pl. contact your congressman to complain about the slow processing times

[NealandCari 0]

I just find it interesting how you can get a fiance visa to the UK in one day (in person) or one to two weeks (by mail). I wish it was that way here. Granted, you pay a lot more...

[reach449 2]

I respectfully disagree.

I frame the unfairness, however, with a bit more detail. I think the wait times are unfair to US Citizens because they are so drastically different depending on in which state of the Union a citizen lives. That's not only uncool, but, potentially illegal (though for a whole, long, stupid judicial reason - based solely on case law creativity, is probably an unwinable case). The whole benefit of having united States (capitalization not a typo) is guaranteed rights to the citizens of the several states. When VT filers enjoy basically expedited service and CA/TX/NE filers enjoy longer delays, that's unfair.

We may not have a right to have anything processed in x number of days, but we do have a right to have all our petitions processed in a similar number of days.

(That's one easy way to highlight fundamental unfairness - but I'm not entirely sure I'm willing to waive away a right to feel like the process, even in VT, isn't unfair to US Citizens as well.)

WELL SAID DAISY!

reach449

Edited April 5, 2007 by reach449

[roverdriver 0]

The whole benefit of having united States (capitalization not a typo) is guaranteed rights to the citizens of the several states. When VT filers enjoy basically expedited service and CA/TX/NE filers enjoy longer delays, that's unfair.

I rang my Finacee yesterday to tell her I'd just left the post office from mailing the I-129F and mentioned to her the shorter wait times in VT. Her reply was, "Well, of course, no one wants to live in that god forsaken place." LOL But even though I used to live in VT, and love VT, I love her more. Edited April 5, 2007 by roverdriver

[Jim&Gemz 0]

What would the point of complaining be? Unless they have the funding to open another service center or hire more people, it's not going to happen. USCIS processing times are MUCH faster these days than they were in the past and generally speaking the delay is at the consulate end. (Imagine if you had to wait six months for a spousal visa petition and then 12 months for an interview date in Ciudad Juarez where the backlog is that long)!

You're right. Which is why raising awareness for funding is important. Of course, it's important to remember that USCIS is a self-funding agency - which means it spends what it brings in on its petition fees. That's where we get back into the whole debate about raising fees. There's always the argument that USCIS should get funding from additional soures - which is something anyone is free to bring up with his/her representative.

But everything you cite as being a reason why complaining is pointless is a reason why it's important to call and voice your concerns.

If I personally felt the wait times were "so unfair to the US citizens that we have to wait this long for the processing time" perhaps I would call. I know that the priviledge of being able to file in the first place does not guarantee a fast process. I got caught in IMBRA so my I-129F took 5+ months instead of the average 90 days. I did get my senator involved - because at first, no information was provided to filers and once it was, petitions were approved completely out of order. I thought THAT was a valid reason to voice my concern. But I don't believe a few months wait is any reason whatsoever to involve my elected official. I pick and choose my battles carefully and I definitely don't agree that wait times are unfair to USCitizens. It's all about perspective (and patience).

I respectfully disagree.

I frame the unfairness, however, with a bit more detail. I think the wait times are unfair to US Citizens because they are so drastically different depending on in which state of the Union a citizen lives. That's not only uncool, but, potentially illegal (though for a whole, long, stupid judicial reason - based solely on case law creativity, is probably an unwinable case). The whole benefit of having united States (capitalization not a typo) is guaranteed rights to the citizens of the several states. When VT filers enjoy basically expedited service and CA/TX/NE filers enjoy longer delays, that's unfair.

We may not have a right to have anything processed in x number of days, but we do have a right to have all our petitions processed in a similar number of days.

(That's one easy way to highlight fundamental unfairness - but I'm not entirely sure I'm willing to waive away a right to feel like the process, even in VT, isn't unfair to US Citizens as well.)

Well, in the IMBRA forum here someone posted the ruling by a judge recently in a case filed to strike down IMBRA, that it is not a constitutional right to have a foreign spouse or fiance(e) be granted entry based on that status. Additional laws have been written over time that allow for it, but it's not guarranteed right as a US citizen.

I agree that it isn't fair that once center has such a short processing time over the other. I'm not sure why it wasn't split with the Mississippi like so many other things are here. All petitions from states east of ole Miss, go to VSC and all petitions from states west go to CSC. Maybe it's too logical? I brought that up before in a thread on this same topic and someone brought up the possibility that CSC is much larger and able to handle a bigger case load. Well if that's how they based their decision then they were wrong if they didn't increase staff to handle the influx of petitions at CSC.

Also you can sense the US goverments whole attitude of the immigration process in one concept they have stated needs to get accomplished. USCIS must become self sufficient in their costs starting fiscal year 2008. There isn't a whole lot of concern on capital hill about the K-1, K-3 petitioners. There are bigger immigration issues in their minds, to get resolved.

[Melyssa 0]

The whole benefit of having united States (capitalization not a typo) is guaranteed rights to the citizens of the several states. When VT filers enjoy basically expedited service and CA/TX/NE filers enjoy longer delays, that's unfair.

I rang my Finacee yesterday to tell her I'd just left the post office from mailing the I-129F and mentioned to her the shorter wait times in VT. Her reply was, "Well, of course, no one wants to live in that god forsaken place." LOL But even though I used to live in VT, and love VT, I love her more.

Vermont doesn't only process for Vermont though. It also processes for NYC, so I was actually surprised to find out it was the fastest!

[LvivLovers 39]

I thought about this too. Personally, I think for the quickest results to this problem, they should without warning take all the families of every congressperson and send them overseas. In order for them to get back, they must go through the same process that we all go through. No shortcuts....no preferential treatments. Believe me, there would be some changes if this were the case.

Also, some simple re-design of this process could speed things up drastically. For example, you should be able to gather up all your documents, fill out 1 form for your particular situation, and send in 1 check covering everything. None of this back and forth mailing which wastes time. There is no reason for that. You should have to put your information in only once. They should then enter this information into a computer (or better yet have you enter it over the Internet). Then if they need copies or multiple agencies need to look at it, it's right there. Original documents should only be necessary at the time of the interview. They should be able to process people on the same day as long as all the documentation is there. And it should be the same documentation for every country or at least they should have a central place with instructions for every country showing exactly what you need. If there was any ability for companies to compete against the government, they would be out of business so fast it wouldn't even be funny. It's just sad.

[meauxna 15]

What i wonder is how someone like the stars can get a baby picked out, plan to leave and have the visa in a couple of days

How do you know they only spent a couple of days setting that up? Because you only read about it in the paper days before it happened? C'mon, that's hardly a fair comparison, since you do not know what went on before it was in the Star.

We may not have a right to have anything processed in x number of days, but we do have a right to have all our petitions processed in a similar number of days.

We do? A Right?

ummmm....

[Yodrak 7]

meauxna,

Well, maybe a right to have the petitions processed in the number of days it takes to meet all the requirements of the law for approving or denying a petition. Which, depending on the particulars of each pair of petitioner and beneficiary, may very well not take a similar number of days for each petition.

Yodrak

We may not have a right to have anything processed in x number of days, but we do have a right to have all our petitions processed in a similar number of days.

We do? A Right?

ummmm....

[TimsDaisy 0]

In a broad sense, yes, under the federal government guarantee of equal protection under the law (now that's a VAST simplification). But as an American, I should have the same access to governmental services as any other American. If one group of Americans is receiving far better treatment from the government (be it speed of action or whatever), that's unfair and it could be a violation of some of our rights.

We don't have a right to a specific number of days of processing. We DO have a right to be treated similarly under the law - or at least not disparately to the point of ridiculousness (20 days vs. 120 days is goofy) - as any other American. Geography should not be determinative in this process. If it is, whether by design or by end-result, something in the system needs attention.

[Ano 0]

Having been working on this K1 processes for a few months now, I have sometimes wondered; what are the numbers and percentages of legal immigrants versus illegal immigrants annually, and what percentage of legal immigrants are K visas?

Anyone know these numbers?

[roverdriver 0]

The whole benefit of having united States (capitalization not a typo) is guaranteed rights to the citizens of the several states. When VT filers enjoy basically expedited service and CA/TX/NE filers enjoy longer delays, that's unfair.

I rang my Finacee yesterday to tell her I'd just left the post office from mailing the I-129F and mentioned to her the shorter wait times in VT. Her reply was, "Well, of course, no one wants to live in that god forsaken place." LOL But even though I used to live in VT, and love VT, I love her more.

Vermont doesn't only process for Vermont though. It also processes for NYC, so I was actually surprised to find out it was the fastest!

Yeah, she knows that. She just likes taking the piss out of me because she knows I love VT. Edited April 6, 2007 by roverdriver

[trueimage 0]

What would the point of complaining be? Unless they have the funding to open another service center or hire more people, it's not going to happen. USCIS processing times are MUCH faster these days than they were in the past and generally speaking the delay is at the consulate end. (Imagine if you had to wait six months for a spousal visa petition and then 12 months for an interview date in Ciudad Juarez where the backlog is that long)!

Are you serious?? Another 12 months on top of the long wait for NOA2?? sigh....I'm so discouraged.....

[GabachaYucateca 0]

vismaster...what kitkat said refered to a spouse visa, not a fiance. Once the K1 is approved, the rest is quite quick.

[trueimage 0]

vismaster...what kitkat said refered to a spouse visa, not a fiance. Once the K1 is approved, the rest is quite quick.

sigh....Thanks! I have been stressing ever since I read that. This whole process is stressful actually. It's not just the wait.....it's the wondering and the what-if and the fear of RFE's. Fear of the unknown I guess. I read all of these posts and sometimes I'm more nervous foafterward! LOL Just jitters I guess.

[randolady 1]

I'm sure everyone wants to reap the benefits of having less wait times. Lets do it!

Yes, everyone would like to reap the benefits of a faster process but it's not as if there is a simple solution. They need to open new service centers or hire new staff and that requires money and approval to hire more people. Again, wait times used to be double and triple what they are now. Last year at this time, there was a complete standstill and people waited 5-6 months for I-129F approval. Complaining to your congressman will get it off your chest, but won't have any impact. They are focused on much, much bigger immigration issues that affect many, many more people.

Yeah, I don't think the current wait times are too too bad. The thing that I gripe most about (the difference between I-129F processing times depending on where you live) seems to have an easy solution: send NSC or TSC petitions to Vermont! I think evening out processing times would make a lot of people less grumpy.

Contacting your congressman may not have any impact, but if they don't know how you're affected by their systems, how are they supposed to serve you? All these laws and regulations they put into effect are just numbers and abstract concepts to them. Our stories might shed light on how their decisions affect their constituents.

In any case, absence makes the heart grow fonder.