it has been exactly ten months and still nothing... ):

hi everyone (:

i sent my DACA application on June 22nd, 2015 and they received it on the 25th- three days later.
i did the biometrics thing and everything i was supposed to do. now i'm just waiting.

well, i have been waiting for ten months and i have gotten nothing.
other than an "update" in my name (whatever that means) on October 12th, 2015, i have gotten nothing.

i called them sometime in late November to ask why it was taking so long to get a decision, but they told me it had only been four months and that i should call thirty days later. because thirty days later landed on a holiday, and the fact that that entire week was dedicated to the holidays, i waited to call until about a week after all the major holidays were over.
when i called back, they told me it was still not outside normal processing time and that i should wait another thirty days to call if i still hadn't gotten a reply. so i did.

i waited another thirty days and, on February 6th, 2016, since i still hadn't gotten anything, i called them again.
they gave me a confirmation number, or referral number (i think that's what it was called), which essentially only summarized what was going on: still processing application.

unfortunately, because of difficult home circumstances, i called again, in early March 2016, to ask for an update. again, i was told the same thing as before: have not reached a decision.
as my home situation gets worse, i keep calling back, at least once a month to ask why it is taking so long or if there is an issue with my application though one of the representatives assured me that if there had been, they would have contacted me early on and not have waited many months before saying anything.

i called earlier this month, in April 2016, in the hopes of hearing good news, but i was given yet another thirty days and a second referral number that summarized the same thing as before.

i don't know what to do.
i am a twenty-four-and-a-half-year-old female living in California. i lived with my former boyfriend in an oppressive situation that took me years to get out of and i'm still living in one now, but with family.
i have a life waiting for me in Florida: college, a job, and someone to shadow/intern for (i want to study Psychology), a few great friends, and a place to live.
all i am, we are, waiting for is a decision and my permit which we really hope comes.
that job has just been waiting for me for months, but as summer approaches and high school students finish school, it'll be taken and i'll have no job until i can find one on my own (which will be tough in a new place knowing very few people... and no official previous work experience, as many of us without DACA have).

is there anything i can do to somehow "speed up" their decision on my application?
i mean, that sounds like a long-shot, but if there is anything i can do, i would really like to know. please and thank you.

is anyone else in this same wait-time situation?
have you called? if so, what have you been told? are you worried?

please shed some light.

i greatly appreciate any and all helpful replies.. (:

Hi Cutie

the ombudsman was a popular way to reach uscis(hardly read about using that option now), another alternative try to see if you can get a senator to inquire on your behalf.

i don't know much about ombudsman, but from what i gather, after doing a quick search, i would really only need one if i feel my rights were violated or if i have a complaint against maladministration-- both of which i don't. i could be very wrong, however, so anyone feel free to enlighten me. (:

as for the senator inquiring on my behalf, how would i go about it? i always had an understanding that senators, and anyone with power, really, were... unreachable. how could i get a senator on my side to help me out on this?

i really appreciate all your help.
thank you. (:

so you are here illegally, suddenly this thing called DACA gets announced that deferred us from deportation and give us a work permit along an SSN and you feel your rights are being violated because they are taking longer than usual?

What the hell is wrong with you?

She obviously is way more patient than the average person since she waited for almost a year while still juggling her daily life. She then probably thought to reach out to a community of her peers for advice. (At the very least, mental support.)

Even then, someone else suggested ombudsman and she very clearly responded that she doesn't feel that is the case and seems like she would feel bad to use that basis.

So please, tone it down with the attitude. At least in this forum, where some of us come to read and share advice on our situation.

To rebuttal your point of somehow being ungrateful for even questioning any of the process, I would say that from an administrative point of view, she has every "right,' whatever the hell that means, to get mad. Imagine you are hanging from a cliff and have accepted the fact that you can't do anything about it. Then later on someone else comes along and acts like they're about to help you. This has the potential effect of completely changing your resolve and seeing how a different set of circumstances is within your reach (literally in this scenario). If then, this person takes out an apple and starts munching on it right in front of you before giving you a hand, I'd wager that even you'd be a bit ticked off. Or would you be completely okay with that and forgive anything that person does or doesn't do that only makes your mental state unbalanced?

Sorry for taking it out on you, but I'm a really long time lurker( I probably visit this page everyday) and I've seen this harsh tone from some of the more active members to newcomers that I'm starting to get really irritated. Unless people are obvious trolls, or deliberately choose not to take legitimate advice from members, please try to remember that their post or thread maybe their first time getting introduced to this site or they feel lost in their own world and sought out others like them to connect to. Please don't let your own fatigue and frustrations of our situation affect the reputation or the intent behind this site. We all deserve equal respect regardless of if you have 1 post or 10,000 posts.

-OP
I'm not really sure how to deal with your scenario. My experience was a lot more streamlined and I can't imagine what I would do or how I would have lived if something like that happened to me. There are many members here that are gods compared to me when it comes to the little loopholes and tricks. Hopefully one of them can shed some light for you. All I can say, is that you seem to be a very genuine and honest person. At the very least, from the way you presented yourself you weren't unreasonably demanding or trying to game the system or something. I hope you get out of your unstable situation soon.

(I'm right around your age, so I understand some of what you are going through.)

Oh man, I miss post like these ones, the "I paid so I am entitled for them to haul ass"

There have been lots of people here who have waited longer than her, there was one person here who waited almost 2 years. Can you believe that? They talk to their state reps, nothing, call USCIS Many times, nothing so its not like this case is a super rare one.

At this point, OP has two options, if they cannot wait any longer, I STRONGLY suggest them to simply abandon their case and move on or continue to wait and keep feeling her rights for obtaining DACA are being violated. Quite frankly the second options seems like the best one.

thank you for your replies (:

the Department of Homeland Security finally replied, and, unfortunately, they are asking for more evidence to prove that i was here April through December 2011, January through December 2012 (including June 15th, 2012 specifically), and May through December 2013-- all time periods for which i have absolutely nothing. nothing physical anyway. i have less than two months to provide evidence and i have to fill out Part 2, questions 6a through 10 (the part that asks about my departure from the country-- which i never ever did). i lived with my former boyfriend during the five years that i have to provide, including 2011-2013. my life during those five years was recorded on the internet (sadly, the only things remaining are sign-ins into Google-- Google tracks sign-ins using GPS). am i allowed to use that? if not, i don't know what to do. ):

Dreamer_2010, thank you for your kind wishes. for someone who has many insecurities, like myself, a stranger's kind words can help lift their spirits. (:

Pianoswithoutfaith, i know it is a privilege, a benefit not a right, to be able to get this permit and as such i do not feel entitled to get a quick reply just because i paid. in fact, i never feel entitled to get anything no matter what i do or don't do. the only reason i called them is because i really need to get out of where i currently reside. if there was anything at all i could achieve by calling, especially when they told me to, i did. i tried to anyway.
people are always saying to quit complaining and do something about it, and the only thing i could do was call.
you suggested you STRONGLY suggest i either abandon my case or continue to wait. i cannot abandon my case as the person who loaned me the money, which i currently cannot pay back, has been asking me to repay it since before the end of last year. while i would continue to wait, a whole year or even two years longer, i cannot. not because i am impatient, which i'm not, but because the more time that passes the worse things get here.
as i've mentioned, and i apologize for mentioning again, i am a person with many self-esteem issues and put-downs from people, especially family, take a toll on my emotional, psychological, and sometimes even physical health.
i apologize that you feel the way you do about me from what i said. i was merely asking for helpful suggestions, and/or moral support, from the community that has been through the whole waiting process and whatnot.

thank you for taking the time to read this.
any and all other helpful replies are greatly appreciated. thank you. (:

Do you want this badly or not? If yes, than i would gather all your strength and focus on getting the proof they need.

Do you have a bank account that can give you statements for that time period? Facebook posts or pictures that shows your location for the time they are asking? Yes, you can try to send that. Don't question it whether you can send it or not, just send it because the more proof you have that you were physically in the United States like you say you were, the better. Twitter posts, any form of GPS tracking that can tie you with a certain location would help. Did you go to a doctor in that timeframe, emergency room? Most hospital carry records of your visit and they will have your Date of Birth and Name and the date you visited. Even ask your BF to make a signed letter stating you were living with him for 5 years, even though they might not accept that but it does not hurt to send it one bit.

I know you might be down from all the stress you are having but dedicate 2-3 days researching evidence and you might find a lot more than you think. Than you prepare a package of what you have and send it in. Try to remember any form of internet logs that date back to the time they are asking and that it can tie you to being here and it will help.

Good luck

Piano calm down.