ACH useful or not?

[ken88]

I am confused big time!

 

As mentioned earlier, after 2 blue slips, I plan to go to USC in GZ, and attend ACH. I am getting mixed messages; some are saying that it is esssentially useless while others say that it helped them tremendousely. What is it folks?

 

1. Some say that you can only ask general questions and you only get general asnwers! Others said that at the ACH meeting, VO opened up the file and noted down the fact that the petitioner was there etc.

 

2. One case, I read that the petitioner actually changed the mind of the VO and he got his visa in 2 days.

 

please share your experience, if you had been to ACH, or heard the experience of others. Thanks

[pha]

If you are in doubt, then why not just do it. I don't think it can hurt anyway.

[tonado]

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28307

 

Only go if you are totally unsure of the process.

[MikeandRong]

I would follow both of Lee and David's advice. At this point of time you do not fit into the normal blue procedure, so asking for opinions from other ACH is moot. As Jim J says, follow his tips, you can't go wrong with his approach. Jims advice of how to dress and speak does wonders in many many areas of life, not just GUZ. You would think it should not matter and we should all be treated equal, but it really does matter. As Carl says, bite your tongue and just do it, wash the taste out later. GZ holds the cards, but perhaps you can pervail some by your approach to it.

 

Best of luck to you at this most confusing and frustrating time.

Edited December 25, 2007 by MikeandRong (see edit history)

[MikeXiao]

I am confused big time!

 

As mentioned earlier, after 2 blue slips, I plan to go to USC in GZ, and attend ACH. I am getting mixed messages; some are saying that it is esssentially useless while others say that it helped them tremendousely. What is it folks?

 

1. Some say that you can only ask general questions and you only get general asnwers! Others said that at the ACH meeting, VO opened up the file and noted down the fact that the petitioner was there etc.

 

2. One case, I read that the petitioner actually changed the mind of the VO and he got his visa in 2 days.

 

please share your experience, if you had been to ACH, or heard the experience of others. Thanks

 

Maybe things have changed at the ACH. When I went, some of the information may have helped some people, to me it did nothing. I have heard of rumors that being there may be noted by the VO and help your case. But I have heard of the VO changing their minds and giving the visa. Like I said things may have changed. In my visit they would only answer general questions, and no questions about any specific case.

 

Mike

[tsap seui]

Ken, this is only from my one perspective, but I'll be blunt and ask... Why the hell wouldn't you go to ACH? Who cares what others say? I looked at it like I will do every single thing I can think of to help my fiancee to overcome this crap.

 

I guess the important thing to me was that I could go to bed each night with the knowledge that I had done my best. If going to ACH was insignificant, but had a one in a million change of helping, then I did it.

 

I went to ACH the day after our no evidence asked for blue slip.

 

I was very polite and courteous and I had 3 pages of well drawn up questions and comments for my VO. A recent call to the DOS, had a visa "specialist" laugh and say that in the notes about our case she saw that my ACH VO had entered that I was "a nice guy". She said she had never see that comment before.

 

My fiancee had an 8 minute, 26 questions asked, interview.

I "took" 15 minutes with my VO, to ask my questions.

 

My advice on ACH, and in your type of blue slip case.

 

Sit down with a piece of paper and first drawn up what your goal with your time with this ACH VO is. No, don't write down, "To get my loved one her visa"., as this ain't the visa interview.

 

 

Second, write down your questions. Scrutinize them, finalize them, and then rehearse them....many times.

 

Be very polite, courteous, and soft spoken but firm....and don't go in there with any sort of attitude...NONE

 

Keep your head clear so you can focus on your points and questions. If you have to mentally dis-assosciate yourself from thoughts of your loved one to keep your focus, then practice doing that in your "rehearsals".

 

MAKE yourslf be HEARD by the ACH VO. If you go in there talking loudly and with even the hint of an attitude, the VO will immediately tune out everything you have to say.

 

By making yourslf be heard, I mean, talk calmly and soft enough that the VO has to actually concentrate on your words to hear you. There is a big difference between a person hearing your every word, and, understanding your every word. This is very subliminal.....by speaking softly, yet firmly, YOU force the VO to concentrate on YOUR message. He/she doesn't have time to let their thoughts wander as you talk, because they have to concentrate on hearing you.

 

Okay, so I went to ACH, did the above, was told repeatedly told how sorry the VO was that my girlfriend was given a denial, how strong our case was, and how quickly he thought she would be getting a letter from the consulate....and it all turned out that I was given a boat load of BULLSHIT!!!! This is GUZ!!! I can still live with the fact that I gave it my all to help my fiancee.

 

You will read here where fellows say, I very prepared my loved one for her interview. She breezed right through the interview. Ken, on any given day any, and every single one, of those lady's could have just as easily have been given the same blue slip that you were. Those women were just damn lucky that day, and yours wasn't.

 

Do your best and do everything to be your best.

 

Good luck to ya Ken, my heart is with you both.

 

Fairdinkum, I am.

 

tsap seui

 

One of these days I may get to actually use my name

[david_dawei]

ACH's format has changed since a few years ago; now you *can* get specific case information and even the background to the problem... in some cases, you get really nothing.

 

Each case is different and going to ACH is more bark than bite in most cases. So a person has to understand their situation to see if going there is really doing any help beyond the emotional feel-good.

 

I broke down in the FAQs [Overcome and Denial section] three denial outcomes:

1) Overcome - You must do something

2) Admin Processing - There is nothing for you to do

3) Revocations - Case goes back to US

 

Since your specific case is #2, admin processing, there is NOTHING you can do but wait. GUZ has said they are processing it; I wouldn't doubt if it's really sent somewhere else as well to do some processing since you are 16 months into the application and something like a name check could of expired; as well, you sent them 49 pages of overcome, which I cannot think works in your favor in regards to a timely review.

 

Either something in your case itself or the overcome documents triggers the admin processing... This is not an uncommon procedure and frankly, in my opinion means they are usually just verifying or checking something. The outcome is usually favorable.

 

I don't know how much face time you've done in china.. Were you in china for the interview? For the overcome? meaning, does GUZ already know that you put in the effort in the past to be in china... that's mostly what ACH does; shows you in china.

 

Going to ACH won't change the admin processing timeframe. For you, I see little value in going since it's admin processing. There's some small chance you might find out what the processing is about; if I were to go, after I put down the incense, I would focus on the admin processing (which I think Lee mentions in the other thread).

[warpedbored]

If you have a legitimate question you would like to talk to a VO about then go. If you are just going to get it logged into the system that you were there, GZ asks that you don't go.

[Don]

Information can be exchanged and you can learn some valuable info.

 

 

 

I went twice in Oct, 07. First time was before my fiance's visa interview. Nothing much got done, i just wanted to check some info was corrected in my case file that had been entered incorrectly. Than asked if any problems about her long name check.

 

 

 

We got Pink, but than her name got flagged and we had to do a full 10 finger print for additional check.

 

The next week,after her finger prints were done i went back to ACH and found out that she was cleared and the window VO went and found her case VO. The case VO came out and spoke with me about the case and cleared it after looking at the new info. (all happed at ACH). I was than told to ensure that mailiing would work and to come with passports. I went out and spoke with post office woman about how mailing worked a second time. Than went back in with passports and gave them to window VO. 4 days later she got the visa. yes, it still took 4 days to get visa, but it did all work.

 

 

 

ACH gave me valuable info on if we should wait in GUZ for visa. Plus, got everything cleared and things rolling on her case after fingerprint issue. If you need to give or learn some valueable piece of information than ACH is a big help.

[MikeXiao]

Well I am glad that they changed the ACH from what it was when I went. I went in March of '05. It was a big waste of my time. And since my wife was just given a blue slip and told that they needed more time, it didn't help my attitude one bit.

[RLS]

It didn't do me any good and I would agree with Gino (above). It's not ACH, it's the VO who makes the decision. I think ACH is just something people do to ease their minds a little -- knowing that they're doing all they can do to get the visa. JMO