No More Band-Aids

[keelec]

A year ago I had expected that it would take a couple of months to prepare a visa for a Fiancée, and a bit quicker to prepare a visa for a wife.

 

Then I got the packet back from BCIS (70 - 90 day processing), and I was a little bummed that I would have to wait over 3 months, but I patiently waited…..

 

As the months passed, birthdays, holidays, spring, summer, and fall all passed, I realized my error in expectations. I am now at a point where missing my fiancée is chewing me up inside.

 

Yes, we can fix "holes" and "pits", late shipments, & etc.

 

Yet, the problem is that the USA started with an inefficient application process, then tacked on more stuff to it without rethinking the entire process.

 

I would like to see a complete reevaluation and streamlining of the visa processing methods.

 

I have many ideas of what could be done to make things go smoother. Yet, I have no idea where to start, and who I could talk to in order to try to get something going.

 

I could easily see it developing into a job, but I have no idea who to contact, or how to move forward. Does everything have to be voted on as "An Act of Congress"?

 

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[keelec]

Proposal for "Streamlining" the K1/K3 Fiancée and Spousal Visa Application Process:

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INTRODUCTION:

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Over the last few years, global political changes have forced the revision of policies of issuing visas. More

and more requirements have been tacked on in hopes of protecting our boarders. Yet, it is unclear whether

we have truly increased the security of or boarders, or just made a folly out of the USA. Other countries

have dealt with terrorism for decades, but have traditionally allowed much easier immigration and travel.

 

Some visa applications are hit so hard and overly scrutinized that it can take well over a year to issue a

simple visa to enter the country. Other visas can be obtained in a matter of days.

 

If you were to guess, which visa applications would be quickly obtained? The ones that are sponsored by

US Citizens, and having a destination address, and multiple contacts, or those with no US Sponsors, and no

address or destination? I have heard that visitor's visas (no contact info in the USA) are processed almost

immediately while K1/K3 Sponsored visas force the applicants to jump through one hoop after another just

for the fiancée/wife/children of American Citizens to enter the country.

 

Yes, the K1/K3 visas are heavily weighted by American men marrying foreign women. The men are

wanting to get married to find love and a better life. Likewise, the women are marrying for love and a hope

for a better life. In many senses, they are no different than any other couple marrying for love and the

realization that they would have a better life together than apart. As the love flourishes, like any other

relationship, it is hard to find oneself half a world apart from the fiancée/spouse. Yet, we must patiently

wait for endless processing. Birthdays, holidays, family events, summers, and winters are missed as we

await the visa processing. Money is wasted as airline tickets are rescheduled.

 

PROPOSAL OVERVIEW:

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US Immigration could highly benefit from having an outside contractor come in and review the entire

process to help reorganize and improve efficiency of processing. Presumably it would save the US money

while improving efficiency.

 

A realistic goal for processing time for K1/K3 visas would be sought. Most processing should be able to be

completed in 2-4 months. The streamlining would include:

 

1) Necessary steps for visa processing would be identified and improved. Redundant steps would be

eliminated.

 

2) Electronic Data Entry. Many of the applicants for Fiancée visas have computers and internet

access. By doing electronic data entry, there could be a reduction in the effort for doing data

entry, reduction of redundant data entry efforts, and improved data flow and data accuracy.

 

3) Electronic distribution of records. The flow of data would be smoothed tremendously with

electronic distribution of records. It often takes 2 weeks, and sometimes well over of a month to

ship records from the USA to the Embassies.

 

4) All records would be required up-front, rather than requesting additional records halfway through

the process.

 

5) Parallel processing. If there are multiple steps that are required for the Visa application, they

could proceed in parallel. Interviews could be scheduled while final name checks are being made.

In fact this would have the advantage of making the applicant bring personal documentation

(including police records and fingerprints) earlier in the process.

 

6) Up to date information about the actual visa processing phase would be distributed to applicants

via the internet, thus reducing the number of information requests that would be received.

 

 

How would the US verify that electronic records weren't forged?

 

A confirmation letter would be required to be postmarked from within the USA, US Military base, US

territory, a US Consulate, or US Embassy. One might even consider requiring the applicant's sponsor to

personally come to a US Immigration branch office to register the forms.

[se_lang]

Oh great now what to do with the turtles, snails & horses.

[keelec]

Oh great now what to do with the turtles, snails & horses.

Horses and Pigeons have been obsolete for delivery methods for a century and a half.

 

The USA has been a leader in spreading network of phones and information lines around the world. Yet, we still depend on courier services for time-critical information delivery. We can transfer millions of pages of information instantaneously. Voice and images can make it seem as if someone half a world away is in the next room. All that is lacking is touch. We can communicate with our fiancées or wives within moments, yet it we wait for months for boxes of paperwork to be shipped around the world, arrive at the embassy, and finally get opened. I flew to Russia, had a wonderful vacation, and was back in the USA in less time than it took for the USA to deliver my application from one office to another.

 

I typed in my application. A secretary in Nebraska repeated entering my information into the system. A second secretary in New Hampshire likely repeated the data entry, and a third secretary in Moscow…… There has to be a better way.

 

Name one other country in the world where it takes over a year to get a visa to just enter the country…. Rumors have it that it may even be easier to get into Albania than the USA!!!

 

There just has to be a better way.

I think it is time that the bloated system be completely rewritten.

 

----- Clifford -----

[Bryan_Qunying]

The only thing keeping the system in place as it is today is the fear of loosing ones job due to restructuring.......

 

(meant as a joke)

[warpedbored]

Run for office Keelec you have my vote

[Orrin]

All good thoughts, and, in a perfect world, they would make things a lot more streamlined for all of us. The problem is, however, that the USDOS seems to be a dumping ground for all the most incompetent civil servants who the administration wants to get out of the mainstream. As a whole, they could give a damm less about people like us who are trying to get something important accomplished WITHIN THE SYSTEM. Our VO in GZ told me face-to-face that he admired, but at the same time, felt sorry for those of us who were trying to do thing legally becauise it was so much easier to do it illegally.

 

Someone mentioned earlier that we, as a group, don't have the politcal clout and $$ to influence anyone. Truer words were never spoken. Colin Powell, and the layers below him are much too preoccupied with other issues to even notice that we exist. The unfortunate reallity is that this situation is unlikely to change any time soon.

 

What's the solution? Who knows? I guess that those who are considering bringing their Chinese bride or sweetheart home really need to educate themselves about the "real" process, and all of the potholes, black holes, and speed bumps contained therein. This won't necessarily make things progress any faster, but it just might relieve some of the frustration, anger, and heartache that is experienced when the process bogs down to the pace of a three-legged turtle.

[keelec]

Run for office Keelec you have my vote

Carl,

 

I have thought about politics off an on.

I think I could do well as a politician….. Hopefully influenced by what is right and wrong rather than donors to campaign funds…..

 

I am sure that I could fall asleep on the Pope…..

And, I am sure that I could spell "Potatoe"

 

However, I am not sure that I could deal with the loss of privacy. And, I don't have the smoothness of the politicians who can say one thing, do the opposite, and make it all sound like it was what he meant in the first place.

 

I can remember Mr. Packwood's last campaign…. He ragged on his opponent for missing a couple of days in Congress….. The truth is that Mr. Packwood's record was virtually identical. I think he had managed to show up one additional day.

 

And, the idea of fighting for women's rights in one forum and returning to the hotel room to take advantage of one's position and power is repulsive. I don't believe that power necessarily corrupts.

 

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Anyway, I am getting beside the point.

 

Any ideas of a good way to approach the idea of improving the flow of immigration applications?

I am convinced that the restructuring would actually pay for itself, and perhaps even save a significant amount of money for the USA.

 

Who and how should one approach the contacts?

 

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

[warpedbored]

Research the system. Put together the numbers and show how it could work. Be certain of your facts. Put it all together in a neat easy to understand format with lots of charts and graphs. give it to an influential polititian on the immigration commitiee. and let him/her take all the credit. To be successful focus on how it can save money. The tough part after that is how it can be brought into being without stepping on the toes of some other politicians pork barrel.