I had my first major adoption meltdown yesterday. I received an I-797C, Notice of Action from the USCIS (Immigration) that stated my fingerprints had expired and I needed to come in to be re-fingerprinted or my Petition for an Orphan Visa would be considered "abandoned" (got to love the use of that word!). No problem I thought. For those of you who may not know the Petition for Orphan Visa is an extremely important document in the international adoption process. Anyway, Tony and I went on September 8, 2006, to be re-fingerprinted so surely this is some kind of mix up that would be easily rectified...or not.
I called the 1-800 number on the USCIS form and after over 90 minutes on hold and two different levels of "customer" service I was told that they couldn't help me. In fact, I was told that I would have to appear at the District Office and be re-fingerprinted and I could speak to the supervisor on duty at the time of my re-fingerprinting. Don't get me wrong, I would stand in line forever if it meant that at the end I could bring Lily home. I just thought that since Tony and I were already re-fingerprinted this step was unnecessary! I truly believe when I go to the District Office with all my documentation, receipt numbers, etc. this problem will be resolved quickly. I just was so extremely frustrated with the "customer service" folks and can't understand why this couldn't be resolved over the phone. Honestly, the woman I dealt with never really let me get an entire sentence out. All she kept saying was "when you appear at the appointed time you can address this with the supervisor on duty". My entire point was why do I have to go at all....I've already been....twice. It was obvious that she was following some kind of script and not really listening to what my issue was.
Now, here is the icing on the cake...included in the envelope with my I-797C, Notice of Action was another person's I-797C (complete with their personal information, ssn, etc.). When I mentioned this to the USCIS customer service rep they stated that I would need to type a cover letter stating that this notice was inadvertently included in my envelope and mail it back to them. WHAT???? You've got to be kidding me. It's their error and I have to type a letter and mail it back to them??? Meanwhile they have done nothing to help me resolve my issue...I don't think so. I typed a letter...but not to them. I typed a letter to the person that the I-797C was addressed to and told them that it was included in a mailing sent to me. Hopefully this person will follow through with the USCIS and ask them why their personal info was disclosed to another person.
I am not proud to admit this but I completely lost my cool. When the representative said to me for the one hundredth time "if you want your petition to have a favorable outcome you will go to the district office at the appointed time" I almost climbed through the phone. Our petition has already had a favorable outcome. We've jumped through all of their damn hoops! Enough already! By the time I hung up I was completely weepy and had used an expletive or two. So much for grace under pressure!
Normally I am a pretty level headed person...not the big whiny face I was yesterday. A day has passed now and I feel kind of silly for being so upset. But honestly I'm still kind of fuming. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I feel 5 lbs lighter already.
I called the 1-800 number on the USCIS form and after over 90 minutes on hold and two different levels of "customer" service I was told that they couldn't help me. In fact, I was told that I would have to appear at the District Office and be re-fingerprinted and I could speak to the supervisor on duty at the time of my re-fingerprinting. Don't get me wrong, I would stand in line forever if it meant that at the end I could bring Lily home. I just thought that since Tony and I were already re-fingerprinted this step was unnecessary! I truly believe when I go to the District Office with all my documentation, receipt numbers, etc. this problem will be resolved quickly. I just was so extremely frustrated with the "customer service" folks and can't understand why this couldn't be resolved over the phone. Honestly, the woman I dealt with never really let me get an entire sentence out. All she kept saying was "when you appear at the appointed time you can address this with the supervisor on duty". My entire point was why do I have to go at all....I've already been....twice. It was obvious that she was following some kind of script and not really listening to what my issue was.
Now, here is the icing on the cake...included in the envelope with my I-797C, Notice of Action was another person's I-797C (complete with their personal information, ssn, etc.). When I mentioned this to the USCIS customer service rep they stated that I would need to type a cover letter stating that this notice was inadvertently included in my envelope and mail it back to them. WHAT???? You've got to be kidding me. It's their error and I have to type a letter and mail it back to them??? Meanwhile they have done nothing to help me resolve my issue...I don't think so. I typed a letter...but not to them. I typed a letter to the person that the I-797C was addressed to and told them that it was included in a mailing sent to me. Hopefully this person will follow through with the USCIS and ask them why their personal info was disclosed to another person.
I am not proud to admit this but I completely lost my cool. When the representative said to me for the one hundredth time "if you want your petition to have a favorable outcome you will go to the district office at the appointed time" I almost climbed through the phone. Our petition has already had a favorable outcome. We've jumped through all of their damn hoops! Enough already! By the time I hung up I was completely weepy and had used an expletive or two. So much for grace under pressure!
Normally I am a pretty level headed person...not the big whiny face I was yesterday. A day has passed now and I feel kind of silly for being so upset. But honestly I'm still kind of fuming. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I feel 5 lbs lighter already.
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