How Long Does This Really Take???

[SunShowers87 0]

So the average processing time of my friends (I have 3 that have done the K-1 visa) including interview, was 4-5 months. They all started their petition early last summer (2009).

I'm about to send in my petition at the end of the week. I live in Chicago Illinois (I don't know if that means Texas will send my petition to Vermont or California.)

I just read on one of the other threads that its taking 4-8 months before they even get a NOA2 from USCIS?!!! And that there's a huge scam or backlogging or some crook that's in charge that everyone's upset about??? How long is this really going to take? Is this only in Vermont??

How many people have actually experienced this backlogging, or is this only a minority?

Edited January 26, 2011 by SunShowers87

[frankielove 5]

So the average processing time of my friends (I have 3 that have done the K-1 visa) including interview, was 4-5 months. They all started their petition early last summer (2009).

I'm about to send in my petition at the end of the week. I live in Chicago Illinois (I don't know if that means Texas will send my petition to Vermont or California.)

I just read on one of the other threads that its taking 4-8 months before they even get a NOA2 from USCIS?!!! And that there's a huge scam or backlogging or some crook that's in charge that everyone's upset about??? How long is this really going to take? Is this only in Vermont??

How many people have actually experienced this backlogging, or is this only a minority?

There is a big backlog in Vermont for whatever reason and they are processing longer than the goal of 5 months. Everyone applies to the Dallas lock box and the application gets sent to your designated center but I don't know where Chicago is sent (although I am curious since I grew up there). If you look for "Igor's List" under immigrations timelines and K1 Visa, you can select each service center and see how many forum members are waiting ahead of you and what NOA1 dates are now receiving their NOA2. This is a small percentage of overall applicants from what I hear. We just need a little more patience than your friends needed.

[Inky 1,110]

Its 5 months or longer for NOA 2 right now at VSC because they are backed up.

[Mr. Florida 11]

So the average processing time of my friends (I have 3 that have done the K-1 visa) including interview, was 4-5 months. They all started their petition early last summer (2009).

I'm about to send in my petition at the end of the week. I live in Chicago Illinois (I don't know if that means Texas will send my petition to Vermont or California.)

I just read on one of the other threads that its taking 4-8 months before they even get a NOA2 from USCIS?!!! And that there's a huge scam or backlogging or some crook that's in charge that everyone's upset about??? How long is this really going to take? Is this only in Vermont??

How many people have actually experienced this backlogging, or is this only a minority?

SunShowers87, realistically and for the sake of your sanity, I would not expect anything sooner than 6 months if the Vermont Service Center has jurisdiction over Chicago, IL since I'm unsure about their region of coverage, but it is usually all of the eastern states. When I started my process back in August, 2010, I received my NOA1 within a week after mailing it in. But as you can tell from my timeline, my fiancee and I have been waiting for 5+ months. When I had filed the K-1 visa, the Vermont Service Center was the fastest of all the service centers, usually processing them within 3-4 months, so I filed my application under this impression. And I have suffered emotionally all these months due to this unrealistic expectation as the processing time has gone up and up. At the rate they are going now, I do not expect anything until late February or March or maybe later. I had called USCIS just after my 5-month waiting period on last Friday and asked to put in a service request for my case, but they asked me to wait another 26 days until February 15 to do so because they were processing July 24th applications back on January 21. I have been following VJ for all these months on a nearly daily basis. And people have hypothesized many possible culprits for the incredibly slow delay in processing, from giving priority to Temporary Protection Status for Haitian immigrants to having fewer VSC adjudicators to receiving more marriage-based applications or more employment-based applications. The truth is none of is really know the facts. USCIS is very secretive about their operations. Most of us on here are really speculating and coming to conclusions from the few hints we see in news articles and the occasional testimonies given by the USCIS director to congressional committees. Just bear in mind that you are dealing with the government. And once you send your petition in, your life will be in their hands from that point onward. Good luck to you and your fiancee!

[Blob18 111]

What everyone else said. Expect 5-7 months from Vermont Service Center.

[iampatricias 17]

We just received our NOA2 after 6 months, and we thought we'd be together by Christmas, so that was a let-down.

Even now though, our file still has to go to the consulate, and all the administrative stuff that has to happen still could get done in 3-6 weeks, but I am done with these high hopes. There seems to be a backlog for interviews at our consulate too, so now, I will be happy enough if I can get an interview at the consulate by April. That would bring us up to 9 months total

[arwen 8]

How long doe it take?? Bloody ages!! We filed August 19th and we're still waiting for NOA2. I have seen that someone who filed after us has already been approved, so I don't know what's going on there! Looking back in all the old forums, it looks like it used to take much less time. I guess we filed at the wrong time, so we're just gonna have to sweat the wait out!

[baron555 934]

CSC used to process Illinois petitions.

Look at our timeline.

[Aztec&Taino 144]

So the average processing time of my friends (I have 3 that have done the K-1 visa) including interview, was 4-5 months. They all started their petition early last summer (2009).

I'm about to send in my petition at the end of the week. I live in Chicago Illinois (I don't know if that means Texas will send my petition to Vermont or California.)

I just read on one of the other threads that its taking 4-8 months before they even get a NOA2 from USCIS?!!! And that there's a huge scam or backlogging or some crook that's in charge that everyone's upset about??? How long is this really going to take? Is this only in Vermont??

How many people have actually experienced this backlogging, or is this only a minority?

Your friends who did the K1s in less thank 6 months were lucky. If you look at people's timelines approvals were given in 2 to 3 months in the early part of last year, but beginning the second half of the year the process began to really slow down. I just received news of my petition approval after 150 days of waiting. Plus, getting the petition approved is only the first step of the process. Then there is NVC, getting the packet and things ready for interview, and then see when your interview will be scheduled. I am guesstimating my own process still has 3 to 4 months more before interview so, yes, easily an 8 to 9 month process. Your particular case might even take additional time to process with administrative reviews and checks as your fiance does not live in his native country. I would imagine that additional checks would be needed. Best wishes!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Somewhat depends on the consulate. 6-9 months seems to be current, but that changes. Add a few more months for the AOS (green card) 2 years later the 10 year green card (removal of conditions) and a year after that, citizenship, if you want. So about 4 years start to finish.

In our case...6 months from filing until Alla's arrival, 10 months from filing of petition to Green card issued. Our removal of conditions was filed in October, she had biometrics in November. Nothing since. Her conditional green card expired a few days ago but she has a 1 year extension.

Our case went pretty fast. 2 months for NOA2 approval.

[SunShowers87 0]

How long doe it take?? Bloody ages!! We filed August 19th and we're still waiting for NOA2. I have seen that someone who filed after us has already been approved, so I don't know what's going on there! Looking back in all the old forums, it looks like it used to take much less time. I guess we filed at the wrong time, so we're just gonna have to sweat the wait out!

yea but were you processed at California or Vermont?

[SunShowers87 0]

Yea my friends were really lucky...they had their fiance's here in FOUR months, from filing of petition to the fiance's arrival in the United States (from Africa - Senegal, so much more iffy when it comes to immigration). My other friend is on visa journey, and her fiance is a Gambian living in Spain, and has her interview coming up in a month, and they're right around the 5 month benchmark I believe.

Just found out that Chicago goes to California...with a little hope, I think I might be able to avoid all the headache with Vermont? Not saying California is necessarily as fast as my friend and her Senegalese husband(who filed back in May of 2010), but maybe I have a fighting chance at a shorter wait.

We're expecting 6 months...I think that is reasonable, based on what everyone is saying, from petition filing (next Monday!!!!) to his arrival in the States. Crossed fingers, and prayers, is all I can do I guess, from here on out.

Thanks guys:) and Good luck to everyone else!

[arwen 8]

yea but were you processed at California or Vermont?

California! I'm hoping to hear something from them anytime soon. I just need to get on with organizing my life! Where did you file?