in the end, it didn't upset me. The wait was a good test of my patience and some other things, IMO.

The USCIS needs to work harder to standardize their processing and better distribute their workload, but there is something to be said for LETTING GO of what you can't control in life.

[TracyTN 237]

very true. But try to tell me a time when trying to be with your foreign honey wasn't a race....

I've been with my fiance for just over 3 years. For various reasons, it took us a while to get here. The only time I've ever 'compared' myself to others (unless you count the obvious whiny or clingy day/phase here or there!) - where the number of days ticking by actually BUGGED me - has been during the space between NOA1 and NOA2. The only reason I can put that down to is what goes on here. I know, never compare your visa journey to someone elses, and 'let it go' - but that can be incredibly hard to do when its in your face every single day on this board - a place where otherwise I have found cameraderie and support. I felt like I had to give up the friendship and support side of the site to spare my own sanity. But I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Laura does make a salient point - those in FBI namecheck hell probably don't feel any differently (as they watch people get approved past them left, right and center) than us CSCers do compared to VSCers. I can imagine that its nearly the same emotion (with the possible exception that at least you ride that out with your sweetie at your side). I guess it IS all relative.

I think my main idea starting in this thread has morphed into this discussion - which I honestly think is a discussion well worth having.

Edited March 26, 2007 by TracyTN

[J&D_anon 0]

Well, I can speak for myself and say that when Diana and I sat in my bedroom over Thanksgiving break and looked for resources over the web, this site was the most useful by far to help us with the first steps. Later, we found the threads where people of certain months post their progress with the process. Since then, more often than not, I log out of the forums ENVIOUS (NOT RESENTFUL) of those who will be with their loved ones months sooner than I and UPSET WITH THE SYSTEM (not the people who benefited from it)... while having filed months after.

Though I don't think it's fair, I actually can understand different embassies in different countries having different processing times. I cannot understand the radical difference in processing times between two service centers in the same country. I'd like to think that someone in the US:DOH at some point will or has taken note of this and will do something to fix it. Or, at the very least explain to people who file through one service center why they must wait much longer to be with their loved ones because of where they live.

That said, I do not really see how this level of moderation can be brought to the forum without breaking them apart. Nor am I advocating for breaking the forums apart. The solution for me has been simple., avoid VisaJourney. As they say, ignorance is bliss.

Finally, I guess I'm just one of those stubborn people that cannot let go of what I cannot control in life. I'd imagine that the US would be in very bad shape if people just 'let go' because they could not control what was going on in their lives. For that reason, I have written letters regarding this 'issue'. I've received one response and it was very 'canned'.

[Alex+R 0]

...

Finally, I guess I'm just one of those stubborn people that cannot let go of what I cannot control in life. I'd imagine that the US would be in very bad shape if people just 'let go' because they could not control what was going on in their lives. For that reason, I have written letters regarding this 'issue'. I've received one response and it was very 'canned'.

That certainly wasn't what I meant by "let it go." I am definitely not one to advocate not holding the gov't accountable for giving us the services we pay for. However, there are limits to how much we can affect our OWN quality of life in the meantime. Writing a letter, making a call, and voicing your opinion whenever possible are all good ideas but probably won't make the petition be processed faster. After you do what you need to do to take action, IMO it's best to be zen about the process.

[TracyTN 237]

After you do what you need to do to take action, IMO it's best to be zen about the process.

Of course I can't speak for John&Diana, but in my case, I tried - but it was very very hard. At least if I was going to do more than have a cursory glance at VJ. Not coming here at all helped a bit, but by then, Pandora's box had already been opened.

Do you remember VJ being so 'date driven' when you went through the service center, Alex + R?

[featherB 1]

Personally, I think those 'monthly filers' threads are crazy. IMO all it does is promote hysteria and ill-will.

I agree completely! It's particularly crazy when they spring up on the first day of the month... I can understand it a bit if it's an 'are any (whatevermonth) filers still left waiting for approval?' thread, two or three months down the line, but it makes no sense to divide everyone up into 'us' and 'them' groups based on which calendar month they filed in! Those threads are strange. Those and the ones going 'OMG, March VSC filer gets NOA1!!!!!' - I have no idea why people need to start a thread to announce that their petition has been received by the relevant service center!

[featherB 1]

I forgot about the Service Centers forum. Quite honestly, I never really knew what it was meant for! But maybe it does make more sense to use that than creating new forums.

I don't have a problem with people congratulating each other; I think that's half of what makes VJ nice - that we can understand how the people feel and are happy for them.

Maybe me and John&Diana are the only ones who felt that the K1 forum was 'ruined' for us simply because we didn't want to see all the approvals zinging past us while we were/are stuck. But I have had a few other members tell me (via PM) that they found it hard to be here, too, while they waited - for the same reason. Perhaps I'm just the big mouth.

Yeah I know - don't read the forum. Well, if I have filed a K1, I likely can help people who are about to file -- isn't that partially why VJ was established? It just seems a shame that the entire board is ruined for people during the time they might need it the most.

It's even worse (for anyone - not even people who are still waiting on a long-overdue NOA2!) when someone comes along, every now and again, and bumps up every single 'NOA2 received!!!'/'We got our NOA1!!!'/'we mailed off our petition!!!!!' thread (along with the occasional 'Visa denied' or 'my fiancee ran off with another man' thread, just because they don't bother to read before posting the congrats) from the previous week with some copied-and-posted 'congratulations!!!!!' followed by 50 little kicking men. Congratulations are good, of course, particularly when it's someone you've actually interacted with in the past, but it does drive me insane when I see genuine questions going unanswered because of post-whorey people who never post *anything* besides 'congratulations!!! ' bumping up 30 threads in one go and knocking actual questions off the front page! And I can't even imagine how depressing it must be to have to wade through a ton of those in search of questions you might actually be able to help with, if you're still waiting for your NOA2 weeks/months after you should have had it.

Hmm, that was a bit ranty, but... maybe an 'approvals' forum might be a good idea - people could post in there, people still waiting *would* go and check to see if people who filed at around the same time as them were getting approved (and people whose approvals were long overdue could choose not to go in there just to avoid the heartache!), and they could congratulate to their hearts' content! Or failing that... maybe locking those congratulations posts after, say, 24 - 48 hours would at least mean people could still celebrate and get their congrats, then the posts would drop down the forums and leave room for real questions, and hopefully people who (like you until very recently) had been waiting far too long wouldn't want to avoid even looking in the K1 forum altogether?

[TracyTN 237]

Hmm that isn't a bad idea at all about locking the 'we got it!' threads down after an amount of time. But as we've mentioned before, that'd definitely take more moderating. The subforum idea (whether its broken down by service centers or those waiting for approvals) would reduce the need for quite as much moderation - although I'm sure threads would have to be moved there until people got the hang of it.

It'd even be nice if you could 'hide' that subforum if you didn't want to see it pop up with the most recent post. Obviously this wouldn't eliminate all instances of salt in the wounds, but it would help!

[no name 1]

An approvals forum wouldn't have as much drama or effect (for those who post it, they usually want it). It won't work, IMO.

I am less & less on here (if I actually had a job I wouldn't be). I can't stand how NO ONE looks anything up anymore. I cannot spoon feed everyone nor should I be expected to! I would love to offer advice to those after me but like feather said above, who wants to wade thru 3 pages of posts in the AOS forum saying, 'What does my RFE mean?' or What's an I-693a?

Edited March 27, 2007 by devilette

[phila 0]

Hmmm....

I am troubled and sorry. I was a "newbie" in February when I began this whole daunting process. I am one of those 'VSC filers' who speeded through in 2 weeks to get my NOA2, and certainly posted every stressful, and celebratory moments. I have a right to 'worry'- when I compare my progress to other VSC'rs- because it is the context/framework from which I work. I can see how this seems disregarding of CSC'rs, but your context is not mine.

I am only recently coming to understand the HUGE discrepancy between service centers. When I posted, I did not have this understanding. I feel terribly for apparantly 'flaunting' our quick passage.

That being said, I think it would be wrong and devisive to split the threads by service center.

I do indeed support perhaps having an "I got it thread" or "Good News" thread for congrats etc...

Or even finding a way to code postings in the title with a "C" or "T" or "V". That way others don't have to open "V" threads and subject themselves to th disparity in timelines.

This site is invaluable to me, and I'm sorry it's been bittersweet for many. I understand, and hope there is a way we can come to common agreement.

[TracyTN 237]

I am only recently coming to understand the HUGE discrepancy between service centers. When I posted, I did not have this understanding. I feel terribly for apparantly 'flaunting' our quick passage.

That being said, I think it would be wrong and devisive to split the threads by service center.

I do indeed support perhaps having an "I got it thread" or "Good News" thread for congrats etc...

Or even finding a way to code postings in the title with a "C" or "T" or "V". That way others don't have to open "V" threads and subject themselves to th disparity in timelines.

This site is invaluable to me, and I'm sorry it's been bittersweet for many. I understand, and hope there is a way we can come to common agreement.

And for me, that is the 'rub'. I don't want you to feel terrible for getting through quickly, and I don't feel your announcement that you got your NOA2 was 'flaunting'. Like you said, most people (until they've been around VJ a while) don't understand the discrepancy between the two service centers.

Also, 'flaunting', to me, would require some intent on the part of the flaunter - and I know that in your case (and truly MOST VSCers), that is just not true.

Which sort of goes back to what devilette was saying - people don't seem to be able to read anymore. They want the answers NOW please, and don't seem to take the trouble to mill around, get the lay of the land, etc. before they start posting. Perhaps if they did, they'd understand the differences between the two service centers - not to mention how that might make the people behind the screen names FEEL to read their whinge and worry after 2 weeks have passed and no NOA2 (shock horror).

But I realize that is asking a lot from an internet message board.

I just wish there was a way to collect the important data from the timelines to be used as originally intended - without making a certain part of that population feel as if their only option during the wait is to avoid the very place and people that quite likely helped them get this far without jumping off a bridge.

Know what I mean?

[no name 1]

Which sort of goes back to what devilette was saying - people don't seem to be able to read anymore. They want the answers NOW please, and don't seem to take the trouble to mill around, get the lay of the land, etc. before they start posting. Perhaps if they did, they'd understand the differences between the two service centers - not to mention how that might make the people behind the screen names FEEL to read their whinge and worry after 2 weeks have passed and no NOA2 (shock horror).

I still think newbies shouldn't be allowed to post until a week after they join VJ. Would def. make them read more!

[ChasUK 0]

........I have to say that if were a moderator here as I once was, I would look to be very active in trimming content in that area of the site and removing posts that were not necessary to good 'debate'. I hate that kind of moderation, but I think it's necessary at the outset to get it back under control.....

Let's not forget. Trimming is not the only tool that a mod has at their fingertips. Threads can be moved. Threads can be merged. Threads can be linked to, redirecting the new thread to the original and can then be closed. This still acts as "pruning" to the forums but no active or important content is lost, just kept tidy.

Hmm that isn't a bad idea at all about locking the 'we got it!' threads down after an amount of time. But as we've mentioned before, that'd definitely take more moderating. The subforum idea (whether its broken down by service centers or those waiting for approvals) would reduce the need for quite as much moderation - although I'm sure threads would have to be moved there until people got the hang of it.

Either way it points to the same thing. This site needs more active mods to keep it sane and friendly. I'm sure there would be plenty of hands go in the air should the question, "Who wants to be a mod" got asked. It would be nice if it was.

Hmmm....

I am troubled and sorry. I was a "newbie" in February when I began this whole daunting process. I am one of those 'VSC filers' who speeded through in 2 weeks to get my NOA2, and certainly posted every stressful, and celebratory moments. I have a right to 'worry'- when I compare my progress to other VSC'rs- because it is the context/framework from which I work. I can see how this seems disregarding of CSC'rs, but your context is not mine......

No need to apologise. As already stated by others. no-one wants to hush you up. You have the right to post what you did. The simple point of the matter is unless you are one of those people who waited 128 days to get your NOA2 then you could not imagine the grief that comes with seeing the VSC filers complain about their looooong waits. All we are trying to see done here is a way for the people not within your context, of continuing to visit VJ without feeling so much grief.

It was something awful to console my Tracy after she had been on the site and seen such posts. And I didn't feel so good about that either.

I still think newbies shouldn't be allowed to post until a week after they join VJ. Would def. make them read more!

What an excellent idea. Of course we know this will never happen. Too many "freedom of speech" type shouts would go up. But let's face it, if noobs, (forgive the term), did, in fact, spend that 1st week reading all that was relevant to their case then the questions asked on the forum would become more interesting as a whole and less moderation would be required. At the moment the exact opposite scenario exists. Too many silly questions that could be answered by reading and searching with not enough moderation to bring it all together.

[We_Destiny 1]

Being a CSC filer and very envious of VSC filers. I have found this one of the most interesting threads on the board, and I wanted to share my opinion and help come to a solution. Knowing that we likely can't control the Service Centers and the processing times. I consider myself new to the VJ family and very new to the visa process. I have a love hate relationship (each day is different) with various threads and or post on the boards. Sometimes a simple idea can solve a complex problem. I hope not to get bashed for my suggestion regarding this issue.

But, as a suggestion would it be possible to trim VJers signature line to not include IMO all of the information that people obsesse over. Or maybe, including the how we met, officially began dating, leaving for two weeks with SO information. I think though kinda corny it personalizes our various, indivisual and unique situations and draws others to find apsects to identify with. However, our signature does not have to be a timeline; our signatures can list all the personal info and stop and only state the date of NOA1 date received.

The link to the timeline probally exists for the option of digging furthur, if one chooses to to dig into antheers journey ( with regards to specific dates of RFE's or various approvals. The timeline is where the specific dates should go.

IMO, the VJ experience becomes a race as you continually read, read, read and re-read the signature lines.

I am not sure if this is a useful and or practical solution for the VSC vs CSC situation.

Edited March 27, 2007 by We_Destiny

[jlvr 1]

Wow. I'm with phila. I filed at VSC and was relatively new here when I filed and began posting. When it got to the point in a regular thread that I saw a lot of CSC filers getting upset and annoyed it bothered me that we seemed to be flaunting. That's why I created a different thread specifically for VSC and February.

I know you guys go crazy when we obsess about two weeks, but it's helpful to us to gauge what's happening overall. We can't do that with the general K1 population because of the process time differences so we can only do it with other VSC filers. For those of us that filed in February, that part of the process is over and now we have very different timeframes ahead as we deal with embassies. But it's still helpful for us to continuing to gauge each other's progress and ###### to each other about holdups.

I thought that in addition to gathering information, part of the purpose of VJ was to celebrate each other's progress and suffer through each other's disappointments. I'm sorry if that's not, but it has certainly been helpful to be able to come here and do both with people that are experiencing the same thing. I can speak in general terms about the process to people in my life, but they're not going to know why I'm stressed that my case hasn't been touched and I'm concerned that I may get an RFE because I might have left something out of the I-129 or the G-325A. Not to mention figuring out when I need to sign the DS230(Part I and Part II) and if I need the I-864 or just the I-134 and how long it will take to get the No-Impediment and don't forget to fill out the DS156, DS156K and DS157. And oh yeah, the DS156 can only be filled in online. I couldn't have done this with my hair intact without VJ.

Sorry, I rambled. Anyway. Maybe there should be a specific "Announcements" forum or something so that good news is not flaunted in the face of those that are still waiting. But I don't think anyone would go there and then there would be no supportive encouragement from fellow filers.

I don't know.