tonrob

Oh yes - some of them can drive you to resort to the Caps Lock alright...

Malashaan

Yes there is a system in place which is why I am broadly in favour of encouraging people to use it. My point, which you echoed, is that people are far less likely to use it than they would be if they were treated badly by a phone company's customer service (for example). Most people are going to be scared of the consequences of complaining about someone who is in a position of authority over them (the same thing applies with bad managers IMO) and the immigration officials know it. Many of them are professional but the ones that aren't feel much safer being cocky and difficult because they know the people they're dealing with are unlikely to complain.

In the interests of balance, I'll veer slightly off topic briefly. I entered with my K1 visa yesterday and everyone I dealt with at Philadelphia airport was really nice. One of them was outright friendly and I got through the whole process in 10 minutes.

Desperate Dan

Congrats on the entry - glad to hear it went well. I'm entering on an IR1 next week and I hope it goes as straightforwardly and as quickly, particularly as I'm getting at 9pm - so forum talk of waiting 2-3 hours to get processed is something I'm hopeful of avoiding. The only thing I have to do is change the mailing address for the GC (quite annoying as I told USCIS over the phone a couple of months back + was told the change had been made).

meauxna

Sheesh.

The address they will send your green card to is the one you put on DS-230. If you tried to change that address with USCIS, well... that's not their department.

Desperate Dan

Sheesh indeed - they shouldn't have told me that they had actioned the change when they didn't have the authorisation to do so. Or did they? I mistyped - I spoke with the NVC about the change (not the USCIS). I'm assuming that the address change shouldn't be a big deal at POE though - that's what I've read elsewhere on the forum.

meauxna

The officer should always confirm the mailing address with you at the POE and when you know there may be a question about it, you should be assertive enough to check with them to make sure it's updated.
You can see my wiki entry Immigrant Visa Arrival in the US immigration section for more details.

CelticRover

While context is important, 'Anglo' as used generically in the US Southwest, merely means non hispanic, with no negative connotation or British reference that I have observed. 'Gringo', however can be used in a negative context to describe US Whites or 'Anglos'. Also, while Mexican Nationals in Mexico will on occasion use the term 'Gringo', I have never heard them use the word 'Anglo'.

Desperate Dan

Thanks for the confirmation and the tip on assertiveness. I did read the wiki earlier in the week - very informative! The only thing is that the links for the USCIS site weren't working. Actually, I think the link for the USCIS change of address was why I confused USCIS and NVC in my earlier post. And just to clarify, the I-130 petition is sent to the USCIS; if granted, the visa application is handled by the NVC; and following the award of the visa, the USCIS is then responsible for issuing the GC? So any GC problems should be directed towards it.

meauxna

argh, those dynamic links. I'm going through making corrections now, but that's why I always try to put the page title.. you can search the info out if the link's broken.

In some (but not all) cases the I-130 is submitted to USCIS.
After petition approval, the case is forwarded to NVC, a part of the Dept of State (DOS).
NVC collects all the visa application documents, but does not adjudicate them.
DOS, in the form of a Consular Officer, interviews and issues the visa.
At entry, the immigrant is inspected by Customs & Border Protection/CBP and admitted (or not).
The immigrant paperwork package is then sent on to USCIS, who produce the 'green cards' and maintain the A-file. They are also responsible for tracking the PR's status inside the US, so future filings regarding status (I-751 etc) go to them.

If your green card is not delivered inside of 6 weeks, contact USCIS, yes. Also see them for data corrections on the card, and for lost card etc etc.

meauxna

That tracks with my experiences.

Desperate Dan

Many thanks for making it all much clearer!

S Folinsky

I'm a native "Angeleno" and I happen to agree with you. "Anglo" is used in the sense of "white" but not "hispanic" or "latino." As I noted previously, the use of descriptive terms depends upon context. [BTW, I don't like the euphemism "N-word." If used in historical context of quoting someone, "nigger" doesn't bother me -- but that is the only context I ever use the word]. [BTW, in a post elsewhere today, I had to look up the official description of "garrison cap." When I was in the army, the name used was both obscene and descriptive at the same time -- e.g. the obscenity was not gratuitous].

Further BTW, trivia question of the day -- Who was the first "Hispanic" to sit on the Supreme Court?

meauxna

YW.. I meant to add to that post that in the next fee increase (in November) USCIS will start charging for the green card production for IV entrants, but the fee will be captured in the visa application fee. (I think I'm remembering that rightly)
Close to $150.

CelticRover

Sonia Sotomayor was approved just last year as the first 'and' female supreme court judge.

S Folinsky

OK, what about Benjamin Cardozo? Take a look at this New York Times Article.