ALL Nebraska I-130 Filers - 2

[Sundee 270]

23 minutes ago, Dianalorena said:

I am really curious, as someone that has worked in a job with metrics/deadlines... WHAT is Nebraska doing? Isn't it a red flag that they've fallen behind other centers significantly? Wouldn't it be a concern that they're taking twice as long and certain measures should be implemented? My mom says ''No because they just don't care'' and even though it is a very simplistic answer, the more time that passes, the more I talk to you guys and hear the horror stories, the more I'm sure it must be true.

I understand they are not exactly thrilled about having millions of applications every year, all immigrants trying to start their lives in the US, to reunite with their loved ones. 

But we didn't create the system, we didn't stipulate the rules.

sure, throughout the years a lot of people have abused the system which results in stricter laws and a more complex process. But wouldn't you want to make the process more accessible, less long and less of a torment so people would want to do it? Tell me, how spending up to a year and a half or even more away from your husband or wife is the choice you want to make, instead of marrying and adjusting inside with him or her?  Sure,  people get confrontational and say ''it is because there are proper VISAS to do that and adjusting inside is fraud'' so we do the CR1/R1 instead.

The thought of spending up to a year and a half in the process and in just two years remove conditions is absolutely insane. The fact that you're surviving it this long should be proof enough, dammit. If they continue to be this slow, I'm going to be almost reaching the two-year mark before I'm even in the United States. 

I attended Teleconference with CIS Osbudsman Organization today and I emailed my complaints to them as I addressed in my call...

Anyone wishing to see what I emailed, I will gladly show you.

[Sundee 270]

1 minute ago, EDurevic said:

I am honestly thinking the same What Is NEBRASKA doing when it takes them 10months or more to approve application? Are there any dealines? My friend that came to US took them the entire process 9 months. But here I am 7 months not even NO2 and only god knows when it will be approved. What kind of priority do we have as USC when it comes to this?!?!? Nothing absolutely nothing. I am not sure if anyone traveled as a USC to Europe or anywhere else, but as soon as they see us with US passport they treat us like we r on the red carpet. Where ever I went to get my papers done or translate as soon as they know that I am a USC I am the first in line. In January when I was in my husbands country the snow was big, it was super cold. I went to the US embassy. The line was longgg but as soon as they saw that I am USC they let me in. Here we are calling them, writing emails, asking for the HELP and nobody gives two flying fs. I dont think that they understand this pain, this stress, this frustration and checking the case number everyday atleast 2-3 times. When all you do see is Case was recvd. They get paid the same if the just sit there and not lift their finger or if they work on 1 case. Yes your mom is right “they dont care”. Because they dont have to go through this, they dont have to support their loved one in a poor country. Or even wake up alone. But we all do. This is stressful, not only that is stressful on us but even our loved ones. My poor husband keeps thinking that we will be together for New Years here in US. I keep saying we can but def not here in US. So far I spend over 5k just in airplaine tickets twice this year to go see him. I am pretty sure other ppl spent alot of money just visiting their loved one. And lets not talk about other expenses. 

Yes, all this is painful and this is why I've taken the stand to show and tell and voice my complaints/our complaints through the proper channels.. We can complain all we want here but I have taken it a step farther and will continue to be the voice for all of us who suffer by being in Nebraska Service Center..

[acidrain 325]

Thank you Sundee and to everyone who is working hard to try to get NSC moving. I have emailed both addresses I've posted. I tried to create a service request to say my case is outside processing times but it would not let me. I have mailed a letter to one of the state Senators. I think all we can collectively try to do is get as many people on board in hopes we will be heard. It is easier to ignore just a few emails than it is to ignore a bunch of angry people.

 

The situation with Nebraska is exceptionally unique in that I cannot find one comparison to when a i130 took on average > than 9 months. In cases such as this, cases would've been transferred a long time ago. If everyone went through the same processing time than it would be fair. But there is something deeply flawed when you have people in Potomac getting approved at 5 months and people in Nebraska at 10 months. Almost half a year longer to be separated from a spouse/children is difficult but for people such as myself the extra time is expensive.

 

I doubt they will consider my peanut gallery opinion but they should do a better job at dividing up caseloads. There are some couples I see who filed abroad but are still together abroad. It's my opinion but couples who are separated should be at the front of the line. People with minor children should be at the front of the line. If people are adjusting status from inside the US and are not separated they should be in the back of the line. They are not at risk of deportation. But yet if you adjust status the whole thing can take as little as 6 months.

 

I know not everyone is comfortable being confrontational or emailing USCIS. But the more people complain the more likely they will do something about it.

Edited September 29, 2017 by acidrain

[Dianalorena 1,153]

34 minutes ago, EDurevic said:

I am honestly thinking the same What Is NEBRASKA doing when it takes them 10months or more to approve application? Are there any dealines? My friend that came to US took them the entire process 9 months. But here I am 7 months not even NO2 and only god knows when it will be approved. What kind of priority do we have as USC when it comes to this?!?!? Nothing absolutely nothing. I am not sure if anyone traveled as a USC to Europe or anywhere else, but as soon as they see us with US passport they treat us like we r on the red carpet. Where ever I went to get my papers done or translate as soon as they know that I am a USC I am the first in line. In January when I was in my husbands country the snow was big, it was super cold. I went to the US embassy. The line was longgg but as soon as they saw that I am USC they let me in. Here we are calling them, writing emails, asking for the HELP and nobody gives two flying fs. I dont think that they understand this pain, this stress, this frustration and checking the case number everyday atleast 2-3 times. When all you do see is Case was recvd. They get paid the same if the just sit there and not lift their finger or if they work on 1 case. Yes your mom is right “they dont care”. Because they dont have to go through this, they dont have to support their loved one in a poor country. Or even wake up alone. But we all do. This is stressful, not only that is stressful on us but even our loved ones. My poor husband keeps thinking that we will be together for New Years here in US. I keep saying we can but def not here in US. So far I spend over 5k just in airplaine tickets twice this year to go see him. I am pretty sure other ppl spent alot of money just visiting their loved one. And lets not talk about other expenses. 

 

one of my aunts married and adjusted inside the US, and she had the nerve to ask me ''why mine was taking so long'' and mentioning things that aren't part of my process. She really didn't know you ''could adjust outside the US'' and I felt like punching her. This process is so stressful and it's so crazy that this is the wait US citizens have to go through. This doesn't seem like you or my husband are treated as a priority. It is indeed a painful thought, how it's taking us up to 10 months just to go through the first stage. It is honestly draining me both emotionally and physically, oh and the cost of it! like you mentioned, just flying to see each other and I can't visit him in the United States, so it is either Mexico or another country. I asked my husband if we could spend our first anniversary together, not much to celebrate since out of a year we will have seen each other no more than a couple of months in total. 

And I agree, since it is not them going through the process it certainly is easier. Kind of like how doctors have to be emotionally detached when a patient dies. Maybe at first they worried about us but they receive so many petitions I'm sure we are just a lot of paper on their desks that they push aside when they leave for a cigarette break, we're not really people. I am so sorry we're stuck in this, at least I found you guys and that makes it slightly better 

 

[Dianalorena 1,153]

11 minutes ago, acidrain said:

The situation with Nebraska is exceptionally unique in that I cannot find one comparison to when a i130 took on average > than 9 months. In cases such as this, cases would've been transferred a long time ago. If everyone went through the same processing time than it would be fair. But there is something deeply flawed when you have people in Potomac getting approved at 5 months and people in Nebraska at 10 months. Almost half a year longer to be separated from a spouse/children is difficult but for people such as myself the extra time is expensive.

 

I doubt they will consider my peanut gallery opinion but they should do a better job at dividing up caseloads. There are some couples I see who filed abroad but are still together abroad. It's my opinion but couples who are separated should be at the front of the line. People with minor children should be at the front of the line. If people are adjusting status from inside the US and are not separated they should be in the back of the line. They are not at risk of deportation. But yet if you adjust status the whole thing can take as little as 6 months.

 

I know not everyone is comfortable being confrontational or emailing USCIS. But the more people complain the more likely they will do something about it.

2

It really makes no sense in my opinion. They've transferred cases before, they knew about the backlog because they are the ones that controlled the fee increase. They willingly took cases from other service centers. It continues to be painful for me to stay in the forums when I see people being approved in 5 months like you said, while we continue to wait. I can only imagine the cost of running two households, my husband and I don't have kids and I'm currently back with my parents, trying to stay afloat as much as I can. 

 

It would certainly be fair that way, but not even that, my only request would be to ''even out'' the time you wait so we're all done in pretty much the same time, which is their intention. If it is taking them 10 months just to review our cases it is certainly their fault, and we should have the ability to expedite the NVC stage and assist an interview as early as possible. Maybe the couples together-apart and family issue is a bit more complex since it really comes down to the emotional aspect of it, and they sort of have an expedite for extreme reasons, but at least they should push those adjusting from the inside to the back of the line just like you said. They really are in no rush since they are already with their spouses. And for the love of God, why are so many of us in the wrong jurisdictions to begin with?  

 

A lot of people are scared about contacting USCIS for the fear of retaliation. It is, unfortunately, a possibility. No one wants to think of a government department as vindictive or petty, but there have been cases of people being further delayed for ''complaining'' we are currently doing the best we can, we've called a few times and we're waiting to see if my husband's congressman replies. I'm preparing my e-mails to send them to the info you provided, as well as USCIS Nebraska and HQ. I want to have everything ready to escalate as months continue to go by. It might not do anything, but I'm not going down without a fight. 

[Dianalorena 1,153]

40 minutes ago, EDurevic said:

This wait reminds me of prisoners that are on  death row. They never know when they will be going, here we are just waiting. If atleast when they send us those NO1 gave us a deadline even if its 10 months from the first NO1 atleast we would know what to expect but no. Just sit there, go crazy and wait!!!!

Funnily enough, many death row prisoners DO have a deadline (no pun intended)

they have knowledge of the day they are going to be executed. 

But I agree, we started the process like many of you, thinking it would take us 10-12 months at most. Now as it continues to slow down, it's looking more like 14-18. If we are lucky.

[Sundee 270]

50 minutes ago, EDurevic said:

This wait reminds me of prisoners that are on  death row. They never know when they will be going, here we are just waiting. If atleast when they send us those NO1 gave us a deadline even if its 10 months from the first NO1 atleast we would know what to expect but no. Just sit there, go crazy and wait!!!!

Yes waiting is the hardest part. We all could handle it better if told how long the process will take but sitting and every day dealing with the unknown really has taken its toll on ones mind, let alone the stress attacking areas making us sick but not feeling it yet

[acidrain 325]

@Dianalorena

This is just speculation but I have to wonder if the increase in time at Nebraska has something to do with California not taking regular i130's anymore. California used to be pretty quick and would expedite i130's from abroad. I think CSC only does i130's that are spouse's of L2's or something specific now. So now instead of 5 processing centers USCIS is down to 4. Something drastic had to have happened for the service centers to have such an uneven distribution of work. Potomac, Vermont and Texas are all 2-3 months ahead of Nebraska so obviously to get so lop sided something had to have happened. I have honestly never seen a processing center take more than 9 months on average.

 

In your case what makes it so difficult is you realistically cannot visit your spouse regularly. This often gets overlooked as a hardship. Unless someone is in such dire straights with their circumstances an expedite is useless. I was shocked to hear of a story where the USC spouse was dying of cancer and the quickest they could get the green card through was 4 months.

 

I can only assume they put this work program in place to give Americans jobs. Because back when I applied in 2010 I did so at a Consulate which was a 4 hour drive from my house. It was approved and the NVC was all completed in TWO MONTHS. Imagine that. Then some bonehead got this idea to have a lock box and set up these processing centers. So far the process has taken more than 4 times longer and the service level sucks! I can't believe how rude these people who likely get paid a good salary and benefits are! I preferred the DCF process because they would tell you right on the spot whether they would approve your application. That's government for you!

 

I understand why people won't contact USCIS. I sat on the sidelines myself until this past week when I realized it's almost 8 months and they are barely out of Dec. At this point I do not think anybody is being unreasonable by asking what is going on. I explained in my letter this process is going to deplete our savings and further put a strain on my marriage. I'm going to continue to contact as many people as I can. I have no idea if it will help but observing actions in the past things would start moving when people started to say something.

[Sundee 270]

38 minutes ago, acidrain said:

Thank you Sundee and to everyone who is working hard to try to get NSC moving. I have emailed both addresses I've posted. I tried to create a service request to say my case is outside processing times but it would not let me. I have mailed a letter to one of the state Senators. I think all we can collectively try to do is get as many people on board in hopes we will be heard. It is easier to ignore just a few emails than it is to ignore a bunch of angry people.

 

The situation with Nebraska is exceptionally unique in that I cannot find one comparison to when a i130 took on average > than 9 months. In cases such as this, cases would've been transferred a long time ago. If everyone went through the same processing time than it would be fair. But there is something deeply flawed when you have people in Potomac getting approved at 5 months and people in Nebraska at 10 months. Almost half a year longer to be separated from a spouse/children is difficult but for people such as myself the extra time is expensive.

 

I doubt they will consider my peanut gallery opinion but they should do a better job at dividing up caseloads. There are some couples I see who filed abroad but are still together abroad. It's my opinion but couples who are separated should be at the front of the line. People with minor children should be at the front of the line. If people are adjusting status from inside the US and are not separated they should be in the back of the line. They are not at risk of deportation. But yet if you adjust status the whole thing can take as little as 6 months.

 

I know not everyone is comfortable being confrontational or emailing USCIS. But the more people complain the more likely they will do something about it.

Absolutely. Nothing gets done sitting and complaining abt it. The more people who unite and join in this effort the better the outcome... 

[Dianalorena 1,153]

9 minutes ago, acidrain said:

@Dianalorena

This is just speculation but I have to wonder if the increase in time at Nebraska has something to do with California not taking regular i130's anymore. California used to be pretty quick and would expedite i130's from abroad. I think CSC only does i130's that are spouse's of L2's or something specific now. So now instead of 5 processing centers USCIS is down to 4. Something drastic had to have happened for the service centers to have such an uneven distribution of work. Potomac, Vermont and Texas are all 2-3 months ahead of Nebraska so obviously to get so lop sided something had to have happened. I have honestly never seen a processing center take more than 9 months on average.

 

In your case what makes it so difficult is you realistically cannot visit your spouse regularly. This often gets overlooked as a hardship. Unless someone is in such dire straights with their circumstances an expedite is useless. I was shocked to hear of a story where the USC spouse was dying of cancer and the quickest they could get the green card through was 4 months.

 

I can only assume they put this work program in place to give Americans jobs. Because back when I applied in 2010 I did so at a Consulate which was a 4 hour drive from my house. It was approved and the NVC was all completed in TWO MONTHS. Imagine that. Then some bonehead got this idea to have a lock box and set up these processing centers. So far the process has taken more than 4 times longer and the service level sucks! I can't believe how rude these people who likely get paid a good salary and benefits are! I preferred the DCF process because they would tell you right on the spot whether they would approve your application. That's government for you!

 

I understand why people won't contact USCIS. I sat on the sidelines myself until this past week when I realized it's almost 8 months and they are barely out of Dec. At this point I do not think anybody is being unreasonable by asking what is going on. I explained in my letter this process is going to deplete our savings and further put a strain on my marriage. I'm going to continue to contact as many people as I can. I have no idea if it will help but observing actions in the past things would start moving when people started to say something.

Maybe, but if that was the case, why not distribute the cases more evenly? Why did Nebraska had to take the fall, and have an increasing backlog? 

It hardly seems fair, like you've mentioned before. It feels like we're being singled out, even if it truly wasn't the case. And the fact that they're not even addressing it makes me even angrier. they have a facebook page and held a QA thing a few days ago but I missed it, I've wanted to post something many times, but I am afraid to get on their bad side.

 

If to them someone with Cancer isn't considered an extreme hardship - or it is. but the process doesn't move that much faster, I can only imagine that me being sad because I can't visit my husband, is certainly not a priority. We both deal with some issues from before that are getting worse. He has anxiety and insomnia that's getting increasingly worse, I've struggled with eating disorders and depression and some days I see myself going back to the old ways. 

 

It's funny: when I see couples fight or discuss their problems, I can't help but chuckle and want to strangle them a little bit. Oh, your husband is driving you crazy because he leaves wet towels on the floor? He didn't do the dishes? I would LOVE to have the luxury of actually being with my husband. That's it. He can forget the dishes all that he wants.

 

I've never cried as hard as when he left two days after we got married. No honeymoon trip sipping margaritas somewhere, no apartment shopping, not deciding what color to paint the walls of what coffee table to buy, no cuddling on a lazy Sunday afternoon watching Netflix. 9 months into my marriage and I don't feel married. I am not happy, or looking forward to every day. 

Meanwhile, engaged couples get to arrive in the US sooner than us and ''figure out if they want to get married in 90 days'' (I know that's not the purpose of the VISA, but many people still use it like that) how is that fair as well?

 

 

[acidrain 325]

@Dianalorena

Something has gone horribly wrong with the NSC because the situation is unheard of. It's rare for USCIS to have absolutely no communication when things are this bad. It makes me speculate they don't have a solution. I can't recall where I saw the numbers but Nebraska gets the bulk share of the i130 applications. From what I know Potomac is a very small and new processing center. Even if they transfer some cases I don't even know if it's going to solve the problem. It would obviously be a start.

 

At some point something has to give right? I picture the situation getting to the point where all of Nebraska's resources are going to be responding to phone calls and inquiries over why all of their applications are taking so long. For a long time I thought I shouldn't add fuel to the fire. I'm at the point now where I'm not going to stay silent anymore. I'm surprised nobody has gone to the media yet but agree with what you said before that people are scared to speak out.

 

I am so sorry to hear everything you've gone through. I can't imagine being in a fairly new marriage and having to go through all this. My spouse and I started out in separate cities. So that aspect isn't totally foreign to us. It's tough on our 4 year old son who is so confused over what is going on. Hang in there and have faith that somehow we will get through this. I guarantee you our NOA2's are going to mean ten times more than people from other processing centers. I genuinely feel excited for anyone who gets an approval from the NSC.

 

The system is so flawed. I get the same judgement by people who scratch their heads over the process. While no policies changed a lot of attitudes have at the border. It's crazy people who are just dating get more rights to enter the US than people who are married. I did say this in my letter to USCIS and how backwards it is that people with strong ties (marriage, children) have to wait over a year to live with their spouse. That tv show 90 day fiance just pours gasoline on already burning fire.

Edited September 29, 2017 by acidrain

[SGM1928 33]

3 hours ago, Dianalorena said:

Maybe, but if that was the case, why not distribute the cases more evenly? Why did Nebraska had to take the fall, and have an increasing backlog? 

It hardly seems fair, like you've mentioned before. It feels like we're being singled out, even if it truly wasn't the case. And the fact that they're not even addressing it makes me even angrier. they have a facebook page and held a QA thing a few days ago but I missed it, I've wanted to post something many times, but I am afraid to get on their bad side.

 

If to them someone with Cancer isn't considered an extreme hardship - or it is. but the process doesn't move that much faster, I can only imagine that me being sad because I can't visit my husband, is certainly not a priority. We both deal with some issues from before that are getting worse. He has anxiety and insomnia that's getting increasingly worse, I've struggled with eating disorders and depression and some days I see myself going back to the old ways. 

 

It's funny: when I see couples fight or discuss their problems, I can't help but chuckle and want to strangle them a little bit. Oh, your husband is driving you crazy because he leaves wet towels on the floor? He didn't do the dishes? I would LOVE to have the luxury of actually being with my husband. That's it. He can forget the dishes all that he wants.

 

I've never cried as hard as when he left two days after we got married. No honeymoon trip sipping margaritas somewhere, no apartment shopping, not deciding what color to paint the walls of what coffee table to buy, no cuddling on a lazy Sunday afternoon watching Netflix. 9 months into my marriage and I don't feel married. I am not happy, or looking forward to every day. 

Meanwhile, engaged couples get to arrive in the US sooner than us and ''figure out if they want to get married in 90 days'' (I know that's not the purpose of the VISA, but many people still use it like that) how is that fair as well?

 

 

@Dianalorena I feel u, i had tears in my eyes reading tht.....I feel the same way 8 months into marriage and we have hardly been together for a month....when i listen to my friends talking about how they spend the festivals or celebrations/bdays i am like lucky people..... it was my husbands bday in june i all i could do was send him flowers and gifts nothing else when we were suppose to be really celebrating his first bday after our marriage...i am sure we wont even be able to celebrate Christmas together....not even our anniversary....its heart breaking....he had visited me for a week this month, that is something that cooled me down...but the day he left it felt as if the entire happiness around me just vanished...those people at nebraska never understands the pain we go through or our feelings because they never went through it....only the people who experience this hardship understands that....i am sure if anyone of us here gets a job at any of these service centers will try their best to let the family be together soon coz we have gone through the pain of seperation.....

[jpbm 7]

14 hours ago, Sundee said:

Jpbm, how and where are you seeing and getting that info at??

I have been using case tracker app and have been writing down the number of cases approved and number of cases pending/rfes. Started with nov 1 i am currently at dec 10th. they block ip after 5000 cases. 

[Mrs Prestige 329]

My husband is the USC, he just called tier 2, they said he should live his number and name that they're going to give him a call back . They called him back in less than 10 minutes, they told him what we all already know. That we are still within our time frame. 

[Sundee 270]

58 minutes ago, jpbm said:

I have been using case tracker app and have been writing down the number of cases approved and number of cases pending/rfes. Started with nov 1 i am currently at dec 10th. they block ip after 5000 cases. 

Thank you for your response. I guess I need to keep track as well..