Back from Infopass

[waiting-1 0]

Just got back from infopass appointment to ask about my name check, and of course it has not cleared yet. I also inquired about why i have not been finger printed yet even though we had our AOS interview back in June, the answer i got is its because i was finger printed last year for a different case. I was also told that my name check was initiated last year for that other case and has not been completed yet even though that case was withdrawn and that last year's name check would still be good and acceptable once completed.

The officer also mentioned something very interesting, and this is for all you who have filed AOS apps and have not recieved interview appointments yet: He said local offices have received a memo from USCIS headquarters stating that beginning 2007, AOS interview appointments will NOT be scheduled until the name check clears. He also mentioned that they have almost 1000 cases (in that local offices) that have been completed and interviewed but they cannot do anything with them because they are waiting on name checks.

I also found out that there are 7 million name checks in the pipe line so far and only 500 employees at the FBI handling them.

So basically, the officer said that in general, things will get worse before they get better as far as immigration is concerened.

[rebeccajo 14]

Which office are you processing through?

I'm told in our office (Pittsburgh) there are over 100 interviewed applicants pending security clearance.

[Peter Miami 0]

Wow, that is unbelievable thank you for sharing.

Peter Miami

[rebeccajo 14]

We've been talking about this and just can't believe what a huge backlog this is.......

I really think USCIS or the FBI owes us all some sort of explanation as to how they EVER expect to clear this kind of backlog.

I have absolutely NO CLUE as to how many cases per day can be processed by one person. I took an average of 10 and the math comes out to 1400 business days. That's seven years........

I was told by the FBI office in Clarksburg last week that they received 3.5 million requests last year. If the information that waiting1 was given today is correct, that means the backlog has DOUBLED in less than 10 months.

They need to extend EAD and AP expirations to at LEAST 2 years - or the fee for renewing them needs to be waived...

Edited October 11, 2006 by rebeccajo

[waiting-1 0]

We've been talking about this and just can't believe what a huge backlog this is.......

I really think USCIS or the FBI owes us all some sort of explanation as to how they EVER expect to clear this kind of backlog.

I have absolutely NO CLUE as to how many cases per day can be processed by one person. I took an average of 10 and the math comes out to 1400 business days. That's seven years........

I was told by the FBI office in Clarksburg last week that they received 3.5 million requests last year. If the information that waiting1 was given today is correct, that means the backlog has DOUBLED in less than 10 months.

They need to extend EAD and AP expirations to at LEAST 2 years - or the fee for renewing them needs to be waived...

I am processing through the Las Vegas office.

Extending expiration dates for AP and EAD will probably never happen because its a cash cow for USCIS. Actually I remember that 3 years ago, there was talk about extending the validity of EAD untill your case is adjudicated, but that idea of course was immediately abandoned when USIC realized how much money they will NOT be making.

[sukimi 0]

We've been talking about this and just can't believe what a huge backlog this is.......

I really think USCIS or the FBI owes us all some sort of explanation as to how they EVER expect to clear this kind of backlog.

I have absolutely NO CLUE as to how many cases per day can be processed by one person. I took an average of 10 and the math comes out to 1400 business days. That's seven years........

I was told by the FBI office in Clarksburg last week that they received 3.5 million requests last year. If the information that waiting1 was given today is correct, that means the backlog has DOUBLED in less than 10 months.

They need to extend EAD and AP expirations to at LEAST 2 years - or the fee for renewing them needs to be waived...

I am processing through the Las Vegas office.

Extending expiration dates for AP and EAD will probably never happen because its a cash cow for USCIS. Actually I remember that 3 years ago, there was talk about extending the validity of EAD untill your case is adjudicated, but that idea of course was immediately abandoned when USIC realized how much money they will NOT be making.

Yes, but they will also save time by not processing all those EAD/AP applications, and people who come in for biometrics will be cut down too!

[LaL 418]

Just got back from infopass appointment to ask about my name check, and of course it has not cleared yet. I also inquired about why i have not been finger printed yet even though we had our AOS interview back in June, the answer i got is its because i was finger printed last year for a different case. I was also told that my name check was initiated last year for that other case and has not been completed yet even though that case was withdrawn and that last year's name check would still be good and acceptable once completed.

this makes me wonder if we will have to re-do the biometrics for the renewal then.

thanks for the info waiting-1... i feel i will be writing several letters to my congressmen/senators shortly NOT about my case, but the rediculousness of it all.

[waiting-1 0]

I forgot to say that the officer i spoke to today also mentioned that the time required to complete a name check for a particular individual depends on how fast they recieve info from the applicants country of origin, whether the name is common and whether there are other individuals with similar names and birth dates around the birth date of the applicant subject to the name check.

The officer also suggested that a good way to solve the problem is for everyone to write letters to their congressman or senator urging them to bring the issue of name checks up in washington.

Edited October 11, 2006 by waiting-1

[dani_christine 0]

holy cow! that number is un-freaking-believable.

[Miranda&James 8]

That is nutso.

What about all these people getting approved quickly through CSC? Why is this happening to them while other people have to wait months and months on namechecks since they had a traditional interview? Is the namecheck done before a possible transfer so CSC knows they can process the case fast?

[rebeccajo 14]

That is nutso.

What about all these people getting approved quickly through CSC? Why is this happening to them while other people have to wait months and months on namechecks since they had a traditional interview? Is the namecheck done before a possible transfer so CSC knows they can process the case fast?

I'd like to know the answer to that one myself.

[LaL 418]

Just got back from infopass appointment to ask about my name check, and of course it has not cleared yet. I also inquired about why i have not been finger printed yet even though we had our AOS interview back in June, the answer i got is its because i was finger printed last year for a different case. I was also told that my name check was initiated last year for that other case and has not been completed yet even though that case was withdrawn and that last year's name check would still be good and acceptable once completed.

this makes me wonder if we will have to re-do the biometrics for the renewal then.

thanks for the info waiting-1... i feel i will be writing several letters to my congressmen/senators shortly NOT about my case, but the rediculousness of it all.

totally contrary to what you were told waiting-1 I just called the unhelpful line. They confirmed my DH will need to do biometrics again because this is a new application. Fingerprints expire after 15 months for an application that is long running, but EAD - yes, she said will need new biometrics.

who knows if its correct or not, and at least we did not have to pay for them.

Edited October 13, 2006 by lal_brandow

[john_and_marlene 162]

Backlogs like these are understandable when laws are passed without the funding to adequately staff for the additional workload. Increasing the size of government staffs has never been a popular move while increasing what is expected of them is.

[rebeccajo 14]

Backlogs like these are understandable when laws are passed without the funding to adequately staff for the additional workload. Increasing the size of government staffs has never been a popular move while increasing what is expected of them is.

Spoken like a true civil servant? B)

[john_and_marlene 162]

Backlogs like these are understandable when laws are passed without the funding to adequately staff for the additional workload. Increasing the size of government staffs has never been a popular move while increasing what is expected of them is.

Spoken like a true civil servant? B)

I'm not a civil servant -- not even after the Holiday Inn Express.

I am a realist.