Congressional Inquiry

[Delicia 1]

Q : Is USCIS prioritizing certain application(s) during the receipting process?

Yes. The Application to Adjust Status (I-485) will have first priority because USCIS needs to ensure that these applications are receipted in a timeframe that would allow processing of an application for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) within 90 days of filing as mandated by law [8 CFR 247a.13(d)]. Our second priority will be to receipt the Application for Naturalization (N-400) so that we can minimize any delays in obtaining citizenship

.

This should answer the question about how USCIS is handling their back log and processing by form type as opposed to date received. Info here.

[pushbrk 12,898]

Here's what I am wondering. And it SHOULD be the crux of this entire conversation.

Do we have it factually stated somewhere, from an official source, that the processing of I130's has been halted?

Check the link titled "USCIS Processing Times Spreadsheet" on my blog. It is evident that I-130s have not been processed for some time, according to the USCIS Processing Delay updates that USCIS publishes weekly.

Delicia, do you understand what the processing times as stated by USCIS mean? The processing times mean they are processing cases AT LEAST that old.

You still haven't shown me any official word that USCIS has halted the processing time of I-130's in favor of other petitions.

Um, the processing dates shown on the USCIS website have historically reflected the oldest cases still in the service centers, not that they were processing cases at least that old. Now they often just reflect their number of months standard for processing certain petition types.

The system is in a messy flux right now. IMO, predicting when and how they'll clean it up is an exercise in futility.

What's the difference, pushbrk?

The participants in this thread perceive the NOA date to mean something is happening with their case. So that's the date they are looking for. If they can't see their freaking case then it means to them it's not being processed.

The difference is your "at least" should have read "at most".

[mikeandlani 0]

@rebeccajo: the thing is: It is ONLY the I-130s that have been held back by USCIS. How many times do we have to explain this. I think no one here would complain if they thought we had been treated fairly. But I-130s have been the petitions that have been held on hold for MONTHS now. I mean its all dandy for the people who are still being processed. But to tell us to just wait patiently and everybody had to wait just like us: NOT true. How long did you wait for notification? A week, maybe two? Or maybe even 3? I don't think you waited as my husband and I have been for over 16 weeks now. And still: nothing. The only hope is that Chicago will have the capacities needed. But thats guess-work. How can you say everybody has waited like this? Yes, they will count from the day they received the petitions initially. But who cares? They are never ever going to make the usual time frame. Never ever. So, I don't care if they start counting with the issuing date of the NOA1 or the original date they received it. It doesn't matter. They are not going to make the 6 months. And seriously: all I care about is not even the time this whole fricking process is going to take (my estimate is 18-24months) all I care about is that they finally start doing something, anything. And if it is hiring people all over the world to call the petitioners to inform them. But just waiting without knowing what will happen. If anything will happen. You can't tell me that's normal. Sorry, if you do I am not going to believe you. This is not normal. Stop criticizing us for something that is natural. All we want is that someone pays attention not only to part of the filed petitions but also to the I-130 petitions. And probably now you will say that everyone has been affected equally by the backlog. Not true! Everything has been moving for months. Everything but the I-130s. You can believe us or not. But please respect our feelings and don't say this is normal. I know you can't understand what we're going through because you have never been in the situation and also you are with your loved ones (and I am happy for you). But I think I and the others who have been waiting more or less patiently have a right to be with our loved ones too.

i can emphatize with everyone stuck in the waiting game. our case was in limbo with the VSC for 8 months with nary a notice nor an explanation. at least this time around you guys know the reason why and that's its being encoded in Chicago.

[AandLKC 1]

the way i see it their is an easy fix for all this ... after when all I-130 got done entering into the system ...ship them to the benificiary's native consulate and treat them like a DCF. and in countries that don't have a DCF system .. precess them as usual ... WHY CAN'T THEY DO THAT ....

[rebeccajo 14]

Why should NVC be affected? The application will NOT as was the case at the SC all come in at the same time. They will slowly arrive just like it always was the case. And even if they have more petitions than usual: the dimension will be different to what USCIS experienced. I think it will maybe be a backlog of 2-3 months at NVC. The consulates should be affected the least as they only get small portions of the huge pile each. I think the worst part will be processing at USCIS- NVC will be slightly slower- Consulates will be least affected.

@rebeccajo: the thing is: It is ONLY the I-130s that have been held back by USCIS. How many times do we have to explain this. I think no one here would complain if they thought we had been treated fairly. But I-130s have been the petitions that have been held on hold for MONTHS now. I mean its all dandy for the people who are still being processed. But to tell us to just wait patiently and everybody had to wait just like us: NOT true. How long did you wait for notification? A week, maybe two? Or maybe even 3? I don't think you waited as my husband and I have been for over 16 weeks now. And still: nothing. The only hope is that Chicago will have the capacities needed. But thats guess-work. How can you say everybody has waited like this? Yes, they will count from the day they received the petitions initially. But who cares? They are never ever going to make the usual time frame. Never ever. So, I don't care if they start counting with the issuing date of the NOA1 or the original date they received it. It doesn't matter. They are not going to make the 6 months. And seriously: all I care about is not even the time this whole fricking process is going to take (my estimate is 18-24months) all I care about is that they finally start doing something, anything. And if it is hiring people all over the world to call the petitioners to inform them. But just waiting without knowing what will happen. If anything will happen. You can't tell me that's normal. Sorry, if you do I am not going to believe you. This is not normal. Stop criticizing us for something that is natural. All we want is that someone pays attention not only to part of the filed petitions but also to the I-130 petitions. And probably now you will say that everyone has been affected equally by the backlog. Not true! Everything has been moving for months. Everything but the I-130s. You can believe us or not. But please respect our feelings and don't say this is normal. I know you can't understand what we're going through because you have never been in the situation and also you are with your loved ones (and I am happy for you). But I think I and the others who have been waiting more or less patiently have a right to be with our loved ones too.

Well, I can say everybody has waited because across the entire community processing times have been affected. Honestly, they have. Every petition type (with the exception of the I485) has slowed to a snails pace. The only reason I485 has not been affected is because CSC started humping those petitions about two years ago - and don't get me started on what I believe the political reasons for that was - and they already had the staff and system in place to keep pumping those through.

Look - I've been in this stuff long enough to realize that ANYTHING is possible with DOS/USCIS. Maybe they have been sandbagging your petitions. On the other hand, maybe they've been 'processing' them but they aren't receipted out to the customers. Weird and unlikely, I know, but like I said - in my mind that is just as possible as the fact they've been lying about gathering dust. That's why I asked if in the case of delayed K1's, were people getting NOA2 quickly after they received their delayed NOA1s. I don't know if they were but I'm asking YOU people if they were. After all, as you say, these are your cases, not mine. You are the one with a dog in this fight and not me. You should be arming yourselves with knowledge rather than conjecture.

Here's how I see this system and the quandry you get yourself into when you try to figure out what they are doing. You can look at all the negatives (the receipting date chart) and that looks really bad. Hell, it is bad. You start researching other things and convince yourself that they are sandbagging you. The flip side is - are you researching to try and learn what might happen AFTER the supposed sandbagging? Are you looking to see how other petition types were handled? I'm asking because unless you research ALL supposed scenarios, you probably are going to put yourself into a deep, dark depression and end up right around the bend.

I'm now done in this thread. I feel I tried (apparently not very well) to give you all another way of looking at this - a way to give yourselves some hope. I don't believe there was ever any place in the thread that I said you sit and just wait patiently so I'd appreciate it if that was attributed to wherever it properly belongs.

And I'd really appreciate if everybody would stop looking at my timeline and using that against me when we try to have an educated discussion. You don't know my story nor my husband's - you don't know about us and our lives, and you don't know what we have been through or what we face as a married couple in the future. Suffice it to say that once you are reunited, sometimes the fates are against you in a far worse way than immigration ever was. And do you know why that is? Because yes one day you will be reunited. And then normal life kicks in. Whatever that means.

Edited December 9, 2007 by rebeccajo

[Boiler 45,525]

The first sign of madness is to take too much notice of published processing dates.

Most people are only interested in how long THEIR case will take.

And asking a Congressman lacky to help out when it was Congress that have year after year scewed up the system to where it is, is rather amusing.

[rjp44 1]

I think part of the current problem is that USCIS is under exuctive order to process all applications within 6 months. Since the 6 months doesn't start until the application is entered into the system, they simply cover their butts by not entering the huge backload as evidenced by them not cashing checks for months. There must already be additional adjudicators (perhaps even some of the same people who were entering the apps into their system) since Chicago is going to enter the apps then ship them back to the proper service center for the adjudicators to process. It will be interesting too, to see how they change the application form, because it states the revised forms and instructions will be availabe on the USCIS web site as soon as they are available.

[PlatyPius 5]

Why should NVC be affected? The application will NOT as was the case at the SC all come in at the same time. They will slowly arrive just like it always was the case. And even if they have more petitions than usual: the dimension will be different to what USCIS experienced. I think it will maybe be a backlog of 2-3 months at NVC. The consulates should be affected the least as they only get small portions of the huge pile each. I think the worst part will be processing at USCIS- NVC will be slightly slower- Consulates will be least affected.

@rebeccajo: the thing is: It is ONLY the I-130s that have been held back by USCIS. How many times do we have to explain this. I think no one here would complain if they thought we had been treated fairly. But I-130s have been the petitions that have been held on hold for MONTHS now. I mean its all dandy for the people who are still being processed. But to tell us to just wait patiently and everybody had to wait just like us: NOT true. How long did you wait for notification? A week, maybe two? Or maybe even 3? I don't think you waited as my husband and I have been for over 16 weeks now. And still: nothing. The only hope is that Chicago will have the capacities needed. But thats guess-work. How can you say everybody has waited like this? Yes, they will count from the day they received the petitions initially. But who cares? They are never ever going to make the usual time frame. Never ever. So, I don't care if they start counting with the issuing date of the NOA1 or the original date they received it. It doesn't matter. They are not going to make the 6 months. And seriously: all I care about is not even the time this whole fricking process is going to take (my estimate is 18-24months) all I care about is that they finally start doing something, anything. And if it is hiring people all over the world to call the petitioners to inform them. But just waiting without knowing what will happen. If anything will happen. You can't tell me that's normal. Sorry, if you do I am not going to believe you. This is not normal. Stop criticizing us for something that is natural. All we want is that someone pays attention not only to part of the filed petitions but also to the I-130 petitions. And probably now you will say that everyone has been affected equally by the backlog. Not true! Everything has been moving for months. Everything but the I-130s. You can believe us or not. But please respect our feelings and don't say this is normal. I know you can't understand what we're going through because you have never been in the situation and also you are with your loved ones (and I am happy for you). But I think I and the others who have been waiting more or less patiently have a right to be with our loved ones too.

Well, I can say everybody has waited because across the entire community processing times have been affected. Honestly, they have. Every petition type (with the exception of the I485) has slowed to a snails pace. The only reason I485 has not been affected is because CSC started humping those petitions about two years ago - and don't get me started on what I believe the political reasons for that was - and they already had the staff and system in place to keep pumping those through.

Look - I've been in this stuff long enough to realize that ANYTHING is possible with DOS/USCIS. Maybe they have been sandbagging your petitions. On the other hand, maybe they've been 'processing' them but they aren't receipted out to the customers. Weird and unlikely, I know, but like I said - in my mind that is just as possible as the fact they've been lying about gathering dust. That's why I asked if in the case of delayed K1's, were people getting NOA2 quickly after they received their delayed NOA1s. I don't know if they were but I'm asking YOU people if they were. After all, as you say, these are your cases, not mine. You are the one with a dog in this fight and not me. You should be arming yourselves with knowledge rather than conjecture.

Here's how I see this system and the quandry you get yourself into when you try to figure out what they are doing. You can look at all the negatives (the receipting date chart) and that looks really bad. Hell, it is bad. You start researching other things and convince yourself that they are sandbagging you. The flip side is - are you researching to try and learn what might happen AFTER the supposed sandbagging? Are you looking to see how other petition types were handled? I'm asking because unless you research ALL supposed scenarios, you probably are going to put yourself into a deep, dark depression and end up right around the bend.

I'm now done in this thread. I feel I tried (apparently not very well) to give you all another way of looking at this - a way to give yourselves some hope. I don't believe there was ever any place in the thread that I said you sit and just wait patiently so I'd appreciate it if that was attributed to wherever it properly belongs.

And I'd really appreciate if everybody would stop looking at my timeline and using that against me when we try to have an educated discussion. You don't know my story nor my husband's - you don't know about us and our lives, and you don't know what we have been through or what we face as a married couple in the future. Suffice it to say that once you are reunited, sometimes the fates are against you in a far worse way than immigration ever was. And do you know why that is? Because yes one day you will be reunited. And then normal life kicks in. Whatever that means.

See why I refuse to be helpful to people on VJ, rebeccajo? It's much more satisfying to ridicule and torture them. They'll just jump all over you if they don't agree with your advice, so why even bother?

But then, your wait wasn't long enough so nothing you say carries any weight at all.....

[*Snowdrop* 604]

I think part of the current problem is that USCIS is under exuctive order to process all applications within 6 months. Since the 6 months doesn't start until the application is entered into the system, they simply cover their butts by not entering the huge backload as evidenced by them not cashing checks for months. There must already be additional adjudicators (perhaps even some of the same people who were entering the apps into their system) since Chicago is going to enter the apps then ship them back to the proper service center for the adjudicators to process. It will be interesting too, to see how they change the application form, because it states the revised forms and instructions will be availabe on the USCIS web site as soon as they are available.

It's so difficult to predict how this will work out at the moment, isn't it? The optimist in me thinks the Chicago move may help things move along more quickly. The pessimist is sure they are going to lose my application in transit one way or the other!!

[rjp44 1]

I think part of the current problem is that USCIS is under exuctive order to process all applications within 6 months. Since the 6 months doesn't start until the application is entered into the system, they simply cover their butts by not entering the huge backload as evidenced by them not cashing checks for months. There must already be additional adjudicators (perhaps even some of the same people who were entering the apps into their system) since Chicago is going to enter the apps then ship them back to the proper service center for the adjudicators to process. It will be interesting too, to see how they change the application form, because it states the revised forms and instructions will be availabe on the USCIS web site as soon as they are available.

It's so difficult to predict how this will work out at the moment, isn't it? The optimist in me thinks the Chicago move may help things move along more quickly. The pessimist is sure they are going to lose my application in transit one way or the other!!

It becomes even more important to write the NVC case number at the top of each page when things are sent in. The more the package is handled, the more likely it is that something will get separated from the rest of the package.

[bnm 0]

It becomes even more important to write the NVC case number at the top of each page when things are sent in. The more the package is handled, the more likely it is that something will get separated from the rest of the package.

I guess no need to mention case number as long as they did not ask for it. Just follow the instruction not your instinct

[bnm 0]

See why I refuse to be helpful to people on VJ, rebeccajo? It's much more satisfying to ridicule and torture them. They'll just jump all over you if they don't agree with your advice, so why even bother?

But then, your wait wasn't long enough so nothing you say carries any weight at all.....

If you follow prpoerly Rebecajo she was insisting I-130 was as late as the other cases. It was evidently the slowest and she still think it is still in an acceptable range. but for most of us is too much but evidently we can do nothing . But the idea of VJ is to share ideas based on reality. If she denies the reality she is not helping any body. I guess "germanchick2052" was referring that. SO "PlatyPius" dont confuse people. Help people in reality. I guess rebecajo is tired of explaing as her last post reminded us. She mentione about the realities of life after marriage bla bla. That is not the issue here. Here we are discussing Visa not marriage councling.

Edited December 9, 2007 by bnm

[myangel2 0]

Not only USCIS needs improvement but NVC as well. Once your I-130 is approved you have to wait a very long time for an interview to be scheduled for CR-1 cases with not even a whisper as to how long it will take or where you are on the list, you get so excited when you hear your I-130 is approved you receive other forms to complete at least monthly, then you hear your case is approved and waiting on an interview and then time stands still. I am sure the people on AP have the same arguement, about how long they have to wait. as well. I pray God strenghen all of us in this very very long process.

[bgreed 0]

I think the point that most here are missing is that all family type visas are last in line (K-1, K-3, CR1/IR1) in favor of work visas, student visas as well as visas for those on work visas to have their families join them. These are the type of visas that should be put on hold until USCIS can get their act together and get caught up on family oriented visas. But as with any governmental office and there useless unions the adjudicators only have to process just a comfortable amount of applications per day, don't want then to work too hard or be too productive. I say privatize the whole process and put people in place that understand productivity.

[rebeccajo 14]

See why I refuse to be helpful to people on VJ, rebeccajo? It's much more satisfying to ridicule and torture them. They'll just jump all over you if they don't agree with your advice, so why even bother?

But then, your wait wasn't long enough so nothing you say carries any weight at all.....

If you follow prpoerly Rebecajo she was insisting I-130 was as late as the other cases. It was evidently the slowest and she still think it is still in an acceptable range. but for most of us is too much but evidently we can do nothing . But the idea of VJ is to share ideas based on reality. If she denies the reality she is not helping any body. I guess "germanchick2052" was referring that. SO "PlatyPius" dont confuse people. Help people in reality. I guess rebecajo is tired of explaing as her last post reminded us. She mentione about the realities of life after marriage bla bla. That is not the issue here. Here we are discussing Visa not marriage councling.

I never said anything was 'acceptable'. I don't just flip off a reply in a thread and I don't write in such a way that you need to read between the lines. Don't make something out of what I wrote that was not in there.

I am not the one denying reality. You and others are if you rely on conjecture instead of facts.

Bla bla bla I was also not discussing marriage counseling or the need for it. You people expect me to be 'empathetic' and 'sensitive' to you and your situation, but it's ok for the rest of you to categorically make me out to be some sort of moron, twit or monster. I was reminding you there can be worse things in life than what you are experiencing now. Excuse me if that's too much like 'reality' for you.