Why the increased processing times?

[irvinej 0]

This chart shows that the processing times at the Vermont service center have increased by approx. 100 days (nearly tripled!) since August: http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/images/129fcomparison.gif

Does anyone know the reason for this increase? Are they laying-off employees? If it keeps increasing at this rate, it will but up to 200 days by May,

[KiwiBird 132]

TPS petitions taking their attention, the holidays, perhaps an increase in petitions sent. Could be a lot of things.

[YuAndDan 153]

Perhaps as a cost cutting measure USCIS reduced the number of adjudicators.

[thaiv 15]

There really could be a lot of factors involved in this. The good thing is that they are stepping up their progress with the July applications which means they are doing something. Doing something is a very good thing especially after a month of hardly doing anything.

[DiZZyLoX 114]

I noticed that there is a huge influx of petitions (at least on here) in the june / july months, and it slows down significantly through the winter. Hundreds of petitions in June / July, and only 30 - 40 for November / December. I think it is a combination of it being the holidays, a huge influx of petitions, and the influx of TPS petitions.

I think we will actually see it decrease as everyone comes back to work and things begin to thin out. I doubt very seriously they want to stay that busy throughout the year. Only time will tell

[Blob18 111]

As others said it is most likely the TPS petitions and work visas, all of which were mainly sent to Vermont. From what I noticed on the USCIS site and here is the October 3rd touch seems to be in connection with when VSC slowed down on K-1 petitions, among other family based petitions.

In the past week they've given out more NOA2s then in October/November/December (or so it seems), so I would venture (and pray) that they have nearly finished up the TPS petitions and work visas filed last year, or have gotten it down to a managable size to were they can shift people over to other petitions.

I did notice in their October stats that I-129f petitions increased, so if November and December gave similar amounts, they are probably backed up on those now as they got with TPS, work visas.

I haven't heard about any government agencies laying off workers in connection with any cuts also. Usually they just go on a hiring freeze, meaning until they get more money, they won't hire any new people.

[irvinej 0]

Thanks, everyone, for the information. I had no idea about TPS, etc. I guess my mistake was looking at the average processing times for the past year or so and expecting to receive my NOA2 in January.

[amykathleen2005 441]

100's of people wasting their time with pointless and superfluous expedite requests......

[K&D 0]

I don't know what's happening either. We are waiting for more than 5 months for our NoA2.

[ArabLoveMorocco 1]

I wonder how long it would take a guy filing for a K-1 for his fiance if he works at the VSC?

[Blob18 111]

I wonder how long it would take a guy filing for a K-1 for his fiance if he works at the VSC?

Instantly done.

[Rwlaird 18]

You have a very good question! It is very frutrating for me to see some many approved in a 1 to 3 month timeframe if they were submitted in May/June but mine which was submitted in July is still waiting for more than 5 months now! Maybe if everyone emails to Vermont with a copy sent to the headquarters someone at headquarters will check the situation in Vermont and tell them to get it done! (Maybe...)

USCIS Service Centers

If you contacted the National Customer Service Center with a case-related inquiry and more than 30 days have passed and you have not received a response, you may email the appropriate USCIS Service Center with your inquiry:

California Service Center: csc-ncsc-followup@dhs.gov

Vermont Service Center: vsc.ncscfollowup@dhs.gov

Nebraska Service Center: ncscfollowup.nsc@dhs.gov

Texas Service Center: tsc.ncscfollowup@dhs.gov

If you do not receive a response within 21 days of contacting the Service Center, you may contact the USCIS Headquarters Office of Service Center Operations by email at SCOPSSCATA@dhs.gov.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ddce0b89284a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=ddce0b89284a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD

[SuperDuper! 230]

Instantly done.

Yea, you just drop your petition on the top of the pile, NEXT!