Back Log Decreasing?!?!?!?!

[Razbre]

found this while browsing around...but was written in Sept. backlog has been reduced for 4 MILLION to 2 MILLION...agency goal......rsolve all immigration applications in '6 months'. Guess they haven't heard of GZ....

 

 

U.S. Immigration Application Backlog Decreasing, Official Says

Agency says it strives for reform, better customer service

 

By M. Charlene Porter

Washington File Staff Writer

 

Washington -- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) has made significant progress in reforming an "old, embattled" bureaucracy and is making solid inroads in reducing a longstanding backlog in immigration applications, according to CIS Director Eduardo Aguirre.

 

Formed from the remnants of the long-beleaguered Immigration and Naturalization Service and folded into the Department of Homeland Security, CIS has been in business since March 2003. Speaking in Washington September 21, Aguirre said the agency has been able to halve the case backlog, which he likened to "Mount Everest, a seemingly awesome task."

 

With the introduction of more efficient and streamlined processes, however, the backlog has been reduced from 4 million to 2 million cases over the last eight months, he said. Striving for a complete resolution of backlogged cases, Aguirre said the agency goal is to resolve all immigration applications in six months.

 

Aguirre describes his reform of the agency as "a simple but imperative mission -- making certain the right applicant receives the right benefit in the right amount of time and preventing the wrong applicant from accessing America's immigration benefits."

 

The CIS director noted two further reforms that he hopes will provide faster, more efficient access to immigration services. The E-filings program gives customers online access to eight forms that comprise 50 percent of the types of applications the agency handles. The Infopass program allows customers to go online to book an appointment with immigration officials, offering what Aguirre called "open arms, not endless lines."

 

Even though improving customer service has been an important priority during Aguirre's tenure as CIS director, he emphasized the agency's ongoing role in national security, working to prevent the admission of anyone who intends to do harm to the United States or its citizens.

 

"We will not cut a single corner to process an application more quickly if it means compromising security," Aguirre told his audience of business people and diplomats.

 

Aguirre has been addressing the immediate problems involved with establishing a new agency in a new cabinet department and dealing with the regulatory changes imposed following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Aguirre also is taking a long view of immigration management, and suggested that the U.S. Congress needs to make a wholesale reassessment of the legal regimen that governs immigration.

 

He said the basis of today's law was written in another era, and raised the question of whether that law still applies to today's global travel. "We think nothing of getting on a airplane and landing in Vancouver, Canada, moving on to Hong Kong or Mexico City. This [law] was written in a day when voyages took days, if not weeks."

 

In reforming CIS, Aguirre said he has applied more than 30 years' experience in banking to bring sound business practice, good customer service and improved risk management into the federal bureaucracy he now oversees. In addition to his business experience, however, Aguirre brings significant personal experience to CIS. He is an immigrant from Cuba who came to the United States without his parents at age 15.

 

Aguirre said he has vowed to improve service at CIS to ensure that every individual is treated with dignity and respect, in contrast to his own experience winding his way through the immigration bureaucracy as a boy.

[frank1538]

found this while browsing around...but was written in Sept. backlog has been reduced for 4 MILLION to 2 MILLION...agency goal......rsolve all immigration applications in '6 months'. Guess they haven't heard of GZ....

 

 

U.S. Immigration Application Backlog Decreasing, Official Says

Agency says it strives for reform, better customer service

 

By M. Charlene Porter

Washington File Staff Writer

 

Washington -- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) has made significant progress in reforming an "old, embattled" bureaucracy and is making solid inroads in reducing a longstanding backlog in immigration applications, according to CIS Director Eduardo Aguirre.

I actually have seen some timelines shrinking on the USCIS side, but remember that GZ is part of the Department of State and not Homeland Security. I guess we could say "what USCIS giveth, DOS taketh away."

[cosmiclobster]

well, this sounds good IF it isn't just a lot of election year rhetoric.

My case, and most others on CFL, are currently taking about a year +. Are they trying to say that it used to take 2 years? I think it used to take 6 months are they are lying through their teeth about their great reforms and progress. And if my sweetie wants to bring her brother or sister here later on, it's a 4 or 5 YEAR wait? For them to cut their backlog in half, that would mean that some cases would have to be completed in a few days to offset the 4 or 5 year wait.

I personally think this whole story is political BS rhetoric at it's finest!

[cosmiclobster]

U.S. Immigration Application Backlog Decreasing, Official Says

 

 

I actually have seen some timelines shrinking on the USCIS side

Yes, USCIS has been going faster. They have almost "progressed" to the speed they were at 2 years ago!

[wolffjw]

I totally agree with "Coz". When we started our case (last January), the average time for a K-1 case to process was 8 months (total time). At present, it appears our [k1] case will be one year or more.

[Jason+Joanna]

Add up the two published timeline targets and you get 12 months. Then factor in whatever time it takes at NVC and for the second security check. A minimum of 12 months!

I am still hoping and praying for 10 months from start to finish (please, please, please ).

[lele]

When GZ gets the file from NVC, they are on a 6 month turn around after all documents are returned. Read that as P-3 and the second clearnace they send to the FBI. From that point, they have 6 months to schedule the interview. GZ typically meets the target. Does anyone know of a recent case where the interview was scheduled more than 6 months after the second clearance was received?

Then why do they then clearly place in plain english letters on their website that it is a 3-5 month period from the time they first get the mail from the NVC?????

 

"you can expect three to five months ... the time we first receive a petition and schedule an interview"

 

Also, why does it take 6 months? That seems really LONG. If the interviews really ONLY take 15 minutes as people claim, then 10 people at 15 minutes each at 7 hours a day = 280 a day. This means that each month, assuming that there are only 20 work days (many holidays built in), that 5600 should be completed every month. However, there are no where NEAR that many that go through GZ. So, I can not understand...

 

Is there an error in my numbers above???

[IceBreaker]

My letter from the NVC said it would take 2 to 4 weeks to forward to GZ. It has been 8 weeks so far and still waiting for security clearance.

[kfman]

Well Lele, your numbers are probably right, but your not factoring in the human element. Dont forget how employees work when there is no threat to their job based on lack of progress. There simply is no incentive for the average civil servant to rush and do so many interviews, etc etc. The Government does not fire employees, so there is not a threat to say.. "hurry and finish these or its your job". Prime example, go to a DMV nearby and see how fast they work..

Does the saying "at a snails pace" bring up any thoughts.. hahahaa..

Just keep the faith is all..

[lele]

Well Lele, your numbers are probably right, but your not factoring in the human element. Dont forget how employees work when there is no threat to their job based on lack of progress. There simply is no incentive for the average civil servant to rush and do so many interviews, etc etc. The Government does not fire employees,  so there is not a threat to say.. "hurry and finish these or its your job". Prime example, go to a DMV nearby and see how fast they work.. 

Does the saying "at a snails pace" bring up any thoughts.. hahahaa..

Just keep the faith is all..

Good Point!

 

So, I guess i should just smile that I will soon go and visit my dearest in China and hopefully, we can go together to Thailand!