Waiting for a NOA2 from VSC for your I-129F?

[thejoz 0]

H-1's are vital to our economy and it would never work to give work visas to people half a year after they apply, the job would go unfilled for that long and eventually those companies that need those people would offshore the job to wherever the people are that can do it.

I don't buy that. I think bringing in someone, who is going to live here, permanently and pay taxes permanently, and be a part of the US economy permanently, that would be more beneficial in the long run than having someone come here to work.

You'd think the government would much rather have more potential citizens and fulltime taxpayers rather than temporary labor. Apparantly not.

[amrssnowangel 0]

H-1's are vital to our economy and it would never work to give work visas to people half a year after they apply, the job would go unfilled for that long and eventually those companies that need those people would offshore the job to wherever the people are that can do it.

I don't buy that. I think bringing in someone, who is going to live here, permanently and pay taxes permanently, and be a part of the US economy permanently, that would be more beneficial in the long run than having someone come here to work.

You'd think the government would much rather have more potential citizens and fulltime taxpayers rather than temporary labor. Apparantly not.

You would think that would be the case. But what they were saying is that with all the red tape involved to MOVE someone here permanently, businesses can't wait. They need the worker today. Not in 6=12 months. So the H1 visa gets them the worker NOW. Im not so upset that USCIS is prioritizing the I485's over us because those people ARE HERE..and WAITING to find work and CANT till they get that EAD. THAT can cause a financial strain on families. How would we feel to get our SO here...then be postponed getting a job because the I485 is behind. I"d be infuriated. MOre than now. Soooo, stands to reason they made THAT the priority. Dont confuse what USCIS is doing...the H1 is NOT the priority. The I485's are.

Now what BUGS me is that their site THEN says...AFTER the I485 the next priority is those seeking citizenship.....HUH???? Come on... those people ARE here...they ARE working....WHY is that the next priority? This isn't an issue of USCIS being indifferent..this is an issue of the governments poor planniing, and poor preperation...we aren't the ONLY time in immigration this has happened to. I found articles of slow downs in 2005, 2003 and 2000. So its NOT the first time..wont be the last.

If this was YOUR business and you have a steady work load..then SUDDENLY you get to much work...do you jsut run out to hire people? No. Thats not cost effective..you work overtime, you work harder, you prioritize. Then when you are caught up...the workload goes to normal. Flucuations like that happen in business all the time. AFter USCIS gets all this caught up...if they hire more workers SIMPLY to catch up...what happens to those workers AFTER they catch up when its normal again???? Is it really the wisest thing to hire more JUST to make it through a hard time? If I was in charge...I'd say no. I dont want to lay off workers and affect even more families.

Im not defending how long this is taking. As Bill states..Im being realistic. Personally I think the workers are doing their best. Is the system broken? Yes to an extent. But is it just possible that our emotions are running high...because we want our loves here...we are emotionally spent?

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

I dont know if this will help or make things worse, but I've attached the list

I couldn't take it anymore, so here it is

visajourney_vsc_list1.doc

[Bobalouie 0]

H-1's are vital to our economy and it would never work to give work visas to people half a year after they apply, the job would go unfilled for that long and eventually those companies that need those people would offshore the job to wherever the people are that can do it.

I don't buy that. I think bringing in someone, who is going to live here, permanently and pay taxes permanently, and be a part of the US economy permanently, that would be more beneficial in the long run than having someone come here to work.

You'd think the government would much rather have more potential citizens and fulltime taxpayers rather than temporary labor. Apparantly not.

You would think that would be the case. But what they were saying is that with all the red tape involved to MOVE someone here permanently, businesses can't wait. They need the worker today. Not in 6=12 months. So the H1 visa gets them the worker NOW. Im not so upset that USCIS is prioritizing the I485's over us because those people ARE HERE..and WAITING to find work and CANT till they get that EAD. THAT can cause a financial strain on families. How would we feel to get our SO here...then be postponed getting a job because the I485 is behind. I"d be infuriated. MOre than now. Soooo, stands to reason they made THAT the priority. Dont confuse what USCIS is doing...the H1 is NOT the priority. The I485's are.

Now what BUGS me is that their site THEN says...AFTER the I485 the next priority is those seeking citizenship.....HUH???? Come on... those people ARE here...they ARE working....WHY is that the next priority? This isn't an issue of USCIS being indifferent..this is an issue of the governments poor planniing, and poor preperation...we aren't the ONLY time in immigration this has happened to. I found articles of slow downs in 2005, 2003 and 2000. So its NOT the first time..wont be the last.

If this was YOUR business and you have a steady work load..then SUDDENLY you get to much work...do you jsut run out to hire people? No. Thats not cost effective..you work overtime, you work harder, you prioritize. Then when you are caught up...the workload goes to normal. Flucuations like that happen in business all the time. AFter USCIS gets all this caught up...if they hire more workers SIMPLY to catch up...what happens to those workers AFTER they catch up when its normal again???? Is it really the wisest thing to hire more JUST to make it through a hard time? If I was in charge...I'd say no. I dont want to lay off workers and affect even more families.

Im not defending how long this is taking. As Bill states..Im being realistic. Personally I think the workers are doing their best. Is the system broken? Yes to an extent. But is it just possible that our emotions are running high...because we want our loves here...we are emotionally spent?

Bold in quotes above added for emphasis.

I agree with what you wrote above, I cant fault your logic, but what I take issue with is the fact that NONE of this process should take 6-12 months just to get thru the initial step. Not when this Whole process is as simple as it is. What did it take you guys to fill out the paperwork for this process and to put together your packet? I probably spent a total of 12 hours on it working on it off and on over a period of 3 days. If the paperwork is that simple, it CANT take an excessive amount of time to check it. Besides, the only real thing that they are checking on at this stage is if you have actually met in person in the last 2 years. That is the only thing that you have to prove at this stage. Sure, they run background checks on you and your spouse, but how long does that take? The cops do an abbreviated version when they pull you over for speeding. How long do you spend on the side of the road when you get pulled over? 10-20 minutes? Chances are that 99% of our better halves are not going to get a hit in the background checks, simply because the FBI doesnt keep files on every foriegn national in the world. So unless your SO is on a watch list or is a "person of interest" that check is pretty straightforward as well.

Also, companies all across the US use a temporary work force to help out in times of need. But, as is typical of the government, by the time they get the temps up to speed, the slowdown will probably be over already. Right now, every person on this board w/o an NOA2 is being held up by improper planning and management. That is someones fault, and I dont care who's fault it is, but I want to know WHO it is so I can give them a call and let them know what I think about their cracker jack management and planning skills.

I am only a Sept. filer who before the slow down would have been at the TSC. I was already prepared in my mind to go 110 days to approval because that is what TSC was at just before I filed. However, I am nearly at 50 days now, almost at the 1/2 way point in the process I had in my mind, and they havent even completed May filers? Then you call customer service and they tell you they are working on March 19th petitions? Well outside the 6 month window? With no updates to the USCIS website? Then you call back the next day and they are working on June 19th petitions? CSC petitioners are now being told that they have to wait for 90 days after the receipting update page says they have receipted their petitions? We are being told you have to wait 6+1 months before calling about being outside the window? IN MY MIND, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE PROCEDURE OR PROCESS AT THE USCIS THAT IS WORKING CORRECTLY NOW.

This process is rediculously easy and the USCIS is screwing it up at every level from Cust service to long range strategic planning.

Or, maybe I am way off base here.

[*julez* 124]

I dont know if this will help or make things worse, but I've attached the list

I couldn't take it anymore, so here it is

visajourney_vsc_list1.doc

Thanks Susie!!! Although I am further down the list, its interesting to see how many more people have joined VJ!!

I'm just working hard to keep the faith that VSC will pick up the pace for all of us someday soon!

Thanks again for making the list!!!!!

[Steph1973 0]

This thread is no longer enjoyable. If you're so mad about the way VSC is handling cases...why not just go there in person and yell at them? Why yell at other VJ members? Handle your business. You should be thankful that we have the right to even do this! Its hard for all of us. The only way to get through this ####### is to remain positive, strong and patient. Or....you can just go to your fiance(e)'s country and take up residency there. What? Cant leave your job? Your home? Your family? Can't do what your "other" is doing?? We all need to get a grip here. I think its a very good idea to write as many letters as possible to people who can help. I did it. But yelling at other members who havent done so is just stupid. I agree that USCIS owes us better service, but this whole process is a choice. Not a guarantee. The government just doesn't do that. Get over it or move along. Hey, you could always just give up. If a relationship is strong enough, nothing will tear it apart. If the waiting period was a year, would you have applied?? If not, then you have other issues. Nothing wrong with bashing VSC as much as you wish. Nothing wrong with bitching and complaining. But stop the attacks on each other for God's sake!! Everyone's time will come. If you dont like it, if you dont think its fair...write to someone who can actually help. In the meantime, remember what makes us good people....consideration, kindness, comradery, honesty. Just to name a few things. The government is not a direct reflection of it's people. We know what's fair. What's right. But in the eyes of Uncle Sam, we are people who are asking for a favor. we are requesting a service. We are at their mercy here. Time to face that fact. Again, that's how Uncle Sam sees it. We are different. We feel cheated. We feel poorly served. Unless we have the ability to actually go inside their facility, ask questions and watch production....we can't really bash them. Not fairly anyway. It feels good to do it though. Hell, I know that. I enjoy giving them #######. But you know what always turns my mood from negative and angry to positive and productive? My Sasha. Knowing that there's not a force on this Earth that will or can keep us apart forever. I tell myself that she is why I live. And if for some outrageous reason we fail in our process, well, I'll just go there. We know and trust each other so deeply that we have confidence that we'll be together again soon enough. I know all of you must have this same connection with your fiance(e)s/spouses. So chill out. Some of you act like you're gonna kick the bucket sometime soon, leaving you only days with your lovers. So pessimistic! Try to focus on all of the wonderful years you will have together and not the painful months that you were apart. Besides, what good are you doing by pissing other VJers off? You want to help apply for a job with USCIS's Vermont facility. So, can't we all just get along??

You make an interesting parallel in your post. You talk about we are asking a favor of Uncle Sam. I completely agree, but the conotation of "Uncle" means that Sam is family. I would think that Family would treat me better than Joe Schmo from a foriegn country who wishes to ask for a favor as well. I would think that my "Family" would treat me better and give me preferential treatment. That is the crux of every arguement on this subject.

I am so TIRED of people saying the government is doing me a "FAVOR" by allowing me to PAY them to have my fiance live near me. Its called Freedom. Ya know, that thing people died for. They are not doing me a favor. I am a citizen of a country that states this process is allowed. If it is not allowed, change the law so we wouldn't expect to get what we derserve. Otherwise, deliver it. NOTHING the government does for us is a "favor". We pay taxes, we paid for this service.

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

I dont know if this will help or make things worse, but I've attached the list

I couldn't take it anymore, so here it is

visajourney_vsc_list1.doc

Thanks Susie!!! Although I am further down the list, its interesting to see how many more people have joined VJ!!

I'm just working hard to keep the faith that VSC will pick up the pace for all of us someday soon!

Thanks again for making the list!!!!!

yea i also didnt look at when people have updated their timeline, so it will be a little different than bszoom's list

im number 78 =/

[*julez* 124]

I dont know if this will help or make things worse, but I've attached the list

I couldn't take it anymore, so here it is

visajourney_vsc_list1.doc

Thanks Susie!!! Although I am further down the list, its interesting to see how many more people have joined VJ!!

I'm just working hard to keep the faith that VSC will pick up the pace for all of us someday soon!

Thanks again for making the list!!!!!

yea i also didnt look at when people have updated their timeline, so it will be a little different than bszoom's list

im number 78 =/

I'm #111, although I did a bit of research and noticed that #1 on the list had their petition denied. There were also a few members in the Top 20 who haven't been on VJ in a quite awhile, so they may have been approved, but just abandoned their timelines. Not everyone is as addicted as I am to VJ!!!!!!

Long live the list! I love it!!!

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

i love the list too, thats why i couldnt live without it...i will do some more research today and try to clean it up a bit...

[Aaralyn 0]

I'm soo going to be late for work, but I wanted to add my thank you for posting the list!

#129!! Yay!!

(yeah, I know.. but if I don't laugh, I'll cry! )

[amrssnowangel 0]

H-1's are vital to our economy and it would never work to give work visas to people half a year after they apply, the job would go unfilled for that long and eventually those companies that need those people would offshore the job to wherever the people are that can do it.

I don't buy that. I think bringing in someone, who is going to live here, permanently and pay taxes permanently, and be a part of the US economy permanently, that would be more beneficial in the long run than having someone come here to work.

You'd think the government would much rather have more potential citizens and fulltime taxpayers rather than temporary labor. Apparantly not.

You would think that would be the case. But what they were saying is that with all the red tape involved to MOVE someone here permanently, businesses can't wait. They need the worker today. Not in 6=12 months. So the H1 visa gets them the worker NOW. Im not so upset that USCIS is prioritizing the I485's over us because those people ARE HERE..and WAITING to find work and CANT till they get that EAD. THAT can cause a financial strain on families. How would we feel to get our SO here...then be postponed getting a job because the I485 is behind. I"d be infuriated. MOre than now. Soooo, stands to reason they made THAT the priority. Dont confuse what USCIS is doing...the H1 is NOT the priority. The I485's are.

Now what BUGS me is that their site THEN says...AFTER the I485 the next priority is those seeking citizenship.....HUH???? Come on... those people ARE here...they ARE working....WHY is that the next priority? This isn't an issue of USCIS being indifferent..this is an issue of the governments poor planniing, and poor preperation...we aren't the ONLY time in immigration this has happened to. I found articles of slow downs in 2005, 2003 and 2000. So its NOT the first time..wont be the last.

If this was YOUR business and you have a steady work load..then SUDDENLY you get to much work...do you jsut run out to hire people? No. Thats not cost effective..you work overtime, you work harder, you prioritize. Then when you are caught up...the workload goes to normal. Flucuations like that happen in business all the time. AFter USCIS gets all this caught up...if they hire more workers SIMPLY to catch up...what happens to those workers AFTER they catch up when its normal again???? Is it really the wisest thing to hire more JUST to make it through a hard time? If I was in charge...I'd say no. I dont want to lay off workers and affect even more families.

Im not defending how long this is taking. As Bill states..Im being realistic. Personally I think the workers are doing their best. Is the system broken? Yes to an extent. But is it just possible that our emotions are running high...because we want our loves here...we are emotionally spent?

Bold in quotes above added for emphasis.

I agree with what you wrote above, I cant fault your logic, but what I take issue with is the fact that NONE of this process should take 6-12 months just to get thru the initial step. Not when this Whole process is as simple as it is. What did it take you guys to fill out the paperwork for this process and to put together your packet? I probably spent a total of 12 hours on it working on it off and on over a period of 3 days. If the paperwork is that simple, it CANT take an excessive amount of time to check it. Besides, the only real thing that they are checking on at this stage is if you have actually met in person in the last 2 years. That is the only thing that you have to prove at this stage. Sure, they run background checks on you and your spouse, but how long does that take? The cops do an abbreviated version when they pull you over for speeding. How long do you spend on the side of the road when you get pulled over? 10-20 minutes? Chances are that 99% of our better halves are not going to get a hit in the background checks, simply because the FBI doesnt keep files on every foriegn national in the world. So unless your SO is on a watch list or is a "person of interest" that check is pretty straightforward as well.

Also, companies all across the US use a temporary work force to help out in times of need. But, as is typical of the government, by the time they get the temps up to speed, the slowdown will probably be over already. Right now, every person on this board w/o an NOA2 is being held up by improper planning and management. That is someones fault, and I dont care who's fault it is, but I want to know WHO it is so I can give them a call and let them know what I think about their cracker jack management and planning skills.

I am only a Sept. filer who before the slow down would have been at the TSC. I was already prepared in my mind to go 110 days to approval because that is what TSC was at just before I filed. However, I am nearly at 50 days now, almost at the 1/2 way point in the process I had in my mind, and they havent even completed May filers? Then you call customer service and they tell you they are working on March 19th petitions? Well outside the 6 month window? With no updates to the USCIS website? Then you call back the next day and they are working on June 19th petitions? CSC petitioners are now being told that they have to wait for 90 days after the receipting update page says they have receipted their petitions? We are being told you have to wait 6+1 months before calling about being outside the window? IN MY MIND, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE PROCEDURE OR PROCESS AT THE USCIS THAT IS WORKING CORRECTLY NOW.

This process is rediculously easy and the USCIS is screwing it up at every level from Cust service to long range strategic planning.

Or, maybe I am way off base here.

Keep in mind the REASON for the H1 worker is because its a job that CANT be filled by a USC. Companies have to provide proof that they were unable to fill it with a USC first. KNOWING how this process works makes it easier to keep to the facts. H1 visas are for positions that are highly specialized, require education and experience AND the company has been unable to fill it with a USC for one reason or another. Take the farmers...the can't find USC's that WANT to do that type of hard manual labor...my cousin owns a hydroponics farm...this is their experience. They use seasonal mexicans LEGALLY because they can't get ;and KEEP USC help. My friend is an INDIAN CHEF. How many USC's go to school to learn to cook Indian food? These applicants have to PROVE they have the qualifications AND experience to bring to that position...And lets not minimize the work USCIS does in adjudicating our cases.

1. They must run background checks first.

2. IF there is missing information they then check any and all databases that they CAN to get it

3. If needed they send out RFE

4. They make decisions based on information in file

Once their background work is done the decision is fast. But they still ahve a huge responsibility. NOt all will go smooth.

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Wanted to stop in and sayhi to everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You gotta be kidding me.....Did i miss anything, is Mirla still waiting?????????????

C'mon, VSC approve her already.....i want to see everybody else get approved....Steph, Bill y Bella, Jason Sasha, julezabelle, amrssnowangel.....EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But im sure everybody will agree that Mirla needs her approval NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bill y Bella 0]

This process is rediculously easy and the USCIS is screwing it up at every level from Cust service to long range strategic planning.

Or, maybe I am way off base here.

No, I don't think you are off base at all.

The problems currently being experienced by USCIS were to a great extent self generated. They were not caused by an cataclysmic event such as 911 or by unexpected legislation action such as the IMBRA regulations. Instead the current situation was caused by a management decision that created an avalanche of petitions without having the manpower in place to handle it. This should have been anticipated and could have easily been mitigated by phasing in the price increases so that an overwhelming surge of petitions was avoided.

Obviously an ajudicator requires training and it is not possible to just call up a temp agency and order up a few dozen extra for the month. I assume that USCIS management was aware of this fact before they took the steps they did. However, not only did they not have enough adjudicators in place when they announced the price increase they did not even have enough low level contract employees to do the receiving.

When I began investigating this process VSC was consistently adjudicating K1 petitions within 30 to 60 days. It is now approaching 6 months and there is no sign of improvement. What has actually changed to cause this huge deterioration in service? The adjudication process is no different today than it was 9 months ago. Employment visas have priority over K1's & K3's today but I think that was the case previously also. There may have been more than anticipated employment based petitions due to some decisions outside the control of USCIS but those petitions should have been absorbed and processed by now. The government emphasis on Iraqi petitions may have caught them by surprise but they already knew how many Iraqi petitions were pending and that they had the obligation to process them.

As I see it the problem comes down to this. USCIS management decided they needed to upgrade their systems and they needed more money to pay for the upgrades. I have no objection to that. Obviously their systems are antiquated and need to be updated. But by the same token the existing systems were providing decisions in a reasonable amount of time. What bothers me is that management put in place a plan that was destined to cause delays and hardship for thousands (or is it millions?) of their current so called customers in the hope that 4 or 5 years down the road their service will improve.

Is this good management? I don't think so.

At this point USCIS customers are arguing about who should have priority and wondering when they will be with the ones they love. Meanwhile the people in management who created this mess go home to their families every night. I think that we have the right to be upset.

Edited October 26, 2007 by Bill y Bella

[Steph1973 0]

This process is rediculously easy and the USCIS is screwing it up at every level from Cust service to long range strategic planning.

Or, maybe I am way off base here.

No, I don't think you are off base at all.

The problems currently being experienced by USCIS were to a great extent self generated. They were not caused by an cataclysmic event such as 911 or by unexpected legislation action such as the IMBRA regulations. Instead the current situation was caused by a management decision that created an avalanche of petitions without having the manpower in place to handle it. This should have been anticipated and could have easily been mitigated by phasing in the price increases so that an overwhelming surge of petitions was avoided.

Obviously an ajudicator requires training and it is not possible to just call up a temp agency and order up a few dozen extra for the month. I assume that USCIS management was aware of this fact before they took the steps they did. However, not only did they not have enough adjudicators in place when they announced the price increase they did not even have enough low level contract employees to do the receiving.

When I began investigating this process VSC was consistently adjudicating K1 petitions within 30 to 60 days. It is now approaching 6 months and there is no sign of improvement. What has actually changed to cause this huge deterioration in service? The adjudication process is no different today than it was 9 months ago. Employment visas have priority over K1's & K3's today but I think that was the case previously also. There may have been more than anticipated employment based petitions due to some decisions outside the control of USCIS but those petitions should have been absorbed and processed by now. The government emphasis on Iraqi petitions may have caught them by surprise but they already knew how many Iraqi petitions were pending and that they had the obligation to process them.

As I see it the problem comes down to this. USCIS management decided they needed to upgrade their systems and they needed more money to pay for the upgrades. I have no objection to that. Obviously their systems are antiquated and need to be updated. But by the same token the existing systems were providing decisions in a reasonable amount of time. What bothers me is that management put in place a plan that was destined to cause delays and hardship for thousands (or is it millions?) of their current so called customers in the hope that 4 or 5 years down the road their service will improve.

Is this good management? I don't think so.

At this point USCIS customers are arguing about who should have priority and wondering when they will be with the ones they love. Meanwhile the people in management who created this mess go home to their families every night. I think that we have the right to be upset.

AMEN TO THAT!

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

WOW, I actually got a touch, it says that they received the requested evidence ( a missing signature on a form) and that now the case processing has resumed....it says i will be notified by mail within 60 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!! .....Please tell me that this is just due process and that it really doesnt take that long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!