ATTENTION JULY FILERS!

[StillThePrettiest 3]

except, as usual, they have us all over a barrel, because what are we all going to do? depart in high dudgeon and tell them we'll take our business elsewhere? if only...

keep as calm as you can, JCochran... that situation would drive me nuts as well, and getting that response would drive me to drink

[Jason-Sasha 1]

With the cost of filing now, they should offer free mints and a pillow for the wait!

I hear you! The fees are ridiculous now. They should pay for my wedding, too!

Seriously, though, the increases are considerable. They should be hiring more people to take care of all the paperwork in a more timely manner. We shouldn't have to pay more AND wait longer.

Perhaps they should hire more people and go to 2 shifts of 8 hours each. Would accomplish twice the work. I mean we're talking about the government. Working over 8 hours would put them in a coma or make their heads explode or both. They wouldnt know what hard work was if it was in the next cubicle making lattes and doing the crossword! I work on my feet almost 14 hours a day, 5 days per week. Get the lead out, man!!

[Bill y Bella 0]

OK, I am a litle confused. If there is such a huge backlog of petitions filed the last week of July, why does VJ show FEWER July VSC petitions (K1 & K3 combined) filed than in almost all previous months this year?

There may be a logical explanation, but it escapes me. Is there a smaller percentage of all July petitioners using VJ? Is there normally a significant lag time between filing and posting a timeline on VJ?

I guess none of this is really important, but it would help if things just made sense!

[CHRIS AND JUNNELL 0]

greetings all ... throwing our hat into tha' proverbial ring ...

Mailed original packet Sat. July 28 around 12:40 p.m. - arrived at Nebraska that same day at 4:49 !! .. used U.S.P.S.

Priority Mail flat rate with delivery confirmation. ... a tiny victory but in this game every second matters ...

so .. that was almost 20 mns before the evil fee increase .. given that no more post marks after 1:00 that day.

cutting it close ? .. hell, yea .. but only just got paid the day before. The working man lives hand ta' mouth.

I'll be more than happy to post any and all helpful info ..

Blessing and peace to all their journeys !!!

[Jeraly 4]

Well I believe Debz and I have already offered to work for USCIS We will show them how it is done!!! I am actually seriously considering looking into working there when I get there even if for a little bit just to do my bit ;D Is that a bit weird?!

Unfortunately it is just a waiting game - I am trying to console myself with the fact that there are people in the same and worse positions than me so we all just have to be patient no matter how hard that is. If it is any help JCochrane, I have gone some way of devising a contingency plan so that if things don't work out one way, at least I have an alternative... but then I *do* have my wedding booked already... my nerves are going to be shot in the latter days

Oh and shameless chat plug as well: 6pm GMT - click on the chat link to the left on http://www.jeraly.com/ Jeremy is going to be leaving 7pm GMT and I am going to need something to distract me from watching the little plane fly across the screen *ever* so slowly...

[English Muffin 59]

Well I believe Debz and I have already offered to work for USCIS We will show them how it is done!!! I am actually seriously considering looking into working there when I get there even if for a little bit just to do my bit ;D Is that a bit weird?!

I hate to disappoint you but I'm fairly sure that one has to be a US Citizen to work for them, so you'll have to wait a few years before you can grab them by the lapels and show them how it should be done!

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Well I believe Debz and I have already offered to work for USCIS We will show them how it is done!!! I am actually seriously considering looking into working there when I get there even if for a little bit just to do my bit ;D Is that a bit weird?!

Unfortunately it is just a waiting game - I am trying to console myself with the fact that there are people in the same and worse positions than me so we all just have to be patient no matter how hard that is. If it is any help JCochrane, I have gone some way of devising a contingency plan so that if things don't work out one way, at least I have an alternative... but then I *do* have my wedding booked already... my nerves are going to be shot in the latter days

Oh and shameless chat plug as well: 6pm GMT - click on the chat link to the left on http://www.jeraly.com/ Jeremy is going to be leaving 7pm GMT and I am going to need something to distract me from watching the little plane fly across the screen *ever* so slowly...

How do you watch the little plane fly across the screen? Can you actually track a flight in real time on the internet or something? I know when I fly I can watch the little screen in the seat back cushion and see exactly where I am. Is this something similar to what you're talking about? Anyway, was just curious....

[Jeraly 4]

Yeah you can I can't remember the exact site I use as it varies depending on flight, airport, destination and carrier but I'll try and find it when I get home and post it here Sometimes it is completely off though so it isn't always reliable! I think the one I use most frequently is Newark - I have tracked flights on there that have left from LAX and transferred in states other than New Jersey so it might be worth a try

And grr to the US citizen thing!! I'm not sure if we can get dual citizenship or whether we have to relinquish our citizenship from our countries of origin to become a USC...

[weedebz 0]

English muffin is right. To work in any sort of immigration or border control job you need to be a USC. Jeraly we can still stand at the door with a whip or cattleprod!!!!

I'm planning the dual thing.

Edited August 9, 2007 by weedebz

[Jeraly 4]

Sounds like a grand plan... maybe we can get tazers and disguise ourselves as scaffolders pretending the buildings need structural repairs/painting/cleaning/decorating/demolishing etc then we can zap people through windows on a variety of levels! Or we could try stalking the employees and providing them with subliminal messages through CDs played on their stereos at nighttime telling them they really *do* want to work a 60 hour week and that the turnover should really be no more than 3 months from filing the petition to receiving the visa...

[weedebz 0]

hahaha ...love it!

[Jason-Sasha 1]

I just think they need to be made public by the media. Might even make an interesting documentary. Wouldn't you like to know exactly how everything is done?

[Jeraly 4]

I don't know if I would or not - it would be interesting but it might also be scary if we saw how disorganised they really were!! However - *our* stories would make an interesting documentary - I vote when we are all in the States with our partners we contact some massive tv company together and get them to make a series about us ;D

[a-jeanne 2]

You ladies crack me up! I have a wonderful idea for a TV show. It's like Survivor but it's called "Visa Survivor". They choose 10 couples or so going through the visa journey from different countries and put it on as a reality show. The couples are allowed to be together through the process and the viewers would get to see how painful it is. How entertaining is that?

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Its actually not a bad idea. needs some tweaking, but could be neat. A long distance relationship survival of sorts. With USCIS very much involved in the filming and story. Then you could have the second season focus on the couples, now together, in America. tracking their progress and achievements. Its like a massive reality, international dating game that turns into something crazier. Cool.