One for noneufo and timeline...

[Stone]

There does not seem to be any correlation between timeline and blue slips. Some people went though the process very fast (from P1 to interview) and got blue slips even total denials, while some others dragged on for years but eventually approved at the interview without any problem. It is interesting that I have not seen anyone who married to a USC and whose case dragged over 1.5 years and got blue slips at interview. Have you? Persistence and dedication win.

Edited January 16, 2006 by Stone (see edit history)

[mercator]

I guess I was more thinking along the lines of what makes some timelines longer than others. I haven't studied their effects on blue slips. It does seem like if you wait patiently and deal with all the delays, maybe your sheer will shows how genuine the relationship is? Hehe I hope so.

Edited January 16, 2006 by mercator (see edit history)

[nooneufo]

So far as I can tell from the 200 or so timelines for 2005 and another equal or greater amount of timelines from 001, there is nothing you can do to get ahead of anyone else in the line once your paper work is at Guangzhou with one exception: Pregnancy.

 

What service center you go through, divorce, calling congressman, breakfast with the Prez, rolling around on the floor crying, begging the gods, all have been tried and in these timelines that are known, no one has gotten theirs out of order with anyone else, after it is at Guangzhou. Only those who stated a name check delayed, get theirs later. With everyone who has ever stated the actual dates on their P3 and P4 letters, everyone of them have been in that sequential date order. (It remains to be seen if we are now going to see a change because of the faster P3/P4 times, if this reflects a different asignment procedure).

 

There is no correlation between the wait time at any part of the visa process and getting a blue slip that I can determine so far.

 

What happens at the different service centers for your time has no correlation found excepting the wait times at those particular service centers. When comparing CFL service center wait times to Visa Journey's NOA1 to NOA2 times, they are the same. What country you go through does not seem to make a discernable difference, only how fast one center is compared to another.

 

Concerning name check delays (before a P3), for example at a service center or NVC, this appears to be random, unless we could get the personal details of everyone, I doubt we will ever know why someone gets into namecheck hell. I would guess it is simply luck of the draw if yours is randomly sampled for extensive scrutiny. I don't give much credence to the common name check theory myself because of Chinese last names. Recommend reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_family_name

 

Concerning the relationship of divorce to blue slips, there is nothing specific I can see. Remember that many people are divorced and it is common. Statistically speaking from a cultural point of view, it appears that the beneficiary is more likely to consider a foreign relationship after a bad previous marriage, or some dis-satisfaction with the current trends around them, or a more modernistic view, which is that the internet is the way to meet someone more suitable. With this in mind, when we compare the blue slip list we find more correlation to preparation errors. When we look at the interviews themselves, we see a significant number of questions related to divorce if there is such a history. My feeling is the divorce itself is not a cause of the blue slip. Rather the lack of explanation for the divorce and its current status is.

 

In answer to the idea that there is a way to avoid a blue slip when there is a previous divorce, being prepared as possible with the details is the approach that seems best. Remember, there is only a 12% blue slip rate for CFL members, and I think it should be much lower if you read all the Faqs, interviews, and blue slips histories. We know that even for those who get a blue slip, their preparation to resolve it was important. Those who were not prepared, on the whole managed to solve it as well. And finally, I would think the data acquired so far has helped many more avoid a blue slip in the first place, by having prepared accordingly to their situation. I think that past successful interview stories have shown this.

 

Most importantly, the one unmeasurable item we have, is the confidence instilled in the beneficiary by the petitioner. I think this is probably the biggest factor. How to have papers ready, how to be prepared for answering questions specific to one's own relationship, and past relationships such as divorce has also been seen in past interview stories. Unfortunate that some people are not good at taking tests or doing interviews, and when under stress even the most outgoing and vibrant person can have trouble.

 

As to the specifics of your friend who is using a lawyer. The simplest of questions I would be asking is have they called DOS themselves to see what they have to say? Did GUZ even get back their P3 papers? As is all too common in the troubled situations, we often see a great lack of details, which I equate to proper preparation.

 

We also know the VO's don't look at any of this paperwork until just before the interview. It is all being handled by people who shuffle papers around based on its current status until it reaches the VO stage. Remember, even the (Police report)criminal record, or lack of one, is not brought in until the interview. My own situation did not include a divorce, but my question is how much if any evidence was sent with the paperwork so far concerning the previous divorce? I am sure this also affects the questions asked at the interview. If they are at the namecheck stage,(which from what you say , we actually don't really know where they are) I doubt anyone has bothered to look at the paperwork. The reason for this is we see a clear stepped situation for assigning P4's that make it look like they simply do a scan for all the P3's for their status to put them into the P4/interview que. If it is not done, it goes back into a stack for the next cycle. If their paperwork is cycling like this, no doubt they need to intervene. Again, need more specific information. (And maybe a new lawyer).

Edited January 19, 2006 by nooneufo (see edit history)

[mercator]

I suggested to them that in choosing a lawyer they may have added a year on to their application process. One more bureaucracy to wait for, as far as I am concerned... A lawyer isn't going to apply quickly, reply quickly, or follow up quickly, like someone like me has, does, and will.

 

I want my wife here with me asap... a lawyer isn't so concerned.

 

My wife's friend's husband is older (so he tells me - he is only in his 50's), and is not much on computers or messing with complicated paperwork. He isn't dumb, just not good at pushing paper. So he has a lawyer doing it, and they just wait. They talk to each other once or twice a week, and they really don't email much. I really worry about their success. I know their relationship is genuine, but it doesn't seem like it will look good 'on paper.'

 

I guess I will just pray for them like I pray for us, and for everyone else on here.

[nooneufo]

there is nothing you can do to get ahead of anyone else in the line once your paper work is at Guangzhou with one exception: Pregnancy.

 

184020[/snapback]

Nooneufo,

 

Even the Consulate web site now states this is NOT a reason to expediate.

 

Merc, A while back I started to post here but deleted it. I also seem to agree with Noon. I believe several of these issues are latent between initial approval at USCIS (Check of the LEGAL capacity to marry) until just about interview time. I really don't think much or any effort is really expended in the regards of divorce.

 

Also on your prior post you listed several criteria about prior marr/divorce issues impeding the process. Just so happens we fit many of them (VERY recent divorces for both, other issues and FULLY EXPECTED A BLUE SLIP) and had NO problem at interview with this despite POSSIBLY having a very notorious VO. There were repeated questions about her ex's location- DOS supposedly had 13-14 people with HIS name already in the US!

184096[/snapback]

Thanks for the update. (Will edit that out of the post)

I guess thats why I have not seen one of these since last July. It also reinforces the idea that you want to read all resources, including the consulate web page. I had gotten used to the idea that it is only CFL that keeps me informed and up to date.......wait, I guess it still does.

 

I will add one other note concerning time waits in general. While we see a major time reduction in P3 to P4's for K1 and K3, we don't see the same trend for CR1's. So far. Why this is I am not sure, but this has always been a tough one to track.

[david_dawei]

there is nothing you can do to get ahead of anyone else in the line once your paper work is at Guangzhou with one exception: Pregnancy.

 

184020[/snapback]

Nooneufo,

 

Even the Consulate web site now states this is NOT a reason to expediate.

184096[/snapback]

I disagree... they are doing it on a case by case basis.... I've put this in the FAQ since I think people attempt something if in need ...

 

The Blessed Uh-Oh, Announcing our good fortune

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7105

[david_dawei]

richard...

 

if someone is in the same situation of needing some expediting or scheduing around a pregnancy, then I'm going to encourage them to follow the steps done by others who were successful in the past...

 

Ultimately, what will be your advice to them ? point them to a GUZ website and say forget it ?