kkimm Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 Just received this reply from Harty's office: Dear Mr. ******: Assistant Secretary Maura Harty has asked us to respond to your e-mail of April 8 that requested a meeting to discuss the immigrant visa application of ******* and to the separate e-mails of April 4 from you and Ms. *****. We last corresponded with you about this matter on March 20. We understand and share your frustration with the delays that have occurred during the interagency clearance process. A variety of problems have arisen with that process, and, in cooperation with the other involved agencies, we have taken several actions to resolve existing cases and to minimize delays for future applicants. We have worked hard and continue to work hard to fix the system. What we are not able to do under any circumstances, however, is to reach into that system to expedite individual cases. We can and have repeatedly urged the other agencies to resolve all outstanding cases. We do not have the authority to instruct them to do so or to take action on any individual clearance. We have even less influence over cases involving "holds." A "hold" means that a government agency has informed us that it needs more time to reach a decision on an individual case. We have no ability to overcome or shorten a "hold." Information on the reasons for the "holds" is not shared with us, and we cannot predict when the "holds" will be lifted. We join you in hoping that your waiting period ends soon. We are doingeverything that we can to conclude this case, but we ask you to understand that parts of the process are entirely outside our control. For that reason, a meeting with us would not resolve the problems that are delaying this visa application. Sincerely, Kathryn CabralChiefPublic Inquiries DivisionVisa Servicesanother interpretation: Yes we know you are on hold and you've been waiting for a long time. No we cannot do anything, don't ask me why and why, okay? Link to comment
kkimm Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 My most recent email to Harty sent yesterday, I will write another one before the end of this week. Dear Ms. Maura Harty, I am writing again with regard to my case that has been put on hold as of most recent email dated XXXXX. I understand that at this point, my case might be in the hands of a government agency that is out of the control of your office. Previously I have request for a meeting (last week) but did not get any answer. Up to now, there has not been much infomation on "cases" that were place on-hold. I am not looking for why my case was put on hold, however, I do eager to find out how much longer this process is going to be or how much impact it is going to have on the processing time. Also, I would like very much to know, that to the best of your knowledge, if there is any "on-hold" cases being cleared in the past few months. This would give me, at the least, some comfort that my case could be just needing some more examination... With best regards, Link to comment
rfsun Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 I got the same letter from KC. Who else can we focus on? Link to comment
SBS Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 i really can;t remember the name of this Form anymore. Anyone can help me please? It's form DS-230 Part 1Application for immigrant visa and alien registration Don't email Harty about this. Email the consulate. You probably can resend a corrected one by marking it "amended submission for form DS-230" or something like that.Thank you Eric and ttlee_99. yeah it is DS-230 Part 1 which i wrote wrong name of the university i worked. Well I wish they will give me a chance to explain my mistake and correct it. I can only think this as a reason why my case on hold right now. I appreciate your help freinds! Link to comment
AZwolfman Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 Not exactly what we wanted to hear. . . , but at least Ms. Cabral did respond personally and specifically. . . as opposed to a cut and paste form letter of which we all have many. This is one of the rare instances in which some specific information was given out. Even, "I don't know" or "It's beyond our control" is better than being ignored or lied to. Ms. Cabral seems credible when she says that this is out of the hands of the control of Harty's office. But whether she can not or will not doesn't matter - still no help. Therefore, we need to move on up the food chain to whomever is in control of the hold release. Since Ms. Cabral has admitted this problem is beyond her control, I suggest that any more letters to Harty's office should be for the purpose of asking their help in pointing you in the direction of those imposing and having control over the holds. Surely these holds will eventually be released (and hopefully before our loved ones have either given up or died of old age), but what we need to demand is some reasonable expedition of their release. The BCIS still just doesn't seem to get it, do they? What we are objecting to most is not the increased scrutiny which results in delays, but to the lack of information, lack of a timeline, and to the inability of the involved departments to efficiently institute these new security scrutinies. Link to comment
Eric&Yuhui Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 Well I wish they will give me a chance to explain my mistake and correct it. I can only think this as a reason why my case on hold right now. No. This is not the reason, I am sure Link to comment
kkimm Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 Just received this reply from Harty's office: We join you in hoping that your waiting period ends soon. We are doingeverything that we can to conclude this case, but we ask you to understand that parts of the process are entirely outside our control. For that reason, a meeting with us would not resolve the problems that are delaying this visa application. Sincerely, Kathryn CabralChiefPublic Inquiries DivisionVisa ServicesAfter some thinnking, this is probably something we should do or ask, since KC says they are doing everything they can, and they cannot trace individual cases during that process... 1. what they can do, as a category, for "on-hold" cases? and what they've done? 2. as a standard procedure, they could at least issue a memo requesting infomration from that government agency and they should get a response not matter what. 3. To move up the food chain, we should contact Colin Powell, or the Congress Judiciary committee... Link to comment
Nicole Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 I got the same letter from Harty today also Link to comment
SBS Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 Just received this reply from Harty's office: We join you in hoping that your waiting period ends soon. We are doingeverything that we can to conclude this case, but we ask you to understand that parts of the process are entirely outside our control. For that reason, a meeting with us would not resolve the problems that are delaying this visa application. Sincerely, Kathryn CabralChiefPublic Inquiries DivisionVisa ServicesAfter some thinnking, this is probably something we should do or ask, since KC says they are doing everything they can, and they cannot trace individual cases during that process... 1. what they can do, as a category, for "on-hold" cases? and what they've done? 2. as a standard procedure, they could at least issue a memo requesting infomration from that government agency and they should get a response not matter what. 3. To move up the food chain, we should contact Colin Powell, or the Congress Judiciary committee...We never contented with Congress Judiciary Committee before. What can they do for us? Do they have much more power than DOS? Link to comment
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