September 2013 I-130 Filers

[k.dlg 300]

Congratulations k.dlg

Thanks! Cute pup btw.

[Murf & Reggie 37]

thx yeah he is our boi

[urbangirluk 73]

Welcome! What part of England are you from?

I'm from Yorkshire

[Jematt 7]

Welcome Samni and Ashydad

Most of us here got out NOA1 email after 3 days. Ish. Then a hard copy a week later.

Haha, I know American do not pick mushrooms. Same with Brits! Come on, guys, it's so much fun

Plus, they're quite expensive, especially right before Wigilia...

You should try it. You might love it

You got me all teared up... such a lovely and sweet post

Re: Overland Park.. In the "Interesting information.." thread, Sukie posted everything that is known at the moment. (For everyone not familiar with the thread : http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/454715-interesting-information-regarding-huge-delays-in-i-130-processing/page-4. Especially Sukie's post #54).

So, in sum, Overland Park will process I-90 (green card replacements, which, by playing with the receipt numbers on uscis, I've seen they have already been working on) AND stand-alone I-130s ONLY.

Ok, so given there will be 500 employees (not including contractors) and let's say .. 300 of them will be assigned to I-130s

Let's say their work day is 8 hours.

8 hours x 300 employees= 2400 hours= 144,000 minutes a day employees would have to process the petitions

It takes 15-20 minutes to adjudicate one case. But let's say it will be 60 minutes for each (I mean, come on, let's be realistic.. they're new, still confused and in training )

144,000/60= they could go through 2400 cases a day

Given USCIS received over 100,000 cases in the first quarter of 2013, it's safe to assume there is a 100,000 cases in Overland Park right now. (filed from May - Sept)

100,000 cases, overall / 2400 cases a day = 42 days. Minus weekends and holidays... circa 55? days should take them to adjudicate all cases they have at the moment.

But let's double it, to be an a safe side.. 2-3 months. We could all be approved by Christmas.

BUT I suck at math BADLY so someone smarter please correct my calculations?

Blueberry, I like your math! I hope it's accurate. By Christmas would be SOOOOO cool! Hopeful you're right!!! =)

[deleteme 34]

Hi folks, July I-130 filer here. I don't mean to rain on your parade, but you all should know what is going on, if you don't already.

USCIS's adjudication rate of I-130 petitions seems to have slowed down considerably this year. There are a lot of backlogged petitions behind you. As best we (prior months' filers) can tell, USCIS's workload increased toward the end of last year. They apparently made a management decision to route all I-130 petitions, beginning in May, to the new Division 8 National Benefits Center facility in Overland Park, Kansas, but not to open the facility until the end of Sept, as some of you have discovered and note above. However, petitioners who filed in the months prior to May report that their petitions were routed to Overland Park, also, as per their NOA1's.

People who filed in Nov-12 to Feb-13 were notified of their adjudications in around 90 days, based on VJ timeline data (you can see my calculations done with Excel, posted in the July filers' forum).

But then the adjudication rate since March-13 has fallen off the table. USCIS is not forthcoming about why this is happening, and when they do share information, often it conflicts from what other USCIS people have said, or what official documents state. What we can figure is that our petitions are just accruing, and nobody has been really working on them, with rare exceptions. I have been alarmed by what I have seen and heard, and have done everything that I can to learn about the situation, including calling USCIS many times, visiting my local USCIS field office and researching on the internet, talking to lawyers, etc.

Some April-May filers have started a White House petition, and some have sent letters to a Philadelphia news station, to try to get to the bottom of this problem. We are concerned that the administration has made decisions that will prolong our wait.

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I suppose that there is a chance that our fears will be for naught. Everything hinges on the speed at which the new NBC facility can be operational, and what their new rate of productivity will be. If they are fast, then, maybe they will catch up quickly. But that is a hope that cannot be verified or predicted. USCIS has just now started saying that adjudications will take 9-12 months. This does not count the next NVC phase, which can be another 1-2 months, depending upon how responsive you are, and the workload of the US consulate in your family member's country.

My wife and I have made our plans accordingly. We are fortunate in that citizens of her country can visit here for up to 90 days on the visa waiver program, and there is no fixed rule about how long a foreigner under the VWP must be away before they return, so we are going to do that. You also might want to consider this option, if it is available.

We have only waited a few months so far (I say 'only' because of the reported long waits, not because our 2 month wait has been easy), but based on what we have now know, we are bracing for a long wait, longer than it has been in recent years, for prior filers. We are hoping for the best, and are attentive to any signs that the process might speed up.

My purpose in writing here is twofold; to help you all become aware of this mess so that you can plan better, and also to enlist you in our efforts to figure out, and possibly influence the system.

Some of us who filed in earlier months have done our research, shared info and analyses, etc. You can access this information by looking at the forums for I-130 filers, from March forward. Start at the bottom of the threads.

Sincerely,

alaskafan

[Blueberry Pancake 311]

Hi folks, July I-130 filer here. I don't mean to rain on your parade, but you all should know what is going on, if you don't already.

USCIS's adjudication rate of I-130 petitions seems to have slowed down considerably this year. There are a lot of backlogged petitions behind you. As best we (prior months' filers) can tell, USCIS's workload increased toward the end of last year. They apparently made a management decision to route all I-130 petitions, beginning in May, to the new Division 8 National Benefits Center facility in Overland Park, Kansas, but not to open the facility until the end of Sept, as some of you have discovered and note above. However, petitioners who filed in the months prior to May report that their petitions were routed to Overland Park, also, as per their NOA1's.

People who filed in Nov-12 to Feb-13 were notified of their adjudications in around 90 days, based on VJ timeline data (you can see my calculations done with Excel, posted in the July filers' forum).

But then the adjudication rate since March-13 has fallen off the table. USCIS is not forthcoming about why this is happening, and when they do share information, often it conflicts from what other USCIS people have said, or what official documents state. What we can figure is that our petitions are just accruing, and nobody has been really working on them, with rare exceptions. I have been alarmed by what I have seen and heard, and have done everything that I can to learn about the situation, including calling USCIS many times, visiting my local USCIS field office and researching on the internet, talking to lawyers, etc.

Some April-May filers have started a White House petition, and some have sent letters to a Philadelphia news station, to try to get to the bottom of this problem. We are concerned that the administration has made decisions that will prolong our wait.

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I suppose that there is a chance that our fears will be for naught. Everything hinges on the speed at which the new NBC facility can be operational, and what their new rate of productivity will be. If they are fast, then, maybe they will catch up quickly. But that is a hope that cannot be verified or predicted. USCIS has just now started saying that adjudications will take 9-12 months. This does not count the next NVC phase, which can be another 1-2 months, depending upon how responsive you are, and the workload of the US consulate in your family member's country.

My wife and I have made our plans accordingly. We are fortunate in that citizens of her country can visit here for up to 90 days on the visa waiver program, and there is no fixed rule about how long a foreigner under the VWP must be away before they return, so we are going to do that. You also might want to consider this option, if it is available.

We have only waited a few months so far (I say 'only' because of the reported long waits, not because our 2 month wait has been easy), but based on what we have now know, we are bracing for a long wait, longer than it has been in recent years, for prior filers. We are hoping for the best, and are attentive to any signs that the process might speed up.

My purpose in writing here is twofold; to help you all become aware of this mess so that you can plan better, and also to enlist you in our efforts to figure out, and possibly influence the system.

Some of us who filed in earlier months have done our research, shared info and analyses, etc. You can access this information by looking at the forums for I-130 filers, from March forward. Start at the bottom of the threads.

Sincerely,

alaskafan

I have been tracking VJ'ers timelines, reading threads, and trying to find anything about Overland Park, KS.

I haven't seen any transfers to NBC/Kansas. I've only seen petitions being routed there straight from the Lockbox.

We do not know whether they will transfer petitions filed prior to May to NBC/Kansas.

We actually know nothing for sure right now...

We should know more in the next 6-8 weeks.

It's very possible that they will only process petition filed from May onward and the rest will stay where they are right now.

Last year, when they started transferring petitions to local offices, this only applied to petitions filed after August 15th when they made the announcement. Might be the case this time as well? Who knows...

At the end of the day, we have to wait and see. That's all there is to it. Everything is just speculations at the moment.

And I absolutely hate it.

Totally agree that this mess with USCIS should make the news! Something MUST be done.

[k.dlg 300]

I'm from Yorkshire

Nice! My hubby is originally from Colchester, but he resides in Dagenham and works in London.

[k.dlg 300]

At the end of the day, we have to wait and see. That's all there is to it. Everything is just speculations at the moment.

And I absolutely hate it.

Totally agree that this mess with USCIS should make the news! Something MUST be done.

Sigh. Right there with ya, especially since this is my second rodeo with USCIS. Didn't think it was going to be this bad, but still keeping my sliver of hope that this new facility can start cranking some out before the year is done.

[Blueberry Pancake 311]

Sigh. Right there with ya, especially since this is my second rodeo with USCIS. Didn't think it was going to be this bad, but still keeping my sliver of hope that this new facility can start cranking some out before the year is done.

One VJ'er was told by Tier 2 today that Overland Park WILL be fully operational by the end of Sept and will start working on petitions with Overland Park address on their NOA1.

I'm guessing petitions from other centers weren't transferred to KS? Or will be transferred but ours would have priority?

Ugh, I hate this guessing game!!!!!!!!!!

Do not loose hope, hun It will be ok. It must be!

[k.dlg 300]

One VJ'er was told by Tier 2 today that Overland Park WILL be fully operational by the end of Sept and will start working on petitions with Overland Park address on their NOA1.

I'm guessing petitions from other centers weren't transferred to KS? Or will be transferred but ours would have priority?

Ugh, I hate this guessing game!!!!!!!!!!

Do not loose hope, hun It will be ok. It must be!

If you're right, then I hope I have that address on my NOA1 when it arrives in my mailbox! I've been checking my mail everyday. Nah, if I'd lost hope, I wouldn't be in this waiting game for the second time. lol. I've told my hubby loads of times ...The best things in life are worth waiting for, and also fighting for, believing in, and just never letting go of.

[Blueberry Pancake 311]

If you're right, then I hope I have that address on my NOA1 when it arrives in my mailbox! I've been checking my mail everyday. Nah, if I'd lost hope, I wouldn't be in this waiting game for the second time. lol. I've told my hubby loads of times ...The best things in life are worth waiting for, and also fighting for, believing in, and just never letting go of.

You'll probably get it next Monday? I think most get their hard copies one week from NOA1 email. Hopefully you'll get it sooner!

True words, girl!

(But, I just hate hate hate waiting!! )

[k.dlg 300]

You'll probably get it next Monday? I think most get their hard copies one week from NOA1 email. Hopefully you'll get it sooner!

True words, girl!

(But, I just hate hate hate waiting!! )

It took a lot longer last time with the I-129F! Think it was around 2-3 weeks. I've gotten used to waiting, since we've been together for 4 1/2 years now going back and forth, but I still hate it too.

My hubby will be here October 4th though til the end of the month for his birthday, so 2 weeks!

[Blueberry Pancake 311]

It took a lot longer last time with the I-129F! Think it was around 2-3 weeks. I've gotten used to waiting, since we've been together for 4 1/2 years now going back and forth, but I still hate it too.

My hubby will be here October 4th though til the end of the month for his birthday, so 2 weeks!

This time you might get it sooner. I think everyone here got theirs a week after NOA1 email.

Ohh, so awesome! Oct 4th is right around the corner, woo-hoo! :)

I'll probably have to wait til after Christmas to see my husband. He is just about to start a new job (got laid off in July, right after our wedding. What a nightmare ) so he doesn't have any vacation days accrued yet. Oh well. It is what it is.

God, I am so glad we've got this thread. It seriously helps. Thanks, guys

[k.dlg 300]

This time you might get it sooner. I think everyone here got theirs a week after NOA1 email.

Ohh, so awesome! Oct 4th is right around the corner, woo-hoo!

I'll probably have to wait til after Christmas to see my husband. He is just about to start a new job (got laid off in July, right after our wedding. What a nightmare ) so he doesn't have any vacation days accrued yet. Oh well. It is what it is.

God, I am so glad we've got this thread. It seriously helps. Thanks, guys

Yep! I feel ya. (Sorry about his job! ) The longest we went was late Nov - Mid July .. that was TORTURE. We did this to save some money by not spending it on plane tix (since we thought he was going to live here for good after we got married), and also thought we'd be done with the K1 process by the time our wedding came around ... HA. Obviously that didn't work out.

And no prob! That's what this community is for - to help and support each other towards our one common goal - to be with our loved ones for good.

[Blueberry Pancake 311]

Yep! I feel ya. (Sorry about his job! ) The longest we went was late Nov - Mid July .. that was TORTURE. We did this to save some money by not spending it on plane tix (since we thought he was going to live here for good after we got married), and also thought we'd be done with the K1 process by the time our wedding came around ... HA. Obviously that didn't work out.

And no prob! That's what this community is for - to help and support each other towards our one common goal - to be with our loved ones for good.

Damn! And I mean DAMN!

Doesn't USCIS understand that .. life is just.. short? A year or two spent in waiting to be with our loved ones... That's a lot...

So many of us just want to live our lives and not be in this stupid f'ing limbo!

Ugh, so angry right now!

I hope news stations will get very interested in this mess.

This is just cruel.

Would be nice to at least know when this nightmare will end. Is it really that much to ask?

I would rather do a countdown, even if it's let's say 365 days or whatever, than NOT knowing sh*t!

Grr....