Advice Needed.. 5 months no NOA2

[PleaseDeleteAcct 7]

Hi VJ,

I am writing because I am not sure where to go from here....

Our NOA1 date is 1/12/12. Today (6/12/12) is 5 months since we sent our NOA1. I jumped the gun a little and sent my information to a senators office on 6/7/12 (5 days early) and got information back saying that they cannot do anything since we are still within processing times and to try again in a month!!! I'm sooooo frustrated, if I had waited until today to send the information they probably would not have given that answer right?

So I don't know what to do at this point.... should I contact a different person (congressman instead) now that we're at the 5 months? Should I just resend the information to the senator I've already spoken with now that it's 5 months? Just call USICS customer service (I know they don't help.. but... idk) and see what they say?

No idea where to go from here and there is no way in hell that I can just leave it alone for another month and be left in the dark. If we are told that we can file a service request or contact congress/senate at 5 months then I don't see how 4 months and 26 days is much different.

Yes, I should have waited but I had reason to send earlier, I wrote an explanation of why etc.

But the bottom line is... how does 5 days early make it ok to make us wait another month before anyone will help us out?? Ugh. I'm sooooo emotionally drained from this process, I've never felt this upset and depressed in my life.

[jaycali 415]

Have you called USCIS and asked for a service request? Might be an idea also to send the same thing you sent your senator 5 days ago to your local congressman.

[eaglewest 9]

I don't understand how people can be so impatient at times. We know that it can be quick as it can be late, so why not give it to nearly 6 months and see what happens. It is more likely that after 5 months or nearly 6 months it will be worked on and this happens in a lot of cases. They are under much pressure from all applications and cases being sent everyday. I hope people will consider this fact, instead of driving themself crazy and frustrated over this process.

[PleaseDeleteAcct 7]

I don't understand how people can be so impatient at times. We know that it can be quick as it can be late, so why not give it to nearly 6 months and see what happens. It is more likely that after 5 months or nearly 6 months it will be worked on and this happens in a lot of cases. They are under much pressure from all applications and cases being sent everyday. I hope people will consider this fact, instead of driving themself crazy and frustrated over this process.

Ok well I'm sorry if you feel I'm being impatient.

I was told on March 19th by a Tier 2 that we would have an answer in 2-3 weeks....I have been MORE THAN patient because we have waited those 2-3 weeks PLUS 2 more months on top of that.

I've never been away from my husband this long, and as most people here know, it's hard. Also, I am having issues that I'm dealing with at work at the moment. We need to get things settled or at least moving in some direction in order to get everything else worked out.

We have reasons more than just missing each other to try to get things going a little faster but unforuntately it doesn't "technically" fit under any of the expedite criteria, we are doing the best to just "hang in there" but there are reasons that we can't just sit around and wait it out after we've already been told on 3 occassions that we would have an answer in a few days and then were told to contact a senator or congressman.

When we applied the average time at VSC was 3-3.5 months for NOA2. I don't think it's unreasonable to be upset and want to get things moving... we waited out the time we were told to. Now I was just asking for advice on where to go from here. You don't need to claim that I'm being impatient... you don't know anything about what we've gone through to this point with our case.

[RobbyUSA 26]

But the bottom line is... how does 5 days early make it ok to make us wait another month before anyone will help us out?? Ugh. I'm sooooo emotionally drained from this process, I've never felt this upset and depressed in my life.

put it this way.... if you had sent in the I-130 Package in September of 2011 you would had been approved in 2 to 3 months.

VSC was fast, but not anymore!

or if you had spent some time in the UK when you sent it in, it would have been less than a month.

.

Edited June 12, 2012 by RobbyUSA

[RobbyUSA 26]

I don't understand how people can be so impatient at times. We know that it can be quick as it can be late, so why not give it to nearly 6 months and see what happens. It is more likely that after 5 months or nearly 6 months it will be worked on and this happens in a lot of cases. They are under much pressure from all applications and cases being sent everyday. I hope people will consider this fact, instead of driving themself crazy and frustrated over this process.

I hear you, so it looks like you have 3 months to go!!!

same here, because the VSC wait time is now double!!

[twocastles 26]

Ok well I'm sorry if you feel I'm being impatient.

I was told on March 19th by a Tier 2 that we would have an answer in 2-3 weeks....I have been MORE THAN patient because we have waited those 2-3 weeks PLUS 2 more months on top of that.

I've never been away from my husband this long, and as most people here know, it's hard. Also, I am having issues that I'm dealing with at work at the moment. We need to get things settled or at least moving in some direction in order to get everything else worked out.

We have reasons more than just missing each other to try to get things going a little faster but unforuntately it doesn't "technically" fit under any of the expedite criteria, we are doing the best to just "hang in there" but there are reasons that we can't just sit around and wait it out after we've already been told on 3 occassions that we would have an answer in a few days and then were told to contact a senator or congressman.

When we applied the average time at VSC was 3-3.5 months for NOA2. I don't think it's unreasonable to be upset and want to get things moving... we waited out the time we were told to. Now I was just asking for advice on where to go from here. You don't need to claim that I'm being impatient... you don't know anything about what we've gone through to this point with our case.

I did the exact same thing you did, asking for a Congressman's help a few days early. And I agree with you completely about the "impatience" reply. The gall of some people to be upset with you because you want to be with your loved one...it's ridiculous. I'm sorry for all the people that are offended because we expect more from our government and its workers. They are hardly overloaded. And if they were...why not send cases to the local office where you live? I know when I went to the Buffalo office, six workers sat there talking about nonsense the whole 45 minutes I was there. THEY could be processing my case, and get it done much quicker.

Also, the Service Centers should be in relief mode, since November, December are the two slowest months. Yet, here I am, an early December filer still waiting when most late December filers received approval in April and May. Many January and even February filers have also received approval. Yet mine seems lost in limbo and I can't get an answer from anyone. Not the USCIS. Not the VSC. Not from my Representative. Not from my Senator.

I'm on 190 days (Dec 5, 2011 filer). Since acknowledgement of my service request on May 8, it has been 35 out of the "within 60 days" that they stated. So I support you being "so impatient" 100%, because this process is ridiculously long and inefficient!

[ullnvrkno 95]

I did the exact same thing you did, asking for a Congressman's help a few days early. And I agree with you completely about the "impatience" reply. The gall of some people to be upset with you because you want to be with your loved one...it's ridiculous. I'm sorry for all the people that are offended because we expect more from our government and its workers. They are hardly overloaded. And if they were...why not send cases to the local office where you live? I know when I went to the Buffalo office, six workers sat there talking about nonsense the whole 45 minutes I was there. THEY could be processing my case, and get it done much quicker.

Also, the Service Centers should be in relief mode, since November, December are the two slowest months. Yet, here I am, an early December filer still waiting when most late December filers received approval in April and May. Many January and even February filers have also received approval. Yet mine seems lost in limbo and I can't get an answer from anyone. Not the USCIS. Not the VSC. Not from my Representative. Not from my Senator.

I'm on 190 days (Dec 5, 2011 filer). Since acknowledgement of my service request on May 8, it has been 35 out of the "within 60 days" that they stated. So I support you being "so impatient" 100%, because this process is ridiculously long and inefficient!

It must be something with the day because I'm also a 12/05/11 NOA1 filer and I don't have an NOA2 either. But I guess our difference is mine is stuck at my local office waiting for the slow as syrup mail sorting facility to get evidence to my file that I sent in almost 4 weeks ago.

[JJ:( 0]

eaglewest*** How dare you have the gall to speak to anyone about being patient to start their lives with their loved ones? Unless your petition and or relationship is under false pretense I dont see anyone just sitting back, playing with thumbs and allowing the nonesense to continue.

People's lives is on a standstill so, XXJaym I'm in total agreement with you.. do what you can to get this resolved and ingore the nonesense..

[twocastles 26]

It must be something with the day because I'm also a 12/05/11 NOA1 filer and I don't have an NOA2 either. But I guess our difference is mine is stuck at my local office waiting for the slow as syrup mail sorting facility to get evidence to my file that I sent in almost 4 weeks ago.

Ouch! I read your signature's timeline...even an expedite request. That really stinks! I wish you all the luck! Hopefully soon we can have the "December 2011 IR-1/CR-1 USCIS Filers" thread completely finished too!

[RobbyUSA 26]

Ouch! I read your signature's timeline...even an expedite request. That really stinks! I wish you all the luck! Hopefully soon we can have the "December 2011 IR-1/CR-1 USCIS Filers" thread completely finished too!

maybe us VSC fillers should make a trip to the VSC and protest.

we would need 10+ people to make an impact though.

I like how they hide out in Vermont! why not Boston, etc...

[ullnvrkno 95]

maybe us VSC fillers should make a trip to the VSC and protest.

we would need 10+ people to make an impact though.

I like how they hide out in Vermont! why not Boston, etc...

After you guys get done protesting VSC come help me protest my local office: Fairfax (Washington DC's field office). It's apparently notorious for being corrupt and SLLLOOOOWWWWW.

[reelss 4]

Back to OPs question - what are the options?

Here is what my plan of action was before my petition was approved:

- Called at the 5 month mark for a Service Request. For me, this was 5/30/12. I had my hopes up high, but as the agent began to take the SR, he told me that I would have to wait 2 more weeks because they were processing Dec 16 (I was Dec 30).

- Nonetheless, I tried again a week later and had essentially the same experience. The agent informed me I could write to CSC.

- I emailed CSC, and coincidence or not, I got the approval the same week.

(I had saved up on the option of contacting my Congressman once the two weeks were up).

[Linds&Youssef 56]

I understand your frustration, but there are a few things to keep in mind here:

1) The goal for processing times is 5 months. It's not a guaranteed time frame.

2) The timelines you see here on VisaJourney are not necessarily completely accurate representations of all processing times for all visas of your specific type (they only reflect the visa applications of the members of this site... who fill out their time lines.

3) The VCS received a higher than normal volume of applications this winter and spring.

All that said, I know it's hard to be patient (sometimes I'm so anxious about the progress of our case that I could scream!) But the reality of the situation is that USCIS will not respond to any questions of progress that come before the 30-day period directly following the USCIS-stated processing time frame that applies to your case. So if USCIS posts 5 months, they won't even speak to you until after 6 months have passed from NOA1.

I'm sure this probably doesn't make you feel any better, but at least maybe it'll clarify what's going on a bit for you.

[A16!!24A 5]

dont worry your approval will come soon, most likely during the 5 1/2 month mark to 6 month.. and yes waiting is very hard and its very frustrating to be away from your significant other, so you have every right to be impatient, i know i was but no worries it will come soon, you shall see in the meantime, start working on your stuff for the NVC stage and read up on that, NVC is much faster.