This is what's going on.

[Angie Y Shane 2]

I have a friend that works for the Department of Home Land Security. I have been trying and trying to make contact with him for the last three months. I finally got through. This is what was said to me about what is going on. This is a fact i would not say anything else in less i knew for sure. This news is some what relief but frustrating. I'm writing a letter now to my congress to put the pressure on the USCIS. The problem is I need more people to step up too?

USCIS was holding a gun at the head of Congress to get the fee hikes approved. Either pass the fee hikes or we'll sit on our duffs! So Congress approved the fee hike (under serious protest). The first attempt by USCIS failed.

In preparation for this, USCIS published document called "Transformation." This was a clever ploy to be able to pass out excuses for delays. And implementing, whatever they are doing, had caused the delays, not to mention, building their bureaucracy and power!

There are 5 regional service centers (or were). In the last six or so months, they've passed on the K and Relative visa case load from 4 of the service centers to California. Imagine the added work load and training that had to be done by the California Center. They've been running 6 months or so in just approving the petitions.

In shuffling the cases from Texas, Nebraska, then Missouri and eventually Vermont, to California, has caused longer and longer delays and even in simply getting to a case to cash the checks and send out receipts!!

Just recently, they assigned Vermont to take some of the backlog off California's back. More transition delays in cashing checks and sending out receipts! I have yet to see any improvement in processing time.

If you'll look at the USCIS reports, you'll notice they are ignoring the I-129F stats on the K3 visa. You'll also notice the I-130 reports indicate nothing since they include 2nd., and 3rd., preference cases filed by Permanent Residents (not U.S. Citizens). In other words, they are hiding their information!

These shuffled and reshuffled cases are eventually making it to an adjudicator's desk as we see. But it's scary meanwhile since no one is talking. But keep in mind, they are in fact, under the gun, and eventually they have to get to each case. They are in effect, shooting themselves in the foot while justifying a greater empire. The public is slooowly waking up and screaming! That's one thing the killed the Amnesty Bill.

Edited September 23, 2007 by whitteds

[Olya2007 0]

Thanks for the helpful info!

It does sheds some light on our lately being painful process, and unfortunately shows no hope for improving it in the near future... People, more letters , more voices, Please!!!

[DKM 0]

I read somewhere that another reason was due to staff being temporarily assigned to passport applications. There has been a huge backlog of passport applications this summer and DHS needed extra workers to help clear up the backlog, which was accomplished just a couple weeks ago. I am only assuming that there may be some overlap in that regard because the report said they used staff from other DHS agencies.

If there is any reason to be optomistic that processing times should revert to the mean, it is twofold: The passport backlog crisis is over and the fee hike has been in effect for almost 2 months now... Congress expects USCIS to hold up their end of the bargain when they got the fee hikes they asked for. It takes a while to get new staff up to speed but they should be getting going by about now, also the traditional vacation period is summer so more staff should be logging hours this fall. We'll see.

[bakofoil 27]

Useful post. Thanks

[afterforever 0]

I read somewhere that another reason was due to staff being temporarily assigned to passport applications. There has been a huge backlog of passport applications this summer and DHS needed extra workers to help clear up the backlog, which was accomplished just a couple weeks ago. I am only assuming that there may be some overlap in that regard because the report said they used staff from other DHS agencies.

If there is any reason to be optomistic that processing times should revert to the mean, it is twofold: The passport backlog crisis is over and the fee hike has been in effect for almost 2 months now... Congress expects USCIS to hold up their end of the bargain when they got the fee hikes they asked for. It takes a while to get new staff up to speed but they should be getting going by about now, also the traditional vacation period is summer so more staff should be logging hours this fall. We'll see.

I sure hopes this happens sooner rather than later because in the interim, we and our loves are the ones that suffer.

[U.S. Wendy 0]

Surprise, surprise.....more games and more lies.

We simply CAN NOT sit by idle and let this continue!!!!

More good news for us (being sarcastic)--> http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/Li...aFS_19Sep07.pdf

If I'm reading this correctly, yet again, VSC has been designated as the dumping site for more applications that will take priority over our K-1's and K-3's. If I'm wrong (and I hope I am) somebody please tell me.

Really, the more I think about it, the more I just want to leave this country to be with my SO until this is all over. Everyday that passes is one more day that has been STOLEN from us!!!!...and at this point, I am more than angry.

The way I see it, there are two choices:

1.) Let the anger eat at you until you explode -or-

2.) Harness that anger and turn it into positive action to force some change

[nyblubird 0]

Surprise, surprise.....more games and more lies.

We simply CAN NOT sit by idle and let this continue!!!!

More good news for us (being sarcastic)--> http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/Li...aFS_19Sep07.pdf

If I'm reading this correctly, yet again, VSC has been designated as the dumping site for more applications that will take priority over our K-1's and K-3's. If I'm wrong (and I hope I am) somebody please tell me.

Really, the more I think about it, the more I just want to leave this country to be with my SO until this is all over. Everyday that passes is one more day that has been STOLEN from us!!!!...and at this point, I am more than angry.

The way I see it, there are two choices:

1.) Let the anger eat at you until you explode -or-

2.) Harness that anger and turn it into positive action to force some change

Yes, you misread this, it clearly states on the top of page 2 there is no application or registration required. This decision will have no bearing on the K1 application process.

Edited September 24, 2007 by nyblubird

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

Oh Boy! I just hope they get things moving right away! I miss my sweetie desperately!

[U.S. Wendy 0]

Surprise, surprise.....more games and more lies.

We simply CAN NOT sit by idle and let this continue!!!!

More good news for us (being sarcastic)--> http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/Li...aFS_19Sep07.pdf

If I'm reading this correctly, yet again, VSC has been designated as the dumping site for more applications that will take priority over our K-1's and K-3's. If I'm wrong (and I hope I am) somebody please tell me.

Really, the more I think about it, the more I just want to leave this country to be with my SO until this is all over. Everyday that passes is one more day that has been STOLEN from us!!!!...and at this point, I am more than angry.

The way I see it, there are two choices:

1.) Let the anger eat at you until you explode -or-

2.) Harness that anger and turn it into positive action to force some change

Yes, you misread this, it clearly states on the top of page 2 there is no application or registration required. This decision will have no bearing on the K1 application process.

Thanks NYBird, but did you see this small section?

"Persons who did not request an EAD under TPS who now wish to receive one, or who wish to apply for a replacement of a lost, stolen, or mutilated EAD, must file Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization). Follow the instructions to the form carefully. However, please submit that form, and all supporting documentation, to the Vermont Service Center, 75 Lower Welden Street, St. Albans, Vermont 05479-0001."

This is what caught my attention, so while it may not be many, there are some who will be sending their documents into VSC. They already have enough to do.

What do you think?

[thejoz 0]

Even if they are applying for EAD, I would assume that those applications don't have to adjudicated the way visa petitions do, right?

I don't know for sure, but they just seem to be in slightly different worlds to me.

[doug & angel 0]

USCIS was holding a gun at the head of Congress to get the fee hikes approved. Either pass the fee hikes or we'll sit on our duffs! So Congress approved the fee hike (under serious protest). The first attempt by USCIS failed.

In preparation for this, USCIS published document called "Transformation." This was a clever ploy to be able to pass out excuses for delays. And implementing, whatever they are doing, had caused the delays, not to mention, building their bureaucracy and power!

Link to the "transformation" document (I think this should be it) Appears to be technology and operational changes mostly. Looks good on paper as an idea. Though its void of anything looking like an implementation timeline or metrics to judge effectiveness . Its the kind of thing you see in the world of no accountability. A lofty idea .. but in the real world, if this was handed to a board of directors of nearly any company they would doubt the competence of its management team. An idea without implementation metrics or the ability to determine success or failure is immature and a recipe for throwing money away and going out of business ...

[StillThePrettiest 3]

wow, that document is pretty interesting... thank you for the link

[rebeccajo 14]

Surprise, surprise.....more games and more lies.

We simply CAN NOT sit by idle and let this continue!!!!

More good news for us (being sarcastic)--> http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/Li...aFS_19Sep07.pdf

If I'm reading this correctly, yet again, VSC has been designated as the dumping site for more applications that will take priority over our K-1's and K-3's. If I'm wrong (and I hope I am) somebody please tell me.

Really, the more I think about it, the more I just want to leave this country to be with my SO until this is all over. Everyday that passes is one more day that has been STOLEN from us!!!!...and at this point, I am more than angry.

The way I see it, there are two choices:

1.) Let the anger eat at you until you explode -or-

2.) Harness that anger and turn it into positive action to force some change

Yes, you misread this, it clearly states on the top of page 2 there is no application or registration required. This decision will have no bearing on the K1 application process.

Thanks NYBird, but did you see this small section?

"Persons who did not request an EAD under TPS who now wish to receive one, or who wish to apply for a replacement of a lost, stolen, or mutilated EAD, must file Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization). Follow the instructions to the form carefully. However, please submit that form, and all supporting documentation, to the Vermont Service Center, 75 Lower Welden Street, St. Albans, Vermont 05479-0001."

This is what caught my attention, so while it may not be many, there are some who will be sending their documents into VSC. They already have enough to do.

What do you think?

If there are asylees in this country who were victims of political oppression in their homeland, and the US government wants to make some exception to process their cases prior to family based cases, that is admirable in my opinion.

Being separated from your boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse a few weeks longer in order to save removal of persons who might possibly be sent back home to tyrannical governments should not be a reason for outrage.

USCIS was holding a gun at the head of Congress to get the fee hikes approved. Either pass the fee hikes or we'll sit on our duffs! So Congress approved the fee hike (under serious protest). The first attempt by USCIS failed.

In preparation for this, USCIS published document called "Transformation." This was a clever ploy to be able to pass out excuses for delays. And implementing, whatever they are doing, had caused the delays, not to mention, building their bureaucracy and power!

Link to the "transformation" document (I think this should be it) Appears to be technology and operational changes mostly. Looks good on paper as an idea. Though its void of anything looking like an implementation timeline or metrics to judge effectiveness . Its the kind of thing you see in the world of no accountability. A lofty idea .. but in the real world, if this was handed to a board of directors of nearly any company they would doubt the competence of its management team. An idea without implementation metrics or the ability to determine success or failure is immature and a recipe for throwing money away and going out of business ...

I thought I saw reference to a 20% betterment in processing times by 2009. What document are you reading?

And hey, maybe they will go out of business.

What will you do then?

Edited September 26, 2007 by rebeccajo

[StillThePrettiest 3]

heartily agree with the first comment, about asylum seekers and those in danger; I'll willingly wait months more if that's the reason

the second thing - well, I guess it's the famous sarcasm, so maybe not meant to be taken literally, but as I read doug & angel's post, the 'going out of business' comment referred to similar proposals in the world of commerce... I thought his comment was quite measured, actually, and doesn't need to be responded to snidely, but each to their own

haven't read the document in detail yet - though I did scan it - and haven't reached the 20% figure yet, so I'm interested to know it's there; thank you

[rebeccajo 14]

heartily agree with the first comment, about asylum seekers and those in danger; I'll willingly wait months more if that's the reason

the second thing - well, I guess it's the famous sarcasm, so maybe not meant to be taken literally, but as I read doug & angel's post, the 'going out of business' comment referred to similar proposals in the world of commerce... I thought his comment was quite measured, actually, and doesn't need to be responded to snidely, but each to their own

haven't read the document in detail yet - though I did scan it - and haven't reached the 20% figure yet, so I'm interested to know it's there; thank you

The sarcastic point is this - what would we all do if there was no immigration allowed? The powers that be don't HAVE to let foreign born citizens in, you know. Indeed, there is probably a dark enough political tide in this country towards such a school of thought.

Much of what I post is intended to give the posters and readers pause to think. There is loads of grumbling about service and wait times. My husband and I grumbled and worried our way through a 17-month greencard filing, so I personally have experienced the delays of the system. But the fact remains - this IS the system. It does function, albeit slowly, and gets the job done.

I worry more about the law and political mindset in this nation towards immigrants than I do the system that is trying to process them. Each of you petitioning to bring a foreign-born person to this nation would be well served to think long and hard about your loved ones life once they get here. Amnesty has affected the perception of immigrants in this country and your loved one may experience reactions from less-than-thoughtful members of our society.

Immigration is more than getting a visa - it's an ongoing paper shuffling process, true - but it's far more than that. You are bringing someone to a new land. The adjustments from that and its ramifications will last your entire life. If you are so impatient that you find the visa process tiresome, I suggest you don't have the patience to be married to someone who will themselves need your support and encouragement in making a life-changing transition.