[carolun]

I need ya'lls help even if it is just to listen. After almost two years in this process one lost referral we finally got our PINK appointment today for May 27th 7:15. The problem an expired I-171H. I did what I was susposed to do and started the process of redoing my homestudy in January.....I submitted our paperwork as soon as the homestudy was ready 7 weeks ago yesterday. I called our congressmans office the day after we got out of PGN......I was told by them sure it will be done by last week or this week at the latest now today the same woman i have been talking to for 4 weeks tells me sorry you can't skip in line it will be a few more weeks before the extension is granted. see there is a 10 week back log and it wouldn't be fair for me to skip ahead. I don't understand this....I have called another congressmans office and i'll see where that gets me....I can't make myself cancel this appointment yet.

[robandjulie]

Oh this is awful! What state/area are you working with? Maybe someone can give you better contact information for your area?!

[cbmstephanie]

I agree...don't cancel it until you absolutely have to. Call...Call...Call...and then call some more until someone gets it for you! Good Luck!!

[carolun]

we are dealing with the Memphis USCIS office.. The lady was so mean today she said Mam your not the only one who wants their child home.........right but I bet i'm the only one with an appointment......needless to say many tears today

[lou0728]

Girl! Call you senator's WASHINGTON office. Don't deal with the local people. Tell them you have an international emergency and need to speak with the person over international affairs. A good friend gave me this same advice last week over my PA. That Washington office got on it, and the Embassy called ME less than 2 hours later. THEY CAN make this happen! Don't you DARE give up NOW!!!!!! Call them first thing in the morning. I bet you get the new form ASAP!!! Praying for you!!!!!

[Mom2Colin]

I've posted before about how incompetent the Memphis USCIS office is and obviously continues to be. Honestly, that place has cost people their lives - literally! I agree with the others. Call your state congressmen and your senators. Explain that you've got an embassy appointment and that you must have the I171H immediately. Continue to call until you receive help. The Memphis office will not listen to ordinary citizens. The only time they move is when they are forced to. It took them 16 weeks to process our application and that was in 2006 when there wasn't a crisis going on with Guatemalan adoptions.

Good luck !

[Dawnb93]

The Memphis office sounds like the New Orleans office - completely useless and incompetent. The USCIS was the worst part of the whole adoption for us (and we were in PGN for nearly 6 1/2 months!). When we got pink our fingerprints were going to expire right before our appt. and the NO office was no help. I called our senator's office and got the renewal a week later. Call, call, call!!!! Good luck!

dawn

[avoel]

When does your current I171H expire? Maybe I am missing something but I didn't think the Embassy issued pink if it was already expired so I am assuming it is going to expire soon? If not, maybe the Embassy already has your new cable 37 even if you don't have the paper copy of your new I171H in hand?

[STEPHANIE1975]

Call your state Senator. They have more connections and can get more done! You are in our prayers. Good Luck!

[SKL]

Good luck! I agree with the others - don't give up now! There has to be someone out there with both a heart and a brain.

[purplecat]

Don't give up, you can do it. It is a matter of getting in touch with the right person. Wishing you lots of luck!

[pjeaton]

I agree with avoel, I don't think the USE will issue PINK if your I-171H has expired. My understanding is that they would issue you an I-72 rather than give you an appointment.

We came very close in February - our PINK appt was 4 days prior to the expiration of our I-171H. We did get our extension a week before we left but it was a close call. Also I have a friend who contacted the USE because their fingerprints were about to expire and they were have trouble with USCIS so the USE held an appointment for them. Their 2nd DNA got back to the USE in time and they were able to use the held appointment.

[carolun]

I'm getting ready to start making some more calls. Our I-171H expired on 5/7/08 I thought the same thing about the PINK but apparently if it was not expired at 2nd DNA sometimes they go on and Issue pink. I fully expected to get an I-72 but I know for sure they have not granted our extension.

[dance_muffin]

I would tell you to GO to your congressman's office. Call up first schedule an appt. for TODAY! Don't take no for an answer. Also, the senator staff CAN HELP YOU! They have access to the "magic phone numbers" that we don't access to. Make sure you bring a pic of your child. It gives them a sense of reality that they see a little face that goes with a name. Bring all your paperwork (EVERYTHING). I did this with 2 senators (who had offices at opposite ends of the state). They both got on the horn ASAP to help me with my "lost" cable 37. Senators can make it happen.

Good luck, let us know what happens.

[adoptlove66]

that is an outrage. CALL your senator or congressman's office and get them on it and yes they can and will help you and get it done for you.