K1 Action Plan - Getting Consulates to Process Our Visas

[sl1pstream 551]

2 hours ago, Ksena said:

My fiance wrote a letter also to his Senators office in Washington, they said pretty much its nothing they can do and to try to request emergency interviews in Montreal ourselves. Big help! 😁😁😁😁😬

At least they're being honest.

[Zaichik&Miska 44]

/bump

 

Sent off the forms to both a Senator's office and a Congresswoman's office last night. Let's see what happens. Hope we can keep the pressure up. I'm thinking of signing up for a twitter account too and start bugging some people. Reporters asking questions at the WH briefings (they often solicit for "What questions do you want me to ask?"), the Sec of State, the President, the Embassy leaders, heck, I am even thinking about reaching out to the President's wife and daughter as well to plea for help. All this waiting gives me nothing else to do but get my keyboard warrior on... >.>

[tris&kris 132]

Great job!

 

Consider joining the Couples Separated By Travel Bans FB group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/314772869924351/?ref=share

 

They are very active with online activism. I recently signed up for Twitter so I could tweet with them. Inclusive community who are actually getting a lot of political leaders to respond to them (so far just EU not US politicians). Let’s keep at it!

[AJC12B 15]

Thanks for this. 

 

I guess this is kind of good news even if is not 100% an action taken: Updated today London Embassy. Fingers crossed

 

Specific Information for Fiancé(e) Visa (K-1) Applicants and Fiancé(e) Visa Holders

 

Will my fiancé(e) visa case expire?/Can I continue with the application process?

In response to significant worldwide challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of State has temporarily suspended routine visa services at all U.S. embassies and consulates. Therefore, all routine visa processing at U.S. Embassy London is currently suspended.  We are only able to process visas for spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens (IR-1, CR-1, IR-2 or CR-2).  Therefore we are unable to proceed with fiancé(e) visa applications (K-1) at this time. We are taking the issue of fiancé(e) visas seriously and we will resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time.

 

 

https://uk.usembassy.gov/information-for-nonimmigrant-visa-applicants-following-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/

 

 

[sl1pstream 551]

3 hours ago, tris&kris said:

Great job!

 

Consider joining the Couples Separated By Travel Bans FB group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/314772869924351/?ref=share

 

They are very active with online activism. I recently signed up for Twitter so I could tweet with them. Inclusive community who are actually getting a lot of political leaders to respond to them (so far just EU not US politicians). Let’s keep at it!

Yeah, no. I got muted for mentioning that they said they weren't going to lift the travel ban yet the last time McKeneneneneney got asked.

 

They're also using the hashtag #liftthetravelban, which just makes you sound like a bunch of Karens who can't wait to take their next vacation.

Edited July 10, 2020 by sl1pstream

[tris&kris 132]

There’s going to be drama with any Facebook group. Take what you want from it, if anything, and stay engaged in whatever way suits you best

[emma24 161]

Just wanted to update and say I got a canned response about the ban on new work related green cards. Nothing pertaining to K1 at all....oh well. 

[sl1pstream 551]

13 hours ago, tris&kris said:

There’s going to be drama with any Facebook group. Take what you want from it, if anything, and stay engaged in whatever way suits you best

It's hard to stay engaged when you're being actively blocked from doing so by the voice of Waldo.

[dkristof87 14]

Got a total garbage reply by Ohio Senator Rob Portman. It was also sent from a noreply email address so I can't even follow up to call him on it. It's clear that no one from his office even bothered to read the message I sent, he's up for reelection 2022...

 

<Thank you for contacting me to express your views on the Trump Administration’s decision to temporarily suspend new work visas amidst the coronavirus pandemic. It is good to hear from you.

As our nation reacted to the global health crisis caused by COVID-19, the overall unemployment rate in the United States nearly quadrupled between February and May of 2020. With over 20 million people abruptly losing their jobs, we experienced the most extreme unemployment ever recorded by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics since the Great Depression. While economic jobs reports since June have indicated that those numbers are getting better, millions of Americans still remain out of work.

In response to the labor market, the Trump Administration has extended a freeze on green cards and suspended new temporary work visas through the end of the year. The order targets high-skilled workers who would receive H-1B visas, as well as corporate management working under L-1 visas.  The ban also applies to H-2B visas for seasonal workers and J visas for cultural exchange work programs. The order does not affect workers already in the U.S., or workers outside of the U.S. who already have been issued work visas. There will also be a narrow exception for certain medical workers dealing specifically with coronavirus research and caring for COVID-19 patients, and for H-2A agriculture workers who work in the food supply industry. There is also a separate provision allowing individuals to request exemptions based on their individual circumstances.

The temporary suspension is set to expire at the end of this year when we are hopefully nearing the end of the pandemic.  Please know that I will monitor this situation closely and keep your views in mind.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.  For more information you can visit my website at www.portman.senate.gov.  Please keep in touch.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Rob Portman
U.S. Senator>

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,094]

Just as an aside -  in the (rare) situations where getting congress involved can help, it's almost certainly better to contact your US House Representative, not one of your state's US Senators, especially if you're from a higher-population state. Every state has two senators; California has over 50 representatives, so your Representative has a lot fewer constituents to worry about. Someone here years ago managed to get something from their Senator when their rep didn't help and it became a thing here, but it's not good advice.

[dkristof87 14]

4 hours ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

Just as an aside -  in the (rare) situations where getting congress involved can help, it's almost certainly better to contact your US House Representative, not one of your state's US Senators, especially if you're from a higher-population state. Every state has two senators; California has over 50 representatives, so your Representative has a lot fewer constituents to worry about. Someone here years ago managed to get something from their Senator when their rep didn't help and it became a thing here, but it's not good advice.

I wrote to everybody in my state that I could. Strangely enough, I heard from both the Senators (Sherrod Brown's office asked for more information and haven't heard back from them yet and Rob Portman didn't even read my message as noted above) but haven't heard a peep from my representative, which is pretty disappointing for exactly the reason you stated.

[Kasia & Damian 22]

Hi guys,

It’s really comforting and sad at the same time to see that many people are in similar position. 
We are pretty desperate to at least see each other and trying to find some ways. After some time from your emails to Senators/Representatives do you think it’s still worth to write something? We would be writing to NJ.

 

[Zaichik&Miska 44]

 

9 hours ago, Kasia & Damian said:

Hi guys,

It’s really comforting and sad at the same time to see that many people are in similar position. 
We are pretty desperate to at least see each other and trying to find some ways. After some time from your emails to Senators/Representatives do you think it’s still worth to write something? We would be writing to NJ.

 

I think it is. I believe that more people being active and writing them keeps the pressure ultimately on the Dept of State and the Embassies. They get more and more concerns into their inboxes eating up their attention and capacity until they do something about it. Dept of State has already announced that as of today, Embassies (at their own judgement of local conditions) will begin phasing in more employees to start resuming routine visa services. 

 

Every voice adds to the chorus. Keep spreading the word for people to write in. 

[Kasia & Damian 22]

On 7/15/2020 at 9:25 PM, Zaichik&Miska said:

 

 Dept of State has already announced that as of today, Embassies (at their own judgement of local conditions) will begin phasing in more employees to start resuming routine visa services. 

 

Every voice adds to the chorus. Keep spreading the word for people to write in. 

Ohh really? Do you have the link to this info by any chance? We are willing to try everything.

[Jody and Misho 99]

6 minutes ago, Kasia & Damian said:

Ohh really? Do you have the link to this info by any chance? We are willing to try everything.

And every Embassy knew this - so why is Cairo (for example) continuing suspension of all but emergency services through the end of September?  This makes no sense!