For your Senators and Representatives:

[JonInDenver]

PLEASE feel free to use any or all of this, add or remove "teeth" as you see fit. the letter below HAS been efective...

 

(date)

 

Dear Senator (Name)

 

I would like the opportunity to discuss directly with you the situation regarding my fiancé's visa. Along with thousands of others, my fiancé in China is still awaiting her visa that was approved on (day) August 2002. Our DOS namechecks were lost after a computer and procedure change on 22 July 2002, the GZ Consulate did nothing to find them for at least 8 months.

 

The Department of State has been understanding of our situation as of late, and seems to be trying to help. Now, our situation has gone from bad to worse. After discussions with DOS during the last week of December and the first week of January, we have been able to force the resubmission of all outstanding security namechecks from GuangZhou. Maura Harty's office was involved in getting us this far.

 

We have been told by Harty's office that namechecks normally clear in 2 days to 2 weeks. Four weeks later we have had no movement.

 

I am being told that the namechecks WERE all resubmitted, as directed by DOS. However, as they are received and plugged in to whatever database for security clearance - they are being kicked back to GuangZhou as "duplicate submissions." When the Consulate receives this information - they are NOT told if it is a " duplicate submission WITH clearance" or " duplicate submission WITHOUT clearance." So GuangZhou STILL can not print the visas!

 

Now we are told IF someone can find out WHO sends that information to GuangZhou, AND they can be persuaded to provide MORE information to the Consulate ("pass" or "fail"), then we MIGHT be able to re-resubmit the namechecks and start all over again. At least two more months of our lives wasted.

 

Please understand how WE see things. WE all played by the rules. WE did not sneak our brides into the country illegally. WE paid every fee, WE filled out every form, and We jumped through every hoop. WE are good Americans, many of us are Armed Forces Veterans. WE have been fed lies by our government time and time again. WE have been suffocated under piles of misinformation now for so long we can hardly breath.

 

On behalf of myself, my waiting bride, and the THOUSANDS of Americans and their family members who are effected by this, I BEG you to do whatever you can to help us get on with our lives. We are only asking for our chance at Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

 

Respectful Regards

[JonInDenver]

another helpful thing to insert into the letter, or send separately is your timeline compared to one recently posted in this site:

 

the namechecks for applicants who interviewed in December 2002 were submitted on January 4, ALREADY HAVE their visas!! Needless to say, we are at our wits end as we are passed by again. Below is a timeline comparison between the December interviewee as posted on www.candleforlove.com, and my case:

 

Posted: Jan 28 2003, 01:08 AM

 

(his) (mine) [use your own info]

 

NOA1: 1/11/02 NOA: 12/21/01

NOA2: 5/28/02 NOA2: NONE

P3: 8/4/02

P4: 11/15/02 P3 and P4: in person 4/30/02

Interview: 12/9/02 interview: 7/16/02 reinterview: 8/16/02

Namecheck submitted: 1/4/03 submitted: 5/9/02 resubmitted: 1/9/03

Final clearance: uncertain NONE

EMS letter sent: 1/22/03 NONE

EMS delivery: 1/25/03 NONE

Picked up visa in GZ: 1/27/03 NONE

Expected in San Francisco: 2/7/03 ????

 

* NOA is INS "Notice of Approval"

[Eric&Yuhui]

PLEASE feel free to use any or all of this, add or remove "teeth" as you see fit.  the letter below HAS been efective...

 

(date)

 

Dear Senator (Name)

 

I would like the opportunity to discuss directly with you the situation regarding my fiancé's visa.  Along with thousands of others, my fiancé in China is still awaiting her visa that was approved on (day) August 2002.  Our DOS namechecks were lost after a computer and procedure change on 22 July 2002, the GZ Consulate did nothing to find them for at least 8 months. 

 

The Department of State has been understanding of our situation as of late, and seems to be trying to help.  Now, our situation has gone from bad to worse.  After discussions with DOS during the last week of December and the first week of January, we have been able to force the resubmission of all outstanding security namechecks from GuangZhou.  Maura Harty's office was involved in getting us this far.

 

We have been told by Harty's office that namechecks normally clear in 2 days to 2 weeks.  Four weeks later we have had no movement.

 

I am being told that the namechecks WERE all resubmitted, as directed by DOS.  However, as they are received and plugged in to whatever database for security clearance - they are being kicked back to GuangZhou as "duplicate submissions."  When the Consulate receives this information - they are NOT told if it is a " duplicate submission WITH clearance" or " duplicate submission WITHOUT clearance."  So GuangZhou STILL can not print the visas!

 

Now we are told IF someone can find out WHO sends that information to GuangZhou, AND they can be persuaded to provide MORE information to the Consulate ("pass" or "fail"), then we MIGHT be able to re-resubmit the namechecks and start all over again.  At least two more months of our lives wasted.

 

Please understand how WE see things.  WE all played by the rules.  WE did not sneak our brides into the country illegally.  WE paid every fee, WE filled out every form, and We jumped through every hoop.  WE are good Americans, many of us are Armed Forces Veterans.  WE have been fed lies by our government time and time again.  WE have been suffocated under piles of misinformation now for so long we can hardly breath.

 

On behalf of myself, my waiting bride, and the THOUSANDS of Americans and their family members who are effected by this, I BEG you to do whatever you can to help us get on with our lives.  We are only asking for our chance at Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

 

Respectful Regards

I like this one..

[AZwolfman]

Jon, I have been gathering contact info, reading and posting in the forum, writing and sending letters, reading replies since I awoke today. My fingers are getting tired. I like this letter. I will edit it with my info and send to my congressmen tomorrow.