Does anyone know how you go about getting a congressional inquiry into your case? How do you get a hold of a congress person? Is it any use?

I just completed a congressional inquiry. You need to write a letter (or email) to your Member of Congress explaining your situation as consisely and convincingly as possible. Emphasize that you are a constituent and that you would like their assistance as you are having trouble communication with/getting results from the federal government officials in charge of your case. Most Members of Congress will respond to your letter promptly, but you need to follow it up with a phone call to their office. Ask to speak to the person in charge of immigration issues; every Member of Congress should have a person who deals specifically with this issue.

If you keep getting generic responses, be persistent. Don't drive them crazy, but check in every week or so and ask if there has been any progress. They are likely to forget about you if you just send a letter and don't follow up. Try to establish a rapport with the staff member in charge of immigration if you are having troubles.

I think your luck will depend on who your Representative is; some are more helpful on immigration issues than others. It helps to look into their record on immigration issues beforehand; you might want to contact a Senator if your Representative is very anti-immigrant. Fortunetly, my Rep was helpful and has a good record on immigration issues.

I don't know your situation personally, but I feel my inquiry was helpful in getting the embassy off of their butt (pardon the expression) and processing our case. It is not a quick-fix guaranteed solution, but I think it can help move things along a little more smoothly.

You can find your representative and info about their record on immigration at www.house.gov, where you can link to send them an email and begin your process. If they are anti-immigrant, check www.senate.gov instead to see if your Senators are a bit more compassionate.

Good luck!