Comments on: Adventures With The INS http://www.internationalstudent.com/study-abroad/blog/2007/04/adventures-with-the-ins/ Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:55:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: toyota http://www.internationalstudent.com/study-abroad/blog/2007/04/adventures-with-the-ins/comment-page-1/#comment-3865 toyota Sat, 22 Dec 2007 23:03:16 +0000 http://www.internationalstudent.com/studyabroad/blog/archives/18#comment-3865 Hello I was very much helped by the information with this article. Many thanks at you very fascinating resource. Bye Hello
I was very much helped by the information with this article.
Many thanks at you very fascinating resource.

Bye

]]> By: Matt Brattin http://www.internationalstudent.com/study-abroad/blog/2007/04/adventures-with-the-ins/comment-page-1/#comment-838 Matt Brattin Sun, 22 Apr 2007 17:20:50 +0000 http://www.internationalstudent.com/studyabroad/blog/archives/18#comment-838 Ross, thank you for relating your story. I feel for you and what you've gone through!  Sadly the most difficult part about this whole thing for me has been keeping my cool/sanity. I never knew I could feel the way the INS makes me feel...and I'm not even the one dealing with them! Also, thank you again for bringing up the new passport laws.  We learned about them the hard way as they came into effect just days before we traveled to Mexico for Blanca's brother's wedding.  She had to get an updated Mexican passport (as there clearly was no way she'd have her US passport in time) and we ended up having to sleep on the streets of downtown Fresno in front of the consulate just to secure a place in line (we were third in line and got there at 7pm the night before). I know this is probably the worst time ever to have a passport expedited, but we are still going to give it a shot and hope it gets processed within a reasonable time. We have this fantasy of taking a Greek cruise for our first anniversary just before classes start, but at this point we should just remain hopeful that we will even get to be together! We will see! Ross, thank you for relating your story. I feel for you and what you’ve gone through!  Sadly the most difficult part about this whole thing for me has been keeping my cool/sanity. I never knew I could feel the way the INS makes me feel…and I’m not even the one dealing with them!

Also, thank you again for bringing up the new passport laws.  We learned about them the hard way as they came into effect just days before we traveled to Mexico for Blanca’s brother’s wedding.  She had to get an updated Mexican passport (as there clearly was no way she’d have her US passport in time) and we ended up having to sleep on the streets of downtown Fresno in front of the consulate just to secure a place in line (we were third in line and got there at 7pm the night before). I know this is probably the worst time ever to have a passport expedited, but we are still going to give it a shot and hope it gets processed within a reasonable time. We have this fantasy of taking a Greek cruise for our first anniversary just before classes start, but at this point we should just remain hopeful that we will even get to be together! We will see!

]]> By: Ross http://www.internationalstudent.com/study-abroad/blog/2007/04/adventures-with-the-ins/comment-page-1/#comment-805 Ross Fri, 20 Apr 2007 20:05:23 +0000 http://www.internationalstudent.com/studyabroad/blog/archives/18#comment-805 Matt - I love this post and I can totally relate to it. I used to be a green card holder, and needed to update my green card (this was pre 9/11) and even back then it took over 4 years, my documents got lost in the system, could never get answers and there is no way to complain. This also meant with no green card, coming in and out of the USA was a chore and I was constantly hauled off to the back room and given 101 questions. Anyway, the long story is there is no accountability at the INS/ Department of Homeland Security I am sorry to say. I know things are getting better and hear that from students and schools - so hopefully it works out. The one thing I would say is that you have done the right thing by addressing your congressman - thats really the only way forward complaint wise.... I hope this is not bad news though, but my brother and his family are US Citizens and needed to update their passports for a recent trip - they put them in and were told it would be over a year as there is a backlog in the system. Not sure if you know but passport rules recently changed in that now US Citizens all need passports (even kids who used to be on parents passports) and now passports are needed for travel to places like the Bahamas (that were not needed before, you just needed ID). So all this means there are loads of passport applications in the system. Long story short - he harrassed his local congressman and...the passports arrived in a few months. Shoot me an email with any questions - been through these processes so know a fair bit about them.....and I would say move to Europe....I did and its the only way forward :) Matt – I love this post and I can totally relate to it. I used to be a green card holder, and needed to update my green card (this was pre 9/11) and even back then it took over 4 years, my documents got lost in the system, could never get answers and there is no way to complain. This also meant with no green card, coming in and out of the USA was a chore and I was constantly hauled off to the back room and given 101 questions.

Anyway, the long story is there is no accountability at the INS/ Department of Homeland Security I am sorry to say. I know things are getting better and hear that from students and schools – so hopefully it works out.

The one thing I would say is that you have done the right thing by addressing your congressman – thats really the only way forward complaint wise….

I hope this is not bad news though, but my brother and his family are US Citizens and needed to update their passports for a recent trip – they put them in and were told it would be over a year as there is a backlog in the system. Not sure if you know but passport rules recently changed in that now US Citizens all need passports (even kids who used to be on parents passports) and now passports are needed for travel to places like the Bahamas (that were not needed before, you just needed ID). So all this means there are loads of passport applications in the system.

Long story short – he harrassed his local congressman and…the passports arrived in a few months.

Shoot me an email with any questions – been through these processes so know a fair bit about them…..and I would say move to Europe….I did and its the only way forward :)

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