Where is the "black hole" between CSC and NVC???

[Lancep 0]

Our K1 was approved by the California Service Center on 2-4-08. It has yet to reach the National Visa Center. I am an attorney, and I managed to get the personal phone number of the director of the NVC and the personal e-mail of the CIS Ombudsman. I have also involved my Congressman. No one can give me or the Congressman's office a straight answer as to where this K1 actually is. Only that there is no reason to get excited unless more than 90 days have elapsed since the approval by CSC. Does anyone know where the petitions physically go after the CSC approval, and how one could be sitting someplace for 90 days without either the CSC or the NVC being able to give a straight answer as to where it is?

[KimandRuss 0]

From what I have read just here in VJ is that the approved petitions from CSC are shipped in bulk so many sit for a long time waiting for a shipment to fill up before it's sent off.

To wait 2 months for that is just crazy! I hope you see movement soon.

[melusine 5]

no no.... that can't be.

It's either lost in mail or.. already processed by NVC

Did you called NVC and talked to a REAL someone ? (because the automatic answer is not always accurate)

(the automatic told me they didn't have it when in fact, they got it, processed it and sent it to my consulate... well true they didn't had it but i freaked out for nothing)

also, check my signature..... my file was sent at the end of february.

Edited April 2, 2008 by melusine

[Lancep 0]

Perhaps it can't be, but it is. I have spoken to numerous live individuals at the CSC and NVC and have received numerous e-mails, as has my Congressman's office. Everyone assures us that delays like this are "not at all uncommon," but the frightening part is that no one can provide a convincing answer as to where the petition actually is or why delays like this are not uncommon. The CSC says they sent it, the NVC says they haven't received it, but there is "no reason to be concerned" until more than 90 days have elapsed.

[KimandRuss 0]

Yes, it can be. There are threads all over VJ about CSC approvals taking their time to get to the NVC and the reasons behind the reason many people are delayed. It's great that your case didn't take that long but it has, and it does, happen that people approved at CSC have waited this long to reach NVC. I would hate for the OP to be sent away in a panic thinking something MUST be wrong.

I'd still be on the phone trying to get an answer from somebody!

[sara..... 371]

hmmm not good its frustrating im sure........i think TBONE TX had a problem with his like that too u might want to contact him........

[KitEEgirl 0]

That's aggravating.. I'm sorry you have to go through that.

[rebeccajo 14]

What about calling Department of State?

I saw the directions for making that call today in a post by LauraAndNick.

[shawndoc 0]

I'd love to know too. I just hope mine doesn't stay in the black hole as long as yours. Only 15 days so far, for something that is supposed to take less than a week and that the VSC seems to have no problem doing.

[Lancep 0]

Just for example, a fairly high official at the NVC told me that it's quite common for the Service Centers to send erroneous approval notices -- so you think your petition has been approved on December 15 and should be at the NVC by January 1, when in fact on January 5 it's still sitting in a pile at the Service Center. My Congressman's office also had numerous horror stories in which they have been involved, most of which ended with the petition appearing at the last minute. The problem is that no one wants to spend 15 minutes on the problem until it's been at least 90 days.

[CBR 0]

That sure is frustrating!! I would ask them how it can be in limbo when they "wand" your file in and out everytime someone "touches" it. Did you sign up for online updates with CRIS? If you did and there have been touches since the day your noa2 was issued I'd wonder what was up because someone obviously had your file in their hands since then.

The other thing I noticed is that you're referring to it as a k1 and technically it's not a k1 yet. You get the k1 After your interview at the embassy. All you have now is a petition. When did you send your i-129f in? When did you get your noa1? You don't have your timeline filled in. I really hope I'm not offending you, I just want to make sure you're really talking about your noa2 here. Otherwise that might be the confusion.

[KimandRuss 0]

You would think that after such an increase in fees, not to mention the amount of time CSC takes to approve the petition in the first place, that they would want to get the petition to the NVC asap! It probably cost more to keep someone on the phones than it does to send the petitions off! They could certainly stand to learn a few management skills from Vermont!

[CBR 0]

You've got that right Kimand Russ!!

[Izoom 0]

I wonder if distance has anything to do with the time, which I imagine it would to some small extent.

The distance from the VSC to the NVC is around 200~ miles, which is a couple hours tops.

The distance from the CSC to the NVC is around 3000~ miles, which is quite a trek, either by plane or truck.

If you want to test them out, try maps.google.com and use Portsmouth, NH as the END and Laguna Niquel, CA or Saint Albans, VT as the BEGIN...quite the difference I must say!

Edited April 3, 2008 by jzoom6

[KimandRuss 0]

I agree with the notion that this could be their excuse for holding them up but it's really just an excuse!

I'm willing to bet that any CSC filer would have paid the postage to get it there in a timely manner!