Embassy Assigned to Us doesn't want to take us

[BenNomad 89]

On 9/5/2023 at 4:55 PM, MasterCarrot said:

Thank you, hopefully we'll get some good news soon. 

I will also reach out with a similiar message to yours and try to get others to also reach out. Maybe if more people bring this issue to light they'll take it more seriously. 

I just called up the D.C. office of Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who is from my state of WA but a different district. A real, live person actually picked up the phone and was very polite and helpful! She gave me an email to write to and even took my name and email so they'd be on the look out for my message. Rep. Jayapal was born in India and lived in Indonesia in her childhood and serves on an immigration subcommittee, so if she doesn't take interest in the situation I don't know who would. I will send off an email to her a little later. 

[MasterCarrot 9]

14 minutes ago, BenNomad said:

I just called up the D.C. office of Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who is from my state of WA but a different district. A real, live person actually picked up the phone and was very polite and helpful! She gave me an email to write to and even took my name and email so they'd be on the look out for my message. Rep. Jayapal was born in India and lived in Indonesia in her childhood and serves on an immigration subcommittee, so if she doesn't take interest in the situation I don't know who would. I will send off an email to her a little later. 

Oh wow thats great news!! Maybe something will change but my optimism has run a little dry. 

I'll also try to put together a petition and find a rep to send it to just been a bit busy with our issues and work. 

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by MasterCarrot

[Boiler 45,732]

I think she is a member of the Squad.

[blaze203 6]

1 hour ago, BenNomad said:

I just called up the D.C. office of Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who is from my state of WA but a different district. A real, live person actually picked up the phone and was very polite and helpful! She gave me an email to write to and even took my name and email so they'd be on the look out for my message. Rep. Jayapal was born in India and lived in Indonesia in her childhood and serves on an immigration subcommittee, so if she doesn't take interest in the situation I don't know who would. I will send off an email to her a little later. 

This is great - could you message me the email? I had trouble getting through to the State Dept. They bounced my message saying I should contact the Bureau of Consular Affairs, like that would do anything. I did contact them again requesting my message to go to Blinken's office. Essentially, this policy is illegally barring American citizens to bring family into the US, as is their right. Although in our case we are IR5 and assigned to Almaty is still enrages me. I have contacted the WH also. I was just looking at contacting my state rep, but Jayapal is a great choice.

Edited September 6, 2023 by blaze203

[Boiler 45,732]

5 minutes ago, blaze203 said:

 Essentially, this policy is illegally barring American citizens to bring family into the US, as is their right. 

There is no such right.

[BenNomad 89]

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

I think she is a member of the Squad.

She is not part of the squad, but she is new to Congress and she made a remark about Israel that gave her some bad press.

[BenNomad 89]

8 minutes ago, blaze203 said:

They bounced my message saying I should contact the Bureau of Consular Affairs

Same here. Could have got a similar answer using Bing's AI chat bot. Come to think of it, the State Department probably is using AI to respond to inquires.

[blaze203 6]

23 minutes ago, Boiler said:

There is no such right.

I believe there is, part of the INA under 1151.

Edited September 6, 2023 by blaze203

[Boiler 45,732]

3 minutes ago, blaze203 said:

I believe there is, part of the INA.

If there was such a right it would avoid a lot of this process. Now there is a right for USCIS etc to process in a reasonable time line, see Writ of Mandamus.

[blaze203 6]

18 minutes ago, BenNomad said:

Same here. Could have got a similar answer using Bing's AI chat bot. Come to think of it, the State Department probably is using AI to respond to inquires.

Probably. I'm emailing several congressmen/women on the immigration subcommittee, using this language. There's probably other cases than i-130 too but it's the only one i'm familiar with.

"Thank you for all you do. As a member of the Immigration subcommittee I bring this matter to your attention. US citizens with Russian/Belarussian family members are being denied their right under the INA to petition for immigration visas for these family members. When these US citizens petition through the i-130 process, the cases are assigned to the Warsaw, Poland consulate for consular processing (except for IR5 cases which go to Almaty). Because Poland has barred Russian/Belarussian citizens from attaining Schengen visas, these applicants are legally unable to attend consular interviews and as such are barred from attaining their immigrant visa. In addition, this policy is putting US citizens at risk. In desperation to circumvent this policy, Russian/Belarussian family members of US citizens are attempting to get Schengen visas in other countries. US citizens typically will escort their family members through Europe and are put at great cost and peril to attempt to get these family members to their consular interviews in Warsaw. Other petitioners are desperately trying to get transferred to a consulate were Russians/Belarusians can travel and that do not require residency, but this proves difficult and consulate often deny requests. One applicant was assigned to Jakarta for some mysterious reason, only to be denied by the consulate days before the interview when the US citizen had already traveled to Jakarta. US citizens are desperate to help their family members. Please work with the State Deparment to find an appropriate location for consular processing for the family members of these US citizens."

[blaze203 6]

1 minute ago, Boiler said:

If there was such a right it would avoid a lot of this process. Now there is a right for USCIS etc to process in a reasonable time line, see Writ of Mandamus.

 

We're getting in the weeds here and I don't want to hijack the OPs thread arguing this point. I believe you are incorrect, all these immigration processes are governed by the INA. US citizens have the right to petition for family members, and assigning cases to a consulate which applicants cannot legally access effectively bars US citizens from family reunification. That's the last I'll say on it.

[Boiler 45,732]

I think there is a legal case that allocating a petition to a Consulate they know, should reasonably know, the applicant cannot get to has potential.

 

But this is Lawyer territory. 

 

The Political approach is free, I suppose it could work. I would not put money on it.

[blaze203 6]

3 minutes ago, Boiler said:

I think there is a legal case that allocating a petition to a Consulate they know, should reasonably know, the applicant cannot get to has potential.

 

But this is Lawyer territory. 

 

The Political approach is free, I suppose it could work. I would not put money on it.

True. But worth a try to shed sunlight on this issue. What's happening to the OP and others is just awful.

[Boiler 45,732]

This stuff is handled by Interns, Office Assistants, it is not impossible that a Congressperson would want to run with it but...

[MasterCarrot 9]

3 minutes ago, Boiler said:

This stuff is handled by Interns, Office Assistants, it is not impossible that a Congressperson would want to run with it but...

We filled out and signed a document to let our congressmans office have access to our information. Hopefully that's a good sign...