admin
06-01 04:19 PM
Question for Foks asking for a separate bill : I understand from Admins answer above , this may not be possible now.
My question is , separting this from CIR will QUICKEN the proceedings with respect to our issues?
Question for Admin : Was this poll started by IV?
BTW I have voted in favor of a separate bill assuming it will quicken things. Thanks.
This poll was started by one our forum members and not by the organizing committee.
Repeating my answer, no Senator is even willing to talk to us regarding an alternate bill till the fate of CIR is sealed.
Look at the necessary steps to pass a bill. We need to convince a senator, have the bill analyzed and discussed in the Senate Judiciary Committe, discussed and amended in the Senate Floor, passed in the Senate, convince a bunch of House Reps, get it introduced in the House, discussed in the House Judiciary Committee, discussed in the House, passed in the house. Only after all these steps will it be at the current stage as CIR.
So which Senator do you think will be willing to do all of this and then find that CIR with most of the provisions has already been passed.
My question is , separting this from CIR will QUICKEN the proceedings with respect to our issues?
Question for Admin : Was this poll started by IV?
BTW I have voted in favor of a separate bill assuming it will quicken things. Thanks.
This poll was started by one our forum members and not by the organizing committee.
Repeating my answer, no Senator is even willing to talk to us regarding an alternate bill till the fate of CIR is sealed.
Look at the necessary steps to pass a bill. We need to convince a senator, have the bill analyzed and discussed in the Senate Judiciary Committe, discussed and amended in the Senate Floor, passed in the Senate, convince a bunch of House Reps, get it introduced in the House, discussed in the House Judiciary Committee, discussed in the House, passed in the house. Only after all these steps will it be at the current stage as CIR.
So which Senator do you think will be willing to do all of this and then find that CIR with most of the provisions has already been passed.
pappu
06-15 09:19 AM
In the past few years, our members have seen their immigration petitions, at times, processed improperly or get denied for the wrong reasons. At Immigration Voice members have contacted us with various issues and we keep getting these requests even now.
We have noticed that some of these processing issues are repetitive and there seems to be a pattern to their occuring.
The most common issue we see all the time is when applicants ports his/her job through AC21 portability - an i 485 employment based petition getting denied immediately after employer revokes i 140. i 485 employment based petition must not be denied immediately if i 140 revoke happens after 180 days of filing i 485. This issue is very common and keeps happening and the only way this can now be resolved as of today is by filing for a Motion to Reopen.
Other issues we have noticed are
- USCIS denies an i 485 petition because beneficiary did not answer a request for evidence - whereas in reality the beneficiary never received the RFE
- 485 was filed in Aug 2007, when the priority dates were indeed current (USCIS issued a memo explicitly stating this), but the adjudicating officer sometimes issues a denial stating that the dates were not current
and other similar issues.
In each of these cases, the USCIS should give the applicant the benefit of the doubt and issue a Request for Evidence (RFE), or maybe a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID), but never a straight denial.
As most of our members know, Immigration Voice has been helping members (especially donor members) in getting their 485 denials reversed successfully. This is being achieved by helping affected members follow up on their Motion To Reconsider (MTR) applications with their representatives of Congress, the Ombudsman, and at times directly with the USCIS.
In the long drawn process especially the i 485 application can get reviewed more than a handful of times - during filing, during pre-adjudication, during transfers between service centers (if applicable), during interviews (if applicable), during adjudication, and quite possibly reviewed by a different officer each time
Difficulties faced by applicants who get wrongful 485 denials:
- When an AOS applicant gets their 485 denied, they are faced with a barrage of stressful questions and issues,
- Applicants have 30 days to file an MTR, which can be an expensive affair - filing fees + attorney fees
- Applicants using their EAD cards to work, may have to suspend employment and go on leave without pay until their MTR is accepted and the 485 reopened. Undue delays during this phase can put their jobs at risk.
- Travel becomes an issue, since there is a question of the Advance Parole travel document becoming invalid if the 485 was denied
- Pending EAD/AP renewal applications could be jeopardized due to the denial of the 485 which was the basis for those applications
- If an applicant is overseas when the 485 is denied, they may quite possibly have trouble getting back into the country
- Local law enforcement, department of Motor vehicles, and other government agencies may not recognize the applicant's legal status in the country for the period during which the 485 is denied, which has its own set of hassles
The list could go on, but you get the gist, a 485 denial is not a pretty situation, until it gets resolved.
That being said, IV would like to work with the USCIS in taking measures to correct their processing procedures and not repeating the same errors again and again, thus saving the applicants from having to go through all the trouble, and the USCIS from the additional burden of having to review even more applications.
Our intention is not to blame, point fingers, or take up a fight with anyone. We recognize that this might be a training issue, or an oversight on the agency's part, and would like to work with them to resolve this.
The first step towards this initiative is to collect information on such denials that may have happened in the past 12 -16 months (since Jan 2008). IV is looking to get in touch with members that have had issues due to service errors and successfully resolved, and even the ones that are currently going through this.
We do understand that the first thought that might come to your mind is whether you could face any repercussions for 'taking action against a government agency'. Please realize that you are not taking any action against anyone, you are in fact helping IV help the USCIS streamline and improve its processes, which any agency would be very welcoming of.
We request our members who have faced such issues or are facing such issues to
- post a brief of their issue on this thread - such a post may not need to have personal information but a description of the issue and if it was resolved what were the steps taken (optional)
and
- Email a detailed issue description with dates, chronology of events and other information and hurdles you faced with your name and a contact number to info@immigrationvoice.org with a subject line "USCIS service error" (mandatory)
Please note that ONLY real stories from non anonymous members are needed. Please do not send bogus stories anonymously
At a later stage IV may request few members to provide their case information along with privacy consent after its discussions with appropriate authorities.
By doing so, you will be first and foremost, helping yourselves (we have had more than one member contact us, where the 485 was wrongfully denied on more than one occasion - so a successful MTR is not necessarily a sign that there won't be any more denials until the 485 gets approved), and helping other fellow applicants from having to deal with this very stressful and unnecessary situation.
We would like to encourage members to come forward and help us with this initiative, and also spread the word around. Helping is as easy as sending IV an email and optionally sharing your story on the forum.
With the priority dates being the way they are, and the heavy pre-adjudication activity that is said to be happening, we have an aggressive time line for this initiative, and would like to collect all information by June 30th, 2009, at the latest.
Thank you,
Immigration Voice
Chanduv23 and other volunteer members have formed a team for this effort under IV's guidance to help resolve common problems people face with USCIS errors. We have so many threads on RFEs and denials etc. Lot of people contact IV when they need help and they have nowhere to go. Just because someone does not have an RFE or Denial in error does nor mean it will not happen in future. People get panicked and seek frantic help from IV when they get into such situations. We wish to help solve this issue through this action item. If you need more information or wish to speak with someone please message chanduv23/ santb1975/mpadapa/snathan/axp817
If anyone wants to work on any other ideas and efforts, they can also form a team and contact us. We will guide you. Do not sit, wait and critique. Join hands with others and tell us your ideas and discuss them with us. Send us an email and we will talk about it. If the idea can be feasible we will certainly make that an action item.
We have noticed that some of these processing issues are repetitive and there seems to be a pattern to their occuring.
The most common issue we see all the time is when applicants ports his/her job through AC21 portability - an i 485 employment based petition getting denied immediately after employer revokes i 140. i 485 employment based petition must not be denied immediately if i 140 revoke happens after 180 days of filing i 485. This issue is very common and keeps happening and the only way this can now be resolved as of today is by filing for a Motion to Reopen.
Other issues we have noticed are
- USCIS denies an i 485 petition because beneficiary did not answer a request for evidence - whereas in reality the beneficiary never received the RFE
- 485 was filed in Aug 2007, when the priority dates were indeed current (USCIS issued a memo explicitly stating this), but the adjudicating officer sometimes issues a denial stating that the dates were not current
and other similar issues.
In each of these cases, the USCIS should give the applicant the benefit of the doubt and issue a Request for Evidence (RFE), or maybe a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID), but never a straight denial.
As most of our members know, Immigration Voice has been helping members (especially donor members) in getting their 485 denials reversed successfully. This is being achieved by helping affected members follow up on their Motion To Reconsider (MTR) applications with their representatives of Congress, the Ombudsman, and at times directly with the USCIS.
In the long drawn process especially the i 485 application can get reviewed more than a handful of times - during filing, during pre-adjudication, during transfers between service centers (if applicable), during interviews (if applicable), during adjudication, and quite possibly reviewed by a different officer each time
Difficulties faced by applicants who get wrongful 485 denials:
- When an AOS applicant gets their 485 denied, they are faced with a barrage of stressful questions and issues,
- Applicants have 30 days to file an MTR, which can be an expensive affair - filing fees + attorney fees
- Applicants using their EAD cards to work, may have to suspend employment and go on leave without pay until their MTR is accepted and the 485 reopened. Undue delays during this phase can put their jobs at risk.
- Travel becomes an issue, since there is a question of the Advance Parole travel document becoming invalid if the 485 was denied
- Pending EAD/AP renewal applications could be jeopardized due to the denial of the 485 which was the basis for those applications
- If an applicant is overseas when the 485 is denied, they may quite possibly have trouble getting back into the country
- Local law enforcement, department of Motor vehicles, and other government agencies may not recognize the applicant's legal status in the country for the period during which the 485 is denied, which has its own set of hassles
The list could go on, but you get the gist, a 485 denial is not a pretty situation, until it gets resolved.
That being said, IV would like to work with the USCIS in taking measures to correct their processing procedures and not repeating the same errors again and again, thus saving the applicants from having to go through all the trouble, and the USCIS from the additional burden of having to review even more applications.
Our intention is not to blame, point fingers, or take up a fight with anyone. We recognize that this might be a training issue, or an oversight on the agency's part, and would like to work with them to resolve this.
The first step towards this initiative is to collect information on such denials that may have happened in the past 12 -16 months (since Jan 2008). IV is looking to get in touch with members that have had issues due to service errors and successfully resolved, and even the ones that are currently going through this.
We do understand that the first thought that might come to your mind is whether you could face any repercussions for 'taking action against a government agency'. Please realize that you are not taking any action against anyone, you are in fact helping IV help the USCIS streamline and improve its processes, which any agency would be very welcoming of.
We request our members who have faced such issues or are facing such issues to
- post a brief of their issue on this thread - such a post may not need to have personal information but a description of the issue and if it was resolved what were the steps taken (optional)
and
- Email a detailed issue description with dates, chronology of events and other information and hurdles you faced with your name and a contact number to info@immigrationvoice.org with a subject line "USCIS service error" (mandatory)
Please note that ONLY real stories from non anonymous members are needed. Please do not send bogus stories anonymously
At a later stage IV may request few members to provide their case information along with privacy consent after its discussions with appropriate authorities.
By doing so, you will be first and foremost, helping yourselves (we have had more than one member contact us, where the 485 was wrongfully denied on more than one occasion - so a successful MTR is not necessarily a sign that there won't be any more denials until the 485 gets approved), and helping other fellow applicants from having to deal with this very stressful and unnecessary situation.
We would like to encourage members to come forward and help us with this initiative, and also spread the word around. Helping is as easy as sending IV an email and optionally sharing your story on the forum.
With the priority dates being the way they are, and the heavy pre-adjudication activity that is said to be happening, we have an aggressive time line for this initiative, and would like to collect all information by June 30th, 2009, at the latest.
Thank you,
Immigration Voice
Chanduv23 and other volunteer members have formed a team for this effort under IV's guidance to help resolve common problems people face with USCIS errors. We have so many threads on RFEs and denials etc. Lot of people contact IV when they need help and they have nowhere to go. Just because someone does not have an RFE or Denial in error does nor mean it will not happen in future. People get panicked and seek frantic help from IV when they get into such situations. We wish to help solve this issue through this action item. If you need more information or wish to speak with someone please message chanduv23/ santb1975/mpadapa/snathan/axp817
If anyone wants to work on any other ideas and efforts, they can also form a team and contact us. We will guide you. Do not sit, wait and critique. Join hands with others and tell us your ideas and discuss them with us. Send us an email and we will talk about it. If the idea can be feasible we will certainly make that an action item.
nb_des
04-14 11:51 AM
My LC is still in process after auditing (EB2). My employer wants to 'drastically' cut back my salary due the national depression, which is particularly affecting the field my company is operating in (sub-primes). If he does that, and I accept it, is LC in jeopardy? We filed back in September 2007 with a certain salary and now it will be lower. Do we have to communicate the change to the DOL? And if yes, what will happen? Do we have to re-file? Thank you to everybody for all the info you can give me! Really!:(
I think GC and your LC is for future job and as long as employer has ability to pay based on their financials it should be fine. But again I am no expert check with your immigration lawyer.
I think GC and your LC is for future job and as long as employer has ability to pay based on their financials it should be fine. But again I am no expert check with your immigration lawyer.
WillIBLucky
05-30 01:39 PM
Ideally all H1B people who are interested in immigrating will apply for GC around the 2nd or 3rd year of H1B.
If you are in EB2/EB3 you will and apply for Labor and/or I140 during the 3rd year, by the time you reach the 6th year you will be surely be able to apply for extension as by then you will be eligible even if your I140 is not approved as it will cross 365 days in pending state by then. If its approved then all the more you are safe.
The problem comes only for those who delay their GC process till the end of the H1B visas 5th or 6th year and those who are stuck in BEC.
Otherwise having this rule actually wont affect many people in future. So I would not worry about this rule.
If you are in EB2/EB3 you will and apply for Labor and/or I140 during the 3rd year, by the time you reach the 6th year you will be surely be able to apply for extension as by then you will be eligible even if your I140 is not approved as it will cross 365 days in pending state by then. If its approved then all the more you are safe.
The problem comes only for those who delay their GC process till the end of the H1B visas 5th or 6th year and those who are stuck in BEC.
Otherwise having this rule actually wont affect many people in future. So I would not worry about this rule.
more...
gc4me
07-05 07:53 PM
My f^$%@ desi employer did not provide me the letter. I was eligible to file I-485 in june itself. Now, If I want to change my employer and port my PD, how can I do that? I don't have I-140 approval copy and my company and his attorney will not provide it to me. I have the receipt#. Can anyone here has port PD using the I-140 receipt #. Please post your reply and save me from a blood suc^#@ monoster. I have lost my sleep .....completely...please help me.
luckysiri
02-18 07:32 PM
One of my close friend and her husband both had Greencard. She delivered baby in India in 2002. They were not able to get their son to US. They tried visitors visa for the baby but the consulate rejected the visa. The baby is still in India with his grandparents. They filed for his greencard (family based). They are counting days to get their son to US. He is already 6 years old. It is very tough for the parents and kid. I am not sure about the other options that people has mentioned. But I see my friend family directly who are facing this problem. I don't think it is a good idea.
more...
Can45
03-03 09:46 PM
I just receive the best Christmas gift I could ever ask for?? My name check and background check is clear after 2 years.....Now I'm receive my GC so I can start traveling......All my interview was approve so now they are (order card)....Enjoy ur Holiday.......
I am trying to understand how much time i have left to wait for GC ????:confused:
How do you know you have been stuck in name check ?:eek:
I am current with my dates:
The March Visa Bulletin Priority date indicates 01 Jan 2005 (my PD date is Jan 04)
And
Nebraska Service Center Processing Dates -posted Feb 15 08- indicates a I-485 EB �processing time frame� of July 30th 07 (my Notice date is mid July 07
can it be long now ? :confused:
I am trying to understand how much time i have left to wait for GC ????:confused:
How do you know you have been stuck in name check ?:eek:
I am current with my dates:
The March Visa Bulletin Priority date indicates 01 Jan 2005 (my PD date is Jan 04)
And
Nebraska Service Center Processing Dates -posted Feb 15 08- indicates a I-485 EB �processing time frame� of July 30th 07 (my Notice date is mid July 07
can it be long now ? :confused:
shaikhshehzadali
07-16 07:16 PM
Lets not count the chickens before they are hatched. Its entirely plausible that if anything favourable comes up, its due to combined efforts. Lets not fight out yet, as if we havent seen anything concrete yet.
cheers
It's pretty strange..I really don't understand...why the entire credit is either being given to IV...or for that matter to AILA/AILF....Everyone has contributed....
People about to file I-485 have spread the word to everyone abt the injustice done to them...whereas each organization has done its own thing...
I won't blame or taunt AILA/AILF....because the idea of class lawsuit itself would have scared a lot of people in USCIS.....that also coming from legal organization...And filing a lawsuit takes time...there r lot of things to be considered..
cheers
It's pretty strange..I really don't understand...why the entire credit is either being given to IV...or for that matter to AILA/AILF....Everyone has contributed....
People about to file I-485 have spread the word to everyone abt the injustice done to them...whereas each organization has done its own thing...
I won't blame or taunt AILA/AILF....because the idea of class lawsuit itself would have scared a lot of people in USCIS.....that also coming from legal organization...And filing a lawsuit takes time...there r lot of things to be considered..
more...
ItIsNotFunny
04-27 12:39 PM
I think even if the EB2 I-140 is already approved, you still could port the PD, but most important thing is you need your EB3 I-140 approved for porting the PD. Please talk to a good lawyer.
This is correct as per my knowledge.
This is correct as per my knowledge.
rockstart
03-11 09:43 AM
Isnt Labor & I 140 property of the employer and labor can be transferred to some one else (not allowed now but was in past) the employee comes into picture only at the 485 stage and that is when the intent should be looked into. Its a pretty complicated question so lawyer is the best person to answer.
more...
delhis_007
12-21 10:39 AM
I'll be joining in from ND. I dont know of any other members from this state.
pappu
02-09 07:40 AM
E-mail Matthai Chakko Kuruvila at mkuruvila@sfchronicle.com
more...
venky08
08-06 03:05 AM
capturing visa numbers would put an end to our misery. and increasing the employment based visa will pave way for future immigrants. handling a few thousand more cases is not a big deal for USCIS(there may be performance issues but not like difficulty of hiring more people to do the stuff!). don't get panicky about the number. it should be lot less than you would think.
bigboy007
12-10 02:31 PM
bump^^^^^^^^^^^
more...
shutterbabe
11-18 10:21 AM
Biometrics is not needed for EAD. I received mine with "NO fingerprint available" marked on the card. Please call them back or get another infopass and this time, you might be lucky to talk to somone who knows what they are saying. Or just may be, they changed the rule on the fly a few days ago regarding biometrics and EAD.
Hi, I didn't receive my EAD after the 90 days and my lawyer caller the customer service center and they told her that it hasn't been issued because I haven't gotten FPed for it even though I have gotten my FP done for the 485. Is this right? I have never heard of a separate FP needed for an EAD. I am really confused and despite several attempts to make an infopass appointment with the local office I keep getting "no appointments available" notice. My another question is can I get an appointment in an office that doesn't service the region? I live in Southern CT and New Rochelle, NY is the service center that I got my biometrics done and since I didn't get a date putting my own zip code in - I put New Rochelle's zip in it and it gave me openings in New York City. So, can I go see an officer in New York City even though that is not my local office?
Please help, I need to get my EAD soon since my job is waiting for it.:confused:
Hi, I didn't receive my EAD after the 90 days and my lawyer caller the customer service center and they told her that it hasn't been issued because I haven't gotten FPed for it even though I have gotten my FP done for the 485. Is this right? I have never heard of a separate FP needed for an EAD. I am really confused and despite several attempts to make an infopass appointment with the local office I keep getting "no appointments available" notice. My another question is can I get an appointment in an office that doesn't service the region? I live in Southern CT and New Rochelle, NY is the service center that I got my biometrics done and since I didn't get a date putting my own zip code in - I put New Rochelle's zip in it and it gave me openings in New York City. So, can I go see an officer in New York City even though that is not my local office?
Please help, I need to get my EAD soon since my job is waiting for it.:confused:
Higcoptimist
05-15 09:05 PM
Hi,
Well, Bush has delivered his address on the immigration subject. Unless I am missing something, not a word was said about the Legal Immigration or the H1Bs. All the focus was on the illegal immigrants and the border enforcement.
Does that mean that the Legal ones like us are in the backburner? Would the Senate and the house focus only on the illegals and give them the path to citizenship, leaving those who played by the rules, in the lurch? What kind of justice is this in the "Land of Justice"?
I hope the senators and the representatives are sensible and leave the provisions for the EBs in the proposed bill, alone.
Hoping for the best.
Higcoptimist
Well, Bush has delivered his address on the immigration subject. Unless I am missing something, not a word was said about the Legal Immigration or the H1Bs. All the focus was on the illegal immigrants and the border enforcement.
Does that mean that the Legal ones like us are in the backburner? Would the Senate and the house focus only on the illegals and give them the path to citizenship, leaving those who played by the rules, in the lurch? What kind of justice is this in the "Land of Justice"?
I hope the senators and the representatives are sensible and leave the provisions for the EBs in the proposed bill, alone.
Hoping for the best.
Higcoptimist
more...
pa_arora
09-19 12:56 PM
I think we should all post our unfortunate, painful stories to the newspapers and TV news channels.
We need to make ourselves herd. I don't think making some noise and gaining bit high profile will hurt us.
I have a collection of the emailid, let me know if this is fine with u guys, I will post it here.
We need to make ourselves herd. I don't think making some noise and gaining bit high profile will hurt us.
I have a collection of the emailid, let me know if this is fine with u guys, I will post it here.
haifromsk@yahoo.com
02-08 11:56 PM
GUYS please stop advicing her. Let her consult an attorney. Please do not lead
her in any direction. She need to contact an immigration and possibly civil and criminal attorney. An immigration attorney might lead her in the right direction. Super moderator already suggested that so please listen to what he said. Estrela please don't waste your time looking for answers in this thread. Answers given by common people can be incorrect and misleading. Immigration attorney is the way to go.
Good luck and god bless you
her in any direction. She need to contact an immigration and possibly civil and criminal attorney. An immigration attorney might lead her in the right direction. Super moderator already suggested that so please listen to what he said. Estrela please don't waste your time looking for answers in this thread. Answers given by common people can be incorrect and misleading. Immigration attorney is the way to go.
Good luck and god bless you
like_watching_paint_dry
04-12 01:35 PM
As someone mentioned - Do not Lie.
Also note that by not replying, you are in fact condoning the actions of your previous employer. You had a good reason to leave him, and the DOL probably knows about it. If you are worried about your H1, you can go for premium processing on your H1 and then send the letter to DOL.
Exactly what I was going to say. I highly doubt that DOL is out to get you on your H1 transfer in this case... on the contrary, they may be able to get you the money your desi pimp owes you. I would invest the $1000 and speed up the transfer and forget about the whole issue after firing my salvo by responding to the letter. If you get something back, great. Else at the least, you put a bad guy is into a lot of trouble.
But the decision is all yours. It is not my butt that is on the line so it is easy for me to say.
Also note that by not replying, you are in fact condoning the actions of your previous employer. You had a good reason to leave him, and the DOL probably knows about it. If you are worried about your H1, you can go for premium processing on your H1 and then send the letter to DOL.
Exactly what I was going to say. I highly doubt that DOL is out to get you on your H1 transfer in this case... on the contrary, they may be able to get you the money your desi pimp owes you. I would invest the $1000 and speed up the transfer and forget about the whole issue after firing my salvo by responding to the letter. If you get something back, great. Else at the least, you put a bad guy is into a lot of trouble.
But the decision is all yours. It is not my butt that is on the line so it is easy for me to say.
Life2Live
02-27 04:50 PM
I resubmitted my I-485 petition sometime Nov 2008. So far no receipt, made a query with USCIS. Now I got letter from USCIS saying that they did not found my package, they want me resubmit with all the evidence and previous of copy of application.
We have been planning to go to India and get it stamped since we are in 6th year. My company is such a lowsy company (If god is there, he should punish this BLOOD SUCKING TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY HEAVILY) they will take resubmittal of 485 for another couple of months.
Should I have to wait some more time and just send family for their trip mean time? Write letter to OmBudsman....
We have been planning to go to India and get it stamped since we are in 6th year. My company is such a lowsy company (If god is there, he should punish this BLOOD SUCKING TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY HEAVILY) they will take resubmittal of 485 for another couple of months.
Should I have to wait some more time and just send family for their trip mean time? Write letter to OmBudsman....
lskreddy
08-22 03:48 PM
Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP - San Francisco - just Google them....you should be able to find contact information. They've treated me wonderfully!!
Were you kidding or serious? You just quoted the very same name that guy is to avoid.
Fragomen is the only part missing in the name you mentioned. I hope the other three didn't ditch Fragomen to start DBL..
Were you kidding or serious? You just quoted the very same name that guy is to avoid.
Fragomen is the only part missing in the name you mentioned. I hope the other three didn't ditch Fragomen to start DBL..
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