Expect more delays

[Tenreyro 174]

Thanks for letting us know. I read once that they started building in Maryland a new headquarter for USCIS, maybe they are allocating regional resources on that construction. Hope everything goes well with your family, and your husband's job is safe. 

 

@Mina90

Quote

I used this site for everything when I applied for my spouse, people were nicer back then. Who invited all these know-it-alls nowadays? 

Hahahaha, I loved how you described it. But yes, there is an epidemic of those. They invited themselves. There are some of us left that try to help and try to put in other person's shoes.

 

Hope you have a nice day.

[Mina90 134]

3 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

The Delaware branch is a place I'm familiar with. It's not closing per say. Merely it will continue to act as an ASC for biometrics, but it will conduct no interviews or anything like that. Which is odd because I didn't think they did anything like that over at that branch (it's literally a small place in a strip mall with no hint as to it ever being an official government building) and half the time it's pretty dead.

 

Now I had heard last year they were going to be building a massive complex in Camp Springs, but that's about it MD-wise.

It's kind of interesting they stuck a small office for immigration related work in a strip mall. I've seen DMVs be in malls but not for immigration. Maybe that's all the space they could find when they originally needed it? However, if they stop conducting interviews there, I wonder if it will place more pressure on nearby field offices to pick up the slack?

[Mina90 134]

1 minute ago, Tenreyro said:

Thanks for letting us know. I read once that they started building in Maryland a new headquarter for USCIS, maybe they are allocating regional resources on that construction. Hope everything goes well with your family, and your husband's job is safe. 

 

@Mina90

Hahahaha, I loved how you described it. But yes, there is an epidemic of those. They invited themselves. There are some of us left that try to help and try to put in other person's shoes.

 

Hope you have a nice day.

I heard that too, but not sure why they'd be laying people off for that, I would imagine they would just relocate the folks currently working there. Thank you for the wishes, they're much needed! 

 

Yes, I've noticed too many proud/judgmental people emerging on this site nowadays and it kind of baffles me because we all went through or are going through this difficult process. It would make sense to stick by each other's side and build each other up instead of tearing each other down.  I don't know when it became a competition to see who could insult someone first. Regardless, I still think this is a helpful site for the most part and know there are many who still are willing to participate in friendly discussion and give help to those who need it. 

 

Enjoy your day as well!

[yuna628 9,652]

4 minutes ago, Mina90 said:

It's kind of interesting they stuck a small office for immigration related work in a strip mall. I've seen DMVs be in malls but not for immigration. Maybe that's all the space they could find when they originally needed it? However, if they stop conducting interviews there, I wonder if it will place more pressure on nearby field offices to pick up the slack?

Unsure, our first experience with the Dover place was for biometrics. It's right next to a Food Lion and I think a pizza place? We were very puzzled at why we were sent down there, as it's an even longer distance to drive (2+ hrs and lots of tolls) than it would be to reach Baltimore. It sounds from the article like they would be shifting some services up to Philly, but I'm pretty sure that Dover told us their only real purpose was for biometrics.. and that was back in 16'. I was expecting they'd call us to Dover again for ROC biometrics, and that we'd go make a day of it at the beaches.

[Mina90 134]

Just now, yuna628 said:

Unsure, our first experience with the Dover place was for biometrics. It's right next to a Food Lion and I think a pizza place? We were very puzzled at why we were sent down there, as it's an even longer distance to drive (2+ hrs and lots of tolls) than it would be to reach Baltimore. It sounds from the article like they would be shifting some services up to Philly, but I'm pretty sure that Dover told us their only real purpose was for biometrics.. and that was back in 16'. I was expecting they'd call us to Dover again for ROC biometrics, and that we'd go make a day of it at the beaches.

Haha, at least it was near a pizza place so you could eat after a getting biometrics done lol. 

Rehoboth Beach is nice to visit, if you happen to get called there for ROC.

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

45 minutes ago, Mina90 said:

I heard that too, but not sure why they'd be laying people off for that, I would imagine they would just relocate the folks currently working there. Thank you for the wishes, they're much needed! 

Yes, I've noticed too many proud/judgmental people emerging on this site nowadays and it kind of baffles me because we all went through or are going through this difficult process. It would make sense to stick by each other's side and build each other up instead of tearing each other down.  I don't know when it became a competition to see who could insult someone first. Regardless, I still think this is a helpful site for the most part and know there are many who still are willing to participate in friendly discussion and give help to those who need it. 

Enjoy your day as well!

I think what's happening out in the real world is starting to infect what's going on in here as well. I have certainly seen it but I never try to be judgmental unless it is seriously called for and I can think of a couple right off hand.

[Mina90 134]

1 minute ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

I think what's happening out in the real world is starting to infect what's going on in here as well. I have certainly seen it but I never try to be judgmental unless it is seriously called for and I can think of a couple right off hand.

I can understand people's frustration with all that is happening around us right now in the real world, but it doesn't mean that people should throw their frustration on people over the internet. I have strong feelings against illegal immigration but I try to not let that cloud my judgment. I try answering in a neutral fashion as much as I can because most people are people I've never met and I'm trying to help/understand them over a virtual medium. I know some people (especially those trying to circumvent laws) do deserve firm responses but that's not what's happening on this forum. It's mostly people who feel some sort of entitlement are putting others down who aren't doing anything illegal. For example, that one member who brought up where my husband/family/I am from, which was really uncalled for as though that had something to do with our intelligence/knowledge, the matter at hand, or that it made my statements invalid somehow. That's why I felt a little irked. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

3 minutes ago, Mina90 said:

I can understand people's frustration with all that is happening around us right now in the real world, but it doesn't mean that people should throw their frustration on people over the internet. I have strong feelings against illegal immigration but I try to not let that cloud my judgment. I try answering in a neutral fashion as much as I can because most people are people I've never met and I'm trying to help/understand them over a virtual medium. I know some people (especially those trying to circumvent laws) do deserve firm responses but that's not what's happening on this forum. It's mostly people who feel some sort of entitlement are putting others down who aren't doing anything illegal. For example, that one member who brought up where my husband/family/I am from, which was really uncalled for as though that had something to do with our intelligence/knowledge, the matter at hand, or that it made my statements invalid somehow. That's why I felt a little irked. 

+1 and I totally agree with you on this. BTW if you subscribe to Bangladesh TV here in the USA I know a guy helps produce programming for it.

[Mina90 134]

3 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

+1 and I totally agree with you on this. BTW if you subscribe to Bangladesh TV here in the USA I know a guy helps produce programming for it.

Thanks!

I appreciate the offer, but we barely watch TV since we have no time. Especially with a 13-month old baby, it's almost impossible, haha. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

1 minute ago, Mina90 said:

Thanks!

I appreciate the offer, but we barely watch TV since we have no time. Especially with a 13-month old baby, it's almost impossible, haha. 

I completely understand as well since I have a 11, 9, 4, and 17 month old in my house. We watch more Mickey Mouse than we do any actual programming for us.

 

Where we lived at before in CA we made friends with a Bengali family and the husband was in charge of programming for the Bengali channel. We liked them a lot and sad we had to say good bye to them when we moved.

[Mina90 134]

12 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

I completely understand as well since I have a 11, 9, 4, and 17 month old in my house. We watch more Mickey Mouse than we do any actual programming for us.

 

Where we lived at before in CA we made friends with a Bengali family and the husband was in charge of programming for the Bengali channel. We liked them a lot and sad we had to say good bye to them when we moved.

My, you have such a full house! I hope to, one day, have that.

My son loves Sesame Street and Spongebob. LOL

Not to brag, but us Bengali folks will usually bend over backwards for the people we bond with.

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

7 minutes ago, Mina90 said:

My, you have such a full house! I hope to, one day, have that.

My son loves Sesame Street and Spongebob. LOL

Not to brag, but us Bengali folks will usually bend over backwards for the people we bond with.

My 17 month old LOVES Mickey so we have DirectTV record all the Mickey episodes so we can watch them later. I love having a full house because it is never a dull moment until they go to bed and we rest.

 

Filipinos are the same way as for good friends and family. When we lived in CA they were apart of a group of 4 families of us that always used to hang out and invite each other over for everything. So we always made sure to either have Halal meat/food or just vegetarian food/pizza for the them to eat if it's a pizza party. That way everybody got alittle bit of something to eat. Kinda sad because they were the last ones left out of the group after we moved from CA to NC in December.

Edited June 5, 2018 by Cyberfx1024

[Mina90 134]

Just now, Cyberfx1024 said:

My 17 month old LOVES Mickey so we have DirectTV record all the Mickey episodes so we can watch them later. I love having a full house because it is never a dull moment until they go to bed and we rest.

 

Filipinos are the same way as for good friends and family. When we lived in CA they were apart of a group of 4 families of us that always used to hang out and invite each other over for everything. So we always made sure to either have Halal meat/food or just vegetarian food/pizza for the them to eat if it's a pizza party. That way everybody got alittle bit of something to eat.

I hear you on that!

I always admire people who take care of the little things for others to try and make everyone happy. 

I have many Filipino friends/former co-workers who are the same, so I agree with you on that, always family/friend-oriented.

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

3 minutes ago, Mina90 said:

I hear you on that!

I always admire people who take care of the little things for others to try and make everyone happy. 

I have many Filipino friends/former co-workers who are the same, so I agree with you on that, always family/friend-oriented.

That's why my two younger kids who are Filipinos we are sending to the Philippines during Middle School so that they can learn the language and spend time with the Filipino family.

 

So make sure you make your kids learn Bengali.

Edited June 5, 2018 by Cyberfx1024

[geowrian 22,337]

6 hours ago, Mina90 said:

The thing is, my husband said that his department said they're already funded (even though I thought they were self-funded but I guess not fully), so they shouldn't have to worry about lay-offs.  Maybe you will be fine since you're applying for the tech side of it.

The way USCIS allocates their funds is by buckets. I think there's only a handful of them, but I can't find the document explaining this off-hand. Beyond those generic buckets based on the type of services to provide (most of which are 100% funded by fees), allocation to specific locations, departments, projects, priorities, etc. is at their discretion. Just because all form X processing is funded through fees doesn't mean they will allocate exactly the right amount of funds into processing form X, especially if there's a shortfall in the budget. They also could be shifting priorities to other activities or other locations. We don't really know what or why something is being done unless somebody who is in those middle to upper management roles tells somebody about it. Unfortunately, non-management (and lower management) only see the results, not the plan...which can lead to some inaccurate conclusions (and sometimes accurate ones!).

Edited June 5, 2018 by geowrian