Pay Extra!

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

The issue with this post is the OP has also another thread about being in AP at the embassy level for 6 months. They are implying hiring more people would solve this but USCIS and NVC have nothing to do with the embassy or AP.

[Derik-Lina 230]

6 minutes ago, Ben&Zian said:

The issue with this post is the OP has also another thread about being in AP at the embassy level for 6 months. They are implying hiring more people would solve this but USCIS and NVC have nothing to do with the embassy or AP.

Hiring people at all levels should speed up the process, especially at the AP level. 

I am sure you would be unhappy away from your husband for indefinite periods of times.

What makes matters even worse is the Not Knowing part. 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Derik-Lina

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

It isn't just about people, it's about the embassy being able to verify documents/information/security and background checks. That falls on the country of the beneficiary also. Some countries do not maintain records very well or unwilling to supply information. That's half the issue and why some get stuck in the situation you are in. As most would say, if it is such a struggle, you are more than capable of moving to the beneficiaries home country. While it is tough, we understand and feel for you, but when it comes to the embassy doing what they have to do, as a combat veteran myself, i understand their need to verify information and perform all necessary background/security checks. Sometimes 'same name' or if someone has a common name it causes issues when doing these checks also, that is outside of the embassy's control. Just charging more and hiring more won't "fix" these things.

[Derik-Lina 230]

20 minutes ago, Ben&Zian said:

It isn't just about people, it's about the embassy being able to verify documents/information/security and background checks. That falls on the country of the beneficiary also. Some countries do not maintain records very well or unwilling to supply information. That's half the issue and why some get stuck in the situation you are in. As most would say, if it is such a struggle, you are more than capable of moving to the beneficiaries home country. While it is tough, we understand and feel for you, but when it comes to the embassy doing what they have to do, as a combat veteran myself, i understand their need to verify information and perform all necessary background/security checks. Sometimes 'same name' or if someone has a common name it causes issues when doing these checks also, that is outside of the embassy's control. Just charging more and hiring more won't "fix" these things.

Thank s for your one advice and your service.

I will move to my beneficiaries ' country soon  

Edited May 1, 2019 by Derik-Lina

[Amadia 711]

Visas are already expensive....so many fees!

Too many hands in the pot is not gonna get the process moving any faster....sorry.

[Derik-Lina 230]

1 minute ago, Amadia said:

Visas are already expensive....so many fees!

Too many hands in the pot is not gonna get the process moving any faster....sorry.

Are you stuck in Ap?

[yuna628 9,712]

2 minutes ago, Derik-Lina said:

Are you stuck in Ap?

Increasing a fee will not get you out of AP.

[geowrian 22,338]

Hiring more people will at least speed up USCIS processing.

 

However, there's more to consider in that decision than "go faster". There is a considerable lead time to hire and train new workers before they can start handling even a single case. Even then, it's not like they are suddenly going to process cases as fast as most others. There's also a lot of different types of cases....you can't just put somebody in x seat and move them to another form type with different rules and expect them to do it properly. All this takes time.

 

Okay, so what? It'll be faster eventually, right?

Well, what happens when that backlog settles down due to both the normal ebb and flow + hiring more workers? Do you just lay off all the newly hired people that you spent months training and then re-training for different form types?

What about support for the new employees? Office space, HR load, equipment, support for the equipment,, etc.? Some of these items require longer term investment of the increased staff.

 

Long-term, you need enough workers to handle the ongoing case load. You also need to be able to somehow predict future immigration loads and policies changes. USCIS simply cannot move or stop on a dime like much more agile groups.

 

As for the actual visa, the fees can supplement services but I don't foresee it covering the cost to increase capacity, and you still have many of the challenges noted above. For many of those in any sort of extended AP, it likely is not an employee-bound holdup.

 

Premium processing "works" for certain areas because it is limited and controlled. For instance, the number of H-1B visas available is fixed per year (exceptions apply but are not a large part of the total case load). As such, you can anticipate that work load beforehand.

 

tldr: Hiring more workers is a difficult decision...one I can't imagine anybody here has enough data to do anything other than speculate on its ultimate impact on the process.

 

Edit: Also some considerations from USCIS: https://www.aila.org/advo-media/whats-happening-in-congress/congressional-updates/uscis-responds-to-letter-from-86-house-members

Edited May 1, 2019 by geowrian

[Derik-Lina 230]

22 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

Increasing a fee will not get you out of AP.

You are very right. True. Thank you

[Amadia 711]

26 minutes ago, Derik-Lina said:

Are you stuck in Ap?

No, I am currently awaiting feedback on my RoC (i-751).

[Derik-Lina 230]

5 minutes ago, Amadia said:

No, I am currently awaiting feedback on my RoC (i-751).

Best of luck and may you have a speedy journey  

[Derik-Lina 230]

15 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Hiring more people will at least speed up USCIS processing.

 

However, there's more to consider in that decision than "go faster". There is a considerable lead time to hire and train new workers before they can start handling even a single case. Even then, it's not like they are suddenly going to process cases as fast as most others. There's also a lot of different types of cases....you can't just put somebody in x seat and move them to another form type with different rules and expect them to do it properly. All this takes time.

 

Okay, so what? It'll be faster eventually, right?

Well, what happens when that backlog settles down due to both the normal ebb and flow + hiring more workers? Do you just lay off all the newly hired people that you spent months training and then re-training for different form types?

What about support for the new employees? Office space, HR load, equipment, support for the equipment,, etc.? Some of these items require longer term investment of the increased staff.

 

Long-term, you need enough workers to handle the ongoing case load. You also need to be able to somehow predict future immigration loads and policies changes. USCIS simply cannot move or stop on a dime like much more agile groups.

 

As for the actual visa, the fees can supplement services but I don't foresee it covering the cost to increase capacity, and you still have many of the challenges noted above. For many of those in any sort of extended AP, it likely is not an employee-bound holdup.

 

Premium processing "works" for certain areas because it is limited and controlled. For instance, the number of H-1B visas available is fixed per year (exceptions apply but are not a large part of the total case load). As such, you can anticipate that work load beforehand.

 

tldr: Hiring more workers is a difficult decision...one I can't imagine anybody here has enough data to do anything other than speculate on its ultimate impact on the process.

 

Edit: Also some considerations from USCIS: https://www.aila.org/advo-media/whats-happening-in-congress/congressional-updates/uscis-responds-to-letter-from-86-house-members

I truly appreciate you taking the time and presenting a nice breakdown.

How about hiring Temps for the backlog only? Retirees with experience? Bonus pays maybe?

Prioritizing Immediate family (spouses and children) over DV lottery or Refugees? Just ideas here to kills some time as I await my wife s Visa or move to her as some have suggested. Thanks  

[TBoneTX 46,067]

I've heard from reliable sources that USCIS has employed part-time people who work from their homes.

[Derik-Lina 230]

3 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

I've heard from reliable sources that USCIS has employed part-time people who work from their homes.

Bingo and Halalluoia! Finally someone with a positive input  Although I am passed USCIS, I applaud anything positive here. Thanks again  

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

6 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

I've heard from reliable sources that USCIS has employed part-time people who work from their homes.

The VA and US Government overall has been doing this for a few years now. These people are mainly doing administrative or clerical stuff at home (telework) and coming into the office maybe 1-2 days out of the week. I am actually trying to get one of those jobs as Program Analyst.