Here is the New Letter to DoS

[Robert S.]

Those who want to co-sign please send an email to Victoria at blivvit@yahoo.com with the word "co-sign" or "sign on," or "yes" or something like that in the subject line. If you did not sign the first letter then you are not on the list which Victoria has already. Therefore you will need to give in the body of your email your full name, city and state where you are living, and the email address you wish used. Thanks.

 

Unfortunately, we will not be able to entertain any suggestions for changes, additions, subtractions, etc. The letter:

 

 

 

 

December 16, 2002

 

Assistant Secretary Maura Harty

Bureau of Consular Affairs

Department of State

Washington, D.C. 20520

 

Dear Ms. Harty:

 

It is somewhat reassuring to us that you have so kindly expressed your personal concern for family visa processing in Guangzhou in your reply to our first letter; however, from your closing statement that the immigrant visa unit will have family visas as its first priority it seems we have failed to convey our belief that, though they may be working very hard, this small number of employees will not be sufficient to process the family-based visas in a timely manner.

 

If we may, we would like to make a number of specific suggestions. The degree of delay and the number of cases involved surely must warrant that the Bureau of Consular Affairs assemble an emergency response visa processing team from the US and send them to China. In addition, we need to be able to access information about our case status via the consulate web page. We also request that someone at Consular Affairs be charged with the task of monitoring the web sites dedicated to this visa delay problem and investigating the recurring stories posted about failures in processing. For example, this week there have been several ladies with visa pickup letters in hand who were turned away and told to return tomorrow but were not even given the assurance that their visas would be ready by the next day. Mr. Simpkin this afternoon had not yet heard about this kind of thing when I spoke with him. The fiancée of one of our members inexplicably had to return to the consulate four days in a row before she was finally issued her visa. Ms. Harty, if you could take a few minutes and just read the stories of how our loved ones are treated it might give you a better sense of why this is a crisis situation. Also, the problem of clearances for August and early September interviewees needs more particular attention and we would like to know that Consular Affairs and the consulate together have a plan to deal with it.

 

We do very much appreciate your efforts to improve the overall clearance process; however, in view of the difficulties the consulate is experiencing, and our lack of means to find out what is happening there, we feel compelled to request that Washington intervene by sending an emergency team to Guangzhou. Without the support of additional expert personnel, and especially considering the huge number of cases, the consulate cannot clear the backlog and we will be facing months of further delay.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Thomas Robert Shelton, Jr.

TRS/trs

 

The __ US citizens listed below have agreed to be signatories to this letter:

[markimwaiting]

Holy Moly,

This is great, hell, Im ready to volunteer for the duty.

Serious, this is a great letter.

May I suggest that it also be forwarded to Powell's office.

Also to CNN

And a few others.

I dont think it would be good thing for Harty's new position to be tarnished, so this might give her more insentive to perform at a highr level.

I know if my boss had a letter like this I would do what i could to keep another one from getting into his hands.

I know they told me what the plan is, But at this time it has been all talk and no action that i could see.

While upset today about no news, I went to the contact page of the CA and others. I found many names that might be able to help.

 

If you like I could post the manes and phone numbers here.

[Eric&Yuhui]

Great Robert !

I wouldn't ask for any changes, but maybe insert a few blank line to make a few paragraphs would make it easier to read. No biggie.

Unless it has to fit on one page that is

[markimwaiting]

Robert & Victoria,

Do you have all my info?

[Ron]

Re: Letter... go for it. (Replied to Victoria separately)

[Guest chary]

Robert, It's great letter for us. I do appreciate for you.

 

Victoria, I'm Alex's Fiance. My name is in the list of previous letters. Shall I send you again for our information. Thanks,

 

Chary

 

[PJ]

Victoria,

 

Could you please send an email asking all original signers if they would like to sign this letter as well? It is always my hope that we can get as many signers as possible, and I believe that people who signed it the first time would be the best "target group" in marketing jargon to sign another.

 

Thanks,

 

P.J.

[luckybabe]

hey, don't forget to add me...

[luckybabe]

i thought our's name already on it... you have my husband's emil address: goldfishpanda@hotmail.com... thanks..

[Guest chary]

To those who wish to have their names included on the above letter:

 

Please email me at blivvit@yahoo.com

 

Please put "yes" or "sign-on" or "co-sign" in the subject line.

 

Please put, in the body of the email, your full name, city and state where you live, and the email address you wish used. Without these, you will not be added.

 

Please don't delay. Let's get this out ASAP.

 

Victoria

Victoria,

 

I have sent you for your information and pls. add us in your letter. My fiance's email is afuafu200@hotmail.com

 

I do appreciate for what you have done for us.

 

Chary

 

[markimwaiting]

Thanks guys and gals.

[markimwaiting]

Who all we sending this letter to?

[Guest seafloor06]

A BIG THANKS TO ROBERT, SEAFLOOR (AKA SEAFOOD) , VICTORIA, AND ALL FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE NEW LETTER. IT WAS TRULY A CONCERTED EFFORT BY EVERYONE AND ALL SHOULD BE PROUD OF THEIR CONTRIBUTION.     >Jim

Credit where credit is due: I didn't contribute much, if anything, to this letter. An excellent job by Robert with kudos to the group who took time to participate in the discussion that helped to shape the letter. To those of you who have been waiting so long (too long), I hope that good fortune is right around the corner.

[PJ]

Has this letter been sent yet? If not, when is it scheduled to be sent? I would like to keep this topic pinned until the letter is sent to encourage everyone to contact Victoria and sign the letter.

 

Thanks,

 

P.J.

[Robert S.]

No it has not been sent yet. We are waiting for names. There would not be as much impact for it to arrive in the late afternoon. It will be sent first thing in the morning, just as before, and really make their day right off. We have 67 names so far! More coming. Victoria says there are *24* previous signers who have not responded to email yet. Perhaps they will check either their email or here on Candle this evening.

 

- Robert