This just in from the USCIS on pending i-129F applications

[lovenlife 0]

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffair...RA_061306PN.pdf

Posted on today on their website

Washington, DC – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that in order to comply with provisions of the International Marriage Brokers Regulation Act of 2005 (IMBRA), it will need to issue “Requests for Evidence” for more than 10,000 Alien Fiancé(e) Petitions (Form I-129F) currently being held at USCIS Service Centers. USCIS will begin issuing RFEs to affected petitioners as soon as the RFE template has been approved and cleared by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Although USCIS began work on necessary revisions to the Form I-129F shortly after passage of IMBRA, the form has not yet received OMB clearance. All petitions filed on or after March 6 must be supplemented with additional information to satisfy the new evidentiary requirements established by IMBRA. To adjudicate the petitions that are being held as quickly and efficiently as possible, USCIS, upon clearance from OMB, will issue “Requests for Evidence” (RFEs) asking petitioners to provide the additional information including data pertaining to a petitioner’s criminal history (if any). Details on the waiver process for those affected by the new limitation for filings of I-129Fs are also provided in the RFE. A new Form I-129F that incorporates these changes should become available later in June. In certain circumstances, USCIS may need to issue a second RFE to some petitioners later in the process if it is determined that other required information was not provided in the initial filing.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, of which IMBRA is a part, are designed to continue Congress’s efforts to prevent domestic violence and spousal abuse. Immigrants who have been victims of domestic violence have long benefited from VAWA immigration provisions, which allow abused spouses and children to self-petition for lawful immigration status. Under IMBRA, Congress has further extended those protections by regulating more closely the international marriage broker market and by requiring disclosure of violent criminal history, such as domestic abuse, rape, or murder, of which a fiancé(e) may be unaware.

Sorry for the bad news to anyone that fits in to this new amendment

Edited June 13, 2006 by lovenlife

[Ladylethal 12]

Thanks for posting that where everyone can see, we had it posted this morning in the IMBRA thread.

[Kevin&Loan 0]

I am really hoping for this delay to go away as soon as possible

[lovenlife 0]

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffair...RA_061306PN.pdf

Posted on today on their website

Washington, DC – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that in order to comply with provisions of the International Marriage Brokers Regulation Act of 2005 (IMBRA), it will need to issue “Requests for Evidence” for more than 10,000 Alien Fiancé(e) Petitions (Form I-129F) currently being held at USCIS Service Centers. USCIS will begin issuing RFEs to affected petitioners as soon as the RFE template has been approved and cleared by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Although USCIS began work on necessary revisions to the Form I-129F shortly after passage of IMBRA, the form has not yet received OMB clearance. All petitions filed on or after March 6 must be supplemented with additional information to satisfy the new evidentiary requirements established by IMBRA. To adjudicate the petitions that are being held as quickly and efficiently as possible, USCIS, upon clearance from OMB, will issue “Requests for Evidence” (RFEs) asking petitioners to provide the additional information including data pertaining to a petitioner’s criminal history (if any). Details on the waiver process for those affected by the new limitation for filings of I-129Fs are also provided in the RFE. A new Form I-129F that incorporates these changes should become available later in June. In certain circumstances, USCIS may need to issue a second RFE to some petitioners later in the process if it is determined that other required information was not provided in the initial filing.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, of which IMBRA is a part, are designed to continue Congress’s efforts to prevent domestic violence and spousal abuse. Immigrants who have been victims of domestic violence have long benefited from VAWA immigration provisions, which allow abused spouses and children to self-petition for lawful immigration status. Under IMBRA, Congress has further extended those protections by regulating more closely the international marriage broker market and by requiring disclosure of violent criminal history, such as domestic abuse, rape, or murder, of which a fiancé(e) may be unaware.

Sorry for the bad news to anyone that fits in to this new amendment

Sorry I didn't see it earlier, thought folks with pending petitions would like to know when the dreaded RFE arrives and delays the process further.

[kitkat1 5]

Sorry for the bad news to anyone that fits in to this new amendment

Sorry I didn't see it earlier, thought folks with pending petitions would like to know when the dreaded RFE arrives and delays the process further.

Quite the contrary - this is what most of us having waiting for for past 4-6 weeks. This is the best news we've gotten! When they send the RFE, we can check the box, sign it and mail it back. Then they can actually finish our petitions instead of leaving them in dusty box waiting for this information!!!

[Ladylethal 12]

We never wanted an RFE so badly.

[hockeygal 0]

We never wanted an RFE so badly.

[gtigiant 0]

We never wanted an RFE so badly.

amen to that

[Canuck Carrie 1]

10,000!

Goes to show there are way more people that file than suspected and it makes the waiting times a little more understandable, for me at least.

[Mike n Huong 1]

Thanks so much for the info. I just wonder how long it will take them to print out 10,000 RFE's to send out, and how much it will cost them to mail these. Then they will receive 10,000 back and have to go thru one by one. This could take a while, but I hope not. Why couldn't they keep these at the consulates to share the workload, and not cause such a delay in our timelines. If you were looking to hire a company, would you hire them????

[Ladylethal 12]

Remember Vermont alone has 1300 people in their staff.

[travlnmannn 0]

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately some of us dont have the time to do the research. I depend on every other VJ'er to do that for me It definitely is good news. At least we know something is going on. Still might have to make plans to see my princess in August.

[edsperfect 25]

We never wanted an RFE so badly.

LOL isn't that the truth and ironic

[YnaYeBa0808 0]

yeah remember two months ago when we all would panic because of any RFE's that may come our way thus the pinned RFE thread... now we are all waiting for it (at least those who are affected)

[rlt 0]

I have already posted this on the long IMBRA thread, but did you realize USCIS removed this public notice from their website just a few hours after they published?

Any clue of what´s going on?

Why does it have to be so difficult?