natalija

Dear people of the Forum!
I and my American fiance filed the documents to Nebraska INS for receiving K-1 visa and received our 1st NOA in 19th of August.In the beginning of February they asked us for more evidence.We send them more evidence. And what we found on-line some days ago, was:

"On February, 13, 2003, we received your response to our request for evidence or information. This is taking between 150-180 days for us to process this kind of cases. However, because preliminary processing was complete before we requested the additional material, the remaining processing time for this stage of your case is approximately 180 days. You will receive a written decision on this case."

So, does it mean we might wait for other 180 days?!!!! And together it might be 1 year?!!!
Please, somebody who can give some information about how long does itusually takes after sending them more evidence, you help will be appreciated very much!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today when my fiance read it to me I almost gave up! We have already been waiting for 180 days, and I can not imagine more 180 days!
Natalija

donahso

Please don't despair. You got the 'standard' reply to a new K-1 filing. Unless there are additional problems you could be approved in 2 ~ 4 weeks. I'm sure others will chime in as well, but an RFE does NOT go to the bottom of the pile. Give them 2 weeks and then start calling or checking online.

marian

Hi - don't panic. from what i've read it's usually anothere two weeks after you've submitted your additional information. i've never heard of another 180 days. Perhaps you should call your congressman and/or senator to look into this for you. also try calling the NSC 402-323-7830 and see what the recording says about your case. it may be different. good luck!!! NSC inmate #LIN0228453922 - marian 1st notice Sept. 13, 2002, sent to an officer - Feb. 12, 2003, awaiting release.

Nic

I think the first two posters have it right - from what I've seen in other RFE situations. Don't lose heart!

quake

please tell me what evidance you sent, how many of each, etc, im worried they may do this to me now

Kae

eek! I just received my first NOA and it says the wait is 150-180 days. I somehow doubt they would have to start the entire review process over once they recieve the requested additional evidence. Although I don't know that for certain. Hang in there!

natalija

thank you, Don!
Your letter as well as some other letters were real comfort to me.
Yes, we will call our Senator on Tuesday. I also do not think they will start our processing from the beginning.
Natalija

natalija

Hi,Quake!
This time we sent tothem more evidence, such as e-mail letters, photoe together of us, the plane tickets, the papers of reservation the hotel during his staying in Latvia.Some people send the telephone bills etc.
But I know that the most important to send them some photoes together of you, e-mails. It would be helpful.
Natalija

David Brown

Those are long waits, but I'm not convinced they are accurate. I am a TSC
applicant.

I am INS inmate # SRC0226750844 and I too received an RFE but it was MY
FAULT.
I suggest reading what it says at my projected times and it differs from
what yours say.
However, I believe they all say the same thing if you look at the way the
government operates. The number of days listed is probably not as important
as the fact that we have been told to wait, and wait, and wait.

Sequential vs. Concurrent requests.
I don't believe they will send requests for information sequentially. I
believe that they will send the requests concurrently. In other words if
you have TWO things they need they will request them both at the same time.
Background and why I don't believe they deliberately stall any case:
This is from personal experience in an exactly analogous area where I
currently work. I do Disability Determinations for the State and Federal
Government. The 800 + examiners in my office want the cases out of there,
and absolutely will request information concurrently. There is a job
performance rating in all Federal systems, and in this instance it would be
the number of backlogged cases. The Feds could not put in place a policy
that says to request sequentially since that would appear in the POMs
(policy and procedures manual) which is public information. External people
such as the INS claimant lawyers read it too. The INS have a POMs, and I
have heard it mentioned right on this group. Without background it's
impossible to decipher the POMs. They put POMs on CD's also and they are
available for a price ($395) and this is what lawyers are good for. It
would take thousands of hours to learn the POMs in it's entirety. Lawyers
win cases based on violations of the internal POMs at our agency. I'm sure
it's the same at INS.
Before you run out and hire a lawyer though, there is no indication that
POMs has been violated in the case of a shutdown of the entire INS system
post 911. There is guidance in the POMs to allow them to shut down if
things are not working.

Changing job descriptions:
Telling an INS employee to do one thing then in the middle of it changing it
will definitely throw the examiners off and slow them down. Resentment and
hard feelings lead to lowered production, and we applicants suffer.

Employee morale and termination:
Then there are those of us who have our INS examiner quit working for the
Feds. Our case is given to a new employee who obviously will be a little
slower. That's the luck of the draw.

Other problems have cropped up too:
losing mail
shredding mail
in-fighting
inefficiencies
telephone problems requesting status and information from the lowest
person in the agency.

911
This was behind everything. Don't blame the US government for becoming
confused and not knowing what to do with our applications. Put the blame
squarely where it belongs. With a group of middle easterners who behave
like a military/political entity yet demand we recognize them as a
"religion." They are not. This mess is caused by these people. We are ALL
confused.

It's a miracle anyone gets processed huh? Anyway, I have resigned myself to
a long wait and I'm hoping things will resolve when the new stationary is
printed and everyone gets back to work. I think the office of Homeland
Security was a waste of time myself, yet they could have made worse mistakes
such as: branding, internment camps, forced marches, death camps, gas
chambers, 'final solutions' and other stupid moves.

I am not a 'happy camper', but I don't feel guilty either and that's
important to me.

Day 159 and I'm sick and tired of waiting.

quake

To my ORIGNAL question, can some one please evither natalija or dave brown, tell me what evidence they sent in when they got reufused i wanna know what kind of stuff they refused, what did you guys miss out , i dont wanna know what u sent, back in responce, just what you sent that was refused, pls pls


thanks

David Brown

I simply forgot to send in form 325. It was omitted. In general our
evidence is overkill, but in my case I omitted the page. My fault.

Sirenna

Natalija:

We applied at approximately the same time, August 26, 2002 and we just go the
"Request for Evidence" letter on 2/14/03 (is that a JOKE -- Valentine's Day?)
However, we've been in contact with my Senator's office. Most U.S. Senators
have an INS Liaison and mine has stated that once we were reviewed, if there
was something missing or incomplete that she could accept the additional
information and help expedite the process. I anticipated that 'something'
would be wrong and I ALSO anticipated them putting us 'back' at the end of the
line and I, like you, am unwilling and/or unable to wait ANOTHER 168 days!!!!
That's how long we waited 'officially' from their 'receipt' date to their
'response' date!!!

Sirenna

Quake, my letter SPECIFICALLY says "Submit a statement giving the DATE
prior to yoru application date, and the PLACE you and the beneficiary
last saw each other in person." I typed up such a 'statement' as well as
printing out a copy of my air miles/schedule (thank goodness I booked the trip
and applied for airmiles credit). I hope that is sufficient. I am NOT
submitting phone records.

Sselvie

I don't thin it will take another 180 days, how long after you sent the
petition for the k1, did you get the letter for addtnl' info?

Sheila

natalija

Hi, Sheila!
We received our RKF approximately after 153 days we received the 1 st NOA.
Natalija