Between NOA1 & NOA2 - What can be expected?

[sunshine79 7]

Hello,

I filed a I-130 form for my wife and received the NOA1 with a Notice Date of 11/3/2010. I was wondering what is to be expected between this date and NOA2?

I see a lot of people saying their case was "touched". How does one determine that?

I check the USCIS site for status but it is always on "Initial Review". I know it's only been about three months but should there be any activity or is this normal?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[Inky 1,110]

There is nothing to expect unless you are waiting for an RFE.

You are not logging into your account if you are not seeing touches. You must make an account on USCIS website. Then add the case number to the portfolio and you will able to see updates such as touches. A touch does not mean anything specific just that your file was touched by someone.

[rob11715 6]

Between NOA1 and NOA2 our case always said "Initial Review" and was never "touched". Not sure why other cases get touched and ours wasn't, but it was approved in 5 months which was the estimated time when we filed in June 2010.

(I did create an account and was logging in to the USCIS website.)

[sunshine79 7]

Another bit of info. After receiving the NOA1 for the I-130 I also filed the I-129F for the K-3 concurrently with the CR-1. This has a notice date of 11/22/2010.

@Inky, I have created an account as well as signed up for email and mobile alerts. Both show a "Last Updated" date of 11/26/2010.

@rob, I guess there is no consistency with the process. Hopefully mine is taken care of in 5 months as well.

Thanks to both for your responses!

[Inky 1,110]

Another bit of info. After receiving the NOA1 for the I-130 I also filed the I-129F for the K-3 concurrently with the CR-1. This has a notice date of 11/22/2010.

@Inky, I have created an account as well as signed up for email and mobile alerts. Both show a "Last Updated" date of 11/26/2010.

@rob, I guess there is no consistency with the process. Hopefully mine is taken care of in 5 months as well.

Thanks to both for your responses!

Last update is a touch. A formal update is when they sent you text or email notification of something happening with your case.

sending the I-129F now put your I-130 back. K-3 is closed at NVC and is not processed anymore, sending the I-129F will slow down your I-130. You will want to look at CR-1 processing information and times now.

[sunshine79 7]

Last update is a touch. A formal update is when they sent you text or email notification of something happening with your case.

sending the I-129F now put your I-130 back. K-3 is closed at NVC and is not processed anymore, sending the I-129F will slow down your I-130. You will want to look at CR-1 processing information and times now.

How will it slow it down and what sort of delay am I looking at? Days, weeks, months? If it is not processed anymore wouldn't they just ignore/reject it and continue with the I-130/CR-1? What sucks about what you're saying is that I had an immigration lawyer advise me to file the I-129F after the I-130.

Hmmm...

[Inky 1,110]

The I-129F will need to be matched up with the I-130. From there they both go to NVC and the NVC closes the I-129F because they do not process them anymore.

Most immigration lawyers do not bother to be current it seems. Feb 1st 2010 is when it was closed at NVC. You joined Feb 10th 2010, so the same month that K-3 is closed. Its all over VJ too saying not to apply for K-3s anymore when applying for CR-1.

http://www.visajourney.com/news/2010/02/07/department-of-state-to-close-k-3-visas-if-i-129f-and-i-130-petitions-approved-and-received-together/

[sunshine79 7]

The I-129F will need to be matched up with the I-130. From there they both go to NVC and the NVC closes the I-129F because they do not process them anymore.

Most immigration lawyers do not bother to be current it seems. Feb 1st 2010 is when it was closed at NVC. You joined Feb 10th 2010, so the same month that K-3 is closed. Its all over VJ too saying not to apply for K-3s anymore when applying for CR-1.

http://www.visajourney.com/news/2010/02/07/department-of-state-to-close-k-3-visas-if-i-129f-and-i-130-petitions-approved-and-received-together/

Interesting. I guess I wasn't paying that much attention back then.

So, from what I understand from your link, if the I-130 reaches the NVC first then it has to wait for the I-129F but if the I-129F reaches first they will proceed to process it?

My attorney had basically told me they will process whichever they get first, CR-1 if they get the I-130 first or K3 if they get the I-129F first.

You are also saying the I-130 will be delayed by the I-129F, anyone know by how much? I heard both of these are getting approved in a similar timeframe.

[elya4848 3]

Interesting. I guess I wasn't paying that much attention back then.

So, from what I understand from your link, if the I-130 reaches the NVC first then it has to wait for the I-129F but if the I-129F reaches first they will proceed to process it?

My attorney had basically told me they will process whichever they get first, CR-1 if they get the I-130 first or K3 if they get the I-129F first.

You are also saying the I-130 will be delayed by the I-129F, anyone know by how much? I heard both of these are getting approved in a similar timeframe.

K-3's don't get approved anymore. If your I-130 gets there first, nvc will wait until your I-129f gets there, close the I-129f and continue with the I-130. You should tell your lawyer to go back to school!

[sunshine79 7]

K-3's don't get approved anymore. If your I-130 gets there first, nvc will wait until your I-129f gets there, close the I-129f and continue with the I-130. You should tell your lawyer to go back to school!

OK, so what if the I-129F gets there first? In the above link it says "If the NVC does not receive an approved I-130 petition and I-129F at the same time, the NVC will process the I-129F petition." I assume that is if they receive the I-129F first?

I guess that's what is getting me confused.

Also, if the K-3 is obsolete why don't they just reject the I-129F that is filed for it (I understand the I-129F can be used for other visas) right off the bat?

[Aztec&Taino 144]

Hello,

I filed a I-130 form for my wife and received the NOA1 with a Notice Date of 11/3/2010. I was wondering what is to be expected between this date and NOA2?

I see a lot of people saying their case was "touched". How does one determine that?

I check the USCIS site for status but it is always on "Initial Review". I know it's only been about three months but should there be any activity or is this normal?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

What can be expected?

Well, if you are eager to be with your loved one and are, by nature, impatient, then expect these months to go by slowly and painfully!

If you have created an account with USCIS to check your case's updates (a.k.a. "touches"), then you can log in as often as you'd like to see if your case has been updated. In my own experience, however, this was quite useless since my petition was only touched once close to my receipt date and was never updated again until last week's approval! So, 150 days went by without an update on my case. I also signed up for the text and e-mail alerts/messages and did not receive either one.

Best wishes!

[sunshine79 7]

Thanks for your post, Aztec.

Yes, the waiting is tough but really I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything and that the fact that everything was quiet was normal.

Now I see the 129F will slow down the 130. Hopefully someone can give me an idea of how long the delay would be. If it's a month or so I can deal but if it adds another six or something that will be real tough. Fortunately I've also heard that both forms take around the same time these days. Hopefully that's accurate.

[bestofboston 36]

sending the I-129F now put your I-130 back. K-3 is closed at NVC and is not processed anymore, sending the I-129F will slow down your I-130. You will want to look at CR-1 processing information and times now.

The I-130 is processed first and then the I-129F. In fact, you don't even submit the I-129F until they have received the I-130 unless you want to pay again for the I-129F process. The I-129F requires that you submit a copy of the NOA1 for the I-130 when submitting the I-129F package.

The I-129F will not slow the I-130 process for you. It may for someone waiting in line to get their I-130 processed. Yes it is true that processing the I-129F is a waste of time and money. It does die at the NVC. It in fact did for my case.

Why don't they just delete the K3 process all together? Good question. I don't have an answer because it will die everytime at the NVC.

You can plan on 5 months and 2 weeks for approval of an I-130.

Once you reach the 5 month time frame, you can go to your senator or congressman and request that they help you with your visa for your spouse. It must be at least 5 month or they will not help you. Just go to your senators or congressmen website and the website should have something about visa help.

I went to my senators website after the five month period. Within 2 days of contacting my senator, my NOA2 was approved.

I wish I could say that the NVC process is any easier but it takes a while there also. My NOA2 was dated 11/02/2010. I am still waiting for the NVC to complete processing my case. They lost the first DS230 packet that I sent them. It consist of a lot of original documents, birth certificate, wedding certificate, Police record. Good thing I told my wife to get two of each when she got them. I was able to respond with a second DS230 packet but it still cost me a month. Those dirt bags at the NVC. I know the DS230 packet was received at the NVC because they signed for it through the usps express mail service. The USPS emailed me a pdf copy of the signed receipt. That did me no good at all.

So expect a minimum of 5 months at the USCIS and expect a minimum of 3 months at the NVC and then 1 month after that you will get an interview if the NVC and Embassy is doing a good job. You are looking at around 10 months to get it approved. It is looking like a 10 month + process for my wife and I.

See the time lines at Visa Journey for processing the IR1/CR1 and you will see that it is a long time between the NOA2 and the interview.

Edited January 31, 2011 by bestofboston

[Wayne and Claudia 40]

Between NOA1 and NOA2 our case always said "Initial Review" and was never "touched". Not sure why other cases get touched and ours wasn't, but it was approved in 5 months which was the estimated time when we filed in June 2010.

(I did create an account and was logging in to the USCIS website.)

me too

[zachm611 3]

a whole lot of painfully slow time goes by thats about it really. i wouldnt rely on the online thing either as i never got a touch... email or text until one day I almost crapped myself when I received NOA2 in the mail was so excited! called my wife and she was just as ecstatic she was screaming and squealing haha I was more or less trembling with excitement to see Approval Notice! good luck and youre at the right place for guidance, if it wasnt for this place id be lost.