ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
USCIS Service CentersExample of WHY USCIS closed all of its local offices
63 minutes on phone with automated menu, on hold and "Sorry" people.

Finally I could not resist, after hearing "I am sorry" for the 38th time- I had to ask- "Are you saying that out of regret or to explain just what a sorry assed individual you are?" I understand it is not the person on the phone but the system but Hoy! they get paid to listen to callers, no?

USGOV has the smoothest and one of the oldest two step dances ever to hit the hardwood dance floor. USCICS send out NOA2 approval dated 09/29/2010. Yet as of 10/26/2010- the phone status check, the online status check AND the "Sorry" person on the phone still show the last update of July 12, 2010. The NVC states that due to the statement in text box on my approval notice which reads "The above petition has been approved, and forwarded to the listed consulate." That our packet would be sent directly to USEM.

However!! After registering a pin and paying 18.00 for the priveledge of talking to someone at USEM, I am told that they do not have the packet(or it is there and not entered into the system yet- not sure) AND that ALL packets go through NVC(I hear the music starting at this point). A second call to USCIS reveals that "It is possible it could be sent to either USEM or NVC, however until at least 90 days after your last status update, we cannot begin an investigation to determine at what stage your petition may be." I said "Fine according to YOUR site, it has been 90 days since July 12!" Then I start again hearing "I am sorry sir"..............

You know, had Gem been born in Mexico, she could have walked across the border, taken a Greyhound bus to Roanoke and we could have then started her paperwork and been living happily here in our new life long before the USCIS ever got around to noticing. Actually getting her out of Manila, into Mexico and the two of us walking across the border is looking like a good option right now.

But instead I will go back to the phone lottery of trying to make it to the "On Hold" menu at NVC- never have I been happy to be placed on hold until I listened to the busy signal at NVC for hours at a time. Redial, busy, hang up, redial.... repeat as needed. I am going to wire my CP to a truck battery for longer calling life.

Maybe it is Obama's fault, or Bush's... maybe Clinton's. It seems each president spends his time in office correcting the mess the previous president caused. That gives them an excuse to not accomplish any of their campaign promises. We buy that.... meanwhile they set their careers for life and no matter which party you are a member of, even if your guy wins, you still get crappy representation, because he has to c,lean up the old mess before he addresses his promises.

OK, my time on the soap box is done. I am......."Sorry"..........
Will
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-26 12:43:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)Statement on NOA2/ direct to consulate?
While trying to chase down the whereabouts of our K1 petition process.. a lady at NVC had me read the first line of the statement in the large box below "Notice Type"

"The above petition has been approved, and forwarded to the listed consulate" - which would be USEM in our case.
Now, she stated that this means the packet will not be sent to NVC but straight to Manila. Can anyone comment on this? Neither NVC nor Manila claims to have the packet and the USCICS cannot tell me where they sent it. Each just keeps telling me to call back in one week. I received NOA2 on 10/4/2010 Notice date 09/29/2010.

Thanks,
Will
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-26 12:54:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionHow often do you guys communicate with your spouses abroad

Hello folks,
How often do you talk on the phone with your husbands abroad.I really wanna know,I feel my husband is not communicating with me enough.

I will be glad if someone will tell me how to tell him to keep in touch regularly.


My Fiance and I IM in the morning and video chat in the evening and exchanging email everyday. We talk on phone only when one of us is out of town and dont have chance to use pc.
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-12 21:44:00
PhilippinesNOA1 to NOA2 how long?..
[quote name='ms.hope' timestamp='1286887957' post='4232333']
hi everyone... i just wanted to know, how long it takes from our NAO1 then we get the NAO2?.. were still waiting until now... hmmmm we got the NOA1 first week of august... thanks everyone in advance...
[/quote

We received NOA2 84 days since NOA1... but some just in 2 weeks and some r more than 100 days.
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-12 07:59:00
PhilippinesMaybe a laugh for some to enjoy :) Mabuhay!
http://www.visajourn...-local-offices/

Will
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-26 13:25:00
PhilippinesLearning my fiancee 's culture
For myself, I dearly love to learn Gemmas culture and her use of English. I think her English is quite good and the nuances just add to her charm :) In my work I speak over the phone with people from several countries & I am always flattered that someone would spend the time and effort to learn a second language. Out of respect for that, tolerance should be extended.

I feel badly when I speak with people using English and yet I struggle with their accent. For all their effort to use my language and yet I cannot understand them. When surrounded by people who all speak the language with the same accent, there is no change to be found. I am frequently getting in trouble in learning Tagalog, just a subtle mispronunciation completely changes the meaning of the word. Bayag/bayad, ingat/ingot..... poor Gem has been embarrassed by my awkward attempts more than once.

Tolerance gentlemen.... it is a foundation stone of love. Patience and understanding.

Will
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-11-04 19:10:00
PhilippinesCulture test result
Thanks to all. God is good :) Its NEGATIVE. For immunization tomorrow.
gemwillFemalePhilippines2011-02-02 20:08:00
PhilippinesCulture test result
I am SO Anxious for my result. Today is the end of my 8 weeks. Although St lukes told me to call on Feb 3 for the result, I decided to call today to ask why there is one more week to wait for the result. I called directly to the laboratory and talked to Ms. Tess, I am not sure if she was the one called me before ( Who told me that there were no problem). She told me that they saw something on my culture and they need more test for that and I will find out the result on Feb 3. And she said, not all they saw in culture test is TB thats why they need more test. :(
gemwillFemalePhilippines2011-01-27 00:46:00
PhilippinesCulture test result
I just got a call from St lukes this morning to let me know that the result of my 8 weeks culture would be ready on Feb 3. It was suppose to be ready on Jan 31 base on the slip they gave me. I am worried why theres more 3 days delay for the result. I am worrying now. Though she told me that they will call me again if they would see any problem with my culture test and as of now, theres none.I had my sputum last Nov 30-Dec 2 and the smear test was negative.
gemwillFemalePhilippines2011-01-21 01:22:00
PhilippinesXOOM coupon code
VJ friends, If you have available Xoom coupon code for January 2011 Please share. Thanks in advance :)
gemwillFemalePhilippines2011-01-06 22:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAll Petitions were Touched

Yep. Us too - touched on 10/3. Don't know whether to be excited or disappointed. :wacko:



Ours was touched too on 10/3/10 and got the NOA2 in the mailbox 10/4/10.
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-05 02:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAPPROVED!!!APPROVED!!!! THANK GOD!

Dear all VJ members and especially July Filers,

I am proud and extremely happy to say that our application was approved!!! :)

I received a message and email on my way home!!!

I want to thank everyone for their support and I want everyone to feel motivated and optimistic that your NOA2 is coming soon!!!

Thank God!!! Every moment!!!

God Bless you all!!!


Congratulations!!!! God bless.
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-07 08:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsDid any of u receive NOA2 if u filed in JUne- July?

i sent my package June 29, then I received my NOA1 on July 12, from all the timelines ive seen Noa2 usually arrives after 2 months.. for me its more than 2.. almost 3 ... i hope the papers didnt get lost... i check my status everyday on the USCIS website.. do they even update that??? :/ i dunno if i should call them to see...



Same here... My Fiance sent the package June 30, NOA1 July 12... last update was July 16 and Check the status everyday but its the same :(
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-09-21 00:56:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAre there any june 2010 filers approval

hi vj,

i want to know if any june filers have received a no2. i'am still waiting for its 122 days now


We got NOA2 last Oct 4, 84 days since NOA1.. We filed June 30. I hope you will have yours soon. God bless.
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-15 06:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresVSC NOA1 - July 6 - Are you waiting for NOA2?

Dear all,

I truly know what the majority is feeling!! We're running out of patience, out of hope... I started this topic for people that just like me that have filed the K1 petition in late June 2010 and early July 2010.

So please any members that have a NOA1 date between June 28 2010 and July 10 2010, please join and let us share our experiences! We can construct a timeline ,in an expectation when we can be reunited with our loved ones!

Please provide any form of information on your timeline, NOA1, NOA2 etc...

I am currently waiting for NOA2!!! WOW!! It seems like forever!!

Thank you!




I am patiently waiting for NOA2 also... We had the NOA1 last July 12. Hope to have it SO soon.
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-08-25 07:30:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion regarding statement on NOA2

when did you get your second notice of action?



Notice date 09/29/2010 received in mail 10/4/2010
Thanks,
Will
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-26 13:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion regarding statement on NOA2
While trying to chase down the whereabouts of our K1 petition process.. a lady at NVC had me read the first line of the statement in the large box below "Notice Type"

"The above petition has been approved, and forwarded to the listed consulate" - which would be USEM in our case.
Now, she stated that this means the packet will not be sent to NVC but straight to Manila. Can anyone comment on this? Neither NVC nor Manila claims to have the packet and the USCICS cannot tell me where they sent it. Each just keeps telling me to call back in one week. I received NOA2 on 10/4/2010 Notice date 09/29/2010.

Thanks,
Will
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-26 12:52:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIs it true that you can speed up your k1 process??

:wow: Thanks guys for all your inputs. I really appreciate!


One thing I did that at least helped me sleep better was to spend 80.00 on an immigration counselor. This individual had worked in a USCIS field office & when they shut them down, went to work for Catholic Charities Organization locally. For 80.00, he reviewed my forms, my evidence, made recomendations on how I could bolster my petition and also gave me an outline on how to organize all documents to make it easier to process. He said that when accepting files from the "bin" to process, he always looked for the neat, well compiled files as they were much less headache and rarely needed RFE's.

Maybe it did not help in the end but it was 80.00 worth of restful sleep.
Will
gemwillFemalePhilippines2010-10-26 13:14:00