October 2013 I-130 Filers

[sseymour34 6]

Welcome! Have you received anything regarding your daughter's petition? It could be just they are waiting for both your husband and daughter's petition to get finished.

I did wait the requisite hour for a tier 2 rep just to make sure that the two petitions are now linked since they were initially sent to different service centers. The rep said that they were linked now but didn't have any more information for me. I was really upset about the 2nd transfer because my husband's petition was initially in California but they sent his to slow-azz Vermont where my daughter's was instead of sending hers to speedy California.

[AmberG 23]

Hello AaronOmaha,

I have been following this thread for a few months as well but I felt compelled to join so I could tell you what I found out yesterday. My PD is October 1 and I have been trying to file a service request for awhile now and I found out what part of the problem is. A very nice rep named Sergio told me that their system would not let them file a service request because my receipt # starts with MSC, which is the prefix for the National Benefits Center. Since your PD is 10/7, my guess is that yours was sent to the NBC before being transferred to a service center like mine. If you look at the NBC's processing time for USC filing I-130 for spouse, it says that the last one they finished was September 30, 2013. That explains why we can't file one online as well. He was kind (or smart) enough to cheat the system by changing my PD to September 29 so that it would accept it. It worked, however, I just received an email that says:

"Recently, you or your representative contacted USCIS concerning your I-130, to notify us that you believe your case is outside of our normal processing time. Below is a summary of what we found and how the issue has been or may be resolved.

Your petition is still pending consideration. We regret that we are not able to give you a timeframe for when we will complete the review of your petition.

What You Can Do

Please see the "Online Services" below to check the status of your case in the near future. We apologize for the delay.

We hope this information is helpful to you."

Grrrr....NOT HELPFUL AT ALL, USCIS! Mine has been transferred twice because my step-daughter's petition was initially sent to a different service center than my husband's. I am very frustrated as well, so I feel your pain! I have even requested assistance from my Congressman, which has proven fruitless as well. I even have a hard time looking at this forum anymore because almost everyone has moved on to NVC and I'm still waiting. *SIGH*

Good Luck to you and everyone else still waiting!

My PD was also October 1st and my prefix was MSC and I was able to file a service request at a little over 6 months. I called up, Tier 1 rep said, yes since you are at the VSC (I had been transferred from NBC) now 6 months is over their processing time so no problem. She gave me a confirmation number and everything.

I have serious doubts about what the rep told you was true, because their system was obviously able to file a request for me and I have exactly the same PD and prefix as you. Something doesn't make sense about what the guy told you.

[sseymour34 6]

My PD was also October 1st and my prefix was MSC and I was able to file a service request at a little over 6 months. I called up, Tier 1 rep said, yes since you are at the VSC (I had been transferred from NBC) now 6 months is over their processing time so no problem. She gave me a confirmation number and everything.

I have serious doubts about what the rep told you was true, because their system was obviously able to file a request for me and I have exactly the same PD and prefix as you. Something doesn't make sense about what the guy told you.

Well, I can't tell you what the disparity is between your case and mine, but it could be that there was a change in their system. Previously I tried several times to file the request online and it used to tell me, "Routing could not be determined due to an invalid receipt number" even though I copied the number straight from my profile. Now when I try, it says, "Your application or petition is currently within the posted processing times. An inquiry may not be created at this time. Further information about recent processing times can be viewed on the uscis.gov webpage." (I kept snippets to show the Councilman.)

I had called about 4 times prior to talking to Sergio and each of the reps had said that the last completed petition was on September 30 and that I was within the processing time, just like they told AaronOmaha. If you look at the processing time for NBC it says:

Field Office Processing Dates for National Benefits Center as of: March 31, 2014 Form Title Classification or Basis for Filing: Processing Timeframe:

I-102 Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival/Departure Record Initial issuance or replacement of a Form I-94 2.5 Months

I-130 Petition for Alien Relative U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21 September 30, 2013

Also, when you go to the processing times page, it even says "National Benefits Center (also known as MSC)". Maybe you happened to get someone that knew how to cheat the system like Sergio did. Whatever the case, you are lucky to have jumped the USCIS hurdle and I am still waiting.

Edited May 21, 2014 by sseymour34

[lucky79 20]

It is pointless go there if my case hasn't been activated. I don't even know if the case will be activated this month, yet.

I call every 3 days. I was told that it would be received in 2 weeks!

Did u call Nvc? Any updates?

[ameriturk 27]

Did u call Nvc? Any updates?

Still no news. Called yesterday. I am due by end of this week hopefully!

[AmberG 23]

Well, I can't tell you what the disparity is between your case and mine, but it could be that there was a change in their system. Previously I tried several times to file the request online and it used to tell me, "Routing could not be determined due to an invalid receipt number" even though I copied the number straight from my profile. Now when I try, it says, "Your application or petition is currently within the posted processing times. An inquiry may not be created at this time. Further information about recent processing times can be viewed on the uscis.gov webpage." (I kept snippets to show the Councilman.)

I had called about 4 times prior to talking to Sergio and each of the reps had said that the last completed petition was on September 30 and that I was within the processing time, just like they told AaronOmaha. If you look at the processing time for NBC it says:

Field Office Processing Dates for National Benefits Center as of: March 31, 2014 Form Title Classification or Basis for Filing: Processing Timeframe:

I-102 Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival/Departure Record Initial issuance or replacement of a Form I-94 2.5 Months

I-130 Petition for Alien Relative U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21 September 30, 2013

Also, when you go to the processing times page, it even says "National Benefits Center (also known as MSC)". Maybe you happened to get someone that knew how to cheat the system like Sergio did. Whatever the case, you are lucky to have jumped the USCIS hurdle and I am still waiting.

I think that is all really strange, personally. There is no way VSC is processing Sept 30th PDs right now. I was approved on April 11th (almost a month and a half ago) and my PD is Oct. 1st. Plus, look at all the other people on the October spread sheet with PDs all over October who were approved a long time ago. And if you are at VSC, it shouldn't matter anything about the processing times for NBC. I don't know why they'd even bring that up. Who knows, maybe they changed their policy, but could it be your case is more complicated somehow?

Oh- and I wanted to add, I also could not do it online back then either. It gave me the same error message you got. Which is why I called up to do it.

Edited May 21, 2014 by AmberG

[AmberG 23]

Been following along in this forum for several months but this is the first time posting because I'm so frustrated now.

Filed I-130 as U.S. Citizen for spouse and received NOA1 on Oct. 7

March 11 case was transferred to TSC

May 2 I received notice that case was transferred AGAIN this time to VSC, but online it says it was transferred to "local office" (I live in Omaha). When I called Customer Service the recording says that my case was transferred to Mesquite, TX. I talked to Tier 2 and they said that it was in Vermont with no explanation for the conflicting data.

Also, the USCIS website says that processing times at VSC is 5 months so today I called and tried to make a request since I am over 7 months and the rep started to file the inquiry but couldn't because she said VSC was currently working on cases from Sept. 30!!! Then why does the website say 5 months.

I am so irritated with these people and just wondering if anyone has any input or has experienced similar issues.

A little background on our case if it helps: Not that it should matter but I will mention that I am filing this for my same sex spouse. He is from Mexico and we have been together 15 years although we were only married 2 years ago. He took a voluntary departure last year to avoid deportation because he had overstayed his original Visa. All this waiting is very hard on both of us, we just want to get the process moving because we know that we still have a long road ahead of us until we are together again.

Thanks for any input.

I would call again and try to talk to someone else if I were you. First, there is no way they can be working on PDs of Sept 30th at VSC. I had a PD of October 1st and was approved at VSC on April 11th. That was almost a month and a half ago. There were people on this board that had later dates in October that were even approved before me at VSC. I don't see why they wouldn't let you make a request- that makes no sense. Maybe it has something to do with the deportation thing. Could it possibly make your case more complicated?

[waiting4i130 18]

Can someone update my info on the spread sheet please. My NOA was October 23 2013 not the 29th. Thank you

Also, this backlog is driving me nuts!

Updated and good luck

[sseymour34 6]

I think that is all really strange, personally. There is no way VSC is processing Sept 30th PDs right now. I was approved on April 11th (almost a month and a half ago) and my PD is Oct. 1st. Plus, look at all the other people on the October spread sheet with PDs all over October who were approved a long time ago. And if you are at VSC, it shouldn't matter anything about the processing times for NBC. I don't know why they'd even bring that up. Who knows, maybe they changed their policy, but could it be your case is more complicated somehow?

Oh- and I wanted to add, I also could not do it online back then either. It gave me the same error message you got. Which is why I called up to do it.

I'm sure that mine has been slowed because of the USCIS initially sending my husband's and step-daughter's petitions to different service centers (his went to California and hers went to Vermont). Like you, I initially tried to put in a service request online first and then called when I got the error message, but they told me that I had to wait 60 days from the transfer date and when I explained that it had been transferred twice, they still refused. Since then I have tried both ways many more times to no avail until Monday when Sergio cheated it for me. I was not trying to say that Vermont is processing Sept 30th PDs right now. What I was told is that since my receipt numbers start with MSC, which is the prefix for NBC receipts, that their system defaults to NBC's processing time, which does say September 30. My theory is that they must have had one system in place to deal with all of the transfers and now that they have reached the petitions that were sent directly (which started October 21, I believe), they have changed it. Just a theory. It's just that now I know that I'm not the only one that has experienced this exact same scenario.

[AmberG 23]

I'm sure that mine has been slowed because of the USCIS initially sending my husband's and step-daughter's petitions to different service centers (his went to California and hers went to Vermont). Like you, I initially tried to put in a service request online first and then called when I got the error message, but they told me that I had to wait 60 days from the transfer date and when I explained that it had been transferred twice, they still refused. Since then I have tried both ways many more times to no avail until Monday when Sergio cheated it for me. I was not trying to say that Vermont is processing Sept 30th PDs right now. What I was told is that since my receipt numbers start with MSC, which is the prefix for NBC receipts, that their system defaults to NBC's processing time, which does say September 30. My theory is that they must have had one system in place to deal with all of the transfers and now that they have reached the petitions that were sent directly (which started October 21, I believe), they have changed it. Just a theory. It's just that now I know that I'm not the only one that has experienced this exact same scenario.

Yes, I saw a number of people on the board that weren't allowed to file service requests for various reasons even thought it was pretty obvious they were due a response. I hope you are approved very soon!!

[ameriturk 27]

FINALLY! Just got my case # and IIN.

They issued it yesterday!

[AaronOmaha 0]

First, thanks to everyone for the helpful input and after reading everything I had a plan of action for today. But alas, I got a text message from USCIS stating that my case had been updated!! I hoped for good news but this is what I got:

"The I130 IMMIGRANT PETITION FOR RELATIVE, FIANCE(E), OR ORPHAN was transferred and is now being processed at a USCIS office. You will be notified by mail when a decision is made, or if the office needs something from you."

Where is "a USCIS office" located?? I cant help but wonder if this was because of my call yesterday inquiring about my case being outside of stated processing times.

I immediately called CS and asked for Tier 2. After a 47 minute wait they told me they didnt know where my file was and how unusual this was. The rep said he would send an email to Vermont and that they would send me a letter with their response by June 6 then "Thanks for calling and have a good day" CLICK.......

Wat a bunch of BS...I dont know what to do???

[lucky79 20]

FINALLY! Just got my case # and IIN.

They issued it yesterday!

Yay, I told ya.....

Really happy.

[zerozeroone1 2]

Can someone please help me.must i include any passport picture when submitting AOS or IV package?.if yes how many.thank you.

[TargetNovember14 41]

Can someone please help me.must i include any passport picture when submitting AOS or IV package?.if yes how many.thank you.

you submit 2 PP with your IV package…. please do read saylin's wiki page…if you go into NVC filer forum and just click on that its the first option…it will tell you step by step process of what to do...