My questions for Warren Janssen, Oscar Lujan, Santiago Burciaga PART 2

[kitkat1]

My next set of question for Warren Janssen, Oscar Lujan, Santiago Burciaga follows:

(No, no answers on the first set yet but I'm ever so optimistic)

1) With the new wonderful open pick up appointment for approved waivers, wouldn't it make GREAT sense to allow those picking up before the one year mark to do so at another Mexican embassy or consulate i.e. Mexico City or Tijuana? How hard would it be for CDJ to share waiver approval information with two other consulates so that people who don't need another medical and don't have to pay again can just go to the closest consulate? This might even take some of the burden off the consulate in Ciudad Juarez.

2) For those who have passed the one year mark, it's clear the medical has to be repeated. But why should applicants be required to re-pay fees and submit new forms when the delay is NOT their fault but rather the fault of the consulate? (It's clear CDJ is doing everything they can to move processing along, but that doesn't mean applicants who waited a year should still have to pay!)

3) What on earth is going on at the medical clinics in Ciudad Juarez and why hasn't the consulate done something to address this problem?

They ask questions that have NOTHING to do with the medical and is clearly none of their business (why would the nurse need to know if you ever had problems with immigration -- how is that related to making sure the applicant does not have a communicable disease or is not a psycho?).

They try to brand people as "addicts" or "alcoholics" when they admit to social drinking. Is there some immigration law that only the doctors and nurses in Ciudad Juarez are aware of that says "social drinking is a visa ineligibility"? NO there isn't. It's no secret the the medical clinics DO NOT comply with the law and that there are great concerns related to the drug history questions they ask. (Read AILA Practice Alert document 06020110) and it's common knowledge that their actions do not comply with the Foreign Affairs Manual. How long will the consulate let this go unaddressed?

4) WHERE ARE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER/NOVEMBER WAIVER APPROVALS. What's going on with the out of order processing? Why won't someone give us some kind of an update or explanation?

5) Could we have just a teeny tiny bit more information regarding open pickups? What do we need to show and what is the part about verifying addresses?

Please refer to Part I for additional, still unanswered questions.

http://immigrate2us.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1350

[MendozaQH]

Hey Kitkat, won't it be nice when we are FINISHED with immigration (hopefully in 3-4 years after hubby is US citizen), then there won't be any more unanswerable questions!!! Right......LOL

Hang in there, it should be your turn soon!

[inlimbo]

Good questions, Kitkat. It'd be nice to think that there must be some reasonable explanation to all of these, but who knows?!?

[kitkat1]

I believe there's an answer to each and every one of these questions as well as the others I posted. I doubt there's a reasonable explanation for needing to pay again (CDJ needs the money?) or for why the medical clinics do illegal things (shady deal behind the scenes with the consulate similar to why photos taken in the US that exactly meet the specs are rejected and we have to have new photos taken just outside the consulate?):innocent:

[inlimbo]

I thought that they changed the policy about having to repay fees when more than a year has passed. Or did I just dream that?:blush:

[kitkat1]

I thought that they changed the policy about having to repay fees when more than a year has passed. Or did I just dream that?:blush:

Apparently that only affects certain visa types. K1s are still required to repay - why you ask? hhmm - no idea. That's why I want an answer!!!!

[MendozaQH]

I believe there's an answer to each and every one of these questions as well as the others I posted. I doubt there's a reasonable explanation for needing to pay again (CDJ needs the money?) or for why the medical clinics do illegal things (shady deal behind the scenes with the consulate similar to why photos taken in the US that exactly meet the specs are rejected and we have to have new photos taken just outside the consulate?):innocent:

For the immigrant visa, they are no longer requiring people to pay that have gone over 1 year, from what I have heard......For the non-immigrant visa, it is an interview fee right?, so everytime you have an interview you have to pay???, not sure on that one...

The medical clinic answer.....because they can!!! I am sure somehow the clinic makes money, especially when people have to come back a second time 3 years later.... (BTW, they accepted our photos from the US, I measured and everything, so they can't say they wouldn't work...It was the Mexican consulate for the passport that were a PITA for the pics :innocent:)

I am sure everything that is done badly at the consulate has to do with money, I mean what else???

[inlimbo]

Apparently that only affects certain visa types. K1s are still required to repay - why you ask? hhmm - no idea. That's why I want an answer!!!!

Ah, I see. You're right, that doesn't make sense. Why oh why do they have to make things so confusing!

[kitkat1]

.For the non-immigrant visa, it is an interview fee right?, so everytime you have an interview you have to pay?

Logically speaking, that would make sense. When you have a visa interview, you pay $100. But the visa pick up appointment is not a visa interview. So why would anyone be required to pay again?

[gdalicia]

Logically speaking, that would make sense. When you have a visa interview, you pay $100. But the visa pick up appointment is not a visa interview. So why would anyone be required to pay again?

Actually, someone posted that they were told by CDJ that the second interview is not a "visa pick-up" like we call it but actually another interview. So I think they consider it like you are starting from scratch now that your ineligibility has been dealt with. So if you look at it purely from a financial point of view...they charge you again because they have to do all the work again. The reason it's not fair is because their backlog shouldn't necessarily be our problem....12 months seems like plenty of time to process a waiver.

[kitkat1]

I know that's what they told Jancy. But then they retracted/clarified that it was not an interview. And really there's no more work to do be done -- open appointment pick ups have proven that. You give you passport, you verify something (still totally unclear) about your address and you get the visa. Necessary to charge $100 to do this? I don't think so. (That plus the fact that the delay has nothing to do with anything any of us did -- it's their problem they have a backlog - not ours - and how they can continue to get away with charging people is beyond my comprehension).

[gdalicia]

Oh really, they retracted that? Interesting... And yes the "open pick-ups" are highlighting the fact that it shouldn't have to be that big of a deal. However, I think the open appts will obviously disappear as soon as the backlog does. In some ways, I can see how they can justify another interview to redo fingerprints (make sure you didn't get caught at the border or worse) and verify that you haven't picked up any lovely communicable diseases during your forced vacation. TB (and increasingly AIDS) is a huge problem in Mexico so I can imagine that's a concern. A lot can change in a year...

My general feeling is that this is simply yet another perfect example of the government being slow to react to a potential problem. In this case, Mr. Janssen came in and implemented stricter guidelines at the same time that the number of waiver cases began to skyrocket. (I always remind myself that waiver cases represent only 10% of total cases in CDJ) In the end, the pilot program was the only long term solution that made any sense even though it left many of us behind. The rest has just been mitigation...

[nsoto]

I was also sent the same email as Jancy, which stated it wasn't an appointment to pickup the visa, but another interview. HERE is exactly what it says.

"Be aware, however, that this is not an appointment to pick
up the visa, but rather an interview where it will be determined if your
husband is eligible to receive a visa. He will need to get a new medical
exam, re-submit all forms, photographs and present a valid Mexican
passport."

[kitkat1]

I don't trust much of anything that comes in an email from CDJ. They are just telling you what they have been told. But really, it's clear from the open pick ups that no additional "interview" is at all required, unless one year has passed and the consulate needs more of your money!

[ratito921]

kitkat thanks for asking all those questions. Those are things I want to know too. I love your enthusiasm!!! :thumbup:

[kitkat1]

Now wouldn't it be amazing if we actually got some answers? BTW, it's not really enthusiasm, it's SEETHING ANGER!!!

[gdalicia]

Now wouldn't it be amazing if we actually got some answers? BTW, it's not really enthusiasm, it's SEETHING ANGER!!!

I hear that. I have personally never been involved in something so infuriating in my entire life.

[kitkat1]

For me it's a combination -- the utter lack of information from the consulate which leads us to believe that there are a lot of inquities here (waiver order processing, expedites being ignored, etc.) added to the piles of incorrect information we are given by the consulate itself. I'm completely aware that we are lucky to be able to even be eligible for the waiver process, but I really cannot just sit back when I feel like we, as American citizens, are being screwed over by our own consualte - one that's supposed to be working for us.

I've been pretty calm from day one, but when even my own Senator cannot get a response to a phone call or email sent to the congressional inquiry secret email . . . well let's just say I've completely lost it now.

[angela256z]

So I should make my husband lie when they ask him if he drinks? I mean he drinks once in a while, but he is in no way an alcoholic. I grew up with alcoholics there is no freaking way I would marry one.

[Dorothea]

Kitkat, I especially want to know the answer to Q#4. Why can't they just give some ANSWERS?!?!?!?!
I, of course, would love to know the deal with the medical exams too... and why nothing has been done about them...

[Dorothea]

I think even if my husband got his visa and eventual citizenship, these questions would still bother me. Things need to change!

[zamarrone]

when will Warren and Mr. B answer these questions?

[kitkat1]

when will Warren and Mr. B answer these questions?

When hell freezes over maybe? :bounce:

It's extremely unlikely that they will EVER be answered -- it was more of a vent and a hope that perhaps someone in CDJ would at least read it!

[dduran]

My next set of question for Warren Janssen, Oscar Lujan, Santiago Burciaga follows:

(No, no answers on the first set yet but I'm ever so optimistic)

1) With the new wonderful open pick up appointment for approved waivers, wouldn't it make GREAT sense to allow those picking up before the one year mark to do so at another Mexican embassy or consulate i.e. Mexico City or Tijuana? How hard would it be for CDJ to share waiver approval information with two other consulates so that people who don't need another medical and don't have to pay again can just go to the closest consulate? This might even take some of the burden off the consulate in Ciudad Juarez.

2) For those who have passed the one year mark, it's clear the medical has to be repeated. But why should applicants be required to re-pay fees and submit new forms when the delay is NOT their fault but rather the fault of the consulate? (It's clear CDJ is doing everything they can to move processing along, but that doesn't mean applicants who waited a year should still have to pay!)

3) What on earth is going on at the medical clinics in Ciudad Juarez and why hasn't the consulate done something to address this problem?

They ask questions that have NOTHING to do with the medical and is clearly none of their business (why would the nurse need to know if you ever had problems with immigration -- how is that related to making sure the applicant does not have a communicable disease or is not a psycho?).

They try to brand people as "addicts" or "alcoholics" when they admit to social drinking. Is there some immigration law that only the doctors and nurses in Ciudad Juarez are aware of that says "social drinking is a visa ineligibility"? NO there isn't. It's no secret the the medical clinics DO NOT comply with the law and that there are great concerns related to the drug history questions they ask. (Read AILA Practice Alert document 06020110) and it's common knowledge that their actions do not comply with the Foreign Affairs Manual. How long will the consulate let this go unaddressed?

4) WHERE ARE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER/NOVEMBER WAIVER APPROVALS. What's going on with the out of order processing? Why won't someone give us some kind of an update or explanation?

5) Could we have just a teeny tiny bit more information regarding open pickups? What do we need to show and what is the part about verifying addresses?

Please refer to Part I for additional, still unanswered questions.

http://immigrate2us.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1350

I was wondering on # 4. Warren Janssen, Oscar Lujan, Santiago Burciaga
know which city isn't doing its job. I would think they'd ask for the files back, I sure they are still in the boxs

[zamarrone]

Oh I thought Laurel has said that one of them was going to be at the chat last week

[kitkat1]

Even if Warren plans to attend another chat, it seems highly unlikely to me that he would actually address these questions in full. After all, most of them demonstrate inefficiency and problems on the consulate's part -- so it would be much easier for them to simply ignore these issues - as they pretty much have been.

[dduran]

Even if Warren plans to attend another chat, it seems highly unlikely to me that he would actually address these questions in full. After all, most of them demonstrate inefficiency and problems on the consulate's part -- so it would be much easier for them to simply ignore these issues - as they pretty much have been.

Did she mean last chat or tomorrows, I did see someone asked where was Sept,Oct& Nov. or do yous think some one should ask the question if one of them attend. Would be nice for Oscar or Warren to see this.

[gdalicia]

Oh I thought Laurel has said that one of them was going to be at the chat last week


I don't believe she ever mentioned anyone coming to the chat. She did post that she contacted Mr. Burciaga and he was willing to respond to some questions about the open visa pick-ups. Unfortunately it seemed to fall through and it now seems unlikely that he'll be doing that.