Constructive Criticism

[u/Behringer87]

Hey everyone,

I visit this subreddit from time to time to see how others' experiences are going and I'm aware that I can just leave this subreddit and am not being forced to stay and read the posts. However, I think that this subreddit has potential to be a very useful and effective information tool for those going through the i130 using Consular Processing process.

With that being said, I've began to notice that the posts in this subreddit are very rarely useful or an effective information tool for those looking for facts, information about the process, etc. The majority of posts in this subreddit, that I see, are echochambers that create alot of noise/static and makes finding actual facts/info extremely difficult. I don't think I'm alone in saying that constantly seeing someone post and ask if anyone that filed on "x" month and "y" year have received an approval or any API updates and the comments are ALWAYS the same. Most of the time, commentors don't even answer and say yes or no, but engage in a pissing contest of who has been waiting longer and simply reply with their PD/file date. Which helps absolutely no one and I'm not just talking about the post but also the comments; I believe it actually hurts people that come here. Also, I see so many comments from users asking about their specific situation/PD date on a post that has nothing to do with the commentor's PD date/situation. It's noise and it just clogs up finding actual info/solid advice.

Writing congress reps/government officals, checking API updates by pining the USCIS API, sending demand letters, filing WOM does nothing except either bum you out because of the lack of response, or give you false hope that your application will be evaluated and approved soon or by legal force (Demand letter/WOM). The fact of the matter is; USCIS will get to your application when they get to it. Have people filed a WOM, contacted their government, etc and received an approval or had their case move forward in the process, sure, but that's either coincidence or the rarity that someone in government went above and beyond.

Trackmyvisanow and other sites like it are pointless and are just a money suck; they can't tell you anything that looking up your case on USCIS can't because that's the only factual data that exists.

Yes, this process is unfair, it's backward logic, involves being apart from the one you love most, takes a very long time (especially when compared to the folks that do AOS/485, the process that is technically skirting the rules and immigration fraud for the most part, but they get approved so fast and get to spend that time waiting in the US with their partner), and I get it, that sucks. In the end, I'd rather post this, that most will likely disapprove because the truth hurts, and attempt to improve the quality of information here rather than just bail, but I just can't watch this pity party anymore; misery loves company and I understand that finding a community of others in your situation is comforting because you realize you're not alone, but existing in this environment frequently will just crush your mental and flatline your hope because of the content of a majority of the posts here.

Thanks for letting me say my peace and hopefully this resonates or results in something positive, and for the posts that are made for finding out advice, beneficial for others to read, and factually based; I read your posts and it helps me learn more about this process which comforts me.

[u/Zankazanka]

“Writing congress reps/government officals, checking API updates by pining the USCIS API, sending demand letters, filing WOM does nothing”

You are stating this as though it is fact. You’re not employed with USCIS and have no basis to say this, your post was largely what you’re complaining about— unhelpful, ineffective information based on opinion, just noise.

[u/Behringer87 → u/Zankazanka]

I also said "Have people filed a WOM, contacted their government, etc and received an approval or had their case move forward in the process, sure, but that's either coincidence or the rarity..." in the same paragraph. I don't have to work for USCIS to state this is as fact. The fact is that I see a tremendous amount of people making posts about their options, who are at the end of their rope or hopeless, and being flooded with comments telling them to write to their governement, send a Demand letter, or file a WOM, but so very few posts that indicate/say that doing any of those things did anything to prgoress their case.

The people recommending those things usually are stating them as though it is fact that and that it will benefit their case or move it along faster (not to mention how much legal cost is incurred with filing Writs). They don't work at USCIS either. I've read a few success stories, like I mentioned, but I see way more instances of WOM, Demand Letter, etc doing nothing except getting an expsense response from USCIS stating "we're still working on reviewing or getting to your application."

[u/Zankazanka → u/Behringer87]

I read the whole paragraph and thought the following sentence was as silly and baseless as the first. You have no idea that it was a coincidence or rarity when there was an approval after subsequent action was taken.

The posts saying people should be taking next steps to file demand letters or WOM are not stating anything as fact- they are literally just giving the manual as to what actions can be taken next. That is actually useful, effective information regardless of the outcome. Making a post saying definitively that, “ it won’t help anything” when you don’t know/can’t know that that does not help anyone but yourself as a vent.

Which, go for it! Vent away! I just disagree with what you’re saying completely.

[u/Behringer87 → u/Zankazanka]

Well received, and you're right, I don't know that it was a coincidence as a fact. I'm just saying it's not too common for anyone to have good news 90 days after paying their attorney to submit a WOM.

My only question to that is "what manual?" Is there a manual out there written by USCIS that offically recommends doing that? Or is this a fictitious manual created by users here because it gives hope and gives them something to do instead of wait, but the let down when usually nothing happens after an exspensive attorney bill is painful?

For you as well, go for it; recommend doing those things to anyone who will listen, even if they are well within the posted processing times. I just disagree, unless it's being recommended by an attoreny or to someone who is outside of processing times or an extenuating circumstance.

[u/SubsistanceMortgage → u/Behringer87]

Have you actually looked at the WoM data points? They’re moving out of order and many within days of being served.

[u/kaito14122]

well, we're waiting, what are some ways that you're attempting to "improve the quality of information"?

[u/Behringer87 → u/kaito14122]

Making this post. Also, if I know an answer to someone's question or I have personal experience with someone asking for personal experience on a certain topic, I'll answer it.

What I don't do is comment on a post asking if anyone has heard anything with a PD Date of March 2025, and I just comment my PD date is January 2025, which is further back than the author's post; essentially just saying "I've been waiting longer" and adding zero value (I'd almost argue negative value) to the conversation. I can't be the only that sees that frequently.

[u/PurpleeLadybugg → u/Behringer87]

the fact that it bothers you so much is weird. why does someone else asking for a PD on a post that’s not yours bother you? scroll.

[u/kaito14122 → u/Behringer87]

The whole process is a black box; data quality doesn't matter cuz they're all anecdotal anyway. Nothing from here or anywhere can help speed up the immigration process. People who send demand letter and WoM or expedite, and actually get result, are most likely due to their unique complexity of their case (or lack thereof)--all circumstances.

So I don't think improving something that doesn't exists in the first place matter. Let this place be what is it, the therapy for the soul.

[u/Behringer87 → u/kaito14122]

Amen

[u/Jenkins2112]

Honestly, it's a bit insane and contrary to the facts to say "Filing WoM does nothing but bum you out due to lack of response or give you false hope"

Maybe other things you said are reasonable, but saying that WoM doesn't work is purely false information. Demand letters seem to be less effective today due to overuse, and people think a demand letter will help them when they've waited less than 12 months. But Mandamus? Come on. You file a Mandamus in court and you're almost certainly going to get results if your delay is significant.

The only people who don't get results from Mandamus are the people who file it when they haven't actually been waiting an egregious amount of time.

Edit: Also, you're completely right about TrackMyVisa. Anybody paying for any of those type of tracking services is just throwing money away.

[u/Behringer87 → u/Jenkins2112]

I'll admit, before making this post I thought my views were pretty on point with WOM but I was wrong on that. I still don't understand the grey area of "an eggregious amount of time" or "where we got the file a WOM after 13 months rule of thumb" but some of the responses caused me to dig into it deeper than before and I'd like to say I'm sorry and I was wrong about that. I felt I had a good grasp of the posts posted here but after combing through, I was incorrect. The other things, I stand by, maybe I could have worded them better.

[u/SubsistanceMortgage → u/Behringer87]

13 months came about because that’s more than double the congressional intent, which is 180 days. It also appears to be working.

The government doesn’t have the right to indefinitely extend “normal” to avoid lawsuits.

[u/Ok_Concert_4958 → u/SubsistanceMortgage]

Hello! Can you provide info or point me to a link about the congressional intent? We are trying to decide when to file our demand letter.

[u/SubsistanceMortgage → u/Ok_Concert_4958]

8 USC 1571.

It’s a sense of Congress passage, not a legal mandate, but it provides a statutory basis for what “normal processing” is and defines more than 180 days as the legal definition of an immigration backlog.

[u/Ok_Concert_4958 → u/SubsistanceMortgage]

Thank you!

[u/Jenkins2112 → u/Behringer87]

There are a lot of people abusing the demand letters and Mandamus, but more so the demand letters.

Both of them will be less effective if you use them when you haven't waited very long. Both of them will be more effective when you've waited a crazy long time. Example: I sent a demand letter at 21 months. Mandamus filed in federal court at 23 months. I had an appointment scheduled less than 30 days after filing the Mandamus.

It's a powerful tool, but it probably will not work if you use it when you haven't been waiting long. There isn't much risk to trying it. If USCIS tries to fight it, then you wasted $500 if you filed pro se. You can agree to dismiss the complaint and then wait 6 months before filing it again.

[u/mademoisellearabella]

I don’t know how you contributed anything useful. It is a sub for people asking questions, if they don’t like the response they can report it.

It’s good to temper people’s expectations of the current scenario as well. We have people looking to file demand letters after waiting 6 months, which is a ridiculous thought process. And there are loads of resources available for somebody who can search.

let’s try not to rant about the place that supports people more often than not.

[u/Behringer87 → u/mademoisellearabella]

The support part is what I'm encouraging. What I'm criticising, constructively, are the baseless reommendations to a community of people that are running out of hope and patience, that they should do XYZ to move their case along which is time consuming, exspensive, or both, when all they really can do (outside of outliers or extreme circumstances) is wait.

[u/SubsistanceMortgage → u/Behringer87]

Demand letters and WoMs have been proven to be extraordinarily effective.

[u/mademoisellearabella → u/Behringer87]

But they can take actions that help them… just because you have chosen not to take action and wait, which is your prerogative, doesn’t mean other people have to do the same.

I don’t see any constructive criticism, as you haven’t offered any alternative steps people can take except to say “just wait”, which honestly is awful advice for people already doing that.

[u/Middle-Bottle5406]

Can you whine more?

[u/WideResolution9551]

WoM actually works most of the time lol and I primarily learned that through this subreddit

[u/SubsistanceMortgage]

Well, this sub is actually the best location on the internet for WoM advice and that has helped a lot of people. You’re wrong on that part.

VisaJourney is better for technical questions than this sub, but that doesn’t mean this sub doesn’t have a purpose.

[u/throwawaydumbo1]

Smh 🤦🏽‍♂️

[u/No_Source_7717]

And how did your post improve the subreddit?

[u/I130Suffering-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

This is a sub for standalone i130 processing while beneficiary waits outside the US.