October 2012 K1 filers

[annerobin12 9]

VSC will tell you to wait until you hit the 7 month mark! we called a few days before hitting 6 months and they said we would have to wait for another 32 days until we can put in a service request.

but we were approved shortly after that ;-) (6 months, 5 days) so be patient, your time is coming! Good luck!

[annerobin12 9]

oh and when we called the tier 2 officer said they were working on reviewing applications from Oct 2-6. we were approved the following week (NOA1 Oct 5, approved on April 10)

[rkj082000 11]

We are at 172 days today, contacted my senator who assigned someone to contact VSC. She was told by someone at VSC that if we had not been approved in 30 days to call them back. Sounds like the standard generic answer.......

VSC has also seemed to have slowed to a crawl after having a few good weeks. Looks like they are shuffling resources again to other types of visa's......

This whole process has been frustrating to say the least, if I had known then what I know now, I would have never gone the K1 route. I thought this was the quickest way to get my fiancee back to the states, quicker than a 130, boy was I ever wrong. Not to mention after this ridiculous wait, she won't be able to work or travel outside the usa until we marry, file for adjustment and advanced parol (which btw I heard takes 2-3 more months to get advanced parole).

I guess I should just be lucky that we got our petition in before the new immigration bill being discussed gets approved, then the K1's and 130's will get bumped even further towards the back of the line.

I love when I hear people talk about visa fraud by coming here with a tourist visa and marrying..... 6,7,8,9 months to wait for approval to do things the so called "right" is the real fraud being commited by the USCIS. We did things the "right" way we get to be kept apart for what will be closer to 1 year after we get NOA2, medical, interview, visa mailed...... Heck, all the illegal immigrants are now being rewarded for fraud, while us actual US citizens are being pushed to the back of the line.

[winelight 0]

Like everyone in this topic...I'm frustrated with the slow processing of my K1 petition. What upsets me even more is that CSC is not practicing a "first come-first serve" policy. This is blatantly unfair....and adds insult to the injury of the long processing delay.

I don't write to my Congressman often...but when I do...it's something I feel strongly about. Here is a copy of the letter I just sent to my Congressman...just in case it inspires you to do the same:

Dear Congressman Xxxxxxxxxx,

I am writing to inquire about unfairness and preferential treatment for selected K1 fiancée petition (Form I-129F) applicants at the USCIS California Service Center (CSC). Based on data provided by a private organization (visajourney.com), CSC has not been processing petitions in date order – which is blatantly unfair to those that filed their petitions first.

I counted 28 approved K1 petitions for visajourney.com members that had filed and recorded their petitions in December 2012. At the same time, almost ALL of the petitions filed in September and October have not been touched or processed by CSC at all. In a word, I would like to know why the CSC has chosen to process fiancée petitions for November and December – while bypassing potentially hundreds or thousands of fiancée petitions filed months earlier? There are even a number of August applicants whose petitions have not been processed.

It is bad enough when the USCIS national goal of 5 months to process such applications has now been extended to 7.5 months for the CSC. This, in itself, is very painful to couples in love…but cannot be together because of the slow USCIS process. But when there is preference placed on recent applications …while pushing earlier applications to the bottom of the pile…this is completely unacceptable. Dare I say it is even downright un-American.

I have always understood USCIS to observe a “first come-first serve” policy (with a few valid exceptions by request only). This is clearly not the case at the CSC USCIS processing center. At present, it is a “last come – first serve” policy at CSC.

I can provide additional data for others experiencing this injustice. In a word…it appears the CSC processed and approved as many KI petitions in Dec 2012 as they for all of Sept, Oct, and Nov combined (per visajourney.com unofficial estimates). Understand that it is not that CSC has not processed petitions for Sept and Oct. The problem is that they have not even touched most Sept and Oct petitions while processing and approving petitions received months later.

Can you get an answer for me as to why the USCIS CSC is doing this? Can you ask them to stop this unfair practice? If you can get answers to me…I will communicate this to many visajourney.com members that are very frustrated and have a genuine need to know. I will also make them aware that Congressman Yyyyy Xxxxxxxx took a personal interest in this issue.

John Doe

P.S. – I filed a fiancée petition with USCIS that was received Oct 9, 2012…and with an official notice date of Oct 11, 2012. The receipt number for my petition is WACxxxxxxxxxx. The last date my case was touched by USCIS is Oct 12, 2012. Please advise if you need additional information from me.

My phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx

[Mduenas 1]

Hi everyone, we filed on October 12th and I called on March 12th to get an expedition, but found out today that our request has not qualified for expedited servicing of the I-129F so we're back into the date receipt order queue :-( Has ANYONE from CSC who is an October filer been approved yet??? Our wedding is in 3 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow!!! You have an actual date???? My wedding is completely ready...I just don't have a date to send out the "save-the-date" and invitations! I wouldn't dare send something or put anything in writing without getting at least my NOA2!!! No offense, but that crazy!! LOL!! Trust me, I know how difficult this all is and I am desperate to get this thing rolling, but if you start changing dates on people...you may end up losing guests! Unless you're having something really small! I hope you didn't put a deposit for a venue! All we can do is cross our fingers and hope for the best, but as for me...I'm waiting till I get something in writing!!!

[Mduenas 1]

196 days for us. It feels like forever and I hope every day that we hear something, anything. I knew from the beginning this was going to be extremely tough and that I would have to have patience. It would be better if I knew SOMEONE was working on our paperwork or there was some kind of update. Getting on the USCIS website and seeing the same thing every day doesn't help at all.

4 more days and we hit the 200 mark. I hate being apart from my fiancee and I know it's extremely hard for her too. We're both trying to cope. We talk every day on skype and try our best to be upbeat. I can tell this is really wearing us down emotionally.

Just had to type this out to someone who can relate to how we feel. Someone tell me it gets better, please

Honestly...I think every single one of us can relate to you!! I wake up each morning to check my email and run to my phone for each text message that comes in with hopes that I will get something. This Friday will be 180 days for us...I miss my fiancé to tears!! I go see him every few months but you can only imagine what that has done to my bank account!! I'm so broke, I won't have anything for the wedding! :0( trust me...we all hear you and we all are right there with you, Hun.

[Mduenas 1]

We are at 172 days today, contacted my senator who assigned someone to contact VSC. She was told by someone at VSC that if we had not been approved in 30 days to call them back. Sounds like the standard generic answer.......

VSC has also seemed to have slowed to a crawl after having a few good weeks. Looks like they are shuffling resources again to other types of visa's......

This whole process has been frustrating to say the least, if I had known then what I know now, I would have never gone the K1 route. I thought this was the quickest way to get my fiancee back to the states, quicker than a 130, boy was I ever wrong. Not to mention after this ridiculous wait, she won't be able to work or travel outside the usa until we marry, file for adjustment and advanced parol (which btw I heard takes 2-3 more months to get advanced parole).

I guess I should just be lucky that we got our petition in before the new immigration bill being discussed gets approved, then the K1's and 130's will get bumped even further towards the back of the line.

I love when I hear people talk about visa fraud by coming here with a tourist visa and marrying..... 6,7,8,9 months to wait for approval to do things the so called "right" is the real fraud being commited by the USCIS. We did things the "right" way we get to be kept apart for what will be closer to 1 year after we get NOA2, medical, interview, visa mailed...... Heck, all the illegal immigrants are now being rewarded for fraud, while us actual US citizens are being pushed to the back of the line.

So true!!!!

Question...I thought that my fiancé could come and start working right away. I must have read wrong, I don't even recall where I even saw that!! Sounds like that's not true...can you explain!?

[Ronn63 41]

I just had a peek at Igor's list, as I do multiple times daily, (I should really stop doing that.) Ok...so 6 approvals so far for today, (October 17th.) Got some for August and September, and one each for November and December. Did someone lose October off their calendar? They are doing a serious dance around that month.

[Trillian42 6]

10 approvals, none for VSC =(

[rkj082000 11]

So true!!!!

Question...I thought that my fiancé could come and start working right away. I must have read wrong, I don't even recall where I even saw that!! Sounds like that's not true...can you explain!?

The K1 only allows your fiancé into the country for 90 days to get married. It is not a work visa and he/she can not leave the country and return in those 90 days (it's a one time entry visa). Once you get married you file for adjustment of status, EAD, and advanced parole at the same time. EAD allows he/she to work and advanced parole allows he/she to travel outside the country and return. I read that trying to get work authorization separately, before marrying is a waste of time and money as it takes 90 days which is the length of the K1 visa. I plan on getting legally married within one or 2 days of her arriving, then we can plan our "big" wedding for a later date. The sooner you marry, the sooner you can apply for adjustment of status, hope this helps!

[Mduenas 1]

The K1 only allows your fiancé into the country for 90 days to get married. It is not a work visa and he/she can not leave the country and return in those 90 days (it's a one time entry visa). Once you get married you file for adjustment of status, EAD, and advanced parole at the same time. EAD allows he/she to work and advanced parole allows he/she to travel outside the country and return. I read that trying to get work authorization separately, before marrying is a waste of time and money as it takes 90 days which is the length of the K1 visa. I plan on getting legally married within one or 2 days of her arriving, then we can plan our "big" wedding for a later date. The sooner you marry, the sooner you can apply for adjustment of status, hope this helps!

Yes very helpful! Thank you!

I was under the impresión that he would not be able to go back to his country to visit his Family until he had his residency which I heard can be like a year. I guess I heard wrong about that too!?

How long before he can go back? DJ you know how long the process is after marriage for work permit and international travel?

[Ronn63 41]

Yes very helpful! Thank you!

I was under the impresión that he would not be able to go back to his country to visit his Family until he had his residency which I heard can be like a year. I guess I heard wrong about that too!?

How long before he can go back? DJ you know how long the process is after marriage for work permit and international travel?

Plan on at least 90 days for the work permit and advance parole. Once your fiance has that, he/she can come and go without fear of not being let back in.

[rkj082000 11]

Plan on at least 90 days for the work permit and advance parole. Once your fiance has that, he/she can come and go without fear of not being let back in.

Exactly, which is why if you know your gonna marry, the spousal visa is the much better way to go. With a CR-1 you have your travel, work papers when you get the visa, no need to wait another 3 months......ugggg.

[uk2upstateny 13]

10 approvals, none for VSC =(

Hey, heeeeey.... I still think VSC is doing quite well lately, we're seeing the approvals rolling into October, lets stay positive here! I'm an October 25th filer and lets just think.. Hopefully within a month, we'll see NOA2, if not sooner. They're not churning out piles of approvals every day, but slow and steady may win the race Chin up!

[grassi 1]

Can someone please link me to Igor's List?