Regional Forums

[Mags 112]

Just a quick inquiry...could we have a clarification over what should be staying in these forums regarding the actual immigration process (if anything)?

Thanks all!

Edited April 3, 2007 by mags

[TracyTN 237]

Good question. For instance, if a question is asked that is specific to a certain consulate - wouldn't that need to stay in that country's regional board (instead of the foreign embassy forum)?

I know the idea was if there was any 'grey' area, to leave it where it was originally posted (at least for the new K1 subforum). But to me, some of these are not 'grey areas at all - if its specifically a consulate based question, it should stay where those going through that specific consulate are going to be reading. Just my .02.

[rebeccajo 14]

Not all beneficiaries and petitioners read the forum for their specific consulate. It seems a waste to me if good threads remain in a specific forum.

Besides, moving leaves the link in the old forum. Everybody can still read and post to the thread.

[TracyTN 237]

True, but if we move ALL consulate based questions to the foreign embassy forum, its going to fill up pretty fast and not replied to threads will 'fall' off (as will the 'leftover' thread indicating the original was moved).

Also, perhaps the OP put it in the consulate specific forum for a reason - they wanted the opinion of people that post there - not responses from people who are not going through that consulate and therefore will likely just end up giving wrong information (but post in the thread just because the question is in the foreign embassy forum and they know the answer from their consulate's experience).

[LaL 418]

i would think if it has anything to do with a specific location's nuances, i would leave it in the Reg Forum, for example - dealing with the local medical exam providers, or a consulate's specific requirements. Posts such as "when can I get my EAD" or "how can I get my <insert state> driver's license" should be moved.

[rebeccajo 14]

i would think if it has anything to do with a specific location's nuances, i would leave it in the Reg Forum, for example - dealing with the local medical exam providers, or a consulate's specific requirements. Posts such as "when can I get my EAD" or "how can I get my <insert state> driver's license" should be moved.

If that's the case, then the 'purpose' of the Regional Forums on the Main Forums page needs redefined.

[TracyTN 237]

I just now saw that after all this time. We certainly don't seem to use it for soley those reasons, do we?

[rebeccajo 14]

I just now saw that after all this time. We certainly don't seem to use it for soley those reasons, do we?

Well, Capn can correct me if I'm wrong, but if I recall these forums were originally created to give folks a 'hang out' place. I think part of the intent was to make it easier to locate members sharing the same consulate and to share some consular experiences, but not for that to be where all that information 'lived'.

I tend to believe the Regional Forums are somewhat 'clique-ish'. Again, Capn will correct me if I'm wrong, but I doubt the traffic in those forums is very heavy. It's my opinion that the general population of VJ is well served if immigration questions are kept to the immigration forums, rather than the General Discussion forums.

But, hey - that's my opinion and I will do as directed by Captain!

Edited April 3, 2007 by rebeccajo

[LaL 418]

i would think if it has anything to do with a specific location's nuances, i would leave it in the Reg Forum, for example - dealing with the local medical exam providers, or a consulate's specific requirements. Posts such as "when can I get my EAD" or "how can I get my <insert state> driver's license" should be moved.

If that's the case, then the 'purpose' of the Regional Forums on the Main Forums page needs redefined.

it has been a topic of debate for quite awhile at least in the MENA forum. I have always been a proponent of posting immigration related subjects in their proper forums, but after looking at some of the other Reg Forums, would it really be helpful to move all those topics to the upper forums? I surely don't know. I just think this is an Immigration site foremost, and given the small nuances of certain locations, it is helpful to have the Reg Forum to turn to vs. wading through pages of unrelated threads to get to a *nuance* that very few are dealing with.

[LaL 418]

i just peeked into the UK Reg forum it seems there is quite a bit of immigration-related discussion in there (and even bit of the newer threads have been moved!). Lots to do with medical stuff, etc.

I guess I dont know, I thought as well the Reg forums were also to hang out while the process was going on, but thought better of it when dealing with issues we have seen that are MENA specific. (like consular returns).

[rebeccajo 14]

i just peeked into the UK Reg forum it seems there is quite a bit of immigration-related discussion in there (and even bit of the newer threads have been moved!). Lots to do with medical stuff, etc.

I guess I dont know, I thought as well the Reg forums were also to hang out while the process was going on, but thought better of it when dealing with issues we have seen that are MENA specific. (like consular returns).

You mean like issues that are 'more difficult' or - specific to that consulate because of culture?

I guess that's the type of 'immigration' questions I felt were really pertinent to a specific forum. Perhaps even a question or a situation you really didn't want spread all over VJ, but needed the opinions of peers who were more likely to have been in the same situation.

Regarding 'nuances' - like how much the medical costs, etc. - I really feel those things belong in the Consulate Forum. I think they have a better chance of being read up there.

LOL - There's been a lot of talk about the 'newbies' being 'overly green' and asking the same questions over and over again - maybe if they spent more time in the immigration forums and less in the regional, we wouldn't be seeing so much of this effect? *just wonderin*

Edited April 3, 2007 by rebeccajo

[meauxna 15]

LOL - There's been a lot of talk about the 'newbies' being 'overly green' and asking the same questions over and over again - maybe if they spent more time in the immigration forums and less in the regional, we wouldn't be seeing so much of this effect? *just wonderin*

I've wondered the same.

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

i would think if it has anything to do with a specific location's nuances, i would leave it in the Reg Forum, for example - dealing with the local medical exam providers, or a consulate's specific requirements. Posts such as "when can I get my EAD" or "how can I get my driver's license" should be moved.

yes. If it is specific to that country or region leave it there. I am not sure if this is a perfect solution.

I tend to believe the Regional Forums are somewhat 'clique-ish'. Again, Capn will correct me if I'm wrong, but I doubt the traffic in those forums is very heavy. It's my opinion that the general population of VJ is well served if immigration questions are kept to the immigration forums, rather than the General Discussion forums.

I agree. General Questions should be in the respective forum. Things that are very specific to there and general regional chat can be in the regional area.

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Perhaps even a question or a situation you really didn't want spread all over VJ, but needed the opinions of peers who were more likely to have been in the same situation.

Also a valid point.

[featherB 1]

One of the first questions I posted on here was about whether tax returns needed to be taken to K-1 interviews at London. I probably posted it, in my newbie-ish way, in the K1 forum or somewhere else totally wrong (don't think I'd discovered the UK forum at that point anyway), but it ended up in the Embassy & Consulate forum, anyway. The whole point of my question was pretty much 'I know they're listed as evidence of support that you CAN take, but do you DEFINITELY need them?' (I forget why I was so worried about this, but never mind!) - and I was told by several people that yes, I would definitely definitely definitely need tax returns, no matter what the Embassy's site etc said. Of course, these answers were based on people's experiences at other consulates in other countries - but my attempts to establish whether they were required in LONDON were falling on deaf ears - until Devilette came along and confirmed that no, London does NOT insist on seeing tax returns. I think a couple of people then proceeded to tell her that they are definitely required 'at the interview'...

Anyway, the point of all that rambling was that I think in a lot of cases it might be better to leave some interview (etc) related questions in the regional forums if that's where they're posted, because it can be very, very easy for people to give completely wrong advice with only the best of intentions. Not that it would have mattered in that case, but in the reverse situation, if someone who'd gone through London went around telling everyone that, say, there's no need to worry too much about taking evidence of an ongoing relationship because they're not even going to bother looking at it (as was my experience, and I'm sure a lot of other people's, at interview), it would be much more of a problem. Not to mention that, especially if you're a bit new round here, it can feel pretty awkward to keep piping up with 'thanks, but are you SURE about that??' until someone with consulate-specific experience/information comes along. Even stuff like that 'does the beneficiary need to bring a copy of the petitioner's previous marriage certificate to the interview?' question that keeps cropping up on the UK forum - I haven't seen anyone say they've actually been asked for it, but the occasional 'they definitely want it in Montreal!' response can confuse things a bit and lead to a bit of panic. I think with questions like that, where you really, really want to know what happens at YOUR consulate, and your consulate only, posting in the general consulate discussion forum is only going to lead to confusion and well-meaning misinformation, and threads disappearing off the front page before they've been seen by someone who might actually be able to give a semi-reliable answer.

Although of course, discussion about interviews, medicals etc definitely does not fit in with the purpose of the regional forums listed on the main page...

Oops. This post wasn't meant to be quite that long - sorry.