Consulate Appts and new I-171H’s
I reported several weeks ago that the consulate had informed agencies they would no longer be setting appointments for people without a valid I-171H.
This appears to have been changed. For those families in process for a new I-171H, they can now get a consulate appointment but will be required to sign some sort of a waver explaining that they understand there can be extra costs involved if their I-171H is not available by the appointment time and they will not be able to bring their child home until they have the new I-171H.
This will help a lot of families who are waiting on slow USCIS offices to get them their new I-171H.
January 20th, 2007 at 10:39 am
What a relief! We are one family who has been sweating it out over this change and now I can just relax a little. We started the process to renew our I 171 in the beginning of November but due to SW delays and then our USCIS office handing over there work load to another USCIS office and our home study not up to that offices standards etc…. We are still waiting. As a rule if you are renewing your I 171 do not wait to get started, even if you have a law in your state that you can only renew if your paper work is due to expire in sixty days, you can still get started on any home study requirements or medical test you may need before this time so when you can submit the renewal your not waitnig on anything else to be done.
Stacey
LID 9-12-05
DOR 1-3-07
January 20th, 2007 at 10:43 am
Nice to see this rule letting up a little…. this group of parents facing this are the first timers to have to worry — so to have a little mercy is extremely generous….
January 20th, 2007 at 10:44 am
That’s great news. Honestly, if it wasn’t for this site I’d have NO idea what’s going on. It’s a little unsettling to have so much time, money, and emotion vested into this process and not a peep from our agency explaining what’s going on or what steps we should take. I know what’s happening is not their fault—but a little initiative on their part would be appreciated. The last newsletter I got from them was spring 2006. I was even beginning to think they were no longer in business; so I check their web site periodically to make sure. I’m sadly surprised and feel like we’ve been hung out to dry. Sorry for the vent–but with all RQ’s updates and not a word from my agency–it gets annoying.
January 20th, 2007 at 11:56 am
I agree with you bloominchina. If it wasnt for the rumor queen we would have no idea what is going on either. We get very little information from our agency.
We are in the home stretch here on waiting on our referral. Any information is valuable at this point.
Thanks RQ
LID 10-24-05
January 20th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
I just talked to agency on Friday and they were totally unaware of this and were telling folks they could not get appt. without it. Is this state specific….or is agency just out of the loop.
January 20th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
On another note, we were informed by our agency that our Dossier was approved by the CCAA. We have a Feb. 06 LID
January 20th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
We’re finally over the sweating part..We just got ours in the mail after redoing our homestudy in May, reprints in August and refiled on October 30th..The key is to have a working phone # & e-mail contact at your local office. Without being able to constantly bug someone - ours would have sat in a file folder. You’re stuck in between filing too early & not knowing if your filing too late - the trick is to figure out when you’re about 4-5 months out I believe.
January 20th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Congratulations, JohnTsui and Katri. Each step big or small is such a relief. jfk (ffd-11-12-06)
http://www.HelloKatieGirl.com
January 20th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
hisgirlre/Stacey,
Are you in Texas? We just recently heard that the Dallas CIS sent all their I-600As to Oklahoma City. Is that what you’re referring to? And if so, what was the deal with the homestudy? We are in the process of getting our homestudy update, and would like to head this one off if possible.
Thanks. You can email me directly at maggie_mansueto@yahoo.com if you like.
January 20th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
we just got our refingerprint appt in the mail today. Pretty fast turn around, I mailed the letter and payment to them on the 13th.
January 20th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
I sent my I171 express to the Philadelphia USCIS office on 12/8/06. I received my renewal yesterday. I don’t know if it helped but I put a neon peice of paper on top that said renewal. In some twisted fashion I thought they might do mine first because it would be easier since they cleared me 18 mos ago. So it appears that Philly is on the 6-8 weeks for an update schedule
January 20th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
We mailed the USCIS in Memphis, TN that our fingerprints have been updated on January 3, 2007. We rec’d our new updated I-171 on February 19, 2007. The turnaround on the updated I-171 was very fast. It was supposed to take 30 -45 days. We pray everybody else has an quick turnaround.
LID 10/27/05. FYI
January 20th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Thanks RQ!! This actually helps me feel a bit better. With our referral possible coming in this batch I was really sweating the fact that we have been waiting for 6 weeks already and no sign of it in sight.. The Atlanta branch is now taking approximately 7-15 weeks for renewal. ugh….
Claire
LID 10/10/05 (next??)
January 21st, 2007 at 12:23 am
kind of nice to see that the pendulum is swinging in favour of families. this should take alittle stress away (hopefully) for those having to go through this.
as always, good luck and best wishes to all of you still waiting!
January 21st, 2007 at 1:53 pm
For those of you renewing your I-171H in the Hartford,CT., area, you are in luck. Ours was turned around in one day. Yes, one day. Paperwork was received (I tracked it) on Monday and we had our new 797C, delivered by regular US mail, on Tuesday.
January 21st, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Singergal, the turnaround for fingerprints is normally fast. It’s the wait after that that’s the problem. Glad to hear Philadelphia, Memphis and Hartford are on the fast track. The word I’m getting is that Atlanta is running a full 90 days, so, with all paperwork in on Oct. 30th, I feel like we’re cutting it awfully close.
Blossombaby 10.25.05
January 21st, 2007 at 6:41 pm
can anyone help? our social worker is not sure of the requirements for refiling with the USCIS in Chicago and we can not find them on their website, is a new physical required? We’ve already done the police reports,any other documents needed besides homestudy update? Any help would be soooo appreciated!! Have any idea on how much time it’s taking with Chicago? Thanks for any info! LID 11-24-05 She’s almost home! (well kinda)
January 22nd, 2007 at 12:47 am
Overduemama -
go to the forum and scroll down to the section on the USCIS offices. RQ has listed each one of them. You can post your questions in the Chicago forum. The members there have been great. They helped me tremendously this past week. I’d answer your question if I knew what to tell you. We just moved to IL and found out we have to do an entirely new HS in order to extend our clearance.
January 22nd, 2007 at 3:37 am
Hello, this is the first time I’ve actually been able to leave a message here! How exciting!!!!! Our agency told us that they could make the match and send the referral without our I-171 finished, but that CCAA will not issue a travel permission without it being completed. Can someone please tell me if that is true?????
January 22nd, 2007 at 10:52 am
Somedaymama thank you for the information, I’m sorry you have to do your entire HS over, I guess I just need an update.My SW deals with the USCIS out of Indianapolis(that’s where she lives) I hear Indy is much easier than Chicago? However I’m not sure about the details? I need to get on it !! I hate feeling like we are going backwards!! We just want our daughter home!!!!! I hope you enjoy living in IL we live in the South Bend,IN area. Thanks again
January 22nd, 2007 at 2:33 pm
mnmommy - that is what I have been thinking… If the next batch arrives next week, that puts us 8 weeks out from the last week in March. So that is probably about right for travel. For DD#1, it was 7 weeks for us from referral to travel.
I am totally stressed about whether or not we’re in this batch!!!!
January 22nd, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Ok, so here’s my new issue… I thought of this earlier today. Granted it is great that the Consulate is possible going to be lenient on those of us being held up by slow USCIS branches, however, I am now stuck on the possible extra fee. What??? Haven’t we paid enough after having to pay for the I 171H twice?? Isn’t that approximately $1450 already? How much more would this possible fee be? What a pain in the rump. Oh well, c’est la vie, huh?
Claire
LID 10/10/05 (next??)