Green card woes - what to do?

[Anonymous]

OP, I’m so sorry. The delays are really brutal. My friend was visiting his in laws and waiting for his new wife’s green card to clear when the pandemic hit. He has to return to the US for work in person last year. She was FINALLY allowed to join him this month. Hoping your son is able to travel this summer and the green card gets sorted sometime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The last few years have been HELL on visa and green card applicants, OP.

There are hundreds of thousands of families all over the world who are currently separated because USCIS is taking way too long. Reasons for this are threefold:
1. Trump paved the way by defunding USCIS while in office.
2. Then the pandemic hit, and USCIS, operating on nothing bu fume, was forced into closing its offices. Some people worked from home, but visas and green card processing times started taking much longer.
3. Biden is not doing much to help USCIS, since it actually suits him fine to employ Americans first, and people like your son are not his administration's priority.

We are currently filing for a green card, after more than a decade on a series of visas, and our last visa filing this summer/fall was rough. We were told to expect a wait of THREE HUNDRED DAYS in our home country for the visa interview (which is merely a rubber-stamping of our already approved application, in our case). Luckily we managed to get an expedited appointment, but we had to leave our home in the US and pull our kids from school so we could stay in our home country for an indeterminate amount of time. Not knowing how long we would have to be away was incredibly stressful on our preparations for our departure. How do you plan for house and pets when you don't know when you'll return?
Anyway, it was a nightmare I wouldn't wish on anyone.

My oldest is applying to unis abroad, and if we're barred from leaving the US because our application is still in limbo, we will not be able to accompany him or go to him if he has any sort of problem. That's another scary thought.

Immigration lawyers have sought clarification from the US government, and indeed a group of lawyers filed suit against the Federal government on behalf of their clients stuck in never-ending visa and green card processes, to no avail.
We are just not on their radar right now.

Best of luck.

Me again. Just want to note that my children are US citizens, so they can leave and come back whenever they want. My husband and myself are the visa-holders and green card applicants.

I cannot imagine how stressful this was! It's hard to imagine they will ever get through this backlog with existing resources without trying to be cleverer about it. There are inefficiencies and needless hoops in the system that they could get rid of and it would free up additional resources.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get your frustration, OP, but you can visit virtually on Zoom. Is it the same? Of course not. Is it a reasonable thing to do in a pandemic when it is impossible to risk international travel without jeopardizing your DS' future status? Yes.

If neither your lawyer nor your representatives can help expedite the process, I don't know what you expect DCUM to do except offer reasonable alternatives. Another reasonable alternative is to leave your DS in the US with friends or family while you visit.

Yes, we have been doing three years of zoom visits and it has helped. As I said in my original post, I was just casting the net wide in case there was somebody in a similar situation or with specific knowledge who might be able to offer insight or advice. Clearly I wasn't expecting anything of anybody else although the expressions of compassion were definitely appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m so sorry. The delays are really brutal. My friend was visiting his in laws and waiting for his new wife’s green card to clear when the pandemic hit. He has to return to the US for work in person last year. She was FINALLY allowed to join him this month. Hoping your son is able to travel this summer and the green card gets sorted sometime.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend's situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would push harder at Raskins' office and email the senators as well. Call, email, etc. Can't hurt.

this will not help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to wait, like everyone else. I cannot believe the preciousness of your whiny post.

We got our green cards processed in Jan 2012 and had booked travel to the UK for the summer. But there was a blip on the form for my DD (the doctor checking the form had failed to mark an X by one of her current vaccinations) and her card was delayed while we had this corrected. So we canceled the whole trip - her card arriving just a day after we would have flown out.

This kind of thing happens all the time, even without a pandemic, but you have to understand that there are people desperate to be reunited with family members who are waiting under far more extreme circumstances. You are waiting for a trip back to the UK. Big flipping deal.

Just wait like everyone else. A lawyer cannot speed up a pile of forms, you're an idiot.

What a horrible person you are. The OP is not saying that there are not more extreme circumstances, but not seeing parents etc for over 2 years is hard, especially if they are elderly.

[Anonymous]

I'd be pretty mad at your immigration attorney. They should have advised you to travel and then submit your son's application. They should also advise that you should also say your Green Card is a pathway to citizenship and not just so your son has a choice to stay here if he chooses. Finally, you will want to confer on the rules if you were to travel and the Green Card application is rejected.
That being said, there isn't much anyone can do at this point. I sympathize with you. My own family missed funerals, weddings, and other major life events because of the system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The last few years have been HELL on visa and green card applicants, OP.

There are hundreds of thousands of families all over the world who are currently separated because USCIS is taking way too long. Reasons for this are threefold:
1. Trump paved the way by defunding USCIS while in office.
2. Then the pandemic hit, and USCIS, operating on nothing bu fume, was forced into closing its offices. Some people worked from home, but visas and green card processing times started taking much longer.
3. Biden is not doing much to help USCIS, since it actually suits him fine to employ Americans first, and people like your son are not his administration's priority.

We are currently filing for a green card, after more than a decade on a series of visas, and our last visa filing this summer/fall was rough. We were told to expect a wait of THREE HUNDRED DAYS in our home country for the visa interview (which is merely a rubber-stamping of our already approved application, in our case). Luckily we managed to get an expedited appointment, but we had to leave our home in the US and pull our kids from school so we could stay in our home country for an indeterminate amount of time. Not knowing how long we would have to be away was incredibly stressful on our preparations for our departure. How do you plan for house and pets when you don't know when you'll return?
Anyway, it was a nightmare I wouldn't wish on anyone.

My oldest is applying to unis abroad, and if we're barred from leaving the US because our application is still in limbo, we will not be able to accompany him or go to him if he has any sort of problem. That's another scary thought.

Immigration lawyers have sought clarification from the US government, and indeed a group of lawyers filed suit against the Federal government on behalf of their clients stuck in never-ending visa and green card processes, to no avail.
We are just not on their radar right now.

Best of luck.

You seem to have everything about the US. Why are you working so hard to stay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have green cards or are you on visas? What status did your son have before you applied for his green card?

this? As someone who was a green card holder now a dual citizen ( UK/US) I’m confused about this too.

We are all on G4 visas. DH and I are not eligible for green cards.

so who is sponsoring him for his green card?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would absolutely prioritize your child's legal status over vacation. The situation sucks and the system is broken.

I second that. Through being from the UK is easier than being from my country I still would!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly might consider going to visit family without your son?

It's something that crossed my mind but I think my son would be devastated.

It's a really tough situation, but I think at 14 a young person can understand that you need to go visit elders and you need to be responsible about moving forward with his application. Could you have the cousins come visit you this summer, so he would get to enjoy that part of visiting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The last few years have been HELL on visa and green card applicants, OP.

There are hundreds of thousands of families all over the world who are currently separated because USCIS is taking way too long. Reasons for this are threefold:
1. Trump paved the way by defunding USCIS while in office.
2. Then the pandemic hit, and USCIS, operating on nothing bu fume, was forced into closing its offices. Some people worked from home, but visas and green card processing times started taking much longer.
3. Biden is not doing much to help USCIS, since it actually suits him fine to employ Americans first, and people like your son are not his administration's priority.

We are currently filing for a green card, after more than a decade on a series of visas, and our last visa filing this summer/fall was rough. We were told to expect a wait of THREE HUNDRED DAYS in our home country for the visa interview (which is merely a rubber-stamping of our already approved application, in our case). Luckily we managed to get an expedited appointment, but we had to leave our home in the US and pull our kids from school so we could stay in our home country for an indeterminate amount of time. Not knowing how long we would have to be away was incredibly stressful on our preparations for our departure. How do you plan for house and pets when you don't know when you'll return?
Anyway, it was a nightmare I wouldn't wish on anyone.

My oldest is applying to unis abroad, and if we're barred from leaving the US because our application is still in limbo, we will not be able to accompany him or go to him if he has any sort of problem. That's another scary thought.

Immigration lawyers have sought clarification from the US government, and indeed a group of lawyers filed suit against the Federal government on behalf of their clients stuck in never-ending visa and green card processes, to no avail.
We are just not on their radar right now.

Best of luck.

You seem to have everything about the US. Why are you working so hard to stay?

*hate, not have

[Anonymous]

DP, as always, the answer is MONEY

Can’t make there what they can make here

[Anonymous]

OP, here are several things:
1) immigration attorneys are useless in situations like this (they are useful in others though)
2) you need to keep phoning USCIS, if need be, tell them closer to summer that it’s an emergency and have them give you an in person appointment to get some sort of stamp or emergency travel document
3) DO NOT enter as a visa holder! This will cancel out your application for the green card. Seek emergency travel document.
4) immigration forums like redbus and others are super useful in giving tips. Try to find out how to reach a human at USCIS.
5) the first human you reach at USCIS may not help you. You need to ask for a level 2 officer. The first POC is usually just a customer service “specialist” who knows nothing
6) I have heard that nowadays they don’t connect you but offer a callback

Good luck! Your only hope is reaching USCIS via phone. Don’t listen to people who tell you to respect the backlog. Your documents might never get processed if you don’t hustle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, here are several things:
1) immigration attorneys are useless in situations like this (they are useful in others though)
2) you need to keep phoning USCIS, if need be, tell them closer to summer that it’s an emergency and have them give you an in person appointment to get some sort of stamp or emergency travel document
3) DO NOT enter as a visa holder! This will cancel out your application for the green card. Seek emergency travel document.
4) immigration forums like redbus and others are super useful in giving tips. Try to find out how to reach a human at USCIS.
5) the first human you reach at USCIS may not help you. You need to ask for a level 2 officer. The first POC is usually just a customer service “specialist” who knows nothing
6) I have heard that nowadays they don’t connect you but offer a callback

Good luck! Your only hope is reaching USCIS via phone. Don’t listen to people who tell you to respect the backlog. Your documents might never get processed if you don’t hustle

Thanks! I tried various times to get through by phone, even pressing irrelevant numbers hoping it would route me to a person, but never got anywhere. I will look at redbus and see if I can figure it out.