Administrative processing???!!! (ranting against...)

[Qi Peng]

Okay guys, I want to spill the beans about this particular aspect of visa procuring.

Administrative processing is a very frustrating and horrific process honestly. I know that often the consulate does it for FBI name checks and background stuff but for my perspective, it raises the bars needlessly for many RW/FSU women to come here to the United States (whether it be by K1/K3/diversity lottery, etc. etc.)

I wish that the process were a lot more transparent (and I thought that income taxes was bad enough) but it isn't. The consulate doesn't even give regular updates to the lady regarding her visa status.

And months and months go by and man, it feels no different than incarcaration [sic] for her.

Anyone else finding this part of the visa thing frustrating and meaningless? I certainly do!!! 

[Turboguy]

Alf, I have to agree with you totally.   I  can relate first hand to what a real pain it is since I am going through it.   

It can hit you at one of two points from what I can see.  You can get tagged at NVC or the Embassy.  Mine got tagged at NVC and has been going nowhere for over three months now while others who sent their K-1 in after me have their gals with them in America now.

You are right.   The biggest difficulty is the lack of transparency and information.   My congressman has two cases he is working on even though there is nothing that he can do.  Mine and one that has been going on for 9 months.   I know of one other that has been going on two years and the record I have heard of is 8 years. 

Sometimes it lasts 2 weeks, sometimes 3 months and you never know.   It is hard to make plans.  If it goes on much longer we are looking at a place to try to live together while we wait.   The hard part about that is we could get lucky and come out of it and have to make quick changes to our travel plans, abandon a rented place or whatever.   There are no timelines to go by and no consistency in the time it takes.

In our case there is nothing in either of our pasts to investigate and the only thing I can think of they are checking is that she was here once before on a K-1 and returned to Russia in 30 days.   Since that is the only thing I can think of they could be checking in this computer age how long does it take to check.  It sounds to me like something that could be determined in 5 minutes.

Thanks for posting the comment and giving me a chance to rant here.   I will add on thing.  The Muslim countries are getting targeted a lot for it but it is also getting more common for Russian fiancees.   The trigger seems to be if she came before on a K-1. 

[Gorky Guy]

Bureaucracy is bureaucracy the world over. Having said that, I do feel for our US chums as it would seem the bureaucracy is a lot worse in the States than the UK. Getting the equivalent of a K1 Fiance Visa for leave to remain in the UK is a relatively straightforward process for Russian women, provided that their sponsor fulfils the primary immigration rules: is 'present and settled in the UK' and has sufficient funds to support his inamorata when she 'arrives to him.' The pair must also convince the Entry Clearance Office (ECO) who handles her application that she will 'not resort to public funds' nor work while she is in the UK. Pretty straightforward stuff, really. Admittedly, the bloke does need to supply a fair amount of documents to support his fiance's application, but the actual visa is normally issued within 24 - 48 hours from the time the application is lodged in Russia. Then she's good to go and stay for 6 months. No need for an interview (unless the ECO has reasons to suppose the application is not straightforward and/or fraudulent). It really is a cake walk for any halfway intelligent and solvent Brit.

It would seem that your 'K1 process' is a lot more complicated and time-consuming. 9 months and no result? That would serioiusly make me re-consider the wisdom of dating FSU women for marriage.

[Turboguy]

Humm,  maybe I could move to the UK, apply for citizenship and petition there for my fiancee and get faster results. 

I am sure if everyone who applied in the USA had the same results as those who go through the worst case scenario it might make some men have second thoughts.

As for me, I am at it for the long haul and whatever I have to do to be with my gal I will do.  There are a lot of inequities about the system and it sure could use an overhaul.  That is not going to happen so I guess we just have to make the best of what we have.   I do agree with Alf, A/P is the pits.

[Gorky Guy]

Humm,  maybe I could move to the UK, apply for citizenship and petition there for my fiancee and get faster results.

You might. OTOH, you'd be living under the benevolent dictatorship of Chairman Bliar and his gang of Politburo thugs. On balance, I'd say you were a lot better off where you are. At least gas and fags are cheap over there!
 

[Turboguy]

You will find a lot of people who don't think gas and fag's are cheap here.   The fag's (which can have another meaning here) are 4 times what they go for in Russia.

[Chris]

You will find a lot of people who don't think gas and fag's are cheap here.   The fag's (which can have another meaning here) are 4 times what they go for in Russia.

Well I just paid £1 or $2 for a gallon of petrol today TurboG,    so the US seems very cheap to us thankgoodness I have never smoked I dread to think what they cost here now?

[Turboguy]

A gallon or a litre.   If it is a gallon I am sending my tanker truck over right away.   We think cigarettes are high here but they are a bargain compared to Canada and I assume the UK.   Still they are $ 1.25 for good ones in Russia and $ .25 for cheap junk.   Our cheap junk is $ 3.50 and $ 4.40 for the good ones.

[Chris]

A gallon or a litre.   If it is a gallon I am sending my tanker truck over right away.   We think cigarettes are high here but they are a bargain compared to Canada and I assume the UK.   Still they are $ 1.25 for good ones in Russia and $ .25 for cheap junk.   Our cheap junk is $ 3.50 and $ 4.40 for the good ones.

  Yes sorry it was for a litre.....I wish it was for a gallon  those were the days  so that makes it around £5.50 per gallon or $11/galllon! 

[IresQ U]

$11/gallon!

I can see why your not happy!  My truck (lorry, Ive been watching Foyles War! )  gets 15 miles/gallon.  Those prices would bankrupt me!


OT 
I have come to some understanding of the immigration issues in the USA.  It seems that the uneducated can just waltz (or swim if you prefer) across the boarder and our Gov. turns a blind eye.    Try to bring educated people from the former USSR and whoa now thats a bit dicey.  Seems the uneducated prop up our big money businesses by doing much work at the low end of the scale.  It seems Russia and The U. S. still like to play cold war.  I read today we snubbed them on a joint mission to the moon.  And I firmly believe Russia opposed us on Iran's Nuclear program simply playing cold war politics.  Just my Opinion of course.

[Turboguy]

Since the topic is Administrative Processing and we are talking about international relations, I will add that I have had several people comment on VisaJourney that the two areas that are targets for A/P or A/R are the Muslim countries and Russia.   International relations may play a part in it.

[Maxx]

Why Russia? Perhaps because most of the really troublesome women come from there? I know a number of men who were set up from the get go by their Russian women and then taken into courts and sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars. They keep petitioning that the USCIS step in and help them out but of course they do nothing. I know US congressmen are hearing about these preditory women as well. Anyway about all the USCIS will do is try and save us from our selves and allot of good people get caught up in the delays and denials. And yes there are allot of idiot men not helping things with their antics. No wonder the staff at the CIS sees us as a bunch of Bozos.


Maxx

[Turboguy]

Well I guess it is only fair.   When I visit VJ it seems like a lot of the people  having problems there think the USCIS is operated by a bunch of Bozos. 

When it comes to A/P the two problems I have with it is the time and the lack of transparency. 

In our case for example our backgrounds are both unblemished.  The only thing they could be checking is the fact she was here previously on a K-1 visa and returned to Russia in 30 days.   Now in this computer age, how long should that take to check?   I would say 5 minutes. 

Now as far as the lack of transparancy, there is absolutely no information available about where it is, what is happening or how long it will take.   We will find out when it comes out and the packet is sent to Moscow.    When that does happen we will have about 60 days before the interview during which she will have to get a police report, a physical and I must be busy getting bank letters, employer letters, tax records and the like.   The problem is that it is very hard to make plans.   We would like to be togheter and are talking about moving to Barbados or someplace and spending a fair amount of time living together if the visa delay continures.  Without knowing when the A/P is ending we are taking a gamble trying to make plane reservations, renting a place and making plans.   If we suddenly find out the packet is on the way to Moscow we both need to be busy prepairing.   Some things like the police report take time and have limits as to how long they are valid.   Getting it in advance is a gamble, waiting when we might be on the other side of the world is also a gamble. 

Ok, ranting over for now.

[Qi Peng]

Since the topic is Administrative Processing and we are talking about international relations, I will add that I have had several people comment on VisaJourney that the two areas that are targets for A/P or A/R are the Muslim countries and Russia.   International relations may play a part in it.

Iindeed, add in Uzbekistan and most of the stans as well where there are a lot of Muslims living there.

Extremely frustrating indeed considering that their assumptions of guilt before letting them in? Of course, the thing is that you can't really do anything to help out. And it's up to their own discretion. WTF tends to be the proper response to the nature of bureaucracy.

Really, this whole thing should be computerized. Just enter in the info and zap, the answer pops out instantly. That way things will be a lot easier. 

[IresQ U]

Lets also not forget just luck of the draw.  My first foot in the door corporate job out of college was a "licensing specialist" for a major brokerage firm.  Basically the country was divided into about 20 sections.  So it was luck of the draw which one of us yim yams a broker received handling his broker lic. apps.  Put in a factor of one of us being off work for a few weeks, ill or vacation etc...and a lazy suprv who didn't reassign the case load and TA DA! easy month back log.   And uhhh it wasn't government work like these cats!  Also, some of these processors just might really suck at their job and have no drive to complete anything at all....come on folks you haven't seen these same types at the county clerk office have you? 

[Gorky Guy]

Those prices would bankrupt me!

I assure you they do! My maschina costs me $120.00 to fill up every week. Road Tax is now $220.00. As for fags... well, how does $10.00 a pack strike you? Mind you, booze is almost as pricey. Not that I buy my fags or booze in Blighty. That's what we have Belgium for!
 

Blighty is not called 'Ripoff Britain' for nothing. Thank Chairman Bliar for the fact that a mate of mine has just shelled out $1,000 for a Fiance Visa. He then has to shell out $2,000 when he marries his inamorata and, currently, another $2,000 to get permission for her to remain here  indefinitely. And what happens to all this djengi? Why, it pays to buy stuff to blow up folks in faraway places...
 

[Qi Peng]

Lets also not forget just luck of the draw.  My first foot in the door corporate job out of college was a "licensing specialist" for a major brokerage firm.  Basically the country was divided into about 20 sections.  So it was luck of the draw which one of us yim yams a broker received handling his broker lic. apps.  Put in a factor of one of us being off work for a few weeks, ill or vacation etc...and a lazy suprv who didn't reassign the case load and TA DA! easy month back log.   And uhhh it wasn't government work like these cats!  Also, some of these processors just might really suck at their job and have no drive to complete anything at all....come on folks you haven't seen these same types at the county clerk office have you? 

That's why I avoid those places like a madhouse!!! 

[Turboguy]

I picked up some information on the USCIS website that was interesting but not encouraging.   The last statistics they have on it are for May of 2006.   There were 138,000 people in Administrative Processing.  63 percent were in it for over 3 months and 38% were in it for more than one year.

One of their goals for this year is to speed it up and to find ways to make it more transparent and to make more information available to those going though it (like we are)

[Qi Peng]

Indeed, any updates on your lady, Turboguy?

[Mamma D]

Sending 2 dozen bags of PATIENCE.... you will need them.

Was with our son ... together, as a family we have been there, and done that.....

For those that file in Nebraska extra bags......

Mamma D

[IresQ U]

Mamma D,

I was looking at that on the VJ site.  Why would the Neb. center take longer? 

I also wonder what impact all this illegal immigrant legislation will have on processing times if they can ever come to an agreement.

[IresQ U]

Those prices would bankrupt me!

I assure you they do! My maschina costs me $120.00 to fill up every week. Road Tax is now $220.00. As for fags... well, how does $10.00 a pack strike you? Mind you, booze is almost as pricey. Not that I buy my fags or booze in Blighty. That's what we have Belgium for!
 

Blighty is not called 'Ripoff Britain' for nothing. Thank Chairman Bliar for the fact that a mate of mine has just shelled out $1,000 for a Fiance Visa. He then has to shell out $2,000 when he marries his inamorata and, currently, another $2,000 to get permission for her to remain here  indefinitely. And what happens to all this djengi? Why, it pays to buy stuff to blow up folks in faraway places...
 

I would not give a penny for a fag!     ok American Humor

Uhhhh Errrrr ummmm  so your saying you don't support the war huh? lol

[Turboguy]

Indeed, any updates on your lady, Turboguy?

No, nothing Alf,  we are passing the 4 month mark and no news, no progress.  We are looking at spending an extended period of time together in The Caribbean in a month.

[dwfunk]

Now as far as the lack of transparancy, there is absolutely no information available about where it is, what is happening or how long it will take.   We will find out when it comes out and the packet is sent to Moscow.    When that does happen we will have about 60 days before the interview during which she will have to get a police report, a physical and I must be busy getting bank letters, employer letters, tax records and the like.   The problem is that it is very hard to make plans.   We would like to be togheter and are talking about moving to Barbados or someplace and spending a fair amount of time living together if the visa delay continures.  Without knowing when the A/P is ending we are taking a gamble trying to make plane reservations, renting a place and making plans.   If we suddenly find out the packet is on the way to Moscow we both need to be busy prepairing.   Some things like the police report take time and have limits as to how long they are valid.   Getting it in advance is a gamble, waiting when we might be on the other side of the world is also a gamble. 

Ok, ranting over for now.

uh, you know what you need for the next step, so why are you waiting??  Get the stuff done, now.   Getting the police report takes time, especially if she's lived in more than one city.  Why you say getting it in advance is a gamble is a mystery to me.  They don't go stale, and now is NOT the time to be changing residences, so that's not an issue.  Make it easier on yourself and get done what you need done now and be prepared when you get notified of the next step.

Why you don't already have your tax records, employment letters and bank statements already to go is silly.  If you change jobs so much that your employment letter has to wait to the last minute, you're toast anyway.  Tax records are yearly things, you're not going to wait that long.  It's not required that you have the last 5 minutes of your bank records, either.  Get with it, get this part done and worry about other stuff!  Good grief, these things are in your control, do them.



------
David & Natalia
Republic of Texas / Moscow, Russia
УЛ. КОНЕНКОВА
16th World Spacemodeling Championships

[Turboguy]

Thanks for the suggestions DW but with Administrative Review you never know how long it will last and some of the things actaully do have a time limit.   The police report for example is best no more than 6 months old.   I think it is actually legal for one year.   The same goes with the other stuff.  It needs to be current. 

There are no set timelines for A/R.   I posted someplace here that there are 138,000 people in A/R  67% have been there for 3 months or more and 35% have been there one year.   I ran into one guy Sunday who has been in it for 2 years and 4 months and tonight I ran into someone that has been in it for over 5 years.   So right now I have no idea if they will need my 2006 taxes, my 2007 taxes, my 2008 taxes or my 2012 taxes. 

The only ones that will take time are the police report and the bank letter.   The bank letter should take me about 2 days the rest of the things I need are things I can take care of in 10 minutes.   I do appreciate your advice.