April 2014 I-130 Filers

[AngelaMatthew 1]

Hi fellow april filers! Just wanted to share some good news...I checked my case status online and it says "On April 21, 2014, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I130 IMMIGRANT PETITION FOR RELATIVE, FIANCE(E), OR ORPHAN. "

It only took 14 days to get approved (California service center) we are both overseas, living in the Netherlands, and in the cover letter we mentioned that my husbands new job in USA starts in May.

Keep you posted, but i'm sure everything is moving much quicker now at USCIS, even if USC is not residing overseas. We all picked the right time to file, good luck guys!

xx Angela

[silverjetplane 34]

Hi fellow april filers! Just wanted to share some good news...I checked my case status online and it says "On April 21, 2014, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I130 IMMIGRANT PETITION FOR RELATIVE, FIANCE(E), OR ORPHAN. "

It only took 14 days to get approved (California service center) we are both overseas, living in the Netherlands, and in the cover letter we mentioned that my husbands new job in USA starts in May.

Keep you posted, but i'm sure everything is moving much quicker now at USCIS, even if USC is not residing overseas. We all picked the right time to file, good luck guys!

xx Angela

Congratulations! It must be a great feeling! This is becoming a sort of pattern for April filers from abroad who got routed to California... I have to admit that it's hard not to get my hopes up!

In any case, good luck on the next part of your journey!

[Abby&Mario 100]

Hi fellow april filers! Just wanted to share some good news...I checked my case status online and it says "On April 21, 2014, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I130 IMMIGRANT PETITION FOR RELATIVE, FIANCE(E), OR ORPHAN. "

It only took 14 days to get approved (California service center) we are both overseas, living in the Netherlands, and in the cover letter we mentioned that my husbands new job in USA starts in May.

Keep you posted, but i'm sure everything is moving much quicker now at USCIS, even if USC is not residing overseas. We all picked the right time to file, good luck guys!

xx Angela

Congratulations and welcome to the quick approval club! Here's hoping this trend continues for others! CSC is the place to be, it would seem.

[AngelaMatthew 1]

thanks guys! I feel really lucky, I'm also thinking of all those patient filers who are still waiting so long for their turn, so difficult. many blessings to them.

Indeed, now ready for our next step...dont even know what to prepare for. gotta do my research!

[elvenshadow 19]

Wow, congratulations! I have been really worried because we are hoping to get ours approved by the end of the summer but it seems like there is actually some hope for people who are filing from overseas. I only just sent my packet in last week but I started doing research yesterday for the next step to stay ahead of the game. I found this guide about the next steps. I hope you find it useful.

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process

[S. & A. 159]

Wow, guys! Congratulations! I sure wish we'd filed from abroad too... silverjetplane, I'm sure you're next! To me, though, it seems to be a "we filed from abroad" thing, not a CSC thing. We're admittedly a very small sample, but everyone in this thread who filed from abroad was sent to CSC, and everyone else to NSC.

[TM713 63]

Hi everyone,

I filed an I-130 petition for my husband from abroad on 4/18/2014. Today I received my email notification that they received the petition on 4/21/2014. Is this the same as my NOA1 date? I will have to wait for the paper copy to be sure.

My petition was routed to the California Service Center. I see a couple of people who filed from abroad this month got amazingly quick approvals through California, so I'm keeping my fingers tightly crossed!

Edited April 24, 2014 by TM713

[tim131 14]

Hi everyone,

I filed an I-130 petition for my husband from abroad on 4/18/2014. Today I received my email notification that they received the petition on 4/21/2014. Is this the same as my NOA1 date? I will have to wait for the paper copy to be sure.

My petition was routed to the California Service Center. I see a couple of people who filed from abroad this month got amazingly quick approvals through California, so I'm keeping my fingers tightly crossed!

Yeah thats you NOA1! In the same position as you too, I got the email, but waiting on the hardcopy, hopefully it will be a fast process for us both through CSC

[elvenshadow 19]

Hi everyone,

I filed an I-130 petition for my husband from abroad on 4/18/2014. Today I received my email notification that they received the petition on 4/21/2014. Is this the same as my NOA1 date? I will have to wait for the paper copy to be sure.

My petition was routed to the California Service Center. I see a couple of people who filed from abroad this month got amazingly quick approvals through California, so I'm keeping my fingers tightly crossed!

I'm a little worried. That's the same day that I sent mine as well using express mail and I still haven't heard anything back. I filled out the email notification form and put it on the very top of the whole packet, too. Should I be worried?

[Abby&Mario 100]

Hi everyone,

I filed an I-130 petition for my husband from abroad on 4/18/2014. Today I received my email notification that they received the petition on 4/21/2014. Is this the same as my NOA1 date? I will have to wait for the paper copy to be sure.

My petition was routed to the California Service Center. I see a couple of people who filed from abroad this month got amazingly quick approvals through California, so I'm keeping my fingers tightly crossed!

Yes, that's the NOA1 date aka priority date if you go by the e-mail. I was told over the phone that the official date of my NOA1 was one day before the date the e-mail came in. (Makes sense since it came after midnight.) I asked because we moved so will never see the NOA1 hard copy, which fortunately isn't needed for anything. For the timeline it's best to put the date on the hard copy.

Also keep in mind everyone that NOA1/NOA2 is Visa Journey shorthand. Here are some links to understand the real terms better:

http://www.uscis.gov/i-797-info

http://www.uscis.gov/forms/form-i-797c-notice-action%C2'>

[silverjetplane 34]

I'm a little worried. That's the same day that I sent mine as well using express mail and I still haven't heard anything back. I filled out the email notification form and put it on the very top of the whole packet, too. Should I be worried?

I wouldn't be worried yet. We are still at the very beginning stages and the NOA1 doesn't really mean much (but it still feels great to get!). There are many factors that could have an effect on your situation. TM713 sent their packet from abroad (as did many others), so he/she probably used FedEx or a similar service which must be sent to a different address in Chicago than items sent via USPS Express Mail. Did you send it from the US or abroad? Do you have the tracking number to see if USCIS has received it? If they have received it, I think it's just a matter of days now before you get a notification.

When you do get your NOA1, I suggest going to the USCIS website and making an online account where you can obsessively check the status.

Take care and good luck!

[TM713 63]

Yes, that's the NOA1 date aka priority date if you go by the e-mail. I was told over the phone that the official date of my NOA1 was one day before the date the e-mail came in. (Makes sense since it came after midnight.) I asked because we moved so will never see the NOA1 hard copy, which fortunately isn't needed for anything. For the timeline it's best to put the date on the hard copy.

Also keep in mind everyone that NOA1/NOA2 is Visa Journey shorthand. Here are some links to understand the real terms better:

http://www.uscis.gov/i-797-info

Thanks for the clarification! I will learn the acronyms.

[elvenshadow 19]

Yes, I sent ours from Japan using EMS. Sent it to

USCIS
Attn: I-130
131 South Dearborn-3^rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517

I'll try to see if I can locate it with the tracking number. Thank you.

[Abby&Mario 100]

Guys, someone else got a speedy approval filing abroad and being routed to CSC: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/492934-noa1-to-noa2-in-20-days/?p=6964895

It would be great if everyone who gets approved quickly could fill out the very brief questionnaire on this thread that kept track of the previous "auto-expedites." http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/357465-usc-petitioner-living-abroad/page-39

This way the forum can be kept up to date on the trend! So exciting!

[elvenshadow 19]

I just checked the tracking number and it seems that it arrived at Chicago Lockbox on 4/21 at 11:54 AM Chicago time. Yet, it is now 4/24 and still no notification. Can anyone think of why they wouldn't have emailed me? Is there a chance that I screwed something up?