September Filers!

[Frank+Jocelyn 1]

From the Washington Post:

The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said yesterday that it will take the federal government three years to clear a huge surge of citizenship applications filed last summer and return processing times to a six-month standard.

USCIS received 3 million applications for naturalization, green cards and other immigration benefits last summer, compared with 1.8 million in 2006. Officials attributed the influx to immigrants seeking to apply before a well-publicized fee increase took effect July 30, concern over the harsh tone of the nation's debate over illegal immigration and interest in the 2008 elections.

As a result, USCIS announced it will take 18 months to process applications filed after June 1, 2007, up from about seven months.

Testifying to a House Judiciary Committee subcommittee, USCIS Director Emilio T. Gonzalez said that the agency has detailed 84 workers to regional service centers, and beefed up its contract staff. It has hired 274 of a projected 723 new adjudicators using new revenue from fee increases and identified 469 retired adjudicators that the Office of Personnel Management has given USCIS permission to rehire.

"Our two year response plan will help us accomplish reducing processing times to six months by the third quarter of Fiscal 2010," which ends June 30, Gonzalez said in his written testimony.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), chairman of the immigration subcommittee, said in an interview that she believes that Gonzalez "cares about this, but I also think that timeline is unacceptable. This was an entirely foreseeable surge. . . . We're going to do our best to get them the resources they need to properly process applications."

[LadyNoles 0]

Okay, I know I need to breathe and calm down, but man alive! It is SO frustrating to see my timeline move further and further away! It was at the very beginning of March at one point, almost in February and today it says April 1, 2008! What an April Fool's gift! I was thinking about it yesterday, realizing that the end of March will have been six months waiting to get our NOA2. It's so ridiculous considering VSC is already approving October! ARRRGHHH!

Okay, rant over. Sorry about that. I know I'm only saying things that has already been said but today I'm just frustrated! I really wanted to be home by the beginning of March for my sweetheart's birthday!

I know exactly how you feel because we have the same timeline..and we both are canadian...loll I am extremely frustrated that we have to go through this ( as canadian) since 1991 due to the fact theres some "stupid" peoples out there trying to 'visa fraud' United States....Before that we were able to get married without a %^$%^&& permission from goverment. Man that stink.....Plus I dont know in which embassy you suppose to have your interview but Montreal is experiencing a 2 months delay...Like if we are not waiting long enough grrrr..

And btw...(I need to vent here)

I dont think theres any point of being "harass" from VSC fillers...because those 2 centers obviously dont work the same way...I am truly happy for each one of you guys that been approved but i dont feel like I need some sacartisc comments from some of you.

[EricC 0]

Everytime I go here now it depress me even more

[mox 298]

Big congrats to June filers Hermily & Ken who were approved yesterday. It's really great to see a May and now a June filer finally see an approval. Congrats to you both and best of luck to you!!

[mariapoe 0]

How do you get the NVC Case Number? Is it the same as the USCIS Receipt Number?

You call the NVC a couple of days after your NOA2. You can reach them at (603) 334-0700 press 1,5 OR (202) 663-1225 press 1,0. You must talk to a live person because K1s are not entered into the automated system. Those button presses above will get you to the live person. When you talk with them, you will ask you for your case number and you give them the USCIS # and then they will look you up and give you your new NVC case #. This is the number you will have for the rest of the process.

Thanks for these extenstions you shared. My fiance said that he tried calling NVC too many times but they don't put your on hold over there but asking to call back which is not that convinient, I guess. I don't know, may be he didn't try hard enough:) He got a letter from NVC in mail though. It's dated Jan14 and says that the've recently received the approved NO2 and the paperwork will be forwarded to the Embassy within a week (I really that they've sent it out already; the letter has my new case number on it, too.) I even didn't know thay issue real hard-copy letters like that.

Thanks again, and good luck !

masha

[7Rivers 0]

Okay, I know I need to breathe and calm down, but man alive! It is SO frustrating to see my timeline move further and further away! It was at the very beginning of March at one point, almost in February and today it says April 1, 2008! What an April Fool's gift! I was thinking about it yesterday, realizing that the end of March will have been six months waiting to get our NOA2. It's so ridiculous considering VSC is already approving October! ARRRGHHH!

Okay, rant over. Sorry about that. I know I'm only saying things that has already been said but today I'm just frustrated! I really wanted to be home by the beginning of March for my sweetheart's birthday!

I know exactly how you feel because we have the same timeline..and we both are canadian...loll I am extremely frustrated that we have to go through this ( as canadian) since 1991 due to the fact theres some "stupid" peoples out there trying to 'visa fraud' United States....Before that we were able to get married without a %^$%^&& permission from goverment. Man that stink.....Plus I dont know in which embassy you suppose to have your interview but Montreal is experiencing a 2 months delay...Like if we are not waiting long enough grrrr..

And btw...(I need to vent here)

I dont think theres any point of being "harass" from VSC fillers...because those 2 centers obviously dont work the same way...I am truly happy for each one of you guys that been approved but i dont feel like I need some sacartisc comments from some of you.

I just have one question if you don't mind, so if any body didn't get the marriage permission from goverment, he still can get married in US (civil marriage) though, right?!!

[7Rivers 0]

From the Washington Post:

The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said yesterday that it will take the federal government three years to clear a huge surge of citizenship applications filed last summer and return processing times to a six-month standard.

USCIS received 3 million applications for naturalization, green cards and other immigration benefits last summer, compared with 1.8 million in 2006. Officials attributed the influx to immigrants seeking to apply before a well-publicized fee increase took effect July 30, concern over the harsh tone of the nation's debate over illegal immigration and interest in the 2008 elections.

As a result, USCIS announced it will take 18 months to process applications filed after June 1, 2007, up from about seven months.

Testifying to a House Judiciary Committee subcommittee, USCIS Director Emilio T. Gonzalez said that the agency has detailed 84 workers to regional service centers, and beefed up its contract staff. It has hired 274 of a projected 723 new adjudicators using new revenue from fee increases and identified 469 retired adjudicators that the Office of Personnel Management has given USCIS permission to rehire.

"Our two year response plan will help us accomplish reducing processing times to six months by the third quarter of Fiscal 2010," which ends June 30, Gonzalez said in his written testimony.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), chairman of the immigration subcommittee, said in an interview that she believes that Gonzalez "cares about this, but I also think that timeline is unacceptable. This was an entirely foreseeable surge. . . . We're going to do our best to get them the resources they need to properly process applications."

Man oh man! I just want to cry now <----- so pissed off

[LadyNoles 0]

Okay, I know I need to breathe and calm down, but man alive! It is SO frustrating to see my timeline move further and further away! It was at the very beginning of March at one point, almost in February and today it says April 1, 2008! What an April Fool's gift! I was thinking about it yesterday, realizing that the end of March will have been six months waiting to get our NOA2. It's so ridiculous considering VSC is already approving October! ARRRGHHH!

Okay, rant over. Sorry about that. I know I'm only saying things that has already been said but today I'm just frustrated! I really wanted to be home by the beginning of March for my sweetheart's birthday!

I know exactly how you feel because we have the same timeline..and we both are canadian...loll I am extremely frustrated that we have to go through this ( as canadian) since 1991 due to the fact theres some "stupid" peoples out there trying to 'visa fraud' United States....Before that we were able to get married without a %^$%^&& permission from goverment. Man that stink.....Plus I dont know in which embassy you suppose to have your interview but Montreal is experiencing a 2 months delay...Like if we are not waiting long enough grrrr..

And btw...(I need to vent here)

I dont think theres any point of being "harass" from VSC fillers...because those 2 centers obviously dont work the same way...I am truly happy for each one of you guys that been approved but i dont feel like I need some sacartisc comments from some of you.

I just have one question if you don't mind, so if any body didn't get the marriage permission from goverment, he still can get married in US (civil marriage) though, right?!!

Are you canadian?? ....well let me say this : If you havent send all your paperwork for a k-1 right now..you still can go in US as a visitor and get married and then ask for a transfer of status... Which means you dont move from US ..you stay there and in worse case you get a immigration lawyer...However you may have to proove you never had any intention of getting married....WT%^ ( which can be the hardest part to do...and i will suggest to not get married in Vegas loll)

Before 1991 (year that US been experiencing alot of "visa fraud" from other countries) canadians were able to get married in us without any visa or other permission...without experiencing any problem and all that #######.... Oh well...

Me and my fiance decided we would do it 'legally' to avoid any risk of painful situations....But somehow we still think we should have get married the same day he proposed loll

Well best of luck to you

[7Rivers 0]

Okay, I know I need to breathe and calm down, but man alive! It is SO frustrating to see my timeline move further and further away! It was at the very beginning of March at one point, almost in February and today it says April 1, 2008! What an April Fool's gift! I was thinking about it yesterday, realizing that the end of March will have been six months waiting to get our NOA2. It's so ridiculous considering VSC is already approving October! ARRRGHHH!

Okay, rant over. Sorry about that. I know I'm only saying things that has already been said but today I'm just frustrated! I really wanted to be home by the beginning of March for my sweetheart's birthday!

I know exactly how you feel because we have the same timeline..and we both are canadian...loll I am extremely frustrated that we have to go through this ( as canadian) since 1991 due to the fact theres some "stupid" peoples out there trying to 'visa fraud' United States....Before that we were able to get married without a %^$%^&& permission from goverment. Man that stink.....Plus I dont know in which embassy you suppose to have your interview but Montreal is experiencing a 2 months delay...Like if we are not waiting long enough grrrr..

And btw...(I need to vent here)

I dont think theres any point of being "harass" from VSC fillers...because those 2 centers obviously dont work the same way...I am truly happy for each one of you guys that been approved but i dont feel like I need some sacartisc comments from some of you.

I just have one question if you don't mind, so if any body didn't get the marriage permission from goverment, he still can get married in US (civil marriage) though, right?!!

Are you canadian?? ....well let me say this : If you havent send all your paperwork for a k-1 right now..you still can go in US as a visitor and get married and then ask for a transfer of status... Which means you dont move from US ..you stay there and in worse case you get a immigration lawyer...However you may have to proove you never had any intention of getting married....WT%^ ( which can be the hardest part to do...and i will suggest to not get married in Vegas loll)

Before 1991 (year that US been experiencing alot of "visa fraud" from other countries) canadians were able to get married in us without any visa or other permission...without experiencing any problem and all that #######.... Oh well...

Me and my fiance decided we would do it 'legally' to avoid any risk of painful situations....But somehow we still think we should have get married the same day he proposed loll

Well best of luck to you

I've already sent my K1 paperwork, I was thinking to get married in vegas too (btw, would that be a problem!) . but what i don't understad is why would I still need the marriage permission if I don't care whither my country recognized my marriage or not as long as it's gonna be recognized in US. and what's the deal now?!!

[mox 298]

I'm having a hard time following this. Who says you have to get "permission" to marry? As someone else pointed out, entering the US on a non-immigrant visa with the intention of immigrating is fraud. Entering the US with a non-immigration visa with the intention of marrying is not illegal, you just can't stay. It may be hard to convince an immigration officer that you intend to marry and then return to your country, but entering the US and marrying on any kind of visa is not illegal. And you do not need permission from anyone (unless one or both partners require parental consent) to marry in the US at all.

Edited January 19, 2008 by mox

[TheATeam 0]

I think what she's referring to is the fact that if you have no intention of marrying your SO when you visit in the States and then spontaneously decide to marry while you're there, that you can just adjust status after you marry and not have to bother with a K1 or K3.

I think she's also stating that it's possible that a lot of couples, especially when one partner is from Canada, did this prior to 1991, even if it wasn't totally above board. (Ie/ The couple had intent to marry but made it look as though it was spontaneous in order to skip this step) I'm sure that happens now too, just a lot less I would wager. I'm sure that the regulations have become a lot more strict now than they were before.

[7Rivers 0]

I think what she's referring to is the fact that if you have no intention of marrying your SO when you visit in the States and then spontaneously decide to marry while you're there, that you can just adjust status after you marry and not have to bother with a K1 or K3.

I think she's also stating that it's possible that a lot of couples, especially when one partner is from Canada, did this prior to 1991, even if it wasn't totally above board. (Ie/ The couple had intent to marry but made it look as though it was spontaneous in order to skip this step) I'm sure that happens now too, just a lot less I would wager. I'm sure that the regulations have become a lot more strict now than they were before.

Ok gotcha. you guys were talking about the "fiancee-visa-type-of-permission" I somehow thought you mean the "permission to marry a foreign person" that some countries required to marry someone from US or any other country that different than urs, and that USCIS won't approve the K1 and won't let you marry the US citizen without your coutry permission for that. oh that would be the hell it self! so basicaly we were talking about different thing and Mox, sorry to confus you but that's not what i meant. and I know it's stupid to do this and get married before i get my k1 approval, that will make things even worst. thank you all for responding and I'm just being frustrated. I need to hear some good news to cheer me up oh plz god plz!!!!!!!!!

[mox 298]

Well I can't give you good news per se, but the CSC work slowdown can't last forever. As an August filer, your approval could very well be just around the corner. I doubt it will be long now.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Yeah had i been aware of the changes in timing I think I would have tried the "um well we woke up in bed together with massive hangovers and a marriage certificate on the night stand.........don't remember how we got married when or why but we are" routine.

[웃 910]

I have a good feeling about this next week. I'm rooting for ONE CSC September NOA2 approval. Does anyone else feel optimistic?