"duplicate" problem corrected

[JonInDenver]

hopefully the people involved will get to read this before it's deleted:

 

as i stated a couple weeks ago, all of our namechecks were resubmitted for security clearance in the first couple weeks of january (except for a few that were done just after that). some cases were cleared as a result of this process.

 

the problem that followed, was that DOJ started kicking many of the namchecks back to GZ as "duplicate submission" - and GZ still could not print the visas. we essentially went from one black hole to another.

 

some of us were told by the DOS helpline that we had "cleared" the namecheck process, when in reality GZ had made an entry "returned from DOJ" when the duplicate came in. unfortunately, this lead to even greater heartbreak when the visa could not be issued.

 

due to great diligence on the part of some of the Colorado delegates, and information they provided to DOS higher-ups, this is the current update from DOS:

 

"the vast majority of duplicates" have been sorted out manually, and "are moving forward in the process."

 

due to unforeseen problems over the last month, DOS is hesitant to state that namecheck clearances have been granted. each case still has to get the final once-over to ensure the clearance is the correct type and everything else involved with the case is correct. some are still being processed for special clearances due to flags on the particular case. i chuckled when i was told "i hesitate to be optimistic," since that is how we have been living for months.

 

DOS will not state numbers, and i don't think we have ever gotten an accurate count of the number of "black hole" visas still pending. there is also some comparisons DOS needs to do, some of the cases they have now were released in january.

 

DOS will state that they are "very encouraged by the progress of this past week" and "there will be a very large workload waiting for GZ upon their return from the New Year Holiday."

 

i hope we can find this as very encouraging news, and at least feel that progress is being made for all of us. naturally we have no idea if there are other bumps in the road ahead, or how long it will take GZ to process from here.

 

note: do not be alarmed if the DOS "visa specialists" do not have any of this information. i was told that the volume of cases involved is too great for it to be updated from DC, and the helpline people can only see what GZ enters on the system (and GZ is still enjoying their time off).

 

very best of luck to EVERYBODY, black hole or not. i genuinely hold hope that we will all be through this process soon.

 

thanks for your time.

[Mike and Ying]

Thanks for the info John, our lives once again rest with GZ

[JonInDenver]

"our lives once again rest with GZ"

 

jeeze! did you have to put it that way!

[Mike and Ying]

"our lives once again rest with GZ"

 

jeeze!  did you have to put it that way!

Sorry I was thinking out loud again

[Ana]

thanks for the info. i heard something today from ca that seems to support what jon is saying. so black-holers, there may be hope!!!!

[tonado]

Great info. Thanks, Jon

[Kaige]

John how about the cases re submitted prior to Jan 4 or 6? ours was Dec? don't know

[Mick]

Thanks Jon. Owen or someone forwarded this to me this morning. This is most useful information regarding the current state of the process, especially considering our appointment in GZ on Monday. Thanks again my friend for your diligience and tenacity in trying to get at the root of the problem. Again, I feel a least a dim light of optimism, but then again....

[Nicole]

thanks for info. John.

 

Nicole

[doggie]

Thanks Jon

 

It sounds like such an illogical reason it actually rings true. Lets see if they can actually come through for us.

 

For whats its worth another indicator is after waiting and waiting and saving my vacation for when she is here finally broke down and bought tickets to visit her next week. So Murphy's law also says her EMS will follow. Then again not complaining any chance to see her and (could we hope?) to bring her home!

 

only 15 months and counting

[Joseph-1]

Are you sure about the reliability of this data? PM me with your thoughts.

[JonInDenver]

"Are you sure about the reliability of this data?"

 

i would say that i have 98% confidence in what i have been told and who told it to me (i figure they gotta be hiding something).

 

just like the detailed information that i posted before the namechecks were resubmitted, the submission was done, extra manpower was sent to gz, and they worked overtime on 1/4/03 to get the work done. they REALY DID do all of those things just as they told me.

 

the foul-up came in the "duplicate submission" situation, and that was unforseen fallout of being submitted twice. so the promise of "2 weeks or less" became the only untruth.

 

as stated above, who knows if there are some other double-secret left-hand can't find the right-hand traps coming up. optimism is a difficult thing for me to grasp.

[owenkrout]

Well, the saga continues for us.

 

I just talked to a source in the know at DOS and it seems now that there is no record that my wife's name was ever submitted by GZ for the security check!

 

As it is now, she would never receive a visa, since they never submitted the case and hence did not re-submit it. This means that they flat out lied to me last week as well as every time I have contacted them since October.

[owenkrout]

BTW... I going through papers preparing for the meeting at GZ, which I haven't given up on making it to yet, I found the paper from the Shenyang Consulate that was the original determining factor for changing from a screwed up K-1 visa application to a spousal visa.

 

partial Quote emphasis mine/ There are no nimerical limits or waiting periods for immigrants whose American citizen relatives fall into the following categories; they can immigrate shortly after their U.S. relatives petition for them:

 

HUSBAND OR WIFE OF A CITIZEN (A PERSON WITH A U.S. PASSPORT)

SON OR DAUGHTER (UNDER 21 AND UNMARRIED) OF A U.S. CITIZEN

PARENT OF A U.S. CITIZEN

end Quote/

 

It was also at that point that Shenyang made their big mistake with us. They had advised me that once we registered our marriage, I could apply for immigration for the wife's daughter. After we had cancelled the K-1 visa and obtained all the paperwork for the daughter, they informed me that they had made a mistake and that by immigration law she is not my daughter and therefore I could not file for her.

[Mick]

Well, the saga continues for us.

 

I just talked to a source in the know at DOS and it seems now that there is no record that my wife's name was ever submitted by GZ for the security check!

 

As it is now, she would never receive a visa, since they never submitted the case and hence did not re-submit it.  This means that they flat out lied to me last week as well as every time I have contacted them since October.

This is more than an outrage!!!!!!

 

See my PM Owen. I still plan to be there with bells on on Monday.