I-130 stuck between USCIS and NVC

[speedwell 224]

Hello, everyone. I've been trying to stay off the board for a while because it's so stressful for me. Our I-130 was finally approved on February 7, and we got the approval letter that said they have forwarded our file to the NVC. As of two days ago (Friday) the NVC does not know anything about our file. The USCIS Tier 2 rep told me the case has absolutely been approved and forwarded. I think we are getting the runaround and our case has been lost. I wrote to my congressman's office on Friday.

I know it's been 26 business days, but the approval notice says 30 days, not 30 business days. I'm really getting upset with never hearing anything from the NVC. Does anyone have any tips? Can anything else be done? Can anyone tell me how to find out where my file is?

Thanks and happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

[NikLR 13,227]

The nvc deals with business days not all days. Or so they're fond of saying to me on the phone.

[speedwell 224]

I did actually send a letter to NVC Research and they wrote me on March 7:

Please be advised that the National Visa Center (NVC) has received your

inquiry and the attached I-797 Notice of Action - Approval Notice.

Unfortunately, we do not have record of receiving your approved petition

from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The NVC will contact

USCIS on your behalf for information on the location of this petition.

So far I have heard nothing.

Please help!

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

First of all, USCIS lies about petition locations. I've witnessed it. Secondly, the ISO on the phone has no idea if Houston actually sent off that I-130 or they just say they did. There is a big chance that they sent it off later than they claimed to.

[speedwell 224]

First of all, USCIS lies about petition locations. I've witnessed it. Secondly, the ISO on the phone has no idea if Houston actually sent off that I-130 or they just say they did. There is a big chance that they sent it off later than they claimed to.

Understood, thank you.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Understood, thank you.

I hope that congressional inquiry unsticks your petition.

[AKSinghSingh79 143]

I've been wondering where you've been!

Nola is right, lies seem to roll off the tongue so easily amongst these folks. I'm still in shock that my own local office blatantly lied to me first about having my petition in the office and second about it not being possible to approve my petition without the missing unobtainable document.

I called NVC everyday like most do after they are approved. They continuously told me that my case was not in the buliding well into the first week of March. On March 4, I found that my case was indeed in the building and it had been there since February 25.

I think you're doing the right thing by contacting a congressman. There is another member, lukakrishna, who also got the runaround with his approved petition. His case file actually went all the way to New Delhi instead of the NVC. A very helpful PA congressman was able to locate his case where he recently confirmed that it was received at the NVC (even though NVC still tells him they have no record of his file). He suggested to contact a republican congressman over a democrat since the democrats are usually bogged down with immigration-related requests.

Quite an inefficient system they have. You would think that once they physically receive a file, they would generate a bar code and scan it immediately upon receipt so it that would instantly show in their system.

I'm confident that your file is physically at the NVC and they just haven't entered it into their system yet.

[speedwell 224]

I've been wondering where you've been!

Nola is right, lies seem to roll off the tongue so easily amongst these folks. I'm still in shock that my own local office blatantly lied to me first about having my petition in the office and second about it not being possible to approve my petition without the missing unobtainable document.

I called NVC everyday like most do after they are approved. They continuously told me that my case was not in the buliding well into the first week of March. On March 4, I found that my case was indeed in the building and it had been there since February 25.

I think you're doing the right thing by contacting a congressman. There is another member, lukakrishna, who also got the runaround with his approved petition. His case file actually went all the way to New Delhi instead of the NVC. A very helpful PA congressman was able to locate his case where he recently confirmed that it was received at the NVC (even though NVC still tells him they have no record of his file). He suggested to contact a republican congressman over a democrat since the democrats are usually bogged down with immigration-related requests.

Quite an inefficient system they have. You would think that once they physically receive a file, they would generate a bar code and scan it immediately upon receipt so it that would instantly show in their system.

I'm confident that your file is physically at the NVC and they just haven't entered it into their system yet.

Thank you, AK, I've been ill. I really need my husband badly and this is not doing me any good. Your words are encouraging and I certainly hope you are right! Thanks a lot

[Shiobhan 235]

Most times the immigration telecommunicators only have a very limited amount of info in their

system relating to inquries, of course in everything you get a few who is not 100% but sometimes

I think the irates, angry, and anxious calls can be overwhelming, yes everyone needs answers

like yesterday but its not like that, some goes faster than some , wishing everyone a positive journey

[emma1990 1]

Hello!

I have been following your posts. Could you update us on what happened to your case now? Has it arrived at NVC? Please let me know because your situation is similar to mine at the moment. It's very stressful! I would really appreciate your response! Thanks!

[speedwell 224]

Hello!

I have been following your posts. Could you update us on what happened to your case now? Has it arrived at NVC? Please let me know because your situation is similar to mine at the moment. It's very stressful! I would really appreciate your response! Thanks!

Emma, it turns out Houston holds files and sends them out in a batch each month. Ours did eventually make it to the NVC. There is some evidence (but it's weird) that the case might have been sent to the National Records Center and had to be retrieved, but it's not clear.

[emma1990 1]

Yea... looks like our case has been sent to NRC. We got congresswoman involved and she was able to find out that it was sent to NRC. It's very disappointing because I have searched on this similar case as our's and many people had to go through the same delay as we are going and that too from previous years. How can they possibly make such an idiotic mistake? Year after year they make the same stupid mistake. Being a nurse, I cannot imagine myself making such stupid mistakes or my license will be taken away. I wonder what kind of people work at USCIS. Probably playing trial and error games at work. How long do I have to wait to live with my own legally married husband?????? So frustrating!!

[emma1990 1]

Just to mention. Our I-130 got approved on March 28th, 2013. It has been a month and a half. USCIS say that they sent a box to NRC and have no new information or status of the box. They don't seem to be willing to take much responsibility. They also mentioned in their e-mail to the congresswoman to "allow 30 days before inquiring again it would be appreciated and we will definitely update him if we hear something sooner. Please thank him for his patience. (and yours too.)". Looks like it'll be a long wait.

Did anyone else's case got sent to NRC? How long did it take to finally get to NVC? Please let me know!

Thanks in advance for all your help!

[speedwell 224]

Just to mention. Our I-130 got approved on March 28th, 2013. It has been a month and a half. USCIS say that they sent a box to NRC and have no new information or status of the box. They don't seem to be willing to take much responsibility. They also mentioned in their e-mail to the congresswoman to "allow 30 days before inquiring again it would be appreciated and we will definitely update him if we hear something sooner. Please thank him for his patience. (and yours too.)". Looks like it'll be a long wait.

Did anyone else's case got sent to NRC? How long did it take to finally get to NVC? Please let me know!

Thanks in advance for all your help!

They do so have the tracking number for the box, and the Congressman's rep can get it from them. They are sick of being bothered by Congressional reps. They are just putting them off now.

[emma1990 1]

They do so have the tracking number for the box, and the Congressman's rep can get it from them. They are sick of being bothered by Congressional reps. They are just putting them off now.

Thanks for that info speedwell. It's very sad and I really don't know what to do now. I guess it's just waiting game for me and my hubby :'(.