Contacting Congressman

[georgeandli]

What NewDay2006 [my personal hero for staying the course] said. Plus it gives you the added bonus of getting the story out and keeping you busy. When my congressmans guy told me congress had no control over DOS I said wait a minute, Those folks sign off on their budget. On some level they have to be responsive. At the time he was Speaker of the House.

[HaoRan]

19 Months??? Why does this happen? Shouldn't it be a first come first serve process?

 

 

I mean really, something should be available to us.

Edited January 16, 2009 by HaoRan (see edit history)

[NewDay2006]

19 Months??? Why does this happen? Shouldn't it be a first come first serve process?

 

 

I mean really, something should be available to us.

It's a long story, I had a prior relationship that didn't work out very quickly... but she stayed in the States... I think USCIS put me on the back burner to make sure I was realy into this relationship... I was in the prior one, but the other party kind of lost her footing/her mind( I can say this only now as I was devastated before) and we broke up really really soon after getting married in the US on a K1.

 

I wouldn't worry in your case, my case was extreme... it seems they might have lost yours in the shuffle and then moved it onto another Service Center. Call the USCIS and get a inquiry started, although it might be too early, but just the same make the call and verify.

[NewDay2006]

Plus it gives you the added bonus of getting the story out and keeping you busy. When my congressmans guy told me congress had no control over DOS I said wait a minute, Those folks sign off on their budget. On some level they have to be responsive. At the time he was Speaker of the House.

True. But I was told by them a long time ago, they cannot pressure them,... nothing in the law saying you can't pressure them.

[NewDay2006]

Shouldn't it be a first come first serve process?

 

I do know it is not a 1st come 1st Served... but you are ok. they haven't sent you any RFE's... just try and be patient... easy for me to say now.... but do relax. Good Luck

[HaoRan]

I know, it's difficult. I'm in the process of buying a house for us and all she can do is look at the pictures and wish this process would move along. Very difficult.

[NewDay2006]

I know, it's difficult. I'm in the process of buying a house for us and all she can do is look at the pictures and wish this process would move along. Very difficult.

 

I'm sure it is difficult... hang in there. the wait is worth it and the benefit is you just get to know about each other more before she comes, abeit, I know no one wants that benefit, you need each other now.

[chilton747]

On my previous K1, I had waited almost 8 months then I contacted my Congressman's office. They had me write a letter to them stating that I demand a reason for the long wait, or finish the processing. Then they emailed it to their liaison at the CSC. I got my NOA2 approx 1 week after I wrote the letter.

It all depends on The Congressman.

[Stepbrow]

I was pretty impatient in the beginning. Also, I had read that the dates listed on the USCIS processing times are the average dates of the last petitions in that time frame. That is why you are advised to make an inquiry if you are past the date.

 

On my first request to my Congressman, I got the standard response. A few weeks after that I had my Senator send in a request. The day that I received the standard response letter from my Senator, I received NOA2 for our I-130 and I-129f.

 

The reason for this is that every time a USCIS adjudicator receives a congressional inquiry they must respond within a certain number of days. They must stop their regular work, pull your file, answer the request, and then return your file. That's alot of extra work for them, so if they get more that one request, they get rid of the problem by processing your file.

 

Here is a link to an interview on VJ with a former USCIS adjudicator who turned to the dark side: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...dicator-q-and-a

 

Here is one of the statements that he made:

Q HUSKERKIEV - "Then again you could always file a Congressional" - Could you explain what that means? Inquiry?

 

Glad to help. Anyway, a "Congressional Inquiry" or "congressional" is a formal inquiry by a member of Congress made on behalf of their constituent. Any federal agency that receives a Congressional inquiry has 48 hours to respond to the member of Congress. Each Service Center has a special office to handle "Congressionals". That¡¯s their sole purpose in life is to keep the member of Congress informed upon request.

 

(i.e. Senator Numbnuts says "CIS - I understand from my constituent - Mr. Hotn'bothered that (according to him) you have been processing his application for his dear fianc¨¦ in a less than timely manner. Can you please look into this matter and let my office know when it will be approved.")

 

System usually says - "pull and work file immediately" 'Nuff said.:

 

My advice is to be proactive. If you are too polite and patient, you and your so will be waiting a long time.

[Sebastian]

RE: Congressional Inquiries - Many times, a petition will get stuck somehow, and an inquiry by a congressional staffer (usually the 'immigration liason' person) kinda sorta forces a human at USCIS to review the paperwork, see what's missing in the 'process', and the kick the petition 'back into play'. I'm not saying it's 100 percent useful, with a 1:1 ratio of 'inquiry to action', but that's mostly how it's been - you have a chance of some movement if you make congressional inquiry. (So I'm putting some more weight into Stepbrow's previous comment)

 

also -

 

I'm hopeful someone else did mention 'this' - but - if yer petition is moved from VSC to CSC, it's actually a 'good' thing - as VSC got swamped with petitions, and sent out it's 'overflow' to CSC.

 

Now, here's a bad thing - if your petition wasn't looked at, at all, by anyone in VSC, then it may be that the time clock got restarted when it went to CSC. but - don't quote me - as others who had their petitions 'moved' in the last three months, actually got some quick action afterwards, with a NOA-2 coming out anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks after this 'moving'.

 

Maybe the 'moved' petitions get some faster processing at CSC, I don't know - but I don't feel any petition that gets MOVED to CSC has the timeclock totally reset. I had always wondered why VSC seemed slower than CSC during the 'winter season' - I can only think it's cause the workers are snow-bound and can't get to the office in vermont - but that's just my active imagination - surely there's other 'real' reasons - like the caseload is higher, etc etc..

 

Hang in There !

 

Warmest Regards..

Edited January 16, 2009 by Darnell (see edit history)

[HaoRan]

Here's the response I got after I called the 1-800 number and talked to a live representative.

 

California is currently working on applications which were filed on Feb 26th 2008 so you still have 100 or so days until we get to your application.

 

So, apparently, transferred apps don't go to the front of the line.

[Sebastian]

I dunno, that sounded like a 'stock' answer - are you certain she looked up your case?

[HaoRan]

I gave her my number and she took it down.

 

So then she said I'm NOT outside normal processing times Since my application was filed in June 08 and they are working on Feb 26th 08.

[HaoRan]

I just checked Vermont's processing times and THEY are at Feb 26th. Sounds to me she really doesn't know what she's talking about. I highly doubt that California and Vermont have a processing date of Feb 26th.

[Tom and Ling]

I just checked Vermont's processing times and THEY are at Feb 26th. Sounds to me she really doesn't know what she's talking about. I highly doubt that California and Vermont have a processing date of Feb 26th.

 

Web-site https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/jsps/ptimes.jsp

 

 

California Service Center

I-129F Petition for Alien Fiance(e) K-1/K-2 - Not yet married - fiance and/or dependent child 6 Months

I-129F Petition for Alien Fiance(e) K-3/K-4 - Already married - spouse and/or dependent child 6 Months

I-130 Petition for Alien Relative U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21 6 Months

 

 

 

 

Vermont

I-129F Petition for Alien Fiance(e) K-1/K-2 - Not yet married - fiance and/or dependent child March 07, 2008

I-129F Petition for Alien Fiance(e) K-3/K-4 - Already married - spouse and/or dependent child March 07, 2008

I-130 Petition for Alien Relative U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21 February 26, 2008