scrubbedexpat099

The current issues are DACA and PW.

ian-mstm

If USCIS actually kept the money, this might be true. All money received by USCIS is turned over to the Department of the Treasury for deposit. The Treasury keeps a chunk of that money for the services it performs on behalf of USCIS. The bottom line with respect to fees, is that it is not a direct 1:1 ratio.


Perhaps, but only if overnight they had a pool of candidates ready to go who had already been through the hiring process, had background checks cleared, and had been through training so that they knew what to do. But we know that's not the case... it takes months to hire new staff and train them before they're allowed to work on applications.


I think they're here to stay. When Rete's husband and I went through the process 15 years ago, there weren't nearly as many applicants as there are today. I expect that the number of applicants will rise steadily year after year.


They probably should... but that's unlikely to happen, given the current fiscal policy of the US government. As I have often said in this forum over the years, most US citizens have no need for immigration services except as it relates to some non-US citizen... and US immigration has no obligation to non-US citizens.

Ian

slummymummy

Mmm... good points.

I wonder if part of the reason why there's more applications now is because of the internet?! There was no "meeting online" back in your days!

Apfelkuchen

I think people are generally a lot more mobile nowadays, whether for travel, study, work etc., and that produces more international relationships. A pretty significant percentage of my friends have partners of a different nationality, and aside from myself and my husband I personally know 6 UK-US couples who have gone through either the K-1 or the CR-1/IR-1 process. All but one of those couples got together in grad school. The remaining pair met working for an international company. In contrast, my parents' friend and peer groups are much more homogenous; my grandparents' entirely so.

ian-mstm

Actually, Sheila and I did meet online... in the 40's room at "The Park". Sadly, the Park no longer exists. All we had in those days was dial-up access with a 56k modem.

Ian

slummymummy

Too funny, I take it you have a charming side to you as well then?

I agree Apfel and I didn't think of that. It's not just online romances. It would be interesting though if there was statistics of how many K-1 & CR-1 met online and how many met (first) in real life.

As for waiting times, it's not only the immigrant waiting, it's obviously the USC too. So if enough people kick up a fuss about it (if waiting times just keep getting longer and longer) then something will hopefully be done.

RICH

It would be interesting to see, if someone sympathetic was in charge, if the family/love based potential immigrants get preference over the employment/investment types. A cynic would say - what's in it for US to make it easy for the lovers. Maybe the US half could start a movement?

scrubbedexpat099

Love is not required for any visa.

Apfelkuchen

Oh jeez, let's not start this one again already.

scrubbedexpat099

Stating the bleeding obvious?

Apfelkuchen

No, kicking off another 5 pages of half-baked philosophizing on the meaning of love.

Apfelkuchen

Isn't the system already heavily weighted towards family-based immigration?

scrubbedexpat099

Very much so.

No theorising, it is just not relevant. This forum is for Immigration and Visas. It would be equally valid to include reference to Baked Beans.

Apfelkuchen

I realise you were not theorising, but after the OP the other thread immediately descended into a massive cliché fest.

Anyway, I will stop derailing this one any further . The debate about the degree to which the system should favour family or skills-based immigration is an interesting one.

RICH

I believe so, but "potential" family, not so much.
The definition of Family is not as black and white as it once was.