Response Received to our Harty letter

[Robert S.]

United States Department of State

Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs

Washington, D.C. 20520

 

December 23, 2002

 

Dear Mr. Shelton:

 

I refer to your latest fax of December 18 in which you shared with me your suggestions for expediting the processing of fiance/ee (K) visas at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou.

 

Let me assure you that the Bureau of Consular Affairs is dedicating significant resources and time, both in the Department and at the Consulate to process all of the immigrant and K visas cases as quickly as possible. As stated in my previous letter, the visas for parents, children, spouses and fiance/ees of American citizens will continue to be the highest priority for the immigrant visa unit in Guangzhou. An additional officer is due to arrive in Guangzhou this week, and the staff at the Consulate in Guangzhou continues to work overtime to eliminate the backlog of cleared cases.

 

Three hundred twelve families appeared at the Consulate on Saturday, December 21, to pick up 432 of the over 500 visas prepared for that day. In addition, the consulate has published on its website an expanded pickup schedule for applicants with notification letters. K visa applicants with notification letters may come to the Consulate any weekday morning from 9-10 a.m. to drop off their passports. The passports will be returned with the visas 4:00-4:30 p.m.

 

I sincerely regret those instances in which applicants with scheduled interviews or pick-up dates may have been mistakenly turned away from the Consulate. The Consular Section Chief in Guangzhou is looking into these complaints and will take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

 

Please accept my assurances that the Bureau of Consular Affairs is committed to facilitating legitimate travel while meeting the Department of State's highest priority, the protection of U.S. borders and interests.

 

Sincerely,

 

Maura Harty

Assistant Secretary

Bureau of Consular Affairs

[PJ]

Bob,

 

Thank you very much for posting the letter. I know I speak for all of us when I say we are all grateful the hard work you put into writing, editing, and revising the letter to Ms. Maura Harty.

 

The text of this response from Ms. Harty has been copied into the thread in the Announcements forum.

 

Thanks again, and have a Merry Christmas.

 

P.J.

[tonado]

Great response. Now just wait for the positive result.

[Ying&Vin]

But, it doesn't mention anything for the Mistaken Aug/Sep bunch! Any special action has been taken toward our Aug/Sep group? I am still afraid!

Any way, thank you so much for your hard work!

[markimwaiting]

Harty told me also that extra people were helping to finish the backlog.

I was also told thet they hope to have the backlog finished by Jan 4th,

and GZ is working every weekend untill Jan 4th to clear up this mess.

 

I just hope this happens.

[Ying&Vin]

Harty told me also that extra people were helping to finish the backlog.

I was also told thet they hope to have the backlog finished by Jan 4th,

and GZ is working every weekend untill Jan 4th to clear up this mess.

 

I just hope this happens.

Thanks for the information, Mark! I really hope that is true! I was hurted so many times by the DOS and CA while calling them!

[markimwaiting]

We all have been hurt so much by this mess.

I only hope we can come out of this with good hearts.

[LaoMao]

Robert,

 

Thank you very much for the effort. From the letter, we have seen a hope that the family visa issues are addressed. But still, something is out of their control. They can only make sure that the visas will be distributed as soon as possible if they are back to GZ, but they couldn't know what are the progress on the name check process. For whom haven't got yes from DOS's phone call, We really don't know where are our visas process are at. We really hope that they are in GZ and just waiting for entering the computer.

[sysy]

Finally a response with positive action and concreate results. But there are still holes in the way they process visa issuances. Only 432 visas were picked up out of 500 prepared. What happened to the 68 not picked up? I bet those people either missed their flights or did not get EMS at all. We all know the snail mail, or its turbo version (EMS), is not all that reliable. The consulate should have allowed anyone with valid ID to pickup visa without the EMS notice, if the visa is ready for pickup.

[Eric&Yuhui]

<snip>For whom haven't got yes from DOS's phone call, We really don't know where are our visas process are at. We really hope that they are in GZ and just waiting for entering the computer. 

I agree absolutely ! Whatever is not in GZ is still in DoS/DoJ limbo, and nobody ever adressed that ( meaning, is DoS nagging DoJ about it .... "Guys.... what about those namechecks requests we sent to you 4 months ago?"

We just don't know. That scares me.

[Eric&Yuhui]

I really hate to post this on Xeve guys, but I can't take it off my mind. I really think we need to adress the issue with CA with a letter of those cases that are still not cleared per the 1225 line ( and we have no clues if they are part of the 5000 lucky bunch either ). For all I know, they are stuck/lost/misplaced on a "police agencies" computer ...Does State nag those agencies for status on the cases they submitted? We/ I have no idea.

Even the government can't take 5 months to do a name check.. That would be 5 agencies taking each 1 month to return the results... There are not that many involved.

So I am worried. About "lost in cyberspace" cases. State-side. I am no longer about the cases in GZ, as Maura Harty and Donahue, obviously showed that they are working on it.. But they can ONLY work on cases that are returned to them by those misterious namechecks agencies... Who is pushing them?

 

Oh, btw.. A MERRY XMAS !!

Sorry guys.

 

OK. I'll get in a Xmas spirit now.. Ho ! Ho ! Ho !

[markimwaiting]

Eric, I agree 100%

I have been asking CA for 3 weeks the same question

[PJ]

Eric,

 

I agree as well, and feel that as with any new system, it would be too easy for a case or two to "slip between the cracks".

 

P.J.

[Eric&Yuhui]

Eric, I agree 100%

I have been asking CA for 3 weeks the same question

and?? what did you find out Sherlock??? Same B.S that congress gets?? By the way... You'll love this.. My congressman from KS sent me a letter. They contacted DoS... they were told. AVERAGE name checks takes 5 months.

Congressman tells me: You're 4 1/2 months pal. Not quite the average... Contact us in 4 weeks if you haven't heard anything

I almost cried, but I decided to laugh my ass out instead....

Your dollars at work kids.

[Eric&Yuhui]

Eric,

 

I agree as well, and feel that as with any new system, it would be too easy for a case or two to "slip between the cracks". 

 

P.J.

make it dozens.....