belmontboy
04-14 04:28 PM
Nope it is not good
Why do STEM graduates have to have it the easy way while we have it hard. The least the STEM graduate can do is wait for 2 years for visa
Now you are telling the real reason :)
2 yrs wait?? Its been 4 yrs and yet to file 485
Fortunately you are one among the minorities that oppose this proposal. I am glad that IV has this proposal as part of its agenda
Why do STEM graduates have to have it the easy way while we have it hard. The least the STEM graduate can do is wait for 2 years for visa
Now you are telling the real reason :)
2 yrs wait?? Its been 4 yrs and yet to file 485
Fortunately you are one among the minorities that oppose this proposal. I am glad that IV has this proposal as part of its agenda
wallpaper of Mitsubishi Pajero is
abhijitp
11-19 07:34 PM
make it 800 - & wise guys wont see me for a while
Thanks Swamy! We will look forward to seeing you:)
Thanks Swamy! We will look forward to seeing you:)
trueguy
08-22 10:47 AM
at some point the visa numbers are going to be all used up. The lucky ones would get their GC by then and the others will have to wait for a few months.
Why worry over it? The line only gets shorter and shorter and everybody will get their turn sooner than later.
As long as they don't waste any visa numbers, there is no need for any worry. Even their random processing order does not bother me that much, because demand for EB2 will be less than supply next year. Its time for EB3 to fasten the seat belts....
You are the first person who said that demand for EB2 will be less in coming year. Any basis for that?
Why worry over it? The line only gets shorter and shorter and everybody will get their turn sooner than later.
As long as they don't waste any visa numbers, there is no need for any worry. Even their random processing order does not bother me that much, because demand for EB2 will be less than supply next year. Its time for EB3 to fasten the seat belts....
You are the first person who said that demand for EB2 will be less in coming year. Any basis for that?
2011 Mitsubishi Pajero 2009.
jaocanada
07-17 10:53 PM
Kudos & thanks a lot IV team! I hope this inspires members to contribute regularly which in turn will enable the core team to carry on the sustained lobbying effort to bring about systemic changes. Although today's news is great, this is only a small step. Now begins the long long wait till our cases are taken up for adjudication. Our woes will not go away unless the underlying problem of severely constrained visa availability is addressed.
Time to roll up our sleeves and continue working with renewed vigor.
________________________________
Contributing $50 per month
Time to roll up our sleeves and continue working with renewed vigor.
________________________________
Contributing $50 per month
more...
rxk2303
08-09 02:52 AM
I am really sorry about your situation. While, it is true that there is a lot under USCIS' adjudicator's control, we need to give it our best try and exhaust our options before we give up. I think that being Indian, IT and skilled (I am all 3 !) does not have that much of a bearing on one's life situations and connection to green card being approved. Case in point : I went through a rough time myself (see beginning of the thread) and even paid the price (divorce, heartbroken) for taking a chance. However, everyones situation is unique.
If you can post details of your case, then someone from here is sure to be able to give you some guidance. One last piece of advice, there is no substitute for a damn good lawyer who can get you the results. It might not come cheap though. There are instances of people having accrued unlawful stays beyond 1 year and lawyers having gotten them their EB based green cards later through CP using tricks such as waivers etc.
Where there's a will, there's a way.
Deecha,
1).I came to USA on L1-B in 2003 October and the I-94 was till september-2006.
2). Then i changed my Visa to H1-B in 2005.
3). I was asking my employer to file for change of status from L-1 to H-1.
4). Those guys filed for a new H-1 and sent it to a consulate in India.
5). I was not aware of this and i thought i am legal till september the expiration date on my Visa.
6). Labor got cleared in July-2007.
7). Thought i would file for I-140 and I-485 together and found out that my I-94 was expired since September-2006.
What is the best course of action here to remedy my situation??
Any advice or details of a great Immigration lawyer who dealth with such cases before would be of great help.
Thanks in Advance !!
If you can post details of your case, then someone from here is sure to be able to give you some guidance. One last piece of advice, there is no substitute for a damn good lawyer who can get you the results. It might not come cheap though. There are instances of people having accrued unlawful stays beyond 1 year and lawyers having gotten them their EB based green cards later through CP using tricks such as waivers etc.
Where there's a will, there's a way.
Deecha,
1).I came to USA on L1-B in 2003 October and the I-94 was till september-2006.
2). Then i changed my Visa to H1-B in 2005.
3). I was asking my employer to file for change of status from L-1 to H-1.
4). Those guys filed for a new H-1 and sent it to a consulate in India.
5). I was not aware of this and i thought i am legal till september the expiration date on my Visa.
6). Labor got cleared in July-2007.
7). Thought i would file for I-140 and I-485 together and found out that my I-94 was expired since September-2006.
What is the best course of action here to remedy my situation??
Any advice or details of a great Immigration lawyer who dealth with such cases before would be of great help.
Thanks in Advance !!
kumarc123
07-11 12:02 PM
first: my use of an extreme exemple to explain the EB category difference seems to have caused misunderstanding and offence amomg some people. this was not the intention, no slight was intended to anyone. sometimes one uses an extreme situation to make a point (3 yr degree in this case). I was not trying to stereotype and if that is how it came through...here is my humble apology.
i did reply to some of the posters by pm and had some intersting comments/discussion. its one of the nice things about this forum that people bring different insights into a problem...
qvadis, there is fundamental difference between allotting Employment based Gc on the basis of country of birth and based on job classifications/requirements. One happens to pertain to employment, the other is simply a way to mantain ahem "purity".
having said that, i do not favor the removal of country quotas in isolation- the redistribution of dates would make things better for long suffering people but it would not change the overall picture. therefore i support the package in its entirity (as does IV), ie recapture + STEM exemption + removal of country quotas. this would bring in substantially increased numbers and resolve the problem with ROW dates.
now that its established that this thread will not go back to its original intent, do the OPs mind if i close it? may be best to restart the discussion in a new thred?
Hello Pascal
I tend to agree with every word you said, it is not EB2 or EB3, in general it is EB community as a whole. Recapture+STEM+removal of country limit, will help us all a lot. Lets just focus on this chore. And not get swayed away with winning and complaining.
Take care
i did reply to some of the posters by pm and had some intersting comments/discussion. its one of the nice things about this forum that people bring different insights into a problem...
qvadis, there is fundamental difference between allotting Employment based Gc on the basis of country of birth and based on job classifications/requirements. One happens to pertain to employment, the other is simply a way to mantain ahem "purity".
having said that, i do not favor the removal of country quotas in isolation- the redistribution of dates would make things better for long suffering people but it would not change the overall picture. therefore i support the package in its entirity (as does IV), ie recapture + STEM exemption + removal of country quotas. this would bring in substantially increased numbers and resolve the problem with ROW dates.
now that its established that this thread will not go back to its original intent, do the OPs mind if i close it? may be best to restart the discussion in a new thred?
Hello Pascal
I tend to agree with every word you said, it is not EB2 or EB3, in general it is EB community as a whole. Recapture+STEM+removal of country limit, will help us all a lot. Lets just focus on this chore. And not get swayed away with winning and complaining.
Take care
more...
dontcareanymore
08-11 12:39 PM
My PD is May 2006. I applied for I-485 in September 2008 when my date had become current. Subsequently got married and now waiting for my date to be current again so I could add my wife.
I had given hope and was not preparing for anything and hence have India trip planned (wife 11th Sept - 1st Nov and I'd go for the month of October).
Given the latest movement, now I think to be safe I should do all that is necessary that in case dates move forward enough for October, I should be able to add my wife to my application. If there are any comments/advice around this, please do let me know.
Also, what would be the things to get ready for her? I hope it'd be alrite that she will be in India while we apply for her I-485?
Thanks for all the advise!
The reason for this EB2 move is end of year overflow from other categories. I would not expect a significant forward movement next month (if at all there is ANY forward movement).
If the past experience is any indication, you might see a pullback.
You would know in advance if the dates move forward next month and I guess you can reschedule your visit and cut short your wife's trip.
You can prepare all the necessary documentation like birth certificate (translations if necessary) marriage certificate and/or any affidavits (if necessary) in advance.
I don't think your wife can apply AOS (Adjustment of Status) while abroad. She has to be present in USA. She can however file "Consular Processing" while in a foreign country, if that is what you want to pursue.
I had given hope and was not preparing for anything and hence have India trip planned (wife 11th Sept - 1st Nov and I'd go for the month of October).
Given the latest movement, now I think to be safe I should do all that is necessary that in case dates move forward enough for October, I should be able to add my wife to my application. If there are any comments/advice around this, please do let me know.
Also, what would be the things to get ready for her? I hope it'd be alrite that she will be in India while we apply for her I-485?
Thanks for all the advise!
The reason for this EB2 move is end of year overflow from other categories. I would not expect a significant forward movement next month (if at all there is ANY forward movement).
If the past experience is any indication, you might see a pullback.
You would know in advance if the dates move forward next month and I guess you can reschedule your visit and cut short your wife's trip.
You can prepare all the necessary documentation like birth certificate (translations if necessary) marriage certificate and/or any affidavits (if necessary) in advance.
I don't think your wife can apply AOS (Adjustment of Status) while abroad. She has to be present in USA. She can however file "Consular Processing" while in a foreign country, if that is what you want to pursue.
2010 The only downside to the interior is the air-con controls, they just keep on
coolmanasip
08-25 02:47 PM
Well atleast you know, you are hours or days away from approval.....
some interrview ride.....
good luck man....
some interrview ride.....
good luck man....
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paskal
07-10 11:45 PM
dude, you sound viscious. You missed his/her point.
His/her point is EB catergory does not depend on advanced education as claimed by your earlier post.
and i did not claim that either. the EB category is based on the job requirement, it is therefore natural that a majority of people that apply in the category also have qualifications that match that requirement. therefore the wonderful solution offered, ie ignore EB category and give GC by PD only, does not work. it would be very unfair to a lot of advanced degree holders that are actually in EB2.
also that is not all that he/she is saying. read his/her posts a few times, maybe they will sound "vicious" too. as for my posts, the facts are what they are...even if you do not like them.
just because the two of you have advanced degrees does not change the facts. btw i have sincere advice for you, something i do not bother handing out a lot. your PD is 4/04. your qualifications are excellent. go and find a job needs your MS rather than short changing yourself. you will be current in EB2 and you will have a GC as soon as the I140 is approved. in your place, i would be doing that asap. of course i do not know your situation. but i hope you will find that opportunity.
its a better solution than moaning about why "EB3 is not discussed on IV".
for the last time, this time really so. this thread is meant to discuss other things. do not force me to close it.
His/her point is EB catergory does not depend on advanced education as claimed by your earlier post.
and i did not claim that either. the EB category is based on the job requirement, it is therefore natural that a majority of people that apply in the category also have qualifications that match that requirement. therefore the wonderful solution offered, ie ignore EB category and give GC by PD only, does not work. it would be very unfair to a lot of advanced degree holders that are actually in EB2.
also that is not all that he/she is saying. read his/her posts a few times, maybe they will sound "vicious" too. as for my posts, the facts are what they are...even if you do not like them.
just because the two of you have advanced degrees does not change the facts. btw i have sincere advice for you, something i do not bother handing out a lot. your PD is 4/04. your qualifications are excellent. go and find a job needs your MS rather than short changing yourself. you will be current in EB2 and you will have a GC as soon as the I140 is approved. in your place, i would be doing that asap. of course i do not know your situation. but i hope you will find that opportunity.
its a better solution than moaning about why "EB3 is not discussed on IV".
for the last time, this time really so. this thread is meant to discuss other things. do not force me to close it.
hair Than the car mitsubishi pajero
jfredr
09-07 11:22 PM
Isn�t it odd that the timing of your rally coincides with the introduction of the Strive act?
Granted you scored a point when you were allowed to file for employment authorization this July. If your one rally worked, do you really think other rallies will work too? The world of politics is driven by numbers; you do not have enough numbers to get any lawmaker interested. So wake up Macacas, admit it, you all are bunch of losers.
So far as the skills are concerned, you have been harping on the theme that you are highly skilled? If the definition of highly skilled is a mere undergrad degrees then 75% of Adult Americans are highly skilled. I bet not even 5% of you have PHDs and you call yourself highly skilled. Huhhh
And this for the leadership of your organization: You are wasting your time. If you are so desperate to get green cards contact me. We will see what we can do� One thing I believe though is this country needs people with leadership skills and not so called "Highly Skilled". So I will be more than happy to work with you. I am sure you have my e-mail address. At the least, I can help make the process faster for you, if so called visa numbers are available.
u AH why are u here if ur not skilled immigrant
Granted you scored a point when you were allowed to file for employment authorization this July. If your one rally worked, do you really think other rallies will work too? The world of politics is driven by numbers; you do not have enough numbers to get any lawmaker interested. So wake up Macacas, admit it, you all are bunch of losers.
So far as the skills are concerned, you have been harping on the theme that you are highly skilled? If the definition of highly skilled is a mere undergrad degrees then 75% of Adult Americans are highly skilled. I bet not even 5% of you have PHDs and you call yourself highly skilled. Huhhh
And this for the leadership of your organization: You are wasting your time. If you are so desperate to get green cards contact me. We will see what we can do� One thing I believe though is this country needs people with leadership skills and not so called "Highly Skilled". So I will be more than happy to work with you. I am sure you have my e-mail address. At the least, I can help make the process faster for you, if so called visa numbers are available.
u AH why are u here if ur not skilled immigrant
more...
texanguy
08-21 05:50 PM
thank you!
If you still think I am lying? All I can say is, all the best!
If you still think I am lying? All I can say is, all the best!
hot 1999 Mitsubishi Pajero IO.
sertasheep
04-17 07:29 PM
ragz,
It may help if you ask senders to sanitize their story themselves, and report it to you in 3rd person.
Eg:
THIS ONE BELOW IS BETTER:
"X has been victimized by the long wait times of the permanent residency processing system in the US due to a clerical backlog in the immigration agency. X's application, pending since August 2001, ....etc. etc.,"
INSTEAD OF:
"I have been waiting for my GC, labor filed in Aug 2001, in Vermont Service Center., etc."
Signed- X"
That will probably save you some editing and review time. If you require help editing, let me know.
It may help if you ask senders to sanitize their story themselves, and report it to you in 3rd person.
Eg:
THIS ONE BELOW IS BETTER:
"X has been victimized by the long wait times of the permanent residency processing system in the US due to a clerical backlog in the immigration agency. X's application, pending since August 2001, ....etc. etc.,"
INSTEAD OF:
"I have been waiting for my GC, labor filed in Aug 2001, in Vermont Service Center., etc."
Signed- X"
That will probably save you some editing and review time. If you require help editing, let me know.
more...
house 2009 Mitsubishi Pajero
sugaur
12-10 04:28 PM
The Sheriff or his officers are not Wardens. A Warden(the head of a prison) can order it if the inmate has demonstrated a history of assaultive behavior or escaped before. Neither applies. And the restraints have to be the least restrictive, not have both legs and hands shackled.
Dude its apparent that you are a moron.
If you want to selectively read what suits your point of view, thats fine. And resorting to name calling is usually a sign that you have no better counter argument.
Dude its apparent that you are a moron.
If you want to selectively read what suits your point of view, thats fine. And resorting to name calling is usually a sign that you have no better counter argument.
tattoo mitsubishi pajero so full
ksvreg
05-11 05:37 PM
Guys, please stop pointing each other on past issues. Please work together to fix the broken system. Past is past. When you get angry, I know it jumps you to hate all negative objects. Nothing we can get out of it. Please. Lets be united to fix things. Blaming will not fix anything instead it pulls legs of each other and finally set backs.
more...
pictures Mitsubishi Pajero Rear Seats Interior Photo
never_giveup
09-12 12:47 PM
This thread starts with a call to all the EB2 people. Is it only the EB2 people suffering due to USCIS actions? Or are EB2 applicants a distinguised lot that they dont want EB3 to join with them?
It is so depressing to see the attitude of some of these guys !!! There have been so many threads explaining the difference(or indifference) between the qualifications of the applicants.
The suffering has been equally bad or even much worse for the EB3 applicants. I am an EB3 2003 applicant and my suffering has been equally painful. The campaign should be about fair treatment to every applicant, not alone EB2 or EB3.
Any campaign will only be successful when we try to do something together.
If you yourself are belittling the EB3 applicants, why do you have higher expectations from the American Citizens/Government.
Thanks for having the patience to read my post, YOU BIG BROTHER EB2 applicant :-P
It is so depressing to see the attitude of some of these guys !!! There have been so many threads explaining the difference(or indifference) between the qualifications of the applicants.
The suffering has been equally bad or even much worse for the EB3 applicants. I am an EB3 2003 applicant and my suffering has been equally painful. The campaign should be about fair treatment to every applicant, not alone EB2 or EB3.
Any campaign will only be successful when we try to do something together.
If you yourself are belittling the EB3 applicants, why do you have higher expectations from the American Citizens/Government.
Thanks for having the patience to read my post, YOU BIG BROTHER EB2 applicant :-P
dresses 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
dupedinjuly
07-17 09:22 PM
Hats off to IV core for sowing the seeds of today, 2 years ago. All the effort and sacrifice has come to fruition. Also, IV has got great media attention and has become a force to reckon with. Lets Party tonight.
more...
makeup Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
ragz4u
04-20 10:18 AM
Thanks for sharing this story with us...we truly appreciate it.
I joined a small company right after graduating from a university in the US with a masters degree. At the time of joining, I was told orally that my GC will be processed in a timely manner. Being naive and timid, I did not press the issue and months became years before the employer agreed to file my labor after work for the company for 5 years (1 year of OPT right after school + 4 years of MS). Although I work in high-tech and would have qualified for RIR, the company lawyer convinced me to apply using the traditional route promising the entire process would take two years. Once again, being naive I agreed. Now, I am on my 8th year with the same company with my labor stuck in BEC, and no relief in sight. I can look forward to years more in the same position and same company! Sadly, though I am highly respected senior member of the company (in terms of knowledge and time with the company), people who joined after me and were trained by me, have gone on to Managerial positions, while I can only sit and watch.
I do not blame anyone or anything for my predicament, except my naivety. At least, I am glad for sources of information such as immigrationvoice, immigrationportal and immigration-law that have helped me immensely with my education on all matters immigration. Now, I feel I know more than my lawyer and cannot be convinced to take foolish decisions. So, it gladdens my heart to see that we in immigrationvoice seem to be having some impact on the lawmakers as it feels like I finally have control over changing my status quo.
I joined a small company right after graduating from a university in the US with a masters degree. At the time of joining, I was told orally that my GC will be processed in a timely manner. Being naive and timid, I did not press the issue and months became years before the employer agreed to file my labor after work for the company for 5 years (1 year of OPT right after school + 4 years of MS). Although I work in high-tech and would have qualified for RIR, the company lawyer convinced me to apply using the traditional route promising the entire process would take two years. Once again, being naive I agreed. Now, I am on my 8th year with the same company with my labor stuck in BEC, and no relief in sight. I can look forward to years more in the same position and same company! Sadly, though I am highly respected senior member of the company (in terms of knowledge and time with the company), people who joined after me and were trained by me, have gone on to Managerial positions, while I can only sit and watch.
I do not blame anyone or anything for my predicament, except my naivety. At least, I am glad for sources of information such as immigrationvoice, immigrationportal and immigration-law that have helped me immensely with my education on all matters immigration. Now, I feel I know more than my lawyer and cannot be convinced to take foolish decisions. So, it gladdens my heart to see that we in immigrationvoice seem to be having some impact on the lawmakers as it feels like I finally have control over changing my status quo.
girlfriend 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
ragz4u
04-20 01:24 PM
bump ^^
hairstyles 2010 2010 Mitsubishi Pajero
sri1309
09-12 08:07 AM
Anybody please comment. I have done some hard work here. Do you like the idea ? should we go for it ?
Hi,
I like your idea of the poster. I sent letters and cards so far, but didnt get this idea that catches quick attention more easily. I support you.
I will be doing some posters myself, one of them will be a scene of not buying a 300K house, just because USCIS is not clearing my case. I am really one of them, and I know there are many many more who pay roughly $1500/month on rents, but are just waiting for this mess to be cleared to be sure, before taking such a step. Show it such that the economy also benefits in our posters. Not just what they can do for us, but also what we can, in case they help us.
Can you please tell how I can create a new thread.
Thanks,
Sri
Hi,
I like your idea of the poster. I sent letters and cards so far, but didnt get this idea that catches quick attention more easily. I support you.
I will be doing some posters myself, one of them will be a scene of not buying a 300K house, just because USCIS is not clearing my case. I am really one of them, and I know there are many many more who pay roughly $1500/month on rents, but are just waiting for this mess to be cleared to be sure, before taking such a step. Show it such that the economy also benefits in our posters. Not just what they can do for us, but also what we can, in case they help us.
Can you please tell how I can create a new thread.
Thanks,
Sri
needhelp!
06-11 05:52 PM
A Great Big Thank You to all of you who have been Contributing to enable IV to organize an event of this proportion.
My sincere gratitude for the countless hours/days/weeks/months that IV leadership has donated in doing the background work and getting the advocacy days put together. Special thanks to Aman, Himanshu, Pratik, Anu, Jay, Sivkanth, Gopal, Puneet, Kiran, Meenal, Prasad, Bimal, Vikrant, Devang, Ravi, Renji, Ameet & all the DC folk who arranged for out-of-staters to stay in their homes and helped with all the logistics. I got to witness your contributions first-hand. Thank You to your families who supported you and to all the other volunteers working remotely and finally to the ones that I inadvertently left out, a humongous thanks to you too! Kudos to the member from California who attended the event despite having a sick baby at home. Many many attendees have made many many personal sacrifices to come for this event and they are worthy of applause.
At first, I was hesitant to join because I hadn't been as actively involved in the past months; there was too much personal stuff going on that needed to be dealt with; too much work load, and taking vacation now meant I would have to take unpaid leave when I needed it later. Plus the cost of tickets and getting away from family responsibilities. I thought I could escape with a $ contribution and let someone else do the real work. However, a few phone calls later, I realized how lame all this sounded when people that didn't need to be doing this were working hard for my issues and volunteering for an effort of which I was going to be a beneficiary. It helped that we had a team of members from Texas chapter who had already come forward to go to DC and others were contributing to enable more members to participate.
Many conference calls were organized by IV leadership right up to the day of the event and many volunteers made hundreds of phone calls to request our members to participate and represent their state and districts. After all, members of congress are working to solve issues that are most affecting their own constituents and having members from their own district coming to DC carries a lot of weight. Many IV members I spoke with had some problem or another and couldn't make it, and then there were few that really wanted to help out in any way they could. In the background, meetings were being sought from both Senate and House representatives, and confirmations were coming in right up to the last minute.
Situation Room on Sunday:
Got to the Situation Room in Hyatt on Sunday afternoon. Nervous excitement was in the air. Meeting new faces & reconnecting with old ones brought back memories of September 2007 and the atmosphere of college festivals. Training sessions were already in progress, followed by mock sessions which I thought were a terrific idea. There were printers set up and volunteers were at work printing business cards and IV information materials and arranging them into folders. Another row of tables had been set up for signing in, IV coordinator & state chapter leaders were matching up meetings with team members , reaching out to members to confirm their attendance and new members were pouring in throughout the day and evening. Pictures were being taken and posted on the blog. Past and present USCIS Ombudsman visited us there and supported us and spent time talking to us one on one. There were a couple of people that had joined IV just a few days ago and now participating in Lobby Day. Then there was my DC host who was not going to be able to participate in the meetings, but the energy of the situation room got to him and made him change his decision. And how couldn't it! I stayed there helping out until midnight, but a few folks didn't leave until the wee hours of dawn. I must confess that IV Situation Room is THE most fun thing to do in DC. For those of you who missed it, I hope Congress does nothing and you get another chance when IV plans this again. (just kidding...)
Monday - Day 1 of Advocacy:
We met in situation room in the morning. Everyone picked up their schedules for the day and were off to a day of true grass-roots work of educating Congressional staff of our issues and proposing solutions. The most important part was telling our own stories of how the process is affecting our lives and driving talent out of the country. The staff members were very polite and listened carefully to our points. Not one of them argued against any of our issues. The support was there, although we did hear things about political climate causing the delay in action on part of Congress. I was done with meetings at 4 pm on Monday and we walked across the Capitol and onto New Jersey Avenue enjoying the perfect DC weather on our way back to the Situation Room. Folders had to be prepared for the next day and schedules created as well, since there were some last minute meetings coming in & some members not able to make it for the next day. We also had to pack and move and set up the new room upstairs since we switched rooms in the Hyatt. Once again, we got out of there at 3.30 am, and had to get back in by 9am.
Tuesday - Day 2 of Advocacy
Another full day of meetings was in store for everyone. We had fewer members on Tuesday since a lot of them had gone back on Monday and a lot of members did at least a few meetings by themselves. By this time we were all experts at the message we needed to deliver. Once again the response was similar. Some of the offices gave us leads into other representatives that might be able to champion the issue. Some of them were supportive of administrative fixes that could be done while Congress contemplates on larger fixes. Tuesday was the first time I had meetings on both the House and Senate side and we walked through the Capitol to get to the other side. There is a little mini train you can ride and the building has impressive murals and architecture. But we had very little time to appreciate those in detail. I had the opportunity to meet one Senator himself and it was a whole new feeling being face-to-face and talking to someone that shapes American future laws everyday and is directly going to vote on my issue. This is what democracy was all about, and IV was the enabler providing me the opportunity to be heard on the Hill.
Tuesday - Congressional Reception
This was held in the Capitol itself, we had leading lawyers attend as well as Ombudsman and Congressional staff and lobbyists. There was some nice food to be enjoyed by all, informal discussions, humor and brainstorming for the future. After the 2 hour reception many had flights to catch and rest of us went back to wrap up in the Situation room and brainstorm for the future.
At the end of it all, I was a little sad to leave all the excitement and return to "normal" life. But there is tons of work to be done in local chapters and those of us who have been to DC know how important it is to go and seek out the members from each and every constituency from our state, get members to come forward and talk to the media, and finally raise funds so that we can continue lobbying Congress to fix this problem.
Thank You IV for providing us with this platform to get our voices heard where it matters the most. Go IV!
My sincere gratitude for the countless hours/days/weeks/months that IV leadership has donated in doing the background work and getting the advocacy days put together. Special thanks to Aman, Himanshu, Pratik, Anu, Jay, Sivkanth, Gopal, Puneet, Kiran, Meenal, Prasad, Bimal, Vikrant, Devang, Ravi, Renji, Ameet & all the DC folk who arranged for out-of-staters to stay in their homes and helped with all the logistics. I got to witness your contributions first-hand. Thank You to your families who supported you and to all the other volunteers working remotely and finally to the ones that I inadvertently left out, a humongous thanks to you too! Kudos to the member from California who attended the event despite having a sick baby at home. Many many attendees have made many many personal sacrifices to come for this event and they are worthy of applause.
At first, I was hesitant to join because I hadn't been as actively involved in the past months; there was too much personal stuff going on that needed to be dealt with; too much work load, and taking vacation now meant I would have to take unpaid leave when I needed it later. Plus the cost of tickets and getting away from family responsibilities. I thought I could escape with a $ contribution and let someone else do the real work. However, a few phone calls later, I realized how lame all this sounded when people that didn't need to be doing this were working hard for my issues and volunteering for an effort of which I was going to be a beneficiary. It helped that we had a team of members from Texas chapter who had already come forward to go to DC and others were contributing to enable more members to participate.
Many conference calls were organized by IV leadership right up to the day of the event and many volunteers made hundreds of phone calls to request our members to participate and represent their state and districts. After all, members of congress are working to solve issues that are most affecting their own constituents and having members from their own district coming to DC carries a lot of weight. Many IV members I spoke with had some problem or another and couldn't make it, and then there were few that really wanted to help out in any way they could. In the background, meetings were being sought from both Senate and House representatives, and confirmations were coming in right up to the last minute.
Situation Room on Sunday:
Got to the Situation Room in Hyatt on Sunday afternoon. Nervous excitement was in the air. Meeting new faces & reconnecting with old ones brought back memories of September 2007 and the atmosphere of college festivals. Training sessions were already in progress, followed by mock sessions which I thought were a terrific idea. There were printers set up and volunteers were at work printing business cards and IV information materials and arranging them into folders. Another row of tables had been set up for signing in, IV coordinator & state chapter leaders were matching up meetings with team members , reaching out to members to confirm their attendance and new members were pouring in throughout the day and evening. Pictures were being taken and posted on the blog. Past and present USCIS Ombudsman visited us there and supported us and spent time talking to us one on one. There were a couple of people that had joined IV just a few days ago and now participating in Lobby Day. Then there was my DC host who was not going to be able to participate in the meetings, but the energy of the situation room got to him and made him change his decision. And how couldn't it! I stayed there helping out until midnight, but a few folks didn't leave until the wee hours of dawn. I must confess that IV Situation Room is THE most fun thing to do in DC. For those of you who missed it, I hope Congress does nothing and you get another chance when IV plans this again. (just kidding...)
Monday - Day 1 of Advocacy:
We met in situation room in the morning. Everyone picked up their schedules for the day and were off to a day of true grass-roots work of educating Congressional staff of our issues and proposing solutions. The most important part was telling our own stories of how the process is affecting our lives and driving talent out of the country. The staff members were very polite and listened carefully to our points. Not one of them argued against any of our issues. The support was there, although we did hear things about political climate causing the delay in action on part of Congress. I was done with meetings at 4 pm on Monday and we walked across the Capitol and onto New Jersey Avenue enjoying the perfect DC weather on our way back to the Situation Room. Folders had to be prepared for the next day and schedules created as well, since there were some last minute meetings coming in & some members not able to make it for the next day. We also had to pack and move and set up the new room upstairs since we switched rooms in the Hyatt. Once again, we got out of there at 3.30 am, and had to get back in by 9am.
Tuesday - Day 2 of Advocacy
Another full day of meetings was in store for everyone. We had fewer members on Tuesday since a lot of them had gone back on Monday and a lot of members did at least a few meetings by themselves. By this time we were all experts at the message we needed to deliver. Once again the response was similar. Some of the offices gave us leads into other representatives that might be able to champion the issue. Some of them were supportive of administrative fixes that could be done while Congress contemplates on larger fixes. Tuesday was the first time I had meetings on both the House and Senate side and we walked through the Capitol to get to the other side. There is a little mini train you can ride and the building has impressive murals and architecture. But we had very little time to appreciate those in detail. I had the opportunity to meet one Senator himself and it was a whole new feeling being face-to-face and talking to someone that shapes American future laws everyday and is directly going to vote on my issue. This is what democracy was all about, and IV was the enabler providing me the opportunity to be heard on the Hill.
Tuesday - Congressional Reception
This was held in the Capitol itself, we had leading lawyers attend as well as Ombudsman and Congressional staff and lobbyists. There was some nice food to be enjoyed by all, informal discussions, humor and brainstorming for the future. After the 2 hour reception many had flights to catch and rest of us went back to wrap up in the Situation room and brainstorm for the future.
At the end of it all, I was a little sad to leave all the excitement and return to "normal" life. But there is tons of work to be done in local chapters and those of us who have been to DC know how important it is to go and seek out the members from each and every constituency from our state, get members to come forward and talk to the media, and finally raise funds so that we can continue lobbying Congress to fix this problem.
Thank You IV for providing us with this platform to get our voices heard where it matters the most. Go IV!
gcny2006
08-11 11:40 PM
Here is what ron gotcher has to say and zI think it makes sense.
don't have access to the raw data. I have spoken with personnel in the Visa Office and they have been unwilling to give out precise numbers. Rather, they have used phrases like "limited numbers" and "handful of numbers" to describe the situation.
I believe these assessments to be accurate. I base this belief on the certain knowledge that the CIS has more than enough pending China and India and India E2 cases to use up the remaining quota without having to advance cutoff dates at all.
If the CIS were processing enough cases to close out the quota, there would be absolutely need for the Visa Office to advance cutoff dates. Advancing cutoff dates if the CIS were processing enough cases to use up the quota would only result in more cases being filed than could be accommodated. There would be no point in doing this and, in fact, it would be contrary to established procedure. The only possible reason for advancing cutoff dates under present circumstances would be to allow consular posts to adjudicate more cases from their inventories.
Does this mean that the CIS is not going to approve any China or India E2 cases? Of course they will? They are a big agency and they are always adjudicating some cases. There is a difference, however, between adjudicating some cases and adjudicating a large number of cases. If they were adjudicating more than a few cases, or even likely to adjudicate more than a few cases, the VO would not have advanced cutoff dates. Doing so would have been positively harmful. The fact that VO did advance priority dates is the best evidence that the CIS is not processing enough cases to exhaust the quota.
The best evidence of this will be the establishment of the cutoff dates for the October Visa Bulletin. If the cutoff dates remain where they are, then that will be evidence that there are plenty of E2 numbers available for China and India. On the other hand, if cutoff dates for China and India E2 retrogress significantly in October, that will substantiate the position that there were only a few numbers (relatively speaking) available. If the cutoff dates retrogress, as the folks at the VO assure me they will, then that is conclusive evidence of the accuracy of this conclusion.
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don't have access to the raw data. I have spoken with personnel in the Visa Office and they have been unwilling to give out precise numbers. Rather, they have used phrases like "limited numbers" and "handful of numbers" to describe the situation.
I believe these assessments to be accurate. I base this belief on the certain knowledge that the CIS has more than enough pending China and India and India E2 cases to use up the remaining quota without having to advance cutoff dates at all.
If the CIS were processing enough cases to close out the quota, there would be absolutely need for the Visa Office to advance cutoff dates. Advancing cutoff dates if the CIS were processing enough cases to use up the quota would only result in more cases being filed than could be accommodated. There would be no point in doing this and, in fact, it would be contrary to established procedure. The only possible reason for advancing cutoff dates under present circumstances would be to allow consular posts to adjudicate more cases from their inventories.
Does this mean that the CIS is not going to approve any China or India E2 cases? Of course they will? They are a big agency and they are always adjudicating some cases. There is a difference, however, between adjudicating some cases and adjudicating a large number of cases. If they were adjudicating more than a few cases, or even likely to adjudicate more than a few cases, the VO would not have advanced cutoff dates. Doing so would have been positively harmful. The fact that VO did advance priority dates is the best evidence that the CIS is not processing enough cases to exhaust the quota.
The best evidence of this will be the establishment of the cutoff dates for the October Visa Bulletin. If the cutoff dates remain where they are, then that will be evidence that there are plenty of E2 numbers available for China and India. On the other hand, if cutoff dates for China and India E2 retrogress significantly in October, that will substantiate the position that there were only a few numbers (relatively speaking) available. If the cutoff dates retrogress, as the folks at the VO assure me they will, then that is conclusive evidence of the accuracy of this conclusion.
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