Back to the U.S. immigration process for a moment before I close out the Canadian side (which I am oh so close to doing).
I have been monitoring the USCIS processing centers and in a helpful way, the USCIS posts, on their site, a weekly update. They list all the forms (well, most of the forms) and the date that the individual Service Centers are up to with that type. I, being hung over from frustration with CIC, started monitoring these updates shortly after I submitted the I-130 to the California Service Center in the end of October 2007. At first, I was slow on the uptake and had to determine when, exactly these updates are posted. It appears now, that USCIS is very reliably posting the updates every Friday, but it hits their site in the wee pre-dawn hours of Saturdays. With this revelation, I have decided to track these updates and do some quick math to see, what it is exactly, they are working on. It certainly isn't the I-130s, which is the form nearest and dearest to my heart.
So, in this light, my analytical self has developed a spreadsheet to track this information and calculate the change from week to week to keep an eye on the U.S. paper loving (although they are subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act) government employees and make sure that they are doing something. Unfortunately, the USCIS website only has the current update and is not archiving previous updates (that I can find anyway). I did some light forum reading and found all the older processing times posted in various threads and used that information to build my spreadsheet. If anyone out there can point me to either USCIS archived Application and Receipting Updates or knows where someone else may have this information posted, please drop me a line.
So, here it is: USCIS Processing Times Spreadsheet
(I have a permanent link to this sheet in the upper right hand corner of this blog.)
Enjoy!
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Even more mail from CIC
Wow, those paper worshiping government employees at CIC are now working overtime on my case. Too bad they couldn't have done this, say ummmm, when I actually applied for the immigration 2 years ago. I withdraw the statement as I forgot who I was talking about.
Where to start with this.... First, the fees were charged on my card, not my husband's. My daily card limit is at $1,800 while my husband's was at $1,000, so we opted to use mine. No matter, we have a joint account and the measly refund will go directly in our savings account to be used on our soon-to-be house.
Secondly, I left Canada in September 2007. Kind of hard now to provide this form they want. I am debating calling the Call Centre and informing them of such, but as is the completely inefficient CIC way, their toll-free number doesn't work outside of Canada and I do not feel like putting one more ounce of money (long distance fees) or time (an hour on hold is fairly average) into this process.
Thirdly, CIC will not issue refunds outside of Canada. So, if I give them my true and correct address in the U.S., I do not get a refund. Go figure this logic out, someone, and get back to me because I just cannot get my mind wrapped around it.
My husband's correspondence is nearly identical to mine with a few minor and unimportant changes so I will not bother with it.
The form they want to me to have completed is an IMM 5021. It just requires me to sign it and for some immigration officer to verify my airline flight number, date and time of departure and location of departure. So, bring on the report under section 44 of the Immigration Act and let us see if these officers can reach me here in the U.S. is what I am thinking now. I certainly won't make any effort to have it completed anytime before the Right of Landing Fee has been deposited and cleared our bank account.
November 16, 2007
Dear Ms. CXXXX & family
This is in reference to your application for permanent residence under the Spouse or common-law partner in-Canada class, received at our Central Processing Centre-Vegreville on 15Feb'2006.
We have received the correspondence dated 19Sep'2007, from yourself and your sponsor, MXXXX CXXXXX, indicating your sponsor's desire to withdraw or cancel the Undertaking he submitted on your behalf. His request is accepted and a copy our letter to him is attached.
I noted that you also have requested withdrawal of your application for permanent residence and indicate that it is your intention to leave Canada. As such, no further action will be taken on your application for permanent residence.
As you are currently in Canada without Immigration status, you are required to verify your departure from Canada. Please submit the attached Voluntary Departure Letter, for yourself and your son, to the Immigration authorities at your port of exit from Canada. Failure to verify your departure could result in you becoming the subject of a report under section 44 of the Immigration Act.
The cost recovery fee of $700 that was paid on this application is non-refundable. The Right of Permanent Residence fee in the amount of $975.00 will be refunded to your sponsor as he was the payee. This process has been refered to our Vegreville office as that office recieved the original payment.
The client number in the upper right corner of this letter is your personal identification number and it provides access to information on your file. For your own protection, do not allow any other person to use this number. If you require any further information, please contact our Call Centre at 1-888-242-2100.
Yours truly,
D.M.Salmon
Immigration Officer
Citizenship & Immigration Canada
5343 Dundas Street West
Etobicoke ON M9B 6K5
cc: my spouse
Where to start with this.... First, the fees were charged on my card, not my husband's. My daily card limit is at $1,800 while my husband's was at $1,000, so we opted to use mine. No matter, we have a joint account and the measly refund will go directly in our savings account to be used on our soon-to-be house.
Secondly, I left Canada in September 2007. Kind of hard now to provide this form they want. I am debating calling the Call Centre and informing them of such, but as is the completely inefficient CIC way, their toll-free number doesn't work outside of Canada and I do not feel like putting one more ounce of money (long distance fees) or time (an hour on hold is fairly average) into this process.
Thirdly, CIC will not issue refunds outside of Canada. So, if I give them my true and correct address in the U.S., I do not get a refund. Go figure this logic out, someone, and get back to me because I just cannot get my mind wrapped around it.
My husband's correspondence is nearly identical to mine with a few minor and unimportant changes so I will not bother with it.
The form they want to me to have completed is an IMM 5021. It just requires me to sign it and for some immigration officer to verify my airline flight number, date and time of departure and location of departure. So, bring on the report under section 44 of the Immigration Act and let us see if these officers can reach me here in the U.S. is what I am thinking now. I certainly won't make any effort to have it completed anytime before the Right of Landing Fee has been deposited and cleared our bank account.
Yippee! More mail from CIC
It appears that the one sure fire way to get a response from CIC, since it isn't by filing an immigration application, is to withdraw an application. I received this letter recently:
Very disappointing, but not unexpected, indeed.
16 November 2007
This refers to your request for a refund of fees paid for Right of Permanent Resident Fee.
A refund in the amount of $975.00 has been requested. This refund cheque will be sent to the original payer of the fee who in this case is your sponsor MXXXXX CXXXXX.
The client number shown in the upper right corner of this letter is your personal identification number. This number provides access to information on your file and for your own protection you should not allow any other person to use it. If sending correspondece to Citizenship and Immigration Canada please include your personal identification number. Failure to include this number could result in the return of your correspondence unanswered.
Please note that if another person has paid the fee on your behalf, the reufnd will be issued to that person.
If you require further assistance, please telephone the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Call Centre, toll-free at 1-888-242-2100 and be prepared to quote your client number and your date of birth. General information and application kits may also be obtained throught our Internet Web site at http://www.cic.gc.ca.
Please notificy this office, in writing, or any Citizenship and Immigration Call Centre, by telephone, of any change in your address.
Yours truly,
Officer LWE/CSU
Case Processing Centre
Vegreville, Alberta
Very disappointing, but not unexpected, indeed.
Monday, November 26, 2007
(U.S.) Thanksgiving in Canada
I had a very enjoyable and relaxing trip to Canada to visit over the long U.S. Thanksgiving weekend. My husband took very good care of me and even booked a very nice suite for us to stay in for my visit. (more about this later as I am dog tired right now and had a return flight back that was 80% turbulent, so no sleeping for me!).
I did, however, remember to pick up my mail, and in that stack was a letter from my husband's MP. The letter reads:
I did, however, remember to pick up my mail, and in that stack was a letter from my husband's MP. The letter reads:
October 9, 2007
The Honourable Diane Finley, P.C., M.P
Minister of Immigration
Journal Tower South
21st Floor
365 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1A 1L1
Dear Minister,
I am writing to you on behalf of my constituent, Mr. MXXXX XXXXXX, who approached my office seeking assistance with the sponsorship of his spouse, Ms. SXXXX XXXXXX.
Mr. MXXXX XXXXXX filed an inland Family Class sponsorship on February 11, 2006 to sponsor his spouse. This file was referred from Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta to the local office in Etobicoke, Ontario on November 7, 2006. The local office put the file in queue for review, which is estimated to occur in the final months of 2007.
Due to the amount of time needed to process this inland sponsorship case, the couple has decided to withdraw the sponsorship and move to a different country (see attached letter).
Minister, I am extremely disappointed that my constituent will be leaving Canada because of the time needed to process this inland spousal sponsorship application. You should be aware of this problem. Perhaps adjustments can be made to reduce the processing times of inland spousal sponsorships.
Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information.
Yours sincerely,
Hon. Roy Cullen, P.C., M.P., Etobicoke North
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