Matthew Udall

By the way, I couldn't agree more with the above statement, and is why I think they should take those numbers off of the notices (it just ticks people off, and rightly so, when those numbers are not followed). Since INS HQ, not the service centers themselves, come up with those numbers and INS HQ directs the Service Centers to put them on their notices (the Service Centers don't have the authority to change the numbers), I assume it would be INS HQ that needs to be convinced to remove the numbers from the notices.

Lets all write them a letter with this suggestion :-).

M.U.

Matthew Udall

In the way of an afterthought, I wanted to add a little more. First, Mr. Novak actually used the words "sleepy little service center", I'm not paraphrasing or making that up. He made that remark during his speech at an AILA conference during the meeting where all of the directors talked about what was going on at their particular service centers.

I was also at the brand new Missouri Service Center a couple of months ago, and the director (Jim Burzynsky, who by the way used to run the TSC) and I (along with around 15 other attorneys who made the trip to Lee's Summit) were walking through the parking lot to get to the back entrance of the MSC, and he mentioned a few characteristics for each of the Service Centers. When it came to the VSC, he mentioned it was comprised of a few small buildings (as a side note, he also mentioned the number of times his office window at the TSC was shot out... he wanted bullet proof glass for his new office at the MSC, but he didn’t get it :-).

I've been to each and every one of the Service Center, and I've been through (toured) each and every one except for the VSC. When I was recently in the North East, I drove up to St. Albans in the hope of being able to tour the facility. I only made it as far as the lobby and they were not conducting tours that day (I knew it was a long shot). But I drove around the block a couple of times to see if I could spot the other small buildings. Didn't really see any.

The VSC itself is a very modern looking building, and from how it looked in the lobby and from what I could see of other parts (again, from my view from the lobby… there were huge glass windows in the lobby so I could see other parts/rooms of the VSC that surrounded the lobby area), it seemed to be pretty new, well maintained and modern.

But the actual "size" of the physical building was far, far smaller than the CSC, the NSC, the MSC and the TSC, which are all huge facilities.

They are really stuffed in tight at the NSC and need every spare inch of space they can get. The TSC is huge too and has a huge building just for the Contract workers section. I have some photos of the CSC on my page if you are interested in seeing that facility (in fact, I have photos of all 5 of the service centers, but I need to make some changes to have enough web storage space to post them all).

M.U.

mjones

I don't like the tone of your comment, Udall.
You are a sarcastic son of a bitch who just cannot let things go.
This is NOT a forum for attorneys and it is just tough shit for you that some of
us hang around.
You can alter your demeanor or find yourself under a pile of rocks.
I am ready any time you are.
Get professional or get out.
Mike


On Sat, 04 Jan 2003 23:48:15 +0000, Matthew Udall
wrote:

    >There are many regulars in this very group who
    >hang around and dispense immigration advice based on the knowledge they
    >pick up here, long after their own cases have been approved. Same goes
    >for those who put together and maintain self help sites and timeline
    >boards.

Matthew Udall

Please try to act like an adult Mike. If you don't like my postings, don't read them. There is no need to threaten anybody, myself included.

mavengirl

i will tell you all what my congressperson told me (again lol) she told me she couldnt make my case go any faster than it was going. what she told she COULD do was make sure that it wasnt lost or forgotten or anything like that. and she did find find out information for me regarding my case. it wasnt good news though lol. i have at least another month before approval, giving the ins the 2 weeks before they even look at my case and a couple more it takes to process. She also told me they will track my case all the way to the embassy in stockholm and stuff to make sure it gets there in a timely manner. so front to back my case looks to take about 4-5 months to get to the embassy part. those of you with Oct-Nov cases at TSC just hang in there and wait. im sure they will speed up (im hoping). i am curious about one thing and im sure its been asked and answered a zillion times here but here goes, how come vermont is so much faster than the others? is there some special circumstance? just curious.
thanks
shannonF
(1st NOA for K-1 TSC sept 26)

angeles73

Exactly my point maven!!!! They make sure someone higher up is standing over INS' shoulder making sure that YOUR petition and anyone else who has called them is tagged. Not physically tagged, but imagine if you are an INS worker, are you more likely to screw up the one with the politician involved or the one without it?

Bottom line is that we aren't just part of the pile. When the thing gets approved (or not) they are our eyes and ears. That is EXACTLY what I have been trying to communicate to everyone. Not that they will speed it up, but for example, in Katesuiter's case: What would have happened had the congressperson NOT called? Would kate still be waiting? Is it too much of a coincidence she calls and three days later she's approved (or more, I can't recall her timeline). And there are various people who the same thing happened. Saying that they called " just in time" just sounds like someone does not want to give credit where credit is due. Either way, coincidence or not. It's cheaper than a lawyer, and you are finally getting those damned politicians to move for YOU and YOU alone. Not you as a state, a race, a gender, or a union : YOU AS A VOTER!!! Does the congressman make a difference??? Maybe... maybe not... But would you all like to find out the hard way,? Would you rather pay a lawyer or do it for free and have a congress person light the way?? I'll go with the latter anytime.

And regarding VSC, I have plenty of sources that advise that Vermont is not only much better organized than the rest of the service centers. But it is so damn well organized having to get a congressperson involved is rare. They have New York on their list so they are no less busy than the others, and they actually work within a smaller compound than the others (I'm referring to office space). At the helm of the service center is better management than the rest. THAT, my friends, is the key.

It's not immigration as a whole. The system CAN work. And Vermont proves that. Its the damn service centers in particular that screw this up with ignorance and blatant disregard for the people they are paid to serve. The mere fact that Vermont cables all consulates the approvals goes to show it can be done, within budget WITHOUT getting behind and yet the others choose NOT to. Why? INS doesn't say YOU CANNOT. TEXAS says they will not. CALIFORNIA says they will not. So on and so forth. Although, I have been advised California is going the route of Vermont and soon may be cabling as well. To date, you still have to request it via the I-824 when you submit the I-129F or any other petition.

Let's hope at some point they ALL realize there is the stupid, inefficient way and the smart, cost effective and efficient way to do things. Let's just say at this point if Texas had to take an IQ test, they'd score well below retarded.

Ange

katesuiter1

Hey, Ange!! Hope you're well!! Been awful busy panicking lately, me!!

We contacted Corey's rep I believe on the Wednesday, they told us to fax a request for info giving our receipt number etc, and why we wanted info, we spent a number of days trying to get a fax through, (someone from TSC in there stealing the darn thing, I tell you!!!), we tried again on the Monday, (Corey, myself AND Ange all tearing our hair out by this point, as nothing was happening!! LOL!!! ), we finally got through on Tuesday the 3rd Dec, and we were approved on Wed 4th Dec.

I don't think it's fair if people expect their case to be pushed ahead of anyone else, but as mavengirl was told, things do get lost, and our petition was one of them. I don't think it was "our time" at all, and if we hadn't called, I believe we'd still be waiting now.

For those people waiting for a very long time, but are unsure whether to call the rep, how crap would you feel if you were waiting for months and months, and decided not to call congress for whatever reason, and then when you finally did, they told you it "fell through the cracks", and should have been approved a while ago? That's what happened to our case, so I'm very glad we called. It may not work for everyone, but how do you know you aren't one of the lost cases?

Kate. xxxxxx

P.S: Ange, say hi to Oscar, and I'll natter with you soon!!!

Barbara Sternick

Matthew Udall wrote in message news:...
    > Originally posted by Jana
    > > What I wish is for you to stop defending the Texas Service Center
    > >
    > > you don't know how this feels to be waiting for this service center.
    > > You can watch on with a sympathetic demeanor but unless you experience
    > > this you will never understand.
    > >
    > > When I submitted my application to the Texas Service Center they were
    > > approving cases within 3 weeks.
    > >
    > > How complicated can my application be? Single adult, never married
    > > engaged to single adult, never married. No criminal records for
    > > either, income more than comfortably over the poverty level.
    > >
    > > And your little numbers and their little numbers are not what I go by.
    > > I go by the little numbers posted here or at davehollis's website
    > > showing ACTUAL APPROVALS. And my "number" is September 17, 2002, the
    > > date kate was approved.
    > >
    >
    > But I'm not defending them. Instead I'm offering information to you that
    > was given to me by them (the INS) in how to determine when a case is
    > overdue. Top ranking service centers staffers (sometimes the directors
    > themselves) have told me that we cannot rely on the numbers on notices
    > as those numbers don't come from them (but rather INS HQ). The courtesy
    > reports the service centers give to AILA are not "my little numbers",
    > but rather little numbers that actually come from the service centers
    > based upon what is sitting on their shelves in the file room. Would you
    > really rather rely on inaccurate information (the numbers on the
    > notices)???
    >
    > I can certainly "understand" someone being upset that this takes time
    > (believe me, I know as I have a lot more than 1 case that I'm waiting
    > on), but please don't be upset with me or try to brand me as "defending"
    > INS when all I'm doing is sharing accurate information with you so you
    > can at least be dealing with reality when it comes to case processing
    > times (and as a side note, I've been separated from "my" loved one for
    > around 15 months now, so I think I have a little idea how you might
    > feel). And of course, you are free to ignore what the top INS Service
    > Centers staffers have told me, but please don't shoot me for trying to
    > give you an alternative way (and an accurate way according to "them") to
    > determine if and when to consider a case as overdue.
    >
    > Perhaps the person who now might be running into losing $ due to making
    > plans on "inaccurate" information could have benefited from knowing
    > this. My hope is that by sharing this information, there will be fewer
    > future do-it-yourselfers who will make the same mistake (in relying on
    > information that "should NOT" be relied upon).
    >
    > Perhaps they were processing within 3 weeks when you filed, but anybody
    > who follows this knows the Service Centers have fast and slow spells for
    > a variety of reasons.
    >
    > Your case indeed might not be complicated at all, and perhaps you
    > documented it very well and it will be a breeze for the INS officer to
    > process once he or she "gets it". But that has "nothing" to do with INS
    > work load (how long it takes it to get to the officer) or to other
    > unknowns that might slow down your case (such as an IBIS hit that your
    > case might have received compared to other cases, including Kate's). As
    > Folinskyinla has also mentioned many times, you can't go by one case to
    > determine how long the next one will take ("Especially" now with IBIS).
    >
    > I personally hope your case is approved soon. Good luck.
    >
    > M.U.

Thank you so much for your good wishes. It seems that one cannot give
the INS any credence to their commitments. To state that This type of
petition takes between 60-90 days to process is not an idle statement
and the petitioner should be able to make plans based on it. Mr.
Udall, apparently you have more experience with this center and feel
comfortable telling someone they are foolish to make plans based on
the INS dates. On the other hand,if you recall, one of the items
requested is data showing commitments for the wedding venue (church,
reception, invitations, etc.)

angeles73

Kate I just realized you are so close to your interview date. How WONDERFUL!!! I am so happy for you!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oscar is great, still hanging in there as we all are. Although we have decided when this finally does happen for us, I am flying over there to pick him up so we can go together through the POE. I'm not sure if that's possible, but I want to make sure everything goes smoothly just in case.

You better let me know when you get in town girl!!! The girls want to meet my Brit friend! LOL!!!

bobzy

Wow! If someone threatened me in such a way, I would request the list owner to provide any information that could potentially identify the poster if ever needed and then I would take it to my local police to keep on record for a while. Mr. Udall mentioned a former TSC director's windows being shot out several times -- when people make what appear to be threats, this is not something that I would take lightly.

About "hangers around": I have only been occasionally surfing this board for the last few weeks -- it is just so difficult to find the few useful scraps of information among the volumes of pointless posts. The SAME people keep posting the same questions over and over -- e.g., "Why hasn't TSC approved my petition?" The attorneys, who deal with the process and the agencies on a daily basis, and who presumably see the toughest of cases, keep patiently and politely providing the same answers because the answer hasn't changed since yesterday or the day before or last month. It is interesting to see that people who have done absolutely nothing more than file a petition -- and haven't even gotten it approved yet -- believe that they know the most about how this process works.

Matthew Udall

Hi Barbara,
I believe the "poor planning" language came from some consulate materials I have in my consular binders. And yes, I've been told over and over again by top Service Center staffers that the projected numbers on the notices do not come from the Service Center itself but rather INS HQ (the Service Center staffers also say they don’t have the authority to change those numbers no matter how far off from reality them might happen to be). Combine this with the knowledge that the Service Centers (and Consulates for that matter) go through periods of being fast and then slow; and that the numbers on the notices don't change that often.

That’s why I like the courtesy reports given to AILA as those numbers reflect what is actually sitting on the file room shelf (at a given service center) on the date the report is made. Its also is a good way to determine when a case is “overdue� (or has “fallen through the cracks� as is sometimes written here). When a case is “overdue� I contact them to make them aware of it just like a rep can (and this is a situation where a rep can be very helpful… just ask Kate!). As others have pointed out, it would be a shame to wait far past the “overdue� date before contacting the rep or Service Center about the fact that the case is overdue or off-track, and the courtesy reports they give to AILA are a good way to determine when/if a case indeed has become overdue. Now of course, those reports are by no means perfect either (I’ve seen them contain typos for example), and one can’t use the report if one gets an IBIS hit as cases with IBIS hits are taken out of the main stream of cases.

When I'm asked by a client how long it will take, I generally give my best guess based on calculations/trends that I see at that moment, but I do emphasize that it is only my best "guess" and that it might not end up being accurate. I explain all of the stuff about the numbers on the notices, the AILA courtesy reports, trends in processing, and other factors that are out of our control and that can effect processing times (of course, I also tell them about factors that "are" within our control, and what we will do together to try to make the case move through the system as quickly as possible). I do this to help them see why the Consulates themselves warn people not to make plans, dispose of property, quit jobs, etc., until they have their visa in hand. I like to help people avoid risky plans... risky in that there are some things effecting processing time that are out of our control and I'd hate to see someone (especially one of my clients) run into the situation (or put themselves under stress) you are facing right now.

I don’t think someone is “foolish� for making plans based on the dates, but simply “uninformed� about the reality of processing and the facts I’ve outlined above. It is precisely the fact that I think the average person “would� rely on those numbers, and that those numbers often don’t reflect the reality of current processing at a service center, that is why I think they should remove those numbers from the notices. They are not doing anybody any favors by putting them on a notice (if at that moment, the actually processing is far off from the projected time quote), and I’ll bet it would even show down the calls with complaints for this very issue that take up Service Center staff time.

But as I said before, I don’t think you really have anything to lose by running this by them (loss of $). Who knows, you just might catch the right officer on the right day who will expedite it for you.

Oh, and I hardly ever submit evidence of wedding plans as most of my clients don't have that evidence to offer yet. Hunderds of fiancee cases, none denied for not having this evidence.

Good luck, Barbara.

M.U.

katesuiter1

Thanks, Ange!!!

Getting sooooo excited now!! Got all Corey's docs on their way over from the US as we speak, and I'll get them on Wed, and my darling mum has booked a room at a B & B just a stonethrow away from Doc Phelan's! She bringing my crazy Irish aunt, so the 3 of us will be loose in the heart of London on Monday!!!! Hee hee!!! Glad you're both well, and it sounds good to bring Oscar over. I can imagine the anxiety at your end, wanting to make sure he gets there ok! I'll let you know when I get there!!!
Kate. xxx