Initial naturalization application processing now centralized

Bobsmyth said:
USCIS has shifted initial processing of naturalization application from service centers to the NBC (National Benefits Center) in order to make processing more efficient and improve customer service.
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Read that as: "Due to another step being added to the process, expect the processing times to permanently increase by 1-2 months".:rolleyes:
 
Interesting. Thanks for posting this Bobsmyth.

Vorpal said:
Read that as: "Due to another step being added to the process, expect the processing times to permanently increase by 1-2 months".Read that as: "Due to another step being added to the process, expect the processing times to permanently increase by 1-2 months".:rolleyes:
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It would seem like it, since the path will now be Service Center>NBC>DO. Certainly there is more opportunity for things getting lost.

But it may actually speed up the process. Something like this happened when I applied for PR status. They centralized I-485 processing to NBC, which had just been created out of MSC. Cases like mine, which were already at the DO and had to be transferred to Missouri, were held up even more. But people who applied for their GC after the change saw very fast processing times. I think in general a lot of things we complain about, like inconsistent queuing practices, could be rectified more easily at NBC.

That said, my question is: if this will really increase efficiency, why the $%@$* are they just introducing it now when new applicants have 3 month timelines, and why didn't they do this to deal with the mother#$*(&*ing backlog???? :mad:
 
nyc_naturalizer said:
That said, my question is: if this will really increase efficiency, why the $%@$* are they just introducing it now when new applicants have 3 month timelines, and why didn't they do this to deal with the mother#$*(&*ing backlog???? :mad:
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Probably for the same reason it took them a year to finally begin implementing additional IOs at backlogged offices. Speaking of backlogged offices, it appears that D.C. may actually overtake NYC soon. I began writing my WOM complaint last night, and it's not as complicated as I expected, thanks to one of lazycis's templates!

Did you see my post about a conversation I had with an IO yesterday?:rolleyes:
 
Vorpal said:
Did you see my post about a conversation I had with an IO yesterday?:rolleyes:
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Vorpal said:
UPDATE: Inspired by rick92's call to the USCIS, I decided to call myself. Did the usual trick to get to the IO. Here's where it got a bit funny: the call was answered by officer Fox, a female IO with whom I've spoken in the past. Could it be that there is an extremely limited number of IOs working at the call center? Anyway, this particular IO didn't seem very informed the first time I talked to her (a couple of months ago), and nothing has changed since. She gave me the same answer about the "queue" and that nothing has been scheduled for me yet. Just for the hell of it, I asked how long it takes to get an IL after being placed in queue. She said that once you get placed in queue, you just have to wait until you get it. She also mentioned (and this one really made me crack up) that NYC is currently processing May 2007, and I applied in September, so I'm still within normal processing times. After hearing that, I politely ended the conversation and hung up. These people are unreal.....;)
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Was Fox Hispanic by any chance? This sounds almost exactly like a conversation I had a month or two ago.
 
nyc_naturalizer said:
Was Fox Hispanic by any chance? This sounds almost exactly like a conversation I had a month or two ago.
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She sounded more African-American. My guess is that she's a recent hire, since she put me on hold several times while she was looking up my information (both times I called). If I remember correctly, she's the one who told me that they are not allowed to give out name check information the first time I spoke to her. I'm still laughing over the fact that she told me yesterday that NYC is currently processing May 2007. Unless she already has new info and NYC is retrogressing back to May with this month's update (which I highly doubt), this is proof positive that some IOs don't even bother keeping up with current information.
 
Vorpal said:
She sounded more African-American. My guess is that she's a recent hire, since she put me on hold several times while she was looking up my information (both times I called). If I remember correctly, she's the one who told me that they are not allowed to give out name check information the first time I spoke to her. I'm still laughing over the fact that she told me yesterday that NYC is currently processing May 2007. Unless she already has new info and NYC is retrogressing back to May with this month's update (which I highly doubt), this is proof positive that some IOs don't even bother keeping up with current information.
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Definitely not the same person then, but my experience was very similar. She also put me on hold, and basically pretended to look up my information. I say "pretended" because the information she gave me in the end I already knew to be false (from conversations with more knowledgable IOs both before and after). She told me that after my fingerprinting my name and prints were sent to the FBI and that I would get a letter when that was complete! And I got the same line as you about IL, that I would "just have to wait."

Some of these people are clueless. I'm not even sure they're all really IOs. Sometimes when my call is escalated the phrase the CSR uses is, "I'm going to transfer you to the next level of customer service."
 
nyc_naturalizer said:
Definitely not the same person then, but my experience was very similar. She also put me on hold, and basically pretended to look up my information. I say "pretended" because the information she gave me in the end I already knew to be false (from conversations with more knowledgable IOs both before and after). She told me that after my fingerprinting my name and prints were sent to the FBI and that I would get a letter when that was complete! And I got the same line as you about IL, that I would "just have to wait."

Some of these people are clueless. I'm not even sure they're all really IOs. Sometimes when my call is escalated the phrase the CSR uses is, "I'm going to transfer you to the next level of customer service."
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Actually, every time I got transferred, the CSR used "next level of customer service" or "another customer service" representative. I do know that Immigration Officers and Immigration INFORMATION Officers are two separate entities, which may explain the lack of knowledge on the part of certain IIOs.

I wonder why some of them put callers on hold while they "pretend" to look up information? I wouldn't doubt if the situation went something like this: (addressing neighboring IIOs) "Hey guys, an N-400 applicant is on the phone and he wants to know when he can expect his IL. What should I tell him?" This is when other IIOs start chiming in with their suggestions. Some may be true, others may be completely made up.
 
Vorpal said:
I wonder why some of them put callers on hold while they "pretend" to look up information? I wouldn't doubt if the situation went something like this: (addressing neighboring IIOs) "Hey guys, an N-400 applicant is on the phone and he wants to know when he can expect his IL. What should I tell him?" This is when other IIOs start chiming in with their suggestions. Some may be true, others may be completely made up.
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Some IOs rather put you on hold while they look up your info (and ask around if needed) due to poor multitasking skills or they don't want to be chatty when they do their work.
 
Bobsmyth said:
Some IOs rather put you on hold while they look up your info (and ask around if needed) due to poor multitasking skills or they don't want to be chatty when they do their work.
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I've only been put on hold by an alleged IO when the information they return with is false or vague. So my assumption is that they put you on hold to deliberately mislead you into thinking they have information on your case, when they do not (or don't know how to access it, or are too lazy to do so).
 
Vorpal said:
Actually, every time I got transferred, the CSR used "next level of customer service" or "another customer service" representative. I do know that Immigration Officers and Immigration INFORMATION Officers are two separate entities, which may explain the lack of knowledge on the part of certain IIOs.
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Levels of USCIS Customer Service:

Level 1 - Able to read information off of USCIS website and enter application numbers into Case Status Online.

Level 2 - Able to pose as an IO, place calls on hold, and freely make up information about case status.

Level 3 - Able to cite 1-2 month timeframes and speculate about the meaning of being "in queue."
 
nyc_naturalizer said:
I've only been put on hold by an alleged IO when the information they return with is false or vague. So my assumption is that they put you on hold to deliberately mislead you into thinking they have information on your case, when they do not (or don't know how to access it, or are too lazy to do so).
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I've called USCIS multiple times, been placed on hold by IOs, but have lost hope long ago when I realized there is only so much they know themselves yet continue to provide inaccurate information in the process. I once was very close to telling an IO that they need to stop providing information that is inconsistent since it only frustrates the applicant more when they call back later.
 
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