CFL-a place for bad advise

[JPD]

Sorry, I made a mistake, I appologize.

[Jeikun]

Well, people who are experiencing problems or who are afraid they may experience problems often come to a website... so you MAY see a higher percentage of problematic cases here. BUT where do you get the idea the advice here is bad?? ALSO don't get the idea that most people's timelines go more quickly, that's just not true. Guangzhou is giving interviews for about half of April's P-3s in September... period. That's not a "CFL only special". As far as blue slips go, if memory serves between 25 and 40 percent of ALL applicants get a blue slip. I think you'll find CFL has a much better record.

 

Discrimination by GZ? Do you mean they look at say... one of my posts saying "What the heck is wrong with them!?" then say "Hmmm... that guy complained, let's make it hard on him..." I won't say it's IMPOSSIBLE, but it's not likely. Most people here can't be that easily identified by their screennames (who IS this Mr. JPD??) and I doubt they have time for that kind of project. And hopefully are more understanding and less vindictive than that.

 

Fear not. But settle down for a nice long wait with or without this site. Personally, I think you're better off with.

[oregonknl]

Actually. JPD 's Post is so totally of the wall, that I don't have a good answer ---

 

--- does he have some reason to believe the Candle/Loser argument ?

 

Yeah, many of us are bogged down, but Jeff just went through in less than 8 months, I think....

 

So, JPD ~ do you have some reason to believe what you believe ? --- I'm open to reason on the topic...

 

--- Kim

[tonado]

Advice from CFL are given by many members. Most advices are given by people who just went through the process. Reading threads will save you from making mistakes which may delay the visa process. I don't think GZ will discriminate you because you complained about the process at one of the thread. They don't have time to identify you here at CFL.

[Alex]

There are relatively few regulars here, so to arrive at a conclusions based solely on our posts is unwise. There are thousands of other couples with cases/problems/results we know nothing about.

 

For me CFL is a good indicator of what's going on. The posters are well educated, serious, sincere, and helpful. We are here to support and learn from each other......and we do it well.

 

CFL is a tool...it is indispensable if you know how to use it.

 

Talk to us a little bit as the months drag on...your way of thinking will change..I guarantee it!

[Robert S.]

Hey there JPD, you should have seen how much trouble we made back in the old days of what we call the Black Hole, a time from August 2002 to about January 2003 when there were no visas being processed. Everything was on hold then at the beginning of the infernal name check requirement. If they were going to discriminate against us that would have been the time, where some of our members were literally overstuffing the email inboxes of certain officials in an attempt to get some recognition of the problem. At the same time we wrote group letters to the Department of State which were co-signed by nearly 100 CFL members. We like to think that we helped break the logjam to get the visa processing started again, especially because we were able to garner the attention of national media outlets. So, JPD, don't worry about being thought a troublemaker, stick with us and you'll be better off for sharing the stress and heartache. Hang in there and I hope your case will make some progress soon.

[Dave G.]

In JDP's defense...

 

He's new here. Doesn't know the culture yet. He'll figure it out.

 

<Edit>

 

It's a long, hard road...pre AND post visa. It was horrible for me pre-visa. Once they get here, you face challanges NEVER expected. But, when there's love, you can always get past those bumps. I have stories yet to post. Amazing, scary stuff. We got through it, though. But, it wasn't easy. There were times I thought it was "game over." But, I've learned through the process that each of us are sincere and committed to each other. That's the key to survival.

[yave20b]

Yeh at first glance CFL might seem like an other than perfect place. I'm sure many people sail through the visa process with no problems. Hopefully most of us will too. However, because I really love my fiancee and really want her to be here with me, I decided I wanted to take a proactive approach to the visa process rather than a reactive approach. I want to hear what the problems are people have experienced. I want to know what obstacles the USCIS and US Consulate are throwing up in front of us. Because I want to work to overcome these obstacles ahead of time before they becomes a huge problem later. I've already learned a lot of information here such as the video tape thing, the notarized passport thing, and how to fill out correctly the many complicated forms we have to fill out. I would rather have all of this stuff done now and done correctly before it sits in front of a VO at the Consulate during my fiancee's interview, rather than bury my head in the sand and hope she has no problems at all...and risk having the visa failed for things I did not know about. I'm glad to hear when someone sails through the system without any problems...but what I really want to hear about is when someone does not...and why they did not. That's invaluable information I can use.

[oregonknl]

Hey, JDP ... In support of Robert S.'s comments.... there is strength, and power in numbers....

 

When was the Candle strongest?

 

On could certainly argue that if it was about strength in numbers, it occured on December 3, 2002, at 6:33 pm., when 56 members were on the site together....

 

Can we approach that number now? Probably not.... but its worth learniing from the experence of members, such as Robert, who were in the process at the time..

[Guest blsqueaky]

When I look at some of the time lines, blue/pink slips, etc. as a newbie I am starting to get the idea, this is a site for trouble, perhaps discrimination

by GZ.  I suspect, others, are just going about their business, getting their P4's/interviews and going 'home' with their brides and fiancees!, quickly!

JPD, you really think this. Look at my timeline. I have been here a little over 1 year, and I had to file through NSC. If it would not have been through my mistakes, my lovely Ling would have been here sooner that she did arrive. It had nothing to do with CFL. If had not been with the help that I have received here from many of the members, including a freind that was over there when Ling received her P-3, I might still be waiting. He was able to look at her papers, and found a few mistakes in them, and was able to fix before she sent them back. Also, he is someone that I was able to meet through CFL.

 

So in response to your little comment, ohhhhh, there is not one. I am just going to shut up.

[AZwolfman]

JPD,

My advice is to read some of the OLD posts (circa 2002) from some of the original regulars. If you then come to the conclusion that YOUR wait and problems with the INS may just be a bit less severe because of the effort, teamwork, and actions taken by the earlier members. And no doubt the actions, support, and teamwork taken by today's members will help future petitioners.

 

Let's face it; our gov't is basically clueless. It's up to us to show them the way.

[Robert S.]

Yeh at first glance CFL might seem like an other than perfect place.  I'm sure many people sail through the visa process with no problems.  Hopefully most of us will too. However,  because I really love my fiancee and really want her to be here with me, I decided I wanted to take a proactive approach to the visa process rather than a reactive approach. I want to hear what the problems are people have experienced. I want to know what obstacles the USCIS and US Consulate are throwing up in front of us. Because I want to work to overcome these obstacles ahead of time before they becomes a huge problem later. I've already learned a lot of information here such as the video tape thing, the notarized passport thing, and how to fill out correctly the many complicated forms we have to fill out. I would rather have all of this stuff done now and done correctly before it sits in front of a VO at the Consulate during my fiancee's interview, rather than bury my head in the sand and hope she has no problems at all...and risk having the visa failed for things I did not know about. I'm glad to hear when someone sails through the system without any problems...but what I really want to hear about is when someone does not...and why they did not. That's invaluable information I can use.

It sounds like you have got a good plan, Al, and I hope a good wind will billow up the sails of your case to quickly carry her here from that far shore. I made mistakes, like Squeaky, which cost a lot of lost time. It looks like you will not repeat those errors. Others need to adopt this attitude and be very careful.

[johnandrose]

JPD,

 

By now you've probably changed your views about sites like CFL (I hope). I won't try to change your mind, but I'll tell you how sites like CFL helped ME:

 

1. When I got an RFE, CFL members helped me from making a mistake (I was about to send the response to the wrong address).

 

2. Only from CFL posts, I knew how to contact DHL and get the tracking numbers of my visa packet

 

3. Taught me that I don't have to wait 15-20 days for DS-3032 to come back from my wife. I can use a shortcut and save probably a month (I won't tell you. ... )

 

The best thing about CFL is that it helps you avoid mistakes. The backlog in GZ is a GZ problem. The VOs at GZ don't have time to read CFL posts, match screen-names with case numbers and "make them pay". I guess when you have made a mistake and beating your head against the wall, THEN YOU'LL KNOW THE VALUE OF CFL. Good luck JPD.

[newman]

JPD,

I started the K-1 process in November 2001 and then a K-2 follower in May 2003. I'm glad to say that yesterday I delighted my K-2 daughter by giving her, her conditional green card. My wife receive hers in April. Advice from this group made my journey a whole lot easier. It will yours too.

[jkobman]

Last week we got a blue slip in GZ. Because of Carl's experience in GZ (Carl, was it about 7 weeks ago?), I knew exactly what to do - make the tape and submit it. Sarah came out of the Interview and asked "what is this?" - and I knew what to do.

 

Because of CFL, I was able to correctly file all of the paperwork, stay after the govt. and get the P3 and P4 completed correctly. Our timeline was rather fast, mainly because we filed through Vermont. All of the help I got was from the other CFL folks.

 

I participate here because Sarah and I have been helped in a kind, helpful and sincere manner - I can only say THANKS!

 

Is CFL "off the wall?"

NO!