Case on hold for calling too much!

[Firstenburg 0]

I called the RFE line last week to talk to someone in the CSC, and got Becky. Becky, an asian woman with an accent so heavy that I had trouble understanding her english, told me that my application was ON HOLD because I called too much!! I asked what she was talking about, and she started reading me all the dates that I had previously called the CSC. Basically, I had called almost every day of the week, the week prior. A week before I talked to Becky, another CSC officer told me that he would personally assign my case to an adjudicator, and to call back in a few days. Every day after that, my case was touched , including on Sunday (see my timeline). I called every day there was a touch to see if the man followed through and did what he said he would do.

He didn't.

And now, Becky was telling me I had called too much and my case was ON HOLD. I got upset and demanded her name and ID. Becky would only give her first name, no ID. Even when I told Becky that the Ombudsmans office said she was required to give me both (see what weight the Omb office carries with USCIS??) I asked Becky what the limit was for calling, and where the limit was published for the public to know about. Becky said it was published in their internal system. I asked what the limit was. She wouldn't tell me, she would only repeat that I had called "too much!".

Then I asked to talk to her supervisor. Becky said he was at lunch. Then Becky started backing off her story. She said there was no real limit, but that I called too much. She added that when I make a phone inquiry, I should know better than to call back again before 30 days have passed to make another inquiry.

I finally got Becky to check the status of my case. She said it was "sitting on the shelf". Not yet assigned as I had been promised. I told Becky about my conversation with the other officer, and what he told me about assigning my case. She figured out from the dates of my calls who I had talked to. She said she knew him and would remind him of our conversation. Becky wouldn't give me his name though.

I haven't had any touches since then, haven't received any NOA2 in the mail, and, for the record, haven't dared to called back. But obviously Becky didn't follow through either.

I don't know what I expect to accomplish by posting this, just want to tell what happened. Want you all to know what happened.

PS (For the record, I didn't ask for special treatment for my case from the officer I mentioned above. He had told me that my case was being processed according to the I-129F date, not the I-130 date. I told him I felt that was unfair and that it should be processed according to the I-130 date. He responded by agreeing with me, and offering to personally assign the case to an adjudicator. Of course I wasn't going to turn this down. But I didn't ask for special treatment. I blogged about the experience, and you can read about it here.)

[youtube 0]

Hope you get your NOA2 real soon.

That's the problem with dealing with people who have you under their thumbs. Like waiteress....you complain about your food, ask for another, they go back to the kitchen and everyone, including the dishwasher spits in your food before returning it.

[C and J 1]

I really think that some of the people in their customer service department are on a power trip. They like to be able to say anything and know that you have nothing you can do in your defence. Quite a few people would be scared by being told their case was "on hold" and wouldn't press further. Being left in who-knows-what emotional state because of reps who couldn't care less about the people's feelings she's dealing with. She out and out lied, as she took back everything she told you when you pushed her for further information and that is disgraceful.

One thing you should note: If you phone up the RFE line then your case will generally be touched, they are fake touches generated by your calls, not by an adjudicator actually working on your file. Each time you phoned and got a touch either the same or the next day, it was call related. It is a very false hope, which is why people limit the number of times they will try that trick (if they even try it at all). It is not worth getting your hopes up to have them dashed again.

What you have said about the approval going by the I129F date is nothing new. Unfortunately, it has always been the case but it is made worse in the times we have now where the delay to send an I129F just gets bigger and bigger. USCISs (old) logic is that you chose to file the I129F and therefore you want to follow that route, therefore all work is based around the I129F. I wonder how this will change with all the administerative closures on the I129Fs lately

[natashenika 0]

I'm sorry

I hope you'll get good news from USCIS soon

Edited February 11, 2008 by natashenika

[Elbereth 0]

well, if what she said is true and your case is ALREADY on hold, what harm is there in calling even more?

GIVE THEM HELL

Edited February 11, 2008 by Elbereth

[Jimmy and Angela 0]

i talked to the same person there. very rude

she told me I called to much too but didn't say anything about being on hold

she told me I am only allowed to call every 30 days.

then at the end told me to try back in one week lol

I plan on calling back today

Edited February 11, 2008 by Jimmy and Angela

[Firstenburg 0]

One thing you should note: If you phone up the RFE line then your case will generally be touched, they are fake touches generated by your calls, not by an adjudicator actually working on your file. Each time you phoned and got a touch either the same or the next day, it was call related. It is a very false hope, which is why people limit the number of times they will try that trick (if they even try it at all). It is not worth getting your hopes up to have them dashed again.

I called the RFE line a few times before this series of touches. Those calls didn't generate touches, and since I had heard that calls do cause touches, I asked the CSC officer about it. She said she was able to view my case status in their system without causing a change to the update date. So not all calls cause touches. But you are probably right that in my case that week, the touches were a result of my calls.

What you have said about the approval going by the I129F date is nothing new. Unfortunately, it has always been the case but it is made worse in the times we have now where the delay to send an I129F just gets bigger and bigger. USCISs (old) logic is that you chose to file the I129F and therefore you want to follow that route, therefore all work is based around the I129F. I wonder how this will change with all the administerative closures on the I129Fs lately

I seriously hope NOT. I hope they have the good sense to process according to the I-130 date. Haha! Did I just say "hope they have the good sense"?......

[Nagishkaw 510]

What gives her the right to play God? Becky sounds like a real tard! She surely will reap what she has sown . Playing with people's emotions and lives is abusive and flat out cruel!

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Have you ever thought that if you call every day then all you are doing is making them spend more time on the phone thn processing applications..... the outcome could end up being that the RFE phoneline is abandoned as other have been in the past... because some people abuse the line and call every day!!!!!

Oh well...

Kez

Edited February 11, 2008 by Kezzie

[Firstenburg 0]

Have you ever thought that if you call every day then all you are doing is making them spend more time on the phone thn processing applications..... the outcome could end up being that the RFE phoneline is abandoned as other have been in the past... because some people abuse the line and call every day!!!!!

Oh well...

Kez

You make 2 claims I'm going to call you on:

First, you're saying that the CSC people who answer the phones are the adjudicators?? I don't think that is correct. When I speak to CSC via the RFE line, they refer to the adjudicators as a separate group. I have never heard anything that supports that adjudicators are answering phones. Of course if they are, then ALL OF US should back off and NEVER call. But I don't think that is the case. I could be wrong about this though. Does anyone know if adjudicators are the ones manning the phone lines at CSC?

Second, you claim that calling every day is an abuse. Please point me to a published limit that says how often I can call. Keep in mind I'm going on 7 months without my wife. I'm sure I'm just as hungry for information as everyone else, perhaps more. And I think I have a right to information. You should be pointing that finger of yours at USCIS for not making information more readily available.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

I can understand you are desperate to be together.... but do you think that calling everyday will do anything to speed up your journey.... no it wont.... even if the people who are answering the phones are not the adjudicators, they are still having to pull up your information that all takes time.... everyone has a time to wait for processing.... some longer than others... if everyone was to call every day in the hope that it will make their case move faster the whole system would grind to a total halt... I can understand people calling every 2-3 weeks but not everyday... so bu that is abusive....

Kez

[MsZ 6]

How many of you in the position of the people who get these calls would not get irritated if someone calls every day after you know they've been told to call again in 30 days?

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

First, I am sorry the O/P feels so frustrated. This process can be very spirit draining.

I do have to say, I'm with you here, MsZ. Calling everyday does nothing but annoy. I have not held my own fiancée in over 6 months. We've been separated the majority of our almost five year relationship. I miss her very much. How many times have I called anyone during this process thus far? Zero, zippo, none. Why? Because I know time and patience are what are required in this process. This isn't squeaky wheel gets the grease. Take a breath, be patient, and let them do their job. Things will happen in their time! And it does!

How many of you in the position of the people who get these calls would not get irritated if someone calls every day after you know they've been told to call again in 30 days?

[SMOKE 1,426]

yes, its wrong that the people at the service centers are dragging their feet & being rude & hateful you about calling.

but, they are in control. if its in the system you call too much.... whats to say your petition hasn't been or isn't going to be flagged to give-extra "special" attention-. (slow play you & nit-pick your case the whole way thru). i'd quit messing w/ them. noone here truley nows what people working in the service centers, visa center, or embassy can do to our cases. & no way to prove anyone has done anything. i'd back off & try to be a little more patient. remember, they are holding all the cards.

[Nita&Assaad 0]

Have you ever thought that if you call every day then all you are doing is making them spend more time on the phone thn processing applications..... the outcome could end up being that the RFE phoneline is abandoned as other have been in the past... because some people abuse the line and call every day!!!!!

Oh well...

Kez

You make 2 claims I'm going to call you on:

First, you're saying that the CSC people who answer the phones are the adjudicators?? I don't think that is correct. When I speak to CSC via the RFE line, they refer to the adjudicators as a separate group. I have never heard anything that supports that adjudicators are answering phones. Of course if they are, then ALL OF US should back off and NEVER call. But I don't think that is the case. I could be wrong about this though. Does anyone know if adjudicators are the ones manning the phone lines at CSC?

Second, you claim that calling every day is an abuse. Please point me to a published limit that says how often I can call. Keep in mind I'm going on 7 months without my wife. I'm sure I'm just as hungry for information as everyone else, perhaps more. And I think I have a right to information. You should be pointing that finger of yours at USCIS for not making information more readily available.

Actually I do believe that the people that answer the phone via the RFE line are adjudicators. When i called the last couple of times, one of them told me that if she took on my case, that she would do her best to call me back soon. If she wasn't an adjudicator then why would she say IF I TOOK ON YOUR CASE??? Another time another lady said that she could not help me because their was another adjudicator on the case already and that she would call me back, I am still waiting for that call. But they told me last week that if she didn't call me back that I was welcome to call them back by the end of this week! So i am being patient and waiting until the end of this week and see what happens... I am praying everyday!!! GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!

Nita