Any ideas on INS problems

[den]

Does anybody have an idea how to solve my problem with the INS? In sept. I filed a I129F and I824, which was approved on 11-23-01. I filed at the California office where the I824 is mandatory. According to the approved I824, the Warsaw Embassy was notified. When my gal had not been contacted by the middle of January, I emailed Warsaw to check on the status. One week later, they emailed back that they have no record of my file. For two days I tried contacting the INS office at the listed customer service (joke) number. I kept hitting the redial for hours, but never got through once in about 400 calls. I then drove to the office, and after waiting in line for several hours,I talked with a very sympathetic lady, but she was no help whatsoever. She took down all of the information, and suggested that I come back in about four weeks. I went back in three weeks. This time I got an extremely rude and ignorant a**hole of a guy. Who basically told me to "Go away and don't bother them. Why am I causing problems? These things take time. Just wait like a good little boy". When I pointed out that the I129F expires in five weeks, he had no answer. He gave me the same form that the lady had filed out three weeks earlier, which I completed and faxed to the INS office. I have had no response. I also sent another email to Warsaw, pointing out that the INS says the file was sent to them on 11-26. I have had no response from Warsaw yet.

The I129 expires in four weeks and I have no idea where the file is at, and they couldn't care less about finding it. I think my only recourse at this point is to contact my congressman and see if he can do anything. The INS misspelled my gal's name on the I129 and my name on the I824. I wrote them a letter pointing out the errors. When I went to the office in January, I asked if the names had been corrected. She checked, and they were not corrected. She told me that was probably because they are three months behind in opening their mail. It is no wonder they are so screwed up?

Any suggestions?

Den

[Bill P]

... in response to Any ideas on INS problems, posted by den on Feb 19, 2002

I couldn't agree more about what Dan said.  My advice is to write all of your senators and representatives a letter and mail it to their local offices.  I did this and found 2 that replied and one person that was particulary helpful.  When I was going through this, I found that they hadn't in fact cabled the approved petition to Warsaw and it was going by diplomatic pouch and I was told this can take 2 months.  Opening the provisional file was easy, but they wouldn't do anything until they received the cable or the rergular file from thr US.  My representatives liason, however, helped me file the papers to get the petition cabled in an expedited manner and it really sped things up.  In another case, we needed the recipt from our AOS filing to file for a work permit and advanced parole.  Despite the news to the contrary we received the first time we waited in line at our state office, there was a way to get them to go looking for our file and to file these other applications right away AFTER we had help from our local representative's liason.  So don't be afraid to use this route whenever you meet with resistance from the local or regional offices.

-Bill P

[John F]

... in response to Any ideas on INS problems, posted by den on Feb 19, 2002

Call your Congress person immediately!!  They can't do anything without a letter but by calling you will be able to adequately alert them to the seriousness.  When you send your congress person a letter, include a photocopy of the I797 approval notice.  It will have all the information they need to identify your file.  Your congress person will email them an inquiry and state that their office will be observing the case.  The embassey will react.  After my congresswoman notified them our file "mysteriously" turned up.

Next, write a letter to the embassy in Warsaw.  I even had my letter notarized to impress upon them the validity of my intention.  In the letter, give your fiancee's name and address, include a photocopy of the I-797 approval notice and tell them you both are still free to marry and intend to do so.  Explain that you've included a copy of the I-797 for their reference, and explain the expiration date is approaching.  Ask them to open a provisional file.  Based on the I-797 photocopy, they will then send your fiancee the first packet so she can begin getting things done now.

THE COUNSAL OFFICER HAS THE AUTHORITY TO EXTEND THE EXPIRATION DATE.   REPEAT ... THE COUNSAL OFFICER HAS THE AUTHORITY TO EXTEND THE DATE OF YOUR I-797 IF YOU PROVE YOUR CASE TO THEM.

GET YOUR CONGRESS PERSON INVOLVED NOW.

Good Luck,
John

[Dan]

... in response to Any ideas on INS problems, posted by den on Feb 19, 2002

And do not be put off by the fact that your initial response from them will probably be lukewarn, at best. They received hundreds (maybe thousands) of requests for assistance. It will only be *after* you impress upon them the gravity of the situation and the timing issues involved, that they will (hopefully) become sufficiently interested to intervene.

This is the very reason they hold office - to represent their constituency in matters before the government. Use them - and do it quickly. You don't have much time (like I REALLY had to say that --smile--).

- Dan