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OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

Old May 3rd 2004, 5:37 pm
  #16  
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Default Re: OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

Originally posted by SecretGarden
When I showed my mother my carefully prepared and highly organized I129F (which was quite thick, granted) she looked shocked and said, "oh surely they don't need all THAT! You must have done something wrong!"

*sigh*

I didn't even bother telling her anything about the AOS process.

We've also gotten some comments about how England is a "friendly" country and why in the world would it take SOOO long to bring him over from there? "There's got to be someone you can call, have you checked that out???"

As much as you try to educate people regarding this process, unless they are going through it themselves, they will never truly understand. But put yourself in their places: would *you* have believed this before you did it yourself? I wouldn't have!

~SecretGarden

I totally agree with you there are so many people out there including myself that would never of imagined the paperwork and time stress etc that has to go into all of this.

So many Americans have said to me can't you just be married and stay why do you have to fill out paperwork???
Pretty much the same as the folks back home lol 'ARE YOU SURE YOU NEED TO DO ALL THAT"???

aRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH.

Susanna
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Old May 3rd 2004, 5:38 pm
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Default Re: OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

Originally posted by SecretGarden
When I showed my mother my carefully prepared and highly organized I129F (which was quite thick, granted) she looked shocked and said, "oh surely they don't need all THAT! You must have done something wrong!"

*sigh*

I didn't even bother telling her anything about the AOS process.

We've also gotten some comments about how England is a "friendly" country and why in the world would it take SOOO long to bring him over from there? "There's got to be someone you can call, have you checked that out???"

As much as you try to educate people regarding this process, unless they are going through it themselves, they will never truly understand. But put yourself in their places: would *you* have believed this before you did it yourself? I wouldn't have!

~SecretGarden
The one I find the funniest is when people ask me how long I've been here, and when I tell them "just over a year", they say, "Oh, so you must be a citizen now then?" HAH!!!! If only it were that quick and stress free!!! The reaction I get when I tell them it'll be years before I'm even eligible is even funnier!!!

I work with a fellow immigrant who's process is drawing to a close, and when I told her that I've been here since Jan 2003 and I'm not even a PR yet, she couldn't believe it.

Kate. xxxxx

Last edited by katesuiter1; May 3rd 2004 at 5:40 pm.
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Old May 3rd 2004, 5:45 pm
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Default Re: OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

Originally posted by Susanna
I totally agree with you there are so many people out there including myself that would never of imagined the paperwork and time stress etc that has to go into all of this.

So many Americans have said to me can't you just be married and stay why do you have to fill out paperwork???
Pretty much the same as the folks back home lol 'ARE YOU SURE YOU NEED TO DO ALL THAT"???

aRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH.

Susanna
my favorite (since I live so close to the opposite border) is why don't you just sneak her over illegally? and it is said with such a straight face sometimes. Gee why didn't I think of that before perhaps we could even rob a few banks on the way, wouldn't that be splendid?
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Old May 3rd 2004, 5:51 pm
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Default Re: OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

Originally posted by soulsender
my favorite (since I live so close to the opposite border) is why don't you just sneak her over illegally? and it is said with such a straight face sometimes. Gee why didn't I think of that before perhaps we could even rob a few banks on the way, wouldn't that be splendid?
LOL!!!!!!! Seems that the crims are treated more fairly than us poor dumb law-abiding folk!!!

Kate. xxxx
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Old May 3rd 2004, 6:13 pm
  #20  
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Default Re: OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

Originally posted by katesuiter1
LOL!!!!!!! Seems that the crims are treated more fairly than us poor dumb law-abiding folk!!!

Kate. xxxx
My favorite is "Can't He just come for a Visit????"

How do I explain to my 102 year old Great Aunt that he Messed up 11 years ago and that's why he isn't here yet. she's mad at him because she thinks he can just come over the border. If it was only that simple.
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Old May 3rd 2004, 6:35 pm
  #21  
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Default Re: OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

Originally posted by katesuiter1
I work with a fellow immigrant who's process is drawing to a close, and when I told her that I've been here since Jan 2003 and I'm not even a PR yet, she couldn't believe it.

Kate. xxxxx
Kind of surreal, but do you ever find yourself actually *defending* the USCIS to people?

"Well, it takes so long because they're *very busy*...."



~SG
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Old May 3rd 2004, 7:20 pm
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Default Re: OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

Originally posted by 207lonsdale
I am sure many of you have been asked why this process is so complicated, why there are so many delays, etc, etc! However, a friend of mine is convinced that in applying for a marriage based visa we have complicated a very simple matter. She bases this assumption on the fact that she has a friend who has been living in America for the past twenty years without applying for any kind of visa!

Apparently, her friend returns to England for a week or two every six months, he has been doing this for twenty years and claims that the IO's at the POE have never questioned his intentions.

When I said that the VWP only allows stays for up to 90 days, she said that once in America he simply applies for an extension with the explanation that he needs to extend his stay 'to help a friend'.

Even if he had applied for a tourist visa and this allowed him to stay for six months at one time, I do not see how he would not have encountered difficulties at the POE. Afterall, it is a far stretch of the imagination to accept that someone is simply on vacation for eleven months of each year over a twenty year period!

Her friend also seems to think that those of us who apply for marriage based visas create our own problems! It is easy, you can live in America so long as you are prepared to return to your home country for a short period twice a year!

I have pointed out that the VWP is only intended to be used for tourism but she insists that the IO's at the POE are only interested in where you are going to stay during your time in America. Apparently, we could all do this, our mistake in all of this is that we were honest about our intentions and so we, and we alone, are the ones to have problems with IO's at the POE!

I do not believe the story I am being told and think that her friend is just spinning a yarn! There is no doubt that he lives in America, but I am convinced that he must have some kind of visa and for some reason is omitting this vital fact from his story.

Nevertheless, being that she is so insistent that she has her facts right, I wonder whether perhaps I am missing something? Obviously my knowledge of immigration only extends to that of marriage based visa's, and so I said I would put this scenario to the NG. So, does anyone know whether this is possible?
I have to say get use to it, the amount of people that do not understand what a EAD is or AOS is about is at high levels over here. Even when you explain why you cannot get a mobile phone or bank account or no credit rating etc. Some people think you fly over and with minutes you can be an American citizen and get a job in your field.

I have resigned to the fact that some people follow the ignorance is bliss motto.

What is worse about all this is that these same people start to view one as a layabout and low achiever.
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Old May 3rd 2004, 7:43 pm
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Default Re: OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

Originally posted by SecretGarden
Kind of surreal, but do you ever find yourself actually *defending* the USCIS to people?

"Well, it takes so long because they're *very busy*...."



~SG
I'm the opposite. I've become quite bitter towards this system. I'd feel better if they processed apps is a somewhat "logical" manner, but it just seems so random, it's hard not to worry about what the future will bring. Other things that makes it worse are the inconsistancies of the "advice" from the 1800 reps and the different requirements of each office. If a certain app is filed, what difference does geography make???? Surely the basics are the same? I even got bad advice about that!!!!

The only thing I say in defense to them is, "I'm all for tighter security for this country, buuuut.........."

(Gripe, grumble, moan, whinge...............)

Vent over!!!!

Kate. xxx
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Old May 3rd 2004, 11:08 pm
  #24  
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Default Re: OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

I spoke to my friend today and told her what Folinskyinla had said ~ i.e. that the time allowed for travel on the VWP cannot be extended, and that this fact alone proves that her story cannot be correct! Her reply was: "I'm really not interested in all that."!!!

Anyway, being that she has told me several times over a period of months that I have created all my own problems in applying for a marriage based visa, and that I could have easily lived in America so long as I was prepared to take two holidays a year ~ I was interested!!!

She then told me that it was I who had told her that this man extended his stay on the VWP with the explanation that 'he was helping a friend'! Of course, that came as quite a surprise to me, as I don't even know this person! This was her story and I happened to be the one who never believed it! Anyway, she then said: "I don't even know him, he is just a friend of a friend, how he manages to live in America I don't know, but I do know that he does."!!!

All I can now say is that the mystery is solved and that I doubt she will be telling me about what I should or could have done differently anymore!
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Old May 3rd 2004, 11:14 pm
  #25  
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Default Re: OT: Are we all stupid? ;)

Originally posted by veryfunny
I have to say get use to it, the amount of people that do not understand what a EAD is or AOS is about is at high levels over here. Even when you explain why you cannot get a mobile phone or bank account or no credit rating etc. Some people think you fly over and with minutes you can be an American citizen and get a job in your field.

I have resigned to the fact that some people follow the ignorance is bliss motto.

What is worse about all this is that these same people start to view one as a layabout and low achiever.
I am used to it, but most people are just surprised at how complicated this process can be ~ whereas this particular friend insisted that she had her facts right and that I had made a simple matter very complicated by applying for a marriage based visa! Of course, I now know that in reality she really didn't have the first clue!
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