Getting info on application progress from USCIS

[JBW 0]

My situation is that my wife is a LPR filing an I-130 F2A petition for me to join her in the US. I have to go via consular pocessing in Australia. The PD is 12 April 2013. The petition was initially assigned to Vermont, and on 4th September 2013 we got a notice advising that it has been transferred to Nebraska. As the visa bulletins indicate that my case is now current, I have been trying to get an idea of when the petition may be approved - it is still in Initial Review. Here is what I have been able to find out, it isn't very much.

• The "current" status is meaningless, unless the beneficiary is already lawfully in the US, as the backlog at the service centers means you have to wait for USCIS approval before going to the next stage. Being there on a visitor or visa waiver entry does not count as valid for an AOS claim.
• The statistics on processing times on USCIS website are always 3 months old, or more. Currently they state that as at 31 July 2013, processing time for F2A at Vermont is 5 months. There is no info on Nebraska, as they did'nt start processing I-130s until the transfers started in August.
• Calling the USCIS Customer Service line, after going through the menus and giving my receipt number, I'm told via a recorded message that I should allow 180 days from the transfer date before trying to speak to a real person at USCIS regarding my case.
• Callng NVC before your case is approved by USCIS is pointless. Many lawyer websites are advising people to do this. I got very abruptly brushed off with the explanation that they know nothing of my case until USCIS has approved it and passed the file on to them.

Basically, the attitude is just wait patiently until we have something to tell you. All I wanted was an indication of whether it may be 2 months, 12 months etc. I didn't expect an exact date. So i sit, and wait, frustratedly rather than patiently.

[vkrishn 97]

Ask your wife to contact her congressman/congresswoman/Senator to check on your I-130. That is one option she could try.

[JBW 0]

I doubt that a congress person would be able to do very much. I don't claim that I am a special case, I am just one of many thousands missing their partner, and would not seek to unfairly jump the queue. I was just setting out the things I have tried to get any idea of where I am in the line, as many people subscribing to these forms are expressing their frustration about not hearing anything about their case. When my case was transferred to Nebraska, they informed me that it is now being processed there. But does that mean that they are actually working on my file, or is it just one of thousands in the intray waiting for someone to start looking at it? The simple fact is that nobody will answer that question, they only inform you when it goes to the next stage.

[vkrishn 97]

No harm in trying. Second, did you get a SOFT LUD on your case when you checked online?

[JBW 0]

Maybe no harm in trying, but I think I'll wait a few weeks to see if there are any developments. I didn't get a SOFT LUD on my account, the last-updated date is the same as the notice regarding transfer to Nebraska. I have just seen the November VB, the cut-off date is the same as last month, 08SEP2013, so I am still "current' by 5 months.