Meeting with Congressman
Apr 12th 2001, 12:10 am
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Okay, y'all - me again.
Sorry about the back to back posts - the last one was one I posted last night.
Tomorrow I am meeting with my Congressman, John Culberson (R-Texas) from District 7.
As though through serendipity, he is in town from D.C. and having a town hall meeting
tomorrow night down the road from me. Well, I put the word out at the high school
where I teach regarding all the mess at TSC and that I wanted to speak with
Congressman Culberson re
rocessing at TSC. Well, a student from another teacher
heard about this and approached
me. He volunteers at Culberson's office here in Houston and says that Culberson does
work hard to please everybody and that he is very approachable and would be
willing to listen to my gripe if he sensed the sincerity and urgency that I am
feeling. He also said that his offices deal with INS problems all the time.
Sometimes, it is a matter of letting the Congressman know what is going on and
making them aware. Culberson is conscsious of his constituents and his office
would be willing to inquire as to what might be done to speed things up. Now,
this young man is basing this on past problems he knows has gone through the
Congressman's office. What I would like from all of you are things that I might
say that would help. I know I can convince him of my concern, but if he thinks
that there are MANY others having similar problems here in Texas, that may help.
So, any feedback you can give me or advice from those of you who have spoken
with congressmen before - please send it. I meet tomorrow between 7 and 9
m.f. I will come home tomorrow after work and will check the message board then.
Sorry for the late notice, but if you can add anything for me - let me know-
Trying to be PROactive - Jonathan
Sorry about the back to back posts - the last one was one I posted last night.
Tomorrow I am meeting with my Congressman, John Culberson (R-Texas) from District 7.
As though through serendipity, he is in town from D.C. and having a town hall meeting
tomorrow night down the road from me. Well, I put the word out at the high school
where I teach regarding all the mess at TSC and that I wanted to speak with
Congressman Culberson re
rocessing at TSC. Well, a student from another teacherheard about this and approached
me. He volunteers at Culberson's office here in Houston and says that Culberson does
work hard to please everybody and that he is very approachable and would be
willing to listen to my gripe if he sensed the sincerity and urgency that I am
feeling. He also said that his offices deal with INS problems all the time.
Sometimes, it is a matter of letting the Congressman know what is going on and
making them aware. Culberson is conscsious of his constituents and his office
would be willing to inquire as to what might be done to speed things up. Now,
this young man is basing this on past problems he knows has gone through the
Congressman's office. What I would like from all of you are things that I might
say that would help. I know I can convince him of my concern, but if he thinks
that there are MANY others having similar problems here in Texas, that may help.
So, any feedback you can give me or advice from those of you who have spoken
with congressmen before - please send it. I meet tomorrow between 7 and 9
m.f. I will come home tomorrow after work and will check the message board then.
Sorry for the late notice, but if you can add anything for me - let me know-
Trying to be PROactive - Jonathan
Apr 12th 2001, 3:35 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Jonathan, I wish you luck with your meeting. I have been dealing with the INS in
Texas for the past four months starting tomorrow. I have been told by my
Congressman's office in Florida that it should have been done several weeks ago. I
haven't received an RFE or any indication of status other than it is in the system.
They keep pushing back their estimates and things are getting slower every day. My
original notice said 30-40 days. They have finally updated the system to reflect a
more realistic processing time. The only thing your congressman can do is speak to an
information agent to get you a status. The last status I got over a week ago was they
are working on December the 15th petitions. Regards, David
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Texas for the past four months starting tomorrow. I have been told by my
Congressman's office in Florida that it should have been done several weeks ago. I
haven't received an RFE or any indication of status other than it is in the system.
They keep pushing back their estimates and things are getting slower every day. My
original notice said 30-40 days. They have finally updated the system to reflect a
more realistic processing time. The only thing your congressman can do is speak to an
information agent to get you a status. The last status I got over a week ago was they
are working on December the 15th petitions. Regards, David
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Apr 12th 2001, 7:31 am
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Tell himn you don't care what the say, as long as it is the truth. This 30-40 day
bullshit is what is the problem. If it will not be approved until sometime after the
next Christmas of your second borne child, please tell us the same. I don't care
about funding, workload, or all the other government bullshit. Just tell us what the
real deal is and we will stop crying and complaining. I don't think that is too much
to expect as tax payers. Please, if it takes till next Juvember, tell us. If it takes
24 months, tell us. Just don't give us this shit about 30-40 days or 90-120 days and
then not do it. I don't think that is too much to ask of our government employees.
Afterall, it is we who pay them, they are our employees. Approved, but still pissed
with the bullshit.
bullshit is what is the problem. If it will not be approved until sometime after the
next Christmas of your second borne child, please tell us the same. I don't care
about funding, workload, or all the other government bullshit. Just tell us what the
real deal is and we will stop crying and complaining. I don't think that is too much
to expect as tax payers. Please, if it takes till next Juvember, tell us. If it takes
24 months, tell us. Just don't give us this shit about 30-40 days or 90-120 days and
then not do it. I don't think that is too much to ask of our government employees.
Afterall, it is we who pay them, they are our employees. Approved, but still pissed
with the bullshit.
Apr 12th 2001, 1:37 pm
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Points I would consider making are:
1. TSC has current waiting time of at least 120 days and Vermont is processing same
visa in under a month. This discrepancy seems quite unacceptable, and it's been
like this for a few months now.
2. Phone at TSC often out of order and answers received from live phone monitors are
variable. The personnel do not seem responsive to the NEEDS of the US citizens.
3. Date on NOA is very different from actual time...30-40 days compared to actual
waiting time of 120 days or more. They are just now getting NOA's to have waiting
times on them that are comparable to the actual wait times.
4. The long waiting times is imposing a "hardship" on the US citizens who are waiting
for fiance visas...emphasize the **hardship**, the money that you are losing by
having to sustain two households, the wedding plans that have to be re-arranged,
(and this can be expensive for some), the pain of the separation...anything you
can do to show hardship should be viewed more seriously, I think.
5. The center should be to provide service and US citizens have a right to that
service, however the center does not seem to be doing this in a timely manner.
Emphasize that as a US citizen, you feel that you have a right to timely service.
These are the major points that I would make if I were talking to him. alvena
Jonathan Arendt wrote:
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1. TSC has current waiting time of at least 120 days and Vermont is processing same
visa in under a month. This discrepancy seems quite unacceptable, and it's been
like this for a few months now.
2. Phone at TSC often out of order and answers received from live phone monitors are
variable. The personnel do not seem responsive to the NEEDS of the US citizens.
3. Date on NOA is very different from actual time...30-40 days compared to actual
waiting time of 120 days or more. They are just now getting NOA's to have waiting
times on them that are comparable to the actual wait times.
4. The long waiting times is imposing a "hardship" on the US citizens who are waiting
for fiance visas...emphasize the **hardship**, the money that you are losing by
having to sustain two households, the wedding plans that have to be re-arranged,
(and this can be expensive for some), the pain of the separation...anything you
can do to show hardship should be viewed more seriously, I think.
5. The center should be to provide service and US citizens have a right to that
service, however the center does not seem to be doing this in a timely manner.
Emphasize that as a US citizen, you feel that you have a right to timely service.
These are the major points that I would make if I were talking to him. alvena
Jonathan Arendt wrote:
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Apr 12th 2001, 4:24 pm
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Good luck, but be prepared to hear what so many of us have heard in the past, that
there's NOTHING they can do until the length to process estimate has expired.
J
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there's NOTHING they can do until the length to process estimate has expired.
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Apr 12th 2001, 7:48 pm
#6
Guest
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Hey in that case I'm in luck because my NOA says and the phone system (still) says
30-40 days to process.
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Hey in that case I'm in luck because my NOA says and the phone system (still) says
30-40 days to process.
Apr 12th 2001, 10:50 pm
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Yeah -
same here. My petition was marked on February 1 for the initial NOA. The estimated
time claims 30-40 days and it has now been 72. SO, I think it is safe to claim that
they underestimated the time frame. I know the estimate has been increased since
then, but I know what mine says - not that it makes any difference, really.
Jonathan
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[usenetquote2]> > Good luck, but be prepared to hear what so many of us have heard in the past,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > that there's NOTHING they can do until the length to process[/usenetquote2]
estimate
[usenetquote2]> > has expired.[/usenetquote2]
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same here. My petition was marked on February 1 for the initial NOA. The estimated
time claims 30-40 days and it has now been 72. SO, I think it is safe to claim that
they underestimated the time frame. I know the estimate has been increased since
then, but I know what mine says - not that it makes any difference, really.
Jonathan
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[usenetquote2]> > Good luck, but be prepared to hear what so many of us have heard in the past,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > that there's NOTHING they can do until the length to process[/usenetquote2]
estimate
[usenetquote2]> > has expired.[/usenetquote2]
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Apr 15th 2001, 2:37 pm
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Robyn
I do not think your congressman will be able to do much. But, I am working with mine
and I would stress how TsC is being an economic burden on you.
By all means, contact them!! It will be the only way to get things to inprove. TSC
is writting on the bottom of the congresmans copy(when they asked about mine)
120-150 days!!
Michael
in message
[usenetquote2]> > I think the estimates for the processing time got much more accurate now -[/usenetquote2]
>
[usenetquote2]> > just got our NOA from the TSC two weeks ago and it states that it would[/usenetquote2]
>
[usenetquote2]> > to 150 days. Now I know how long I have to wait but that doesen't exactely[/usenetquote2]
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[usenetquote2]> > me any happier....
I wish if TSC can't handle to work any faster[/usenetquote2]
>
[usenetquote2]> > would have someone come from the other Service Centers and give em[/usenetquote2]
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[usenetquote2]> > how to do it right! Britt[/usenetquote2]
>
I do not think your congressman will be able to do much. But, I am working with mine
and I would stress how TsC is being an economic burden on you.
By all means, contact them!! It will be the only way to get things to inprove. TSC
is writting on the bottom of the congresmans copy(when they asked about mine)
120-150 days!!
Michael
in message
[usenetquote2]> > I think the estimates for the processing time got much more accurate now -[/usenetquote2]
>
[usenetquote2]> > just got our NOA from the TSC two weeks ago and it states that it would[/usenetquote2]
>
[usenetquote2]> > to 150 days. Now I know how long I have to wait but that doesen't exactely[/usenetquote2]
>
[usenetquote2]> > me any happier....
I wish if TSC can't handle to work any faster[/usenetquote2]>
[usenetquote2]> > would have someone come from the other Service Centers and give em[/usenetquote2]
>
[usenetquote2]> > how to do it right! Britt[/usenetquote2]
>
