Agreed. My fiancee and myself have been going through a K-1 visa since January, and while it's nearly over, I still have to fly to another city to get an interview before I get my visa.

As far as I'm aware, the K-1 visa is one of the fastest processed visas, and it's been 7 months without making a single mistake. I'd hate to think how long it would be on another visa, or worse, if we had made a mistake along the way.

Last time my wife renewed her green card it took them 16 months to process it - and this is for an employed, property-owning, doctorate-holding, non-crime-committing, citizen-parenting immigrant who's lived in the States for 15 years. I.e. a textbook rubber stamp. We had to get a special note to return from our vacation because we'd only left a year for processing....

I've always taken the libertarian stance that open borders are the most sensible way to run a country. More so since I've seen the ridiculous way the immigration system is run.

Yeah, I hear you about the note thing. If I even get into the US in time for my wedding, I have to apply for permission to go on our honeymoon. We have to plan two honeymoons, one in case I can get permission to leave and re-enter the US, one if I can't.

As far as I'm concerned, US immigration controls only make life harder for people who want to do the right thing. I've had plenty of chances to just overstay a visa and not go home, but I chose to do the right thing, and as a reward, I get to wait months without seeing my partner.