I-129F Filers, March 2015 NOA1 date! TSC only!

[Tom and SooGyeong 87]

I have been following visa journey and immifairy still, and it upsets me to see so few approvals while so many still waiting. What is going on at TSC the last week or so?? They should make I129-F apps a priority to finish, you would think they would now that they are almost there. I consider myself very lucky and know that it is somewhat a lottery of sorts on who gets approved when. Hope they pick up the pace next week and you all hear something soon. Finally was able to get through to NVC today, and got a case number. Only about 2 weeks since NOA2, things seem to move much faster now that we are out of the TSC hellhole.

Just My Opinion:

Last Thursday was the first day of mysterious 'No Approvals'. Friday was the same, and Hannah of IF was confused. Then on Saturday, all Case Status pages went blank for a few hours, even those already approved and sent on to DOS. They came back online a few hours later, and mine went from 'Approved' before the crash, to 'Sent to DOS' after the crash, and then back to 'Approved' about an hour later. Since then, almost ZERO Approvals.

My guess:

I am an AutoCAD and Tekla user, and work on a workstation computer that is tied into a Network Server. I think that Adjudicators at TSC work in the same way. However, if the Network Server goes down, it is possible to continue working on individual Desk Workstations as if nothing was broken, and only the overall accumulation of Data at the Server is delayed. I think that the TSC server that handles the Approvals is having issues, and a work order is in the works. I think that Approvals are still happening, and the data is on individual workstations at the many Adjudicator's desks, but cannot be updated and entered into the system until after the Server is repaired. If my supposition is correct, when the problem is eventually corrected, we may well see what appears to be a miraculous record number of Approvals in a single day. Normal approval rate was hovering around the 50 per day mark, so look for an accumulation of about 50 per day coming forward from last Thursday, up to the day of the Server coming back online.

Or, maybe they're in the midst of a Pinochle Championship, and just don't want to do their jobs.....

Just my 2-cents worth.

[Unshakable Faith 493]

Just My Opinion:

Last Thursday was the first day of mysterious 'No Approvals'. Friday was the same, and Hannah of IF was confused. Then on Saturday, all Case Status pages went blank for a few hours, even those already approved and sent on to DOS. They came back online a few hours later, and mine went from 'Approved' before the crash, to 'Sent to DOS' after the crash, and then back to 'Approved' about an hour later. Since then, almost ZERO Approvals.

My guess:

I am an AutoCAD and Tekla user, and work on a workstation computer that is tied into a Network Server. I think that Adjudicators at TSC work in the same way. However, if the Network Server goes down, it is possible to continue working on individual Desk Workstations as if nothing was broken, and only the overall accumulation of Data at the Server is delayed. I think that the TSC server that handles the Approvals is having issues, and a work order is in the works. I think that Approvals are still happening, and the data is on individual workstations at the many Adjudicator's desks, but cannot be updated and entered into the system until after the Server is repaired. If my supposition is correct, when the problem is eventually corrected, we may well see what appears to be a miraculous record number of Approvals in a single day. Normal approval rate was hovering around the 50 per day mark, so look for an accumulation of about 50 per day coming forward from last Thursday, up to the day of the Server coming back online.

Or, maybe they're in the midst of a Pinochle Championship, and just don't want to do their jobs.....

Just my 2-cents worth.

Sounds like a reasonable explanation!

[rms171 20]

I would recommend that if anyone concerned about what seems like a trickle of approvals coming from the TSC that you call the USCIS and ask what you're hearing and report back. This forum is a good source for bonding, but with almost six months in the books people should be calling and preparing letters to the USCIS ombudsman's office.

Squeaky wheel gets the oil, just squeak politely.

Right Tom?

R

[Tom and SooGyeong 87]

I would recommend that if anyone concerned about what seems like a trickle of approvals coming from the TSC that you call the USCIS and ask what you're hearing and report back. This forum is a good source for bonding, but with almost six months in the books people should be calling and preparing letters to the USCIS ombudsman's office.

Squeaky wheel gets the oil, just squeak politely.

Right Tom?

R

I Wholeheartedly Concur!

Also, the TSC Number for Customer Service is:

(800)-375-5283

They accepted Your Payment, making you a Customer

They OWE You some SERVICE.

HAVE YOUR NUMBER READY. . . .

[captmaximus 11]

Tom and SooGyeong: Have you called NVC yet? Our case was forwarded from TSC on 9/4 and when I finally got a hold of them last night was told they received our petition on 9/16 and was given a case number.

Good luck!

[rms171 20]

CaptMaximus,

I take turns emailing with Tom on the status of trying to get anything out of the NVC. Nice elevator music though. My petition left alcatraz on the 8th, and I thinkn Tom's went about a week or so later and he's still waiting too.

I am getting pretty good a tuning out really bad music though.

[captmaximus 11]

CaptMaximus,

I take turns emailing with Tom on the status of trying to get anything out of the NVC. Nice elevator music though. My petition left alcatraz on the 8th, and I thinkn Tom's went about a week or so later and he's still waiting too.

I am getting pretty good a tuning out really bad music though.

That music is pretty bad and the continuous message about how they are helping other customers...

It's painful to get a hold of NVC but hopefully you guys can get your case numbers soon so you won't have to call them again.

Edited September 19, 2015 by captmaximus

[Tom and SooGyeong 87]

Tom and SooGyeong: Have you called NVC yet? Our case was forwarded from TSC on 9/4 and when I finally got a hold of them last night was told they received our petition on 9/16 and was given a case number.

Good luck!

I am calling twice per day. I must disagree with RMS171 though.... not so nice on hold music. It is the wavering sound-track of 1950's produced school science films played on a projector.

I have their address. I am thinking of mailing them some So-Nyeo-Si-Da tunes after my file has left. . .

I think my file left earlier than it says on the My Case Status Page. I am thinking it will have arrived by Monday, so I will call again, and again, and again. I do voices, so I try to cheer up the poor bored CSRs whose day must be beyond monotonous,

Tom

[hampguy 9]

I would recommend that if anyone concerned about what seems like a trickle of approvals coming from the TSC that you call the USCIS and ask what you're hearing and report back. This forum is a good source for bonding, but with almost six months in the books people should be calling and preparing letters to the USCIS ombudsman's office.

Squeaky wheel gets the oil, just squeak politely.

Right Tom?

R

Sadly rms171 i have called the ombudsmen office and filed an inquiry from them on my petition which is dated March 9, 2015. The ROTTEN part of the deal is that it takes the ombudsmen department 45 to review your case and see if they can assist you. It is not a guarantee. Also mentioned her before after calling number USCIS gave me to let them know of my displeasure with the handling of my petition, after pressing option #2, the call gets routed right back to USCIS 800 number......

[hampguy 9]

Sadly rms171 i have called the ombudsmen office and filed an inquiry from them on my petition which is dated March 9, 2015. The ROTTEN part of the deal is that it takes the ombudsmen department 45 to review your case and see if they can assist you. It is not a guarantee. Also mentioned her before after calling number USCIS gave me to let them know of my displeasure with the handling of my petition, after pressing option #2, the call gets routed right back to USCIS 800 number......

Here is the reply after asking for an inquiry. The last time i spoke to them was on 9/3. Request for help not looked at.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for the recent request for assistance that you submitted to the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman. Your submission is being reviewed to determine how our office may assist. If we are able to help, you will receive correspondence regarding the inquiry from our office within 45 business days. If our office is unable to assist, we will notify you promptly.

You may contact us at 1-855-882-8100 (toll-free), (202) 357-8100 (local) orcisombudsman@hq.dhs.gov. Please reference case number 20156333 if you have any questions or need further assistance. Please add our email address (cisombudsman@hq.dhs.gov) to your contacts or safe-senders list so that future emails from our office will not be routed to the spam folder.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

U.S. Department of Homeland Security DB1KM2TD3NC4

Washington, DC 20528-0180

Toll-Free: 1-855-882-8100

Phone: 202-357-8100

Email: cisombudsman@hq.dhs.gov

Web: www.dhs.gov/cisombudsman

[rms171 20]

hampguy,

Do not give up. Have you filed a letter with your senators and/or congressman? I sent my first email about midway through month three (I didn't buy into the waiting five months) and I proceeded to email the senator's office every single week (if not more) up until the very day when my petition was approved. I was factual and polite. When the senator's liaison responded with a "I am expecting to hear from the USCIS congressional liaison on Monday" you bet your a*s the email was sent to the senator on Tuesday seeking information, and then every day thereafter until they responded. I called USCIS constantly the two weeks before I was approved, and at one point asked to speak with four Tier 2 officers in the same day. I asked the same question of each of them. While none of these actions will ever reveal themselves to be the one that pushed my application through, I can see that within my SRC sequence I am one of maybe three in a band of 100 before and after that was approved. That means my file was pulled out of a banker box and handed to someone to review. Whatever that means is what conspiracies are based on.

Please stay strong, the emotion does not wain once you're released from Texas, it only shifts to New Hampshire and another layer of bureacracy.

Don't wait to call in 45 days. Start calling after ten days and keep calling.

Rubin

Edited September 19, 2015 by rms171

[hampguy 9]

hampguy,

Do not give up. Have you filed a letter with your senators and/or congressman? I sent my first email about midway through month three (I didn't buy into the waiting five months) and I proceeded to email the senator's office every single week (if not more) up until the very day when my petition was approved. I was factual and polite. When the senator's liaison responded with a "I am expecting to hear from the USCIS congressional liaison on Monday" you bet your a*s the email was sent to the senator on Tuesday seeking information, and then every day thereafter until they responded. I called USCIS constantly the two weeks before I was approved, and at one point asked to speak with four Tier 2 officers in the same day. I asked the same question of each of them. While none of these actions will ever reveal themselves to be the one that pushed my application through, I can see that within my SRC sequence I am one of maybe three in a band of 100 before and after that was approved. That means my file was pulled out of a banker box and handed to someone to review. Whatever that means is what conspiracies are based on.

Please stay strong, the emotion does not wain once you're released from Texas, it only shifts to New Hampshire and another layer of bureacracy.

Don't wait to call in 45 days. Start calling after ten days and keep calling.

Rubin

Rubin,

I was proactive in the 3rd month because things didnt make sense and i pushed and learned about how USCIS operated. I called my Senator and within 30 minutes request was sent to TSC. Senator Warren's office received reply on 9/3/15(below). USCIS says petition in on adjudicating officers desk. I call USCIS and always have calls escalated. I have been lied to my Tier 2 officers and much more. On 9/17/15 i finally received a reply from a service request a tier2 officer put in for my on 7/28/15. TSC never replied, i called and asked why, of course nobody had any answers and i had to do a follow-up email. It concurred with same information as on Senator's reply from TSC.

I am doing the best i can and holding on. My partner and i had agreed that by February 2016 he would be here. For certain i hope he will. I think it is too late for Christmas arrival.

[hampguy 9]

Ah, Rubin, you were one of the March 17 petioners that was approved!! Congratulations!!

hampguy,

Do not give up. Have you filed a letter with your senators and/or congressman? I sent my first email about midway through month three (I didn't buy into the waiting five months) and I proceeded to email the senator's office every single week (if not more) up until the very day when my petition was approved. I was factual and polite. When the senator's liaison responded with a "I am expecting to hear from the USCIS congressional liaison on Monday" you bet your a*s the email was sent to the senator on Tuesday seeking information, and then every day thereafter until they responded. I called USCIS constantly the two weeks before I was approved, and at one point asked to speak with four Tier 2 officers in the same day. I asked the same question of each of them. While none of these actions will ever reveal themselves to be the one that pushed my application through, I can see that within my SRC sequence I am one of maybe three in a band of 100 before and after that was approved. That means my file was pulled out of a banker box and handed to someone to review. Whatever that means is what conspiracies are based on.

Please stay strong, the emotion does not wain once you're released from Texas, it only shifts to New Hampshire and another layer of bureacracy.

Don't wait to call in 45 days. Start calling after ten days and keep calling.

Rubin

[rms171 20]

ahampguy,

Thank you. Like Tom (whom I've gotten to know by sharing lots of stories in email), I never wanted to publicize the approval. I know I am not the only one who has been affected by this horrendous first step of the process. Call or email the senator again. It's been two weeks since you've seen an actionable response and now it is time to ask again. Ask to have your inquiry elevated to the USCIS congressional liaison, which is the next level in the bureaucracy. If you have the name and email of your senator's liaison, email he/she and keep doing it. I kept pounding my fist on the table and did not stop. I never bought into the notion that someone at the USCIS would get pissed off and put my file in the dumpster.

This is hard, but keep pushing and pushing. Your partner is depending on you and can do nothing but rely on your persistence. There is not a wall I wouldn't run through for my fiancee. In one of my last emails I included an attachment from President Obama and told my liaison how hypocritical it was for the POTUS to preach a nation of immigrants, yet his policies have done little to permit legal immigrants a clear and timely pathway to immigration. He ended his letter by suggesting if I needed assistance, to call the USCIS. My eyes rolled.

As I found with my fiancee, there isn't a wall I won't run through to bring her here, not so much for me, but for her and her child. Galvanize yourself the same way and keep pushing. You can never push enough for the sake of a loved one.

[Tom and SooGyeong 87]

ahampguy,

Thank you. Like Tom (whom I've gotten to know by sharing lots of stories in email), I never wanted to publicize the approval. I know I am not the only one who has been affected by this horrendous first step of the process. Call or email the senator again. It's been two weeks since you've seen an actionable response and now it is time to ask again. Ask to have your inquiry elevated to the USCIS congressional liaison, which is the next level in the bureaucracy. If you have the name and email of your senator's liaison, email he/she and keep doing it. I kept pounding my fist on the table and did not stop. I never bought into the notion that someone at the USCIS would get pissed off and put my file in the dumpster.

This is hard, but keep pushing and pushing. Your partner is depending on you and can do nothing but rely on your persistence. There is not a wall I wouldn't run through for my fiancee. In one of my last emails I included an attachment from President Obama and told my liaison how hypocritical it was for the POTUS to preach a nation of immigrants, yet his policies have done little to permit legal immigrants a clear and timely pathway to immigration. He ended his letter by suggesting if I needed assistance, to call the USCIS. My eyes rolled.

As I found with my fiancee, there isn't a wall I won't run through to bring her here, not so much for me, but for her and her child. Galvanize yourself the same way and keep pushing. You can never push enough for the sake of a loved one.

Well Said.