Criminal checks

[BlueBonnet 84]

Hey guys,

Got our reciept number and I hoped online to check it out. We havent recieved a NOA1 and I noticed peoples timelines were roughly 4-12 days. It says that we are in the review stage. My fiance ( the USC ) does have a criminal record. I read that they determine wether he is a threat to national security ... which he isnt. But I understand the process and accept that they still need to do there end by investigating him. My question is .. based on the assumption that our petition will be heading off to Homeland Security ... how long does this part of the process take on average ? And once he is cleared then do we recieve the NOA1 ?

[Alcheringa 39]

Typically, the NOA1 would only indicate that the USCIS received your petition and it should arrive within a week of you having submitted it. Was the check cashed?

The NOA2 would be issued upon approval. If you have not physically received the NOA1, yet your case number pulls up in the USCIS web portal -- and says it is under "Initial Review" -- then they must have gotten it. Again, the check being cashed would be another good indicator of that. When was the last touch?

As for the background check, or whatever else is done with the petition, you can read endless accounts of people attesting to the variability of that. Some move quickly, some not so much. Regardless of his criminal history, you are very early in the process and will have to wait a few months to see what develops.

Good luck.

[~Johnny~ 27]

Typically, the NOA1 would only indicate that the USCIS received your petition and it should arrive within a week of you having submitted it. Was the check cashed?

The NOA2 would be issued upon approval. If you have not physically received the NOA1, yet your case number pulls up in the USCIS web portal -- and says it is under "Initial Review" -- then they must have gotten it. Again, the check being cashed would be another good indicator of that. When was the last touch?

As for the background check, or whatever else is done with the petition, you can read endless accounts of people attesting to the variability of that. Some move quickly, some not so much. Regardless of his criminal history, you are very early in the process and will have to wait a few months to see what develops.

Good luck.

Correct. And they can also initiate a background check at any phase of the process, even during the interview and put you into additional processing.

[Otto 83]

Hey guys,

Got our reciept number and I hoped online to check it out. We havent recieved a NOA1 and I noticed peoples timelines were roughly 4-12 days. It says that we are in the review stage. My fiance ( the USC ) does have a criminal record. I read that they determine wether he is a threat to national security ... which he isnt. But I understand the process and accept that they still need to do there end by investigating him. My question is .. based on the assumption that our petition will be heading off to Homeland Security ... how long does this part of the process take on average ? And once he is cleared then do we recieve the NOA1 ?

There is no correlation between getting a receipt notice (NOA1) and any sort of background check(s). Once accepted - the system is supposed to automatically generate the notice (sometimes it does right away - other times it can take a while).

From what we've all seen over the years - other than the initial check (signatures, basic completion, correct fee etc), no other processing happens until your case comes up for adjudication. This can take several months depending on service center.

Hope this helps.

[Darnell 8,479]

don't sweat the NOA-1 notice at all, for now. How did you get a receipt number without receiving an I-797-C letter?

but - be advised that namechecks can occur on each and every stage in this process, on both of you.

Have a read? (ya, click the link)

http://www.usaimmigrationattorney.com/SecurityNameChecksAndAdministrativeReview.html