Philadelphia Backlog Elimination Center Tracking

[juntha]

Hi
I need some advice on what is happening. This is my 9th year extension. I got my last two extension without problem. But this year Murphy's law is coming into play. First my application was sent back saying that my fees were incomplete. This is our third extension from same company. But BCIS said that it requires $ 750 . Then application was sent back again stating that checks have to be from my company. Then our application was sent back again because new forms came into place in this whole process. It has more than 2 weeks since we filed for third time and we haven't recieved any reciept from BCIS regarding filling. I have to file my wife's H-4 visa. What should I do???
GCforWhat
PD: Aug'02
NJ

the 500 dollars Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee is for INITIAL h1b filing.

Filing Fees: If the petitioner is filing a stand-alone I-129 application, the Filing Fee is $185.

The Omnibus Appropriations Act of FY 2005 was signed into law on December 8, 2004, which reinstated and raised the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act (ACWIA) fee for H1-B petitions to $1,500.

* Petitioners who employ a total of no more than 25 full-time equivalent employees in the United States, including any affiliate or subsidiary, may submit a reduced ACWIA fee of $750.
* Certain types of petitions, that were previously exempt from the old ACWIA fee, are still exempt. The USCIS requires that a completed I-129W be submitted with all H-1B I-129 petitions and this exemption is granted based on the information contained in the I-129W.

The H1-B Visa reform Act also establishes a new Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee of $500 which must be paid by petitioners seeking a beneficiary�s initial grant of H1-B or L nonimmigrant classification or those petitioners seeking to change a beneficiary�s employer within these classifications.

* There are no exemptions from the $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee
* This Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee is effective March 8, 2005. Each of these fees is in addition to the base processing fee of $185 to file a Petition for a Nonimmigrant worker (I-129).

 

[MDwatch]

USCIS always milking the American Businesses cow !!!

 

[juntha]

USCIS always milking the American Businesses cow !!!

yes but in that precise case. Assuming it s only an extension... i haven t got a clue about why they asked him to pay 750 dollars...

 

[msp1976]

The attorney is just your agent...

Dear Friends,

So I think all of his clients who do know and doesn’t know about his status is in a limbo now. I know any correspondence from DOL or immigration is going to his old address and no one has access to it. I am in big trouble now. I applied for my Labor certificate from NY in 2002. All my hopes are shattered now. Please advice how I should handle this.

The attorney's status would not be a parameter in the legitimacy of your application.You should be able to maintain your PD
You need to find another lawyer...Explain this situation to the new lawyer and file a change of attorney form with DOL. I think it is called DS 28..Also you need to make sure that DOL has your application....It does not matter which attorney has filed it....I donot believe that attorney's disbarring has any effect on your application...The attorney is merely a conduit through which you facilitate the application...Anybody can file an application...Even you yourself can do it.....So donot panick....Take corrective measures.....This time make sure the attorney is legit.....

 

[vivekjain57]

If you are geting extension for 3 years after been on H1 for 3 years, please check appropriate forum. Don't clobber this forum. Geting 1 year extension after 6 year of H1 is related to labor certificate and its far intense than 3 year one, so its okay to ask help in such situation. You won't get any answers here. Sorry for being rude, but we keep on continuing this, tomorow we will start geting questions about h1-h4, f1-h1...
I hope other fellows agree with me on this.

Absolutely ! Lets keep this forum related to Phily Backlog reduction and related issues please, else instead of spending 15-20 minutes per day to read the resposes we'll be spending an hour or more.

 

[MDwatch]

yes but in that precise case. Assuming it s only an extension... i haven t got a clue about why they asked him to pay 750 dollars...

My company applied for my extension in march abd they sent us an RFE because we hadn't paid the $1500 (more than 50 employees) ...

 

[Omarx]

The attorney's status would not be a parameter in the legitimacy of your application.You should be able to maintain your PD
You need to find another lawyer...Explain this situation to the new lawyer and file a change of attorney form with DOL. I think it is called DS 28..Also you need to make sure that DOL has your application....It does not matter which attorney has filed it....I donot believe that attorney's disbarring has any effect on your application...The attorney is merely a conduit through which you facilitate the application...Anybody can file an application...Even you yourself can do it.....So donot panick....Take corrective measures.....This time make sure the attorney is legit.....

Thank "You" and "Yours Sincerely" for your advice. Just for everyone's information the attorney's name is Robert Kuhnreich. He practiced in Downtown Manhattan. If anyone has used this lawyer or know anyone who filed from NY please inform them. Now I have to find a good lawyer. Any recommendation from anyone will be greatly appreciated.

 

[MDwatch]

Just called Philly and got the same answer as usual ... processing April 2001 RIR case from regional.

When asked about a timeframe the operator said she did not know and even if she did was not at liberty to discuss it

I then asked why Dallas was faster than Philly, the answer is simple: Dallas is Dallas and Philly is Philly ..... very very satisfying answer.

When questionned about the contact for their company the operator got very antsy and asked me why I was asking so many questions

She then said she had already answered too many question and ended the conversation.

 

[Slade245]

Please..what number are you calling?

Just called Philly and got the same answer as usual ... processing April 2001 RIR case from regional.

When asked about a timeframe the operator said she did not know and even if she did was not at liberty to discuss it

I then asked why Dallas was faster than Philly, the answer is simple: Dallas is Dallas and Philly is Philly ..... very very satisfying answer.

When questionned about the contact for their company the operator got very antsy and asked me why I was asking so many questions

She then said she had already answered too many question and ended the conversation.

i would like to try too. thanks.

 

[Anand_Mishra]

Got reply from Senior Senator of CA

Today I got reply from senior senator after a month. At least she/her staff read the letter. As per letter, she is gonna write to BCIS sec. for mess. This will help me/us? Not Sure. Is this created some awareness? Sure. my 2 cents

 

[MDwatch]

i would like to try too. thanks.

Phone: (484) 270-1500

 

[GC_from_NJ]

Lawyers...

You can contact the Law Offices of Rajiv Khanna of Immigration Portal. I don't think you have to think twice to contact him. There are few other names who are pretty big in the immigration dept such as Cyrus Mehta & Co. They are pretty reputed in the Manhattan area and have a proven record in the field of Immigration.

Hope this info. helps !!

Thank "You" and "Yours Sincerely" for your advice. Just for everyone's information the attorney's name is Robert Kuhnreich. He practiced in Downtown Manhattan. If anyone has used this lawyer or know anyone who filed from NY please inform them. Now I have to find a good lawyer. Any recommendation from anyone will be greatly appreciated.

 

[GC_from_NJ]

Great..

This is great.... any kind of awareness about the incompetency of BEC's will be of great value. Please keep us posted on the developments of the follow up. Can you provide us more details of your appeal to the senator such as content of your letter to her ??

Thanks again for your efforts !! My 1 dollar.

Today I got reply from senior senator after a month. At least she/her staff read the letter. As per letter, she is gonna write to BCIS sec. for mess. This will help me/us? Not Sure. Is this created some awareness? Sure. my 2 cents

 

[msp1976]

Today I got reply from senior senator after a month. At least she/her staff read the letter. As per letter, she is gonna write to BCIS sec. for mess. This will help me/us? Not Sure. Is this created some awareness? Sure. my 2 cents

The last time there was large mobilization...It was through http://www.isn.org/
That time there were things like 7th year extension...Guys we need to talk to people like Murali Deverkonda/Shailesh Gala......A large group would always be more effective than just a few people....

 

[djurisicb]

please some help

this is my case
RIR
PD state 03/25/2003 Florida
Regional 09/08/2003 Atlanta

Case#04408xxx but it doesnt have a p or T that case # was downloaded from de dol files on their web page so I dont know if this is the case # at bec

 

[a_to_z_gc]

I think, there is no use calling this "nice" lady as I guess, she is just a clerk, who has absolutely no say in what goes inside PBEC.It's like asking the frontdesk person of your company to tell you the company's strategic plan

If you really want to make a difference, please try raising the issue w/right authorities. My $0.02 ...

Just called Philly and got the same answer as usual ... processing April 2001 RIR case from regional.

When asked about a timeframe the operator said she did not know and even if she did was not at liberty to discuss it

I then asked why Dallas was faster than Philly, the answer is simple: Dallas is Dallas and Philly is Philly ..... very very satisfying answer.

When questionned about the contact for their company the operator got very antsy and asked me why I was asking so many questions

She then said she had already answered too many question and ended the conversation.

 

[justdoit]

this is my case
RIR
PD state 03/25/2003 Florida
Regional 09/08/2003 Atlanta

Case#04408xxx but it doesnt have a p or T that case # was downloaded from de dol files on their web page so I dont know if this is the case # at bec

You got the case number from the downloaded files. That is either your DOL or SWA case number. The T/P number is the BEC case number. You will need to contact the BEC to obtain that number.

 

[richshi]

Washington Post article and other

The news/article by Washington Post is definetely worth encouraging from all of us. I urge people to send positive comments to the paper and to the reporter. A couple of local newspapers quoted this article as well. This helps raise the awareness of the public of the poor performance by the DOL, which right now is the biggest hurdle on the GC road for hundred of thousands of legal immigrants. The comments made by the Assistant Secretary of DOL is full of shit. Smart people of course can smell out the self-contradicting of her words.

Please continue to voice our dissatisfaction to all public media and figures, this can only help.

I guess the Phily is the worse of the two backlog centers. Hope it can finish entering all the cases by Sept, 2005, then start to process cases by FIFO. People need to keep reminding them of the FIFO rule, they tend to forget. People never made to regional are still waiting for the so called 45 day letters except for a few lucky ones. Also, traditional cases getting priority than RIR cases, not the other way around.

Expose the dark secrets of the Phily Backlog center! Let them be condemned.

 

[GC_from_NJ]

Questions..

APRLC... ,

Do you have any Monday updates for us ?

1. Where is the queue currently for RIR and TR cases ?
2. Is PBEC expected to finish data entry by Sept. end and can we see a true FIFO beginning Oct.'05 ?
3. When can SWA cases which has not made it to Regional see the 45 day letter and expect to see their cases reviewed ?

Probably these questions have been asked numerous times but any answer to these questions can put some hope into our minds..

 

[Soormabhopali]

When I will get my GC ?

Hi ,
When I will get my GC ? I know question is stupid but thats what i can ask now .its almost 2 years no movement .