We need help!

[robhon]

I don't know if people read Francine-gg's post about the possibility that GZ may not continue to push P-3's for the next week because of a, now growing, backlog of interviews.

 

If you've watched the cases as they've been processed it's easy to see that the IV unit is processing the newest cases first. Oct and Nov arrivals at GZ have had their P-3's sent. Aug and Sept cases are still waiting. Whether intentional on their part or not, this constitutes last-in/first-out processing. On a last-in/first-out system you have to complete ALL work (all cases) in order that you don't end up with a certain lot that NEVER gets processed.

 

If GZ stops processing P-3's now, well, we essentially have a new and very real black hole from which we scragglers can not escape (at least through normal processing).

 

WE NEED HELP!!!!

 

Would anyone who's had any contact with influencial people at DOS or GZ please help us figure out how to contact and explain to them what our situation is?

[Guest blsqueaky]

Great, I just to need to hear this now. I know that I am a "newbie" here as far as this, but just now startign to get so close.

 

I would think that now Don, Mick, Owen and PJ might be able to give some insight here.

[robhon]

Great, I just to need to hear this now. I know that I am a "newbie" here as far as this, but just now startign to get so close.

 

I would think that now Don, Mick, Owen and PJ might be able to give some insight here.

Mark,

You're probably okay. It would be a function of when you hit their mailroom. Literally, if your case was delivered the day they decide to begin processing P3's again, you'd be golden! You'd be the last one in and the first one out.

[JerryL]

I did some quick calculations and realized that my GZ # 2003311xxx means that they just assigned it today (November 7), the same day they answered my query. Hope they made a big push this week and got everyone here into the system by the end of the week. Though I guess we won't know for sure until we start getting some replies back from Guangzhou over the next few days.

 

I'd like to help with this effort, Rob. It's also clear to me that they're just grabbing the files off the top of the stack, and that's just not right plain and simple. I did hear from someone who was also in my batch (7/29) who called the State Department to complain about this LIFO process and was told that they will not discuss other people's case.

 

I'm not sure though how to get started here though. Perhaps some of the more experienced folks can share some tips?

 

Jerry

[robhon]

Yeah, as far as I can tell, they don't worry about when NVC forwarded cases. I'm sure they just have stacks of petitions that arrive to them from DHL. Like, I believe, even though your case got through NVC and was forwarded before mine, mine arrived at GZ before yours. (Go figure. Makes no sense.) But since yours was higher on the stack than mine, yours got processed first.

 

So, I think the NVC forward date that we look at has no bearing on when GZ processes stuff. It's all about when your case arrived at GZ.

 

Hopefully you're right, that maybe they got through more cases and just haven't caught up with notifying people. If that's true then Francine&gg and Youyue&I should be right behind you (as they worked backward through the petitions). But I'm just as concerned about people whose cases arrived before me and whose petitions may not have gotten processed in this push.

 

It's been absolutely fantastic to see so many people's cases more forward this week. But if someone gets left behind, well, I think it's a travesty for all! That was kind of my thinking in putting together a P3 list...

[robhon]

Oh, BTW, I received a reply last night from my weekly email to GZ.

 

 

Dear Mr. XXXXXXX,

 

Please note that the case is still pending. Once we receive it, we will

process it as soon as possible.

 

Guangzhou IV

[keelec]

robhon,

 

FIFO ..... LIFO...... STACKS…….. HEAPS……????

Serial Processing...... Parallel Processing.......

 

I was wondering if that would come up. The INS should be able to sort the applications appropriately. If you are sorting through a pile of applications, I can see how it would be easy to grab them off of the top. However, if they are dealing with file drawers and boxes, computerized apps, and etc, I can't imagine they would mess up the sorting so badly (unless, of course, they are relying on "temps", and haven't considered training them).

 

The alternative is that they are truly being stuck in "Administrative Processing".

 

I have never figured out where the FBI Namecheck occurs. Perhaps they do half of it in the USA, and half in the country issuing the visas. As I understand the FBI NameCheck, the great majority of cases are finished within 3 days. However, there is a portion that can get delayed up to 6 months.

 

Apparently name confusion is common, especially since the anglicized form of Chinese names often makes them look more similar than the names actually are.

 

What would happen if my Fiancée's father is confused with being some communist leader, rather than being a farmer? Perhaps a revolutionary? A Brothel Owner? Imagine what would happen….. The fallout could take months to unravel.

 

Rather than asking for clarification, they may decide that it is better to seek the answers themselves while keeping the applicant in the dark.

 

Anyway,

At the moment, we can hang on and hope.

 

------ Clifford ------

[keelec]

Oh, BTW, I received a reply last night from my weekly email to GZ. 

 

 

Dear Mr. XXXXXXX,

 

Please note that the case is still pending. Once we receive it, we will

process it as soon as possible.

 

Guangzhou IV

robhon,

 

Your e-mails (China) are different than mine (Russia).

Are you sure that they haven't lost your application? Perhaps you could ask the NVC to resubmit it.

 

I try to restrain myself, but think a monthly status update is appropriate.

 

September 4, 2003 (I was in Russia at the time, but couldn't find a live person willing to talk to me. NVC finished August 29).

. . . . . According to our information, the case is on its way to the Embassy.

. . . . . Unfortunately, we cannot schedule your fiancee's interview until the

. . . . . case has been received here. ---------------------------------------------

. . . . . Sincerely, Customer Service Unit Consular Section U. S. Embassy, Moscow

 

 

October 8, 2003

. . . . . Unfortunately, as of today the additional administrative processing of

. . . . . this case has not been completed.

 

. . . . . Sincerely,

. . . . . Customer Service Unit

 

November 3, 2003

. . . . . As of this date, the case is still under administrative processing.

 

. . . . . Sincerely,

. . . . . Customer Service Unit

. . . . . Consular Section

. . . . . U. S. Embassy, Moscow

[frank1538]

FIFO .....  LIFO......

Sorry, you guys have it all wrong. It is neither LIFO nor FIFO.

 

It is FIST - First In Stays There

[Patrick & Li]

Just thinking aloud here....But just because you got your "E-mail notice" doesnt mean you have actually had your P3 sent out. It just means you are in the system now, Of course i am thinking in the best of worlds. In the best of worlds, once all petitions are in the computers, the computer would select the appropriate petitions.

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaw, Ain't no way Guangzhou would do anything that would seem correct.

 

Damn, I hope i haven't fallen into that hole!

 

Patrick

[keelec]

Just thinking aloud here....But just because you got your "E-mail notice" doesnt mean you have actually had your P3 sent out. It just means you are in the system now, Of course i am thinking in the best of worlds. In the best of worlds, once all petitions are in the computers, the computer would select the appropriate petitions.

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaw, Ain't no way Guangzhou would do anything that would seem correct.

 

Damn, I hope i haven't fallen into that hole!

 

Patrick 

Patrick & Li,

 

I have seen two types of E-mails:

 

1 - We will send your packet shortly ......

2 - We have sent your packet on X date......

 

If a person has a confirmation that it has been sent, I would assume that it has at least been routed towards the loading dock and should be mailed imminently if not already.

 

However, the "will send shortly" sounds hopeful, but could still mean a run-around. I would presume that it means imminent processing, but Don, Mick, and others have described "shortly" as meaning up to 6 months

 

----- Clifford -----

[Mick]

This last in first out BS is just what we experienced in the Black Hole. No, it ain't fair and that's a fact. But it is a reality we all went through last year. My suggestion is that you form a small group of folks who will send e-mails and/or faxes to one of the higher ups at GZ. Linda Donahue used to be the point person but I am not sure if she still is. You gotta make some noise and go to the top of the food chain. She may be totally unaware of the way things are being processed. I am a firm believer in Owen's old adage from the Black Hole days: "You have to make your problem their problem". If enough people make enough noise, they may in fact listen. Otherwise, it is same old same old.

 

I know some folks do not agree with this type of proactive approach and I respect that. However, I can only suggest to you what worked for us in the past.

[Mick]

In fact, I might add, when Owen and I met with the Head of the IV Unit in GZ last February, he openly told us that the reason he was changing the way they were processing the visas was that a group of about 300 people made such a ruckus he had no choice. Owen can back me up on this, he was there.

[keelec]

Could I make a brief suggestion:

 

Let's wait a week or so to let some of the dust to settle from this last burst of energy. Perhaps sending a couple of isolated e-mail messages with the concern.

 

It is possible that there will be additional P3 packets that will be sent out over the next week or two.

 

Over the next week, we could organize a response, then, hit them with both barrels!!!!!

 

I am always glad to see speedy applications..... Those that have been arrived one day at the embassy, and left again the next day. But, I also know how much it hurts to see one's applications be passed up for no reason other than luck of the draw. I have noticed that the speed of the application varies tremendously throughout the processing. Some of the people breezing through the P3 Pit had submitted their initial applications over a year ago.

 

Of course, I am stuck in "the other pit".... But, if the Chinese P3 packets dry up next, I will support you 100% even though my application is stuck in a different country.

 

------ Clifford -----

[JerryL]

Yeah, as far as I can tell, they don't worry about when NVC forwarded cases.  I'm sure they just have stacks of petitions that arrive to them from DHL.  Like, I believe, even though your case got through NVC and was forwarded before mine, mine arrived at GZ before yours.  (Go figure.  Makes no sense.)  But since yours was higher on the stack than mine, yours got processed first.  

 

So, I think the NVC forward date that we look at has no bearing on when GZ processes stuff.  It's all about when your case arrived at GZ.

 

Hopefully you're right, that maybe they got through more cases and just haven't caught up with notifying people.  If that's true then Francine&gg and Youyue&I should be right behind you (as they worked backward through the petitions).  But I'm just as concerned about people whose cases arrived before me and whose petitions may not have gotten processed in this push.

 

It's been absolutely fantastic to see so many people's cases more forward this week.  But if someone gets left behind, well, I think it's a travesty for all!  That was kind of my thinking in putting together a P3 list...  

Our application allegedly left NVC on July 29 and was signed for on August 6. A week or two ago, someone with a 7/29 posted on 001 that she got her P3, so it's not completely based on arrival time all the time. It is frustrating. There isn't even anyone to complain to...

 

Jerry