January I-129F filers

[P+J 47]

yeah the NVC looks like another disappointment now.... what the H*** is going on in there?! right now I am starting hoping I will make it and move for X MAS!!! this is crazy!

I know. Hopefully it won't be that way for our round of NOA2s. I don't understand how it would go from a week to a month so quickly. Maybe this was just a bad round and things will even out during the next phase for us....here's to hoping.

[Texas22 50]

What has everyone been using to calculate their 5 months? The receipt date indicated on the website after inputing the receipt number? or the NOA1 date? I know there's some different opinions and wondering what the consensus is here? Most of the time they are pretty close in number. but just curious.

VSC received our petition on the 27th of January, but the notice date on the NOA1 hard copy is the 31st. We put the Notice Date in our timeline.

Hoping beyond hope that we receive our NOA2 within the estimated adjudication window which would be by the 18th June.

[titantom 2]

I know. Hopefully it won't be that way for our round of NOA2s. I don't understand how it would go from a week to a month so quickly. Maybe this was just a bad round and things will even out during the next phase for us....here's to hoping.

I have used the I-797C "Notice Date" in my timeline, which is Jan. 23. They received my application on Jan. 19.

Everyday is becoming grueling now... GRRRRR!!!

[sabi 148]

I have used the I-797C "Notice Date" in my timeline, which is Jan. 23. They received my application on Jan. 19.

Everyday is becoming grueling now... GRRRRR!!!

yeah I just realized I used my NOA1 notice day too, which is 24 and my estimated time passed the VJ deadline yesterday... but I will be using the date from the website when ringing them towards end of next week...

[wdm1986 2]

Just out of curiosity, what do they actually do with your petition at the NVC? How hard is it to slap it in the mail to the embassy???? How do you guys know they are backed up? Thanks

This system seriously needs revision. I wonder why they send it to the NVC. To me that is just another delay and more chance of them messing up and losing paperwork????

Why don't they just mail from the service center????

[P+J 47]

yeah I just realized I used my NOA1 notice day too, which is 24 and my estimated time passed the VJ deadline yesterday... but I will be using the date from the website when ringing them towards end of next week...

Got it! Me too when I finally decide to call I will also reference received date instead of NOA2. Talked to my lawyer again today about what I should do in regards to the approaching 5 month mark. He still seems very confident that I'll hear something in the next 2 weeks for sure..But blahh. still advising so strongly against any congressional inquiries...I don't know why he would do that if it really didn't cause an issue...saying it's guaranteed to delay. It's happened before when clients asked for it and refused to heed the advice. It's not something to consider until closer to the 6 month mark (for expedites) I just hate feeling so powerless with the situation. But I know the attorney would not be saying this if it wasn't a risk. He has nothing to gain. Already paid in full and receiving NOA2 is only a positive for everyone involved...So disappointing, but I'll just hope for something to happen. Please VSC NOA2s for us all.

Edited June 12, 2012 by Paul86

[Texas22 50]

Please VSC NOA2s for us all.

Agreed!

[P+J 47]

Agreed!

Looks like we had a 1/13 petition approved at VSC. trends are getting a little more consistent now so hopeful that we see this continue. And a random October petition. God bless them. They waited 5 months on just an RFE.

[L+T 71]

Looks like we had a 1/13 petition approved at VSC. trends are getting a little more consistent now so hopeful that we see this continue. And a random October petition. God bless them. They waited 5 months on just an RFE.

Not really, look at the timeline, it took them almost 3 months to respond to RFE.

[LorRenee 6]

Looks like we had a 1/13 petition approved at VSC. trends are getting a little more consistent now so hopeful that we see this continue. And a random October petition. God bless them. They waited 5 months on just an RFE.

Here's hoping none of us end up like them.

I think it's fair to say that Paul86 was right about calling at the end of your petition timeframe and how it could slow you down. Based on what Photomile and I have done, if you're considering calling your congressman for assistance, or calling the USCIS directly for an Inquiry (which we learned is the same thing as a service request!), as tough as it may be, give it time and wait just a few more weeks before calling. I think in our case it didn't make a difference. Everything seems to have slowed down at the VSC so us calling is unlikely to have slowed us down, otherwise there would be a lot more January filers approved, but for the future, yes wait. We're in odd times right now and far outside the 'norm'.

On Monday, I received a call from our congressman's liaison who handles visa and immigration issues. We didn't have time to stop it as we had hoped, but it turns out that was actually a good thing. She told me that she had "literally" just gotten off the phone with Vermont who had advised that our petition had been assigned to an officer (hooray! It's not lost in a box somewhere!), but that we're still inside "normal processing times." That was the 11th of June. We're going off our NOA1 date of January 3rd. I think this is important for everyone here now. Since VSC has slowed down, "outside 5 months" has now become the normal processing time, else we'd actually see approvals. This is why I'm agreeing with Paul86. Wait, I know you won't want to, I know you'll want to get a move on and get approved. So do we.

If in the end you do decide to contact your congressman, instead of asking for a service request specifically, get them to directly ask that it get assigned to an officer, or see if they can find out if it has been. If it is, you know your time will come soon. It's on someone's desk and they WILL get to it. I don't know if a service request will actually make it go faster if you contact a few days/weeks right after your 5 month date, but definitely see if you can get your congressman to demand it gets assigned to an officer. If after another 4 weeks/month that officer hasn't approved you, contact your congressman again and let them know. They should follow up anyway (ours is calling next Monday to see if any progress has been made).

Good luck everyone. We'll get there. I know I haven't posted here before, but I'm sure Photomile will continue to give you updates and be the first to let you know we've been approved, when it actually happens. Here's to a good week.

[Texas22 50]

Nice to meet you LorRenee - future wife of photomile!

[P+J 47]

Not really, look at the timeline, it took them almost 3 months to respond to RFE.

Yup that's not quite as bad then. ha.

[P+J 47]

And looks like we have some more life back at VSC. 2 more approvals have yet to be updated on the timelines. Bringing today's total so far to 5. One was 1/13 the other a late January of 1/31 (based on NOA1s)

[L+T 71]

Here's hoping none of us end up like them.

I think it's fair to say that Paul86 was right about calling at the end of your petition timeframe and how it could slow you down. Based on what Photomile and I have done, if you're considering calling your congressman for assistance, or calling the USCIS directly for an Inquiry (which we learned is the same thing as a service request!), as tough as it may be, give it time and wait just a few more weeks before calling. I think in our case it didn't make a difference. Everything seems to have slowed down at the VSC so us calling is unlikely to have slowed us down, otherwise there would be a lot more January filers approved, but for the future, yes wait. We're in odd times right now and far outside the 'norm'.

On Monday, I received a call from our congressman's liaison who handles visa and immigration issues. We didn't have time to stop it as we had hoped, but it turns out that was actually a good thing. She told me that she had "literally" just gotten off the phone with Vermont who had advised that our petition had been assigned to an officer (hooray! It's not lost in a box somewhere!), but that we're still inside "normal processing times." That was the 11th of June. We're going off our NOA1 date of January 3rd. I think this is important for everyone here now. Since VSC has slowed down, "outside 5 months" has now become the normal processing time, else we'd actually see approvals. This is why I'm agreeing with Paul86. Wait, I know you won't want to, I know you'll want to get a move on and get approved. So do we.

If in the end you do decide to contact your congressman, instead of asking for a service request specifically, get them to directly ask that it get assigned to an officer, or see if they can find out if it has been. If it is, you know your time will come soon. It's on someone's desk and they WILL get to it. I don't know if a service request will actually make it go faster if you contact a few days/weeks right after your 5 month date, but definitely see if you can get your congressman to demand it gets assigned to an officer. If after another 4 weeks/month that officer hasn't approved you, contact your congressman again and let them know. They should follow up anyway (ours is calling next Monday to see if any progress has been made).

Good luck everyone. We'll get there. I know I haven't posted here before, but I'm sure Photomile will continue to give you updates and be the first to let you know we've been approved, when it actually happens. Here's to a good week.

Pauls Lawyers point, the day after telling 25,000 people that congress has contacted VSC would not be in the interest of the service center to approve and otherwise encourage everyone else to do the same thing. Comes down to what was said. Nothing they can do because you are still within normal processing time. (and oh yeah, back burner this one so we don't get another 100 calls tomorrow, in case this is another VJer telling all their friends that a tip from congress pushes you to the top). Unless they like making more work for themselves?

[LorRenee 6]

Pauls Lawyers point, the day after telling 25,000 people that congress has contacted VSC would not be in the interest of the service center to approve and otherwise encourage everyone else to do the same thing. Comes down to what was said. Nothing they can do because you are still within normal processing time. (and oh yeah, back burner this one so we don't get another 100 calls tomorrow, in case this is another VJer telling all their friends that a tip from congress pushes you to the top). Unless they like making more work for themselves?

Oh I agree, and I very much doubt calling our congressman pushed us to the top. If anything, we're at the bottom of a pile that the officer will get to when he feels like it. Since VSC advised that we were still in normal processing times, I wish I had the chance to go back to May 18th so I wouldn't have put the inquiry in, but at the time I didn't know an inquiry was the same thing as a service request. So yes, I completely agree with the Lawyer and what Paul said. Don't do it unless you really are that far out of processing times. If you complete a whole 6 months of waiting and nothing has happened, that's when it would be in the best interest to contact your congressman so they can assist.