Confusion around processing dates

[rajabose 0]

Hi folks,

Long time troller, First time poster and with that I have a complete newbie question:

I'm pretty confused by the discrepency between processing dates on USCIS and VJ.

According to USCIS, they are currently processing I129Fs from October 2007 and I130s from August 2007

According to VJ, they are currently processing I129Fs from Feb 2008 and I130s from Jan 2008.

What am i missing here?? Thanks in advance for your help. I wish you all very very speeedy VisaJourney's =)

[rajabose 0]

oops - this is for CSC btw.

I know the dates wont be exactly the same, but a 4 month gap is huge!

[Firstenburg 0]

Welcome to the world of USCIS, where everything is plausibly deniable! Get used to that. I'm not trying to be a smartie pants, just telling you to brace yourself for LOTS of that. The dates will never correlate to reality, because they are only updated 1 time per month. And in January of this year they didn't get updated at all!! Also, you should be aware that their processing dates are there to both inform you, AND protect them. If you call up when you are still inside the processing dates, they will tell you not to bother them until you are outside the processing dates. When you are finally outside the processing dates and you call, they will tell you to wait until you are 30 days outside the processing dates. When you are 30 days outside the processing dates and you call, they will tell you that the dates are merely "guidelines" and not hard fast rules. And to call back in 30 days. Meanwhile, you will see lots of people on VJ getting approved before you, that submitted their applications after you. However none of this information will get you help from USCIS, and no one there will care.

There are other inconsistencies with the USCIS processing dates to note, for example, sometimes the I-130 dates say a date, and other times it says "6 months". You'll also notice that there are no processing times posted for K3 visas. This all adds up to a complete lack of credibility for the processing dates that USCIS gives us.

VJ timelines are reality, because these timelines, and the processing times available here, are comprised of statistical data gathered from real petitioners. Generally you should look at the timelines posted here, and guage your progress accordingly. Don't worry about the processing dates posted by USCIS. That information is outdated, incorrect the second it is posted, and buys you nothing when talking to USCIS representatives.