September Filers!

[Frank+Jocelyn 1]

The recent flurry of activity at VSC is exciting because that is where we filed. However, it also causes me some anxiety because I had settled into the idea of late February or early March approval, and now I find myself checking my status several times a day because people on both sides of my date have been approved in January. I'm certainly not complaining about the early approvals but there is something to be said for a consistent and predictable process. The lack of consistency reveals that they don't have good processes in place at the service centers.

Mox makes the good point that the worker drones at the service centers really don't have any control over the process. Given the opportunity, most people would much rather deliver good news than bad news, even to a stranger on the phone. I'm sure those workers would love to hear the excitement in your voice caused by giving you some good news. But alas, they are slaves to the machine. Having worked for the government for about 16 years (mostly as a manager), I am well aware of the affirmative action hiring they have in place. Although I know nothing about the USCIS, I can guarantee that their staff is very well represented with emigrants and/or ethnic minorities who can surely relate to our suffering. Unfortunately, over time I’m sure the USCIS workers take a beating from people like us who are frustrated with the process. Eventually they have to harden up to us just so they can get through the day without falling into deep depression after hearing our sob stories.

But now step back one more level and look at the plight of the USCIS mangers. They don’t have an unlimited budget to hire workers because we, the tax payers, want a lean government. And to put it quite bluntly, we are not willing to pay government managers the salary it would require to attract the “best and the brightest” managers who might be able to improve the process. We can’t spend money to improve our social services but we (not me) support a president who spends $600 billion to fund a war. I don’t know what a USCIS worker makes, but the price of one Humvee ($65,000) would probably pay the salary of at least two of them for a year.

Things to think about when you go to the polls in November.

Ok that’s my rant for the month. I promise I’ll abstain at least until February…please don’t ban me Mr. Moderator!

[mox 298]

Good post Frank, hopefully it won't be until Feb that we hear more words of wisdom from your keyboard. And you're right, there's never enough money in government, and even when there is money, most managers have discretionary limits of what they can spend, and where they can spend that money. So it every well may be the case that they want a better computer system to give us better tracking but lack the discretionary funds to fix the problem.

What I can't forgive, however, is the simple lack of communication. If these are indeed problems, then it would do so much good for them to step forward and say "this is the problem with our computer system, and here's what we'd like to do but we have to wait until 2nd quarter for the funds to be in place, etc, etc" or whatever. Communicating is free, and for whatever reason they just refuse to do it. Grr.

[웃 910]

Another boring weekend. Only 12-16 more weekends to go.

Edited January 11, 2008 by thegreatgate

[Frank+Jocelyn 1]

Communicating is free, and for whatever reason they just refuse to do it. Grr.

No arguments from me on that point.

[웃 910]

If I could go back to when I mailed the petition I would slip a $100 bill in the envelope with an attached note to sneak my petition in with the August filers.

[Frank+Jocelyn 1]

APPROVED!

Wow! What a great feeling!!! I just got logged on and was checking my email and while I was reading a different message, in popped a new message from USCIS at 7pm! Who would think the are working at VSC at 7pm!! Obviously they didn't read my rant on page 16.

But what a feeling really. I immediately called Jocelyn but I was so emotional I found I hard to even say the words. Who would think that a simple little email could make a person feel so good. I last checked my email and the USCIS web site before I left work at 5pm and nothing, so I thought here we go through another weekend with no updates.

What a ride. I know we are not done but right now I'm the happiest guy in the world, or at least in South Carolina .

I don't know how it happened, but somehow a 105 pound Filipina found a way to destroy my defenses and enrich my life in ways I will never adequately be able to express to her.

Good luck to everybody else and thank you VSC. I will only speak your praises from now on (fingers crossed). Really I think they approved me because I compared them favorably to the CSC in my signature pictures.

[mox 298]

APPROVED!

Wow Frank, this is AWESOME news!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! I'm really just so happy for you and Jocelyn. Please stay in touch and let us know how the rest of your journey goes!

Edited January 12, 2008 by mox

[DongDong 0]

Congratulations.... best of luck the rest of the journey too

[chuck_n_rose 0]

Conratulations Frank. When you least suspect it would happen, there it was. 7pm. I doubt the CSC is working that late on a Friday. I still have 20 days left before my guess in Mox's contest.

[Mo_Mati 2]

Congrats!!!! That is awesome.

[Haonie 0]

Congratulations!!!

[sofia2009 1]

APPROVED!

Wow! What a great feeling!!! I just got logged on and was checking my email and while I was reading a different message, in popped a new message from USCIS at 7pm! Who would think the are working at VSC at 7pm!! Obviously they didn't read my rant on page 16.

But what a feeling really. I immediately called Jocelyn but I was so emotional I found I hard to even say the words. Who would think that a simple little email could make a person feel so good. I last checked my email and the USCIS web site before I left work at 5pm and nothing, so I thought here we go through another weekend with no updates.

What a ride. I know we are not done but right now I'm the happiest guy in the world, or at least in South Carolina .

I don't know how it happened, but somehow a 105 pound Filipina found a way to destroy my defenses and enrich my life in ways I will never adequately be able to express to her.

Good luck to everybody else and thank you VSC. I will only speak your praises from now on (fingers crossed). Really I think they approved me because I compared them favorably to the CSC in my signature pictures.

CONGRATSSSS!!I have a feeling, we are next.. I hate to say I cannot check my email working here in the hospital..Do you have update on USCIS website or you just found out to your email? Congratss again!!!!

[Frank+Jocelyn 1]

I got the email and immediately checked the USCIS web site and it was there also.

[sofia2009 1]

I got the email and immediately checked the USCIS web site and it was there also.

Ok Thanks! No touches and no approval in the website ... Where's mine NOA2??

[웃 910]

I got the email and immediately checked the USCIS web site and it was there also.

I think they saw your avatar and they are showing their appreciation for the way you made out the VSC office to be! Congratulations!! Hopefully we will start seeing many more Sept filer approvals very soon. It is exciting to think about.

Edited January 12, 2008 by thegreatgate