jeffreyhy

The service centers are USCIS. Do you mean that the Misinformation Line only receives updates once per month?

That would indeed be interesting, because we (OK, I) had been under the impresstion that the National Customer [Dis]Service Center could see the same records that applicants can see using the Online Status, and that is updated regularly, not only on the 15th of every month.

So what is this monthly update, I wonder?

Regards, JEff

ian-mstm

I suspect that the person that nica spoke to was deliberately lying to her. The person wanted to give the impression that she had greater knowledge of the process than she actually does.

nica - the person is allowed to lie to you!

Ian

nica

They're "allowed" to lie to me? What does that mean? That USCIS encourages them to lie when necessary?

Or do you just mean that anybody can lie?

jeffreyhy

"allowed" and "encourag[ed]" do not mean the same thing.

That being said, what Ian means, and he's correct, is that you cannot rely on what a person at the NCSC tells you. Or what a USCIS or CBP immigration officer, or a consular officer, tells you for that matter. If they give you misinformation, and you act on that misinformation to your detriment, it's your own problem for which you have no recourse but to suffer whatever the consquences might be.

Regards, JEff

ian-mstm

Yes... and the US Supreme Court has upheld the notion that you can not rely on, as accurate, anything told to you by a US government employee.


It means they can tell you whatever they want... and not only is there nothing you can do about it, they will never be punished or even admonished for any wrongdoing.


Now you're twisting what I said and creating some new interpretation!

Ian

nica

Hm... as cynical as this process is making me, I'm still not quite cynical enough to believe that this woman was blatantly lying just to get me to hang up the phone. It's possible that she was ill-informed, but I certainly didn't badger her for the information. I mentioned my concern over the fact that I had called a few weeks earlier and had gotten the "July 12th" info both times, and I asked how often her office was updated. She said "The 15th of every month." That seems like a bizarrely specific thing to pull off the top of your head.

My suspicion is that the "official" date that they give is related exclusively to when they want to allow service requests. So whether they can see the updated information every day or not (I certainly don't think they're unable to see the info we can see on the USCIS website), I get the impression that that's an official cut-off, past which they don't want to have service requests submitted by the staff at the call center.

I could be wrong about that. But I'm going to call tomorrow and Thursday and see if they suddenly are way beyond July 12th... that should either support or completely disprove the "15th of the month" theory.

Peaksy

Please keep us posted Nica!

jeffreyhy

No, it will simply reaffirm what many others before you have learned - every time you call, every different person that you speak with, you are likely to get a different answer. The 'service' is known as the Misinformation Line for a reason - it's unreliable.

Regards, JEff

Noorah101

+1.

Rene

nica

I've spoken to a different person every time I call (at least twice a week for the last three weeks), and they have all told me July 12th. If I call tomorrow and they suddenly tell me July 27th, I'm going to take that as proof.

If they don't, then you're probably right.

Peaksy

Nica - Did you call? What did you find out?

Just debating calling myself and want to see if it contradicts the information they gave you?

Today we also filed with our congressman for him to contact USCIS to see whats going on there!

Peaksy

So we just called whilst I was thinking about it - quoted a 2 month delay and still processing July .... I'm saying nothing.

nica

Well, the 15th of the month thing is probably incorrect. I called on the 16th and they were still processing July 12th. Oh well.

Interestingly though, I was still able to get a service request put in. Somehow the person I spoke to escalated my call to someone who was able to bypass the system and submit a request, despite that July 12th baloney. They said I should hear back within 1-2 weeks.

In the meantime, I had already called my senators and congressman... and today I got an email from the congressman's staff saying that they called USCIS earlier today and were told that my application had been approved yesterday.

I was really excited about this until I checked the USCIS website... and our case still says "initial review." So naturally I became skeptical and called USCIS. They escalated my call again, and a woman told me the following things through the course of the phone call:

1. It hasn't been approved.
2. Maybe it's been approved, but it takes a while (up to a month?!) to enter it into the computer system.
3. Our service request was cancelled yesterday, indicating possible approval.
4. It's on its way to NVC, so that means it must have been approved.

I have no idea how to feel about any of this. Any ideas?

ian-mstm

These two go hand in hand... because all they know is what's on their monitor - and it's very highly unlikely that you spoke with anyone who has first hand knowledge of your case status. As you already know, the online system is highly unreliable, and you should never consult it.


I suggest the congressman's information was accurate - they will often have direct access to the people who make the decisions.

Ian

Peaksy

I really hope it is approved, fingers crossed for you Nica!