GZ Overtime

[JonInDenver]

a number of actions are being taken, thanks to the many calls and letters to DOS this week:

 

Tuesday morning 12/31 there was a conference call between higher-ups at DOS, and the officials in GZ.

 

Thursday 1/2 there was a meeting and strategy session regarding our situation at DOS. DOS is currently trying to pull an automated list of all cases that are in namecheck limbo.

 

Saturday 1/4 GZ employees are mandated to work overtime to resub every "lost" namecheck.

 

as we are aware, one additional officer has already been sent to assist with the backlog in GZ.

 

namechecks that encounter no problems, should clear in TWO WEEKS.

 

additional personnel have been requested (but not yet approved) to assist with processing the namechecks and visas in a timely manner once they are sent back to GZ.

 

we will have chinese new year/spring festival to work around, and i still have difficulty putting any faith in the GZ embassy. i would also guess that this means ALL cases from 7/22 through 11/30 will be in the same batch. i doubt that there is any way to prioritize what visas are issued first.

 

[does anyone have a good idea of how many are pending? i've heard from 500 to 10,000 from various internet sources. a good count might help to better guesstimate the time invovlved]

 

but as my contact at DOS stated today, "it needs to be done." he also stated that he doesn't see the visa-issuance process (after the namecheck clearance) taking a full month.

 

while we have all learned that optimism tends to be dangerous - i put this at 6 weeks? is that possible?

[Ying&Vin]

Good to see this action!

[bobmal99]

Only time will tell!!

[Robert S.]

It sure would be better if DoS would make an official statement of what they are planning and what they are doing. Damn, it is not classified, is it? Even if it is classified it should not be that way. Okay, then, we will *use* this kind of hearsay inside information to our benefit in our next letter, somehow. What would be the most Machiavellian way to use it?

[JonInDenver]

i genuinely wish i could provide less cryptic information. my sources are not limited only to myself, many of you have received phone calls from DOS regarding your cases as well.

 

i have asked the people at DOS for an official statement that i could post on the site. bureaucracy that they are, official statements take time, and many layers of approval. right now ACTION is more important than WORDS.

 

my contact at DOS, is available to anyone who wishes to really pound the phones - but has asked me NOT to release his name. i tend to agree, that he could easily be buried by thousands of calls if his direct contact information were given out - and then he'd have no time to make any progress (and progress is what matters!).

 

they have used sample cases like mine, ron's, and owen's to look at how individual cases are affected, and compared that to the overall affect on all of our cases (our 3 cases vary somewhat, so it gives them some diversity in case comparison). currently ALL cases are being processed as stated above - not just the sample cases.

 

while i will be skeptical until my wife has her visa - i feel that this is REAL news, and the best we have heard for some time.

 

the original post on this thread was made immediately after getting off the phone with DOS, and i did my best to convey honest information that was given to me. if you choose not to believe it - that is your choice - but please don't chastise me for aggressively trying to make things happen.

[Mick]

Thanks for the valuable info Jon. I hope it is true. I don't have any doubts about you, only DOS, GZ, et.al. Also, thanks for your diligence and hard work on behalf of all of us. And please, keep us posted! This thread offers a ray of hope! Kudos!!!

[owenkrout]

Other than Jon's already said more than I will about it, I can't say anything except that I hope that somebody follows through with real action. Bureaucrats would much rather study something than come up with a workable plan of action. Also, I am another one who has lost all faith in GZ. The only thing that I feel sure of is that they can do a good job of screwing any new procedure up.

 

Well, I don't feel well, so I am in a grouchy mood today. Maybe they are really getting this whole thing straightened out. Yeah, right.

[Guest bbridges51]

Thank you Jon for your persistence. I'm always amazed with the quality of the information posted at Candle. You guys are so amazing.

 

Geeze. i feel a bit guilty since SuJuan's name check has cleared and her interview is in 9 days. She'll be here in California on March 8th.

 

Brian

[Eric&Yuhui]

Good work John.

I spoke to a consular officer at GZ yesterday. He sort of corroborated most of your post as far as what is being done.

 

 

 

 

I should be a super-duper advanced member by now.. damn jim !

[Tine & Ella]

JonInDenver,

I would like to thank you again for you efforts to at least give us an update from your DOS source. I just hope the clearences will be finished soon.

Tine & Ella

Indianapolis & Shanghai

[Robert S.]

Jon,

 

Thank you very much for the info and especially the further explanation of the info. I feel much more confident in it now because you were willing to be open about how you got the inside scoop. I really appreciate it and can't thank you enough. (Also that is good of you to keep the confidence you were asked to keep). Although you might be being rather aggressive I believe you are still doing it in a polite way, and diplomatic is the way to go with the State Department.

 

- Robert

[PJ]

Jon,

 

I believe you are doing an excellent job in being assertive and not taking "no" for an answer while still being polite, professional, and diplomatic. Not an easy task, and I admire you for being able to walk that tightrope so well!!!

 

We are all very grateful to you for helping us and for providing this information!

 

Thanks,

 

P.J.

[JonInDenver]

just a final update to the thread:

 

first of all, thank you for your words of kindness - if DOS does not make good on it's promises i will be handing out contact info like cigars, and encouraging you all to jump into the fray.

 

in response to earlier posts, and others regarding an upcoming group letter to DOS, i sent an e-mail to my contact asking about:

 

1. can we get an official statement from DOS, and

 

2. prioritization, to issue visas in the order they were approved.

 

the note i got back said that i should have a generic "DOS plan of action" statement on monday - it may also go on their website or become the new "form e-mail" we will get when we write to them.

 

they did agree that the visas SHOULD be issued in the order they were approved. there is no way to ensure the namechecks clear in that order, but assuming large volumes are clearing at a given time, they will do their best to sort them in visa-approval-order when they hand them out.

 

i know the intentions are good at DOS. i still worry about what sort of mess GZ will make of the whole thing - but it seems some pressure is being put on the GZ CG (say that 3x fast), so that may help.

 

as soon as i have info on monday - i will post it on this thread - or start a new one. let's all keep our fingers crossed over the weekend.