Filing I-130 Next Week, then Electronic Processing for CR1

[Darnell 8,478]

sorta - once there, click the 'extended view' button thingie.

[LBeachey 45]

Gives me a total of roughly 3.5 to 5.5 months from filing to appointment date using EP (potentially, assuming all goes well and stars line up).

Few Things

1. I am finishing DCF here in China and it took almost exactly 4 months from submitting petition to interview. I would be shocked if you were able to do it that quickly submitting the petition in the States. My I-130 was approved in a month so Guangzhou processing took about three months total. I know of a few others who are DCF and it is taking longer that, closer to six months.

2. The time of the year Guangzhou receives the paperwork effects turnaround time. It takes longer in the late Spring and Summer than in late Fall/Winter.

3. I would recommend EP for no other reason it eliminates the need to use the Chinese mail system (what I have been told) which is a big advantage in of itself.

4. It sounds like your bigggest concern is the cost of the flight. I would use your NOA2 as the trigger. Once Guangzhou has the paperwork, others have successfully been able to request specific dates though they typically push the date out rather than pull the date in. Also the cost of the flight is much more dependent on time of year and hitting Chinese Holidays/etc.

[FoundNanning 0]

Darnell:

Any comment on why it seems that DCF takes longer than your EP estimates?

Regards,

Leon

[Darnell 8,478]

current queue proessing at USCIS. This is a huge variance. It will prolly shift again after end of August.

[Casprd 167]

I'm a little confused. Are we saying about 5 months for I-130 approval, and then using EP, 24-45 days until I GET an appointment date? If so, how long before actual appointment am I given a date so I can buy a plane ticket?

No the 25 to 45 days is how much notice you will get. We got a little over 3 weeks notice which made it tight to arrange fligths. USCIS is running a little long now, maybe 6 months, but that changes so often you never know. NVC electronic processing we started on April 1st and we had our interview letter mid May for a June 1st interview.

7 months from I-130 filing to interview is incredibly optimistic. I would plan for 8 months as a best case scenario and if it beats that then all the better.

Edited June 27, 2011 by Casprd

[Robby999 1,024]

Well my wife's petition made decent progress using Electronic processing!( With Darnell's assistance) Mailed the I-130 on 10/19/2009 and received appointment letter on 04/01/2010, interviewed and approved on 05/04/2010! Thanks again Darnell.

Electronic Processing for CR-1 (China)

02/26/2009.....First trip to China to meet in person

03/07/2009.....Return to US

09/03/2009.....Second trip to China

09/09/2009.....Married in China

09/12/2009.....Return to US

10/19/2009.....Mailed I-130 to Chicago Lockbox

10/21/2009.....I-130 delivered

10/27/2009.....I-130 Received at California Service Center

10/31/2009.....Received NOA1 Hard copy via mail

02/02/2010.....Received NOA2 ( Text message & E-mail )

02/05/2010.....NVC Receives I-130 Petition

02/07/2010.....Called NVC AVR and received NVC casenumber / gave E-mail addresses

02/09/2010.....Received NOA2 Hard copy in the mail

02/12/2010.....Received ACL/DS-3032 and AOS Fee Invoice by E-mail

02/12/2010.....Paid AOS Fee online

02/16/2010.....AOS Fee shows paid

02/21/2010.....Sent OPTIN letter and DS-3032 to NVC from wife's E-mail account in China/Received automated reply to acknowledge

receipt by NVC

02/28/2010.....Called NVC AVR to check case status, was told the DS-3032 was received and would be contacted soon.

03/03/2010.....Sent I-864 Bundle to NVC

03/03/2010.....Paid IV Fee online

03/11/2010.....IV Fee shows Paid

03/12/2010.....IV Bundle sent to NVC

03/15/2010.....RFE for I-864 requesting new I-864 with corrections to block 25

03/17/2010.....Checklist letter response and corrected I-864 returned to NVC

03/18/2010.....AVR says checklist letter response received at NVC

03/23/2010.....RFE for GUZ P3 Supplemental

03/23/2010.....Returned RFE Checklist Letter/Coverpage and GUZ P3 Supplemental

03/29/2010.....Sign-In Failure for payment portal

03/31/2010.....Case Complete E-mail letter from NVC.

04/01/2010.....P4 Interview Appointment Letter

04/28/2010..... 3rd Trip to China for wife's interview.

05/04/2010..... Interview Guangzhou ( PINK/Orange)

06/20/2010..... POE Atlanta, Georgia

[Darnell 8,478]

Robby's timeline was sorta fast, IIRC, even with a 2 week delay for an RFE at NVC.

My point is - USCIS cycle times vary - there's a VARIANCE across a years time - what got 7 months to NOA-2 date 3 months ago, is getting 3 months currently. I try to keep up with the cycles and trending - I guess my only posit is that if you FILE NOW, you'll prolly get some speed, and IMO, the cycle will get slow again after the end of August.

Groups of Adjudicators are tasked, per petition type, based on caseload, #'s of each petition in the queue, some load balancing as well - so if I-130 petitions are going fast? There's more adjudicators that have been shifted from OTHER casefile types to handle I-130 petitions, at USCIS. That does change, as the #'s change for all casetypes, as well. IMO, this is 'the season' for getting some speed.

I could be wrong, of course - I only gist data, look at patterns.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Darnell

[harry1 0]

I will file my I-130 next week (filing from Boston, MA). After approval, I will utilize electronic processing for CR1. I plan on joining my wife in China when she has her interview. Here's my questions:

1) Assuming no RFEs or 'black hole', what is the range/most likely dates for I-130 approval, and then for interview date?

2) How much notice will I get of interview date (worrying about the potential high cost of a last minute ticket to China).

Thanks,

Leon

12/2010 filed I-130, started electronic processing at NVC at end of May, got interview date last week for Aug. 10.