I-130 August 2014 filers

[TheGreat 1]

Hello;

The best I could say right now is to take everything, even the shadow of 'good news', with a heavy grain of salt. USCIS is as fragmented as it could get, and every customer's case it at the discretion and mercy of the officer handling the case or the representative answering your Service Request. Its important to not forget that these are all still government workers wiith government attitudes toward work load.

By now it makes no sense that your file still has background checks and security checks pending on it. Are all your husband's taxes up to date? Is there history on his side that are unfavorable? Is there anyone who might be malicious (or jealous) of you who might have sent negative reports that are unfounded about you or hubby to USCIS? Any potential for this? Is there any reason that USCIS should qestion the authenticity of your marriage? What about past visa application records - are there incongruencies of any degree?

Male adjudicating officers move things along quite logically. Female adjudicating officers are statistically shown to hold on to certain cases much longer than necessary.

There is always something that can be done. How much is your husband really doing? Maybe he needs to do more?

Hey Guys!

Sad to report that whatever information USCIS shared with us was wrong. We woke up today to a reply to the second eRequest: still on hold due to background and security checks pending.

It was nice to have some hope but we were thrown back to the limbo. Two hundred and fifity something days and counting.

We are looking for an apartment for my husband to live in and that I can visit here and there until this situation is ressolved.

If anybody has good suggestions of websites we can use, please share!

Best,

UnaMexicana

Edited April 17, 2015 by TheGreat

[TheGreat 1]

At this point there is always something you can do.

Firstly, there is a follow up system thats hailed by some (on here), most of whom, incidentally, have never had to use and so therefore can't vouch for the effectiveness of that follow up system that they themselves recommend.

That systems deems that if responses to your case inquiries keep coming up void of anything new, then the next step is usually to contact the ombudsman essentially after having opened a couple SRs, spoken with a tier 2 officer and any other of the menial steps customers are hopelessly limited to in their personal crises . Inquiries to SCOPSSASTA, NCSC, NSCS Service Station follow up are those infamously menial steps, and are all one in the same. Resorting to one of those in order to mobilize an update from the other is simply asking a broken system to patch a broken system.

Secondly, its worth remembering that USCIS' power is not all inclusive. Make sure you are both very free of reproach because in the end (say after 1.5 years of waiting on an NOA2), your next step might shuffle some feathers, and shuffling feathers means that you are taking the matter out of the total control of those offices for which reason they may or may not retaliate to your case at some degree.

Ultimately, everything depends on the direction you want to go and how much you really want this decision sooner than later - shuffle feathers and take back control or remain painfully at the damning mercy of USCIS? If you are both clean and free of reproach and are really pressed to be with each other is the US (as opposed to elsewhere), the retaliation could mean pricking you with an AP at the consular stage of the process, an the end you will get what's yours (visa/green card) to get.

Oh and, resorting to assistance from hubby's congress office at this stage is only really useful after the wait over a year old unless he's willing to go personally to that office everyday.

Edited April 17, 2015 by TheGreat

[UnaMexicana 153]

Hey TheGreat

I find your replies very thorough and informative. You really honor your nickname, LOL!

We have discussed our options and at this point we are waiting for a reply from our lawyer as to her advise in our situation.

I will keep you all posted as KSAMAD and other friends have done before. This might serve other peoples cases, although i really wish this wait upon NOBODY ELSE!!!

Thanks so much!!!

UnaMexicana

At this point there is always something you can do.

Firstly, there is a follow up system thats hailed by some (on here), most of whom, incidentally, have never had to use and so therefore can't vouch for the effectiveness of that follow up system that they themselves recommend.

That systems deems that if responses to your case inquiries keep coming up void of anything new, then the next step is usually to contact the ombudsman essentially after having opened a couple SRs, spoken with a tier 2 officer and any other of the menial steps customers are hopelessly limited to in their personal crises . Inquiries to SCOPSSASTA, NCSC, NSCS Service Station follow up are those infamously menial steps, and are all one in the same. Resorting to one of those in order to mobilize an update from the other is simply asking a broken system to patch a broken system.

Secondly, its worth remembering that USCIS' power is not all inclusive. Make sure you are both very free of reproach because in the end (say after 1.5 years of waiting on an NOA2), your next step might shuffle some feathers, and shuffling feathers means that you are taking the matter out of the total control of those offices for which reason they may or may not retaliate to your case at some degree.

Ultimately, everything depends on the direction you want to go and how much you really want this decision sooner than later - shuffle feathers and take back control or remain painfully at the damning mercy of USCIS? If you are both clean and free of reproach and are really pressed to be with each other is the US (as opposed to elsewhere), the retaliation could mean pricking you with an AP at the consular stage of the process, an the end you will get what's yours (visa/green card) to get.

Oh and, resorting to assistance from hubby's congress office at this stage is only really useful after the wait over a year old unless he's willing to go personally to that office everyday.

[TheGreat 1]

Ok! And I know you are already in touch with a lawyer. Simply be sure that this lawyer has handled quiiiite a few cases similar to or the same as yours; a lawyer who has actually dealt with Writs involving USCIS. Moreover, its usually better to make any gigantic ("feather-ruffling") moves at USCIS after the expiry of 1 year of waiting.

Hey TheGreat

I find your replies very thorough and informative. You really honor your nickname, LOL!

We have discussed our options and at this point we are waiting for a reply from our lawyer as to her advise in our situation.

I will keep you all posted as KSAMAD and other friends have done before. This might serve other peoples cases, although i really wish this wait upon NOBODY ELSE!!!

Thanks so much!!!

UnaMexicana

[señoracalavera 21]

Have a great tuesday!!!

Quick update, I got a check list for not filling out a choice of agent form DS-261. Oddly enough i completed it the 27th of Feb and got a confirmation email from them that exact day.

I spoke to a NVC Rep. yesterday and she said she would let a supervisor know and they would check my form. She said there was "glitches" in their system. So i'm crossing my fingers that would get resolved and that I would finally be able to pay my IV fee....geez.

I'm happy that that is all for the "Checklist".

good luck everyone.

[ChristinaG 91]

huh.... that's odd

I'd read of another person (Magazine?) getting the same thing......

I got a checklist for the IV fee.... get this - for my kids, it was finally invoiced and available last Tuesday, checklist three days later..... **smh**

so we finally were able to pay for all three cases today..... and now waiting......

[Halai&Tim 5]

We got a 'false checklist' too! After confirming that our case was complete, I get an email from NVC saying that we got a checklist for not including my husbands police certificate (for Fiji, the police certificate is sent directly to the US Embassy, and doesnt get sent with the packet thats delivered to NVC). I got out my highlighter, printed out the statement and was ready to send it overnight to the NVC. But for some reason, I decided to try and call the NVC again. After being on hold for over an hour, I finally got to talk to a real person and asked why we got the checklist. She told me that it was just to make sure that we have my husbands police certificate sent to the US Embassy in Suva. Then she gave me my husbands interview date and time over the phone!! :) :)

My blood pressure was definitely going up and down that day!

[Magazine 4]

Yeah, I got that DS-260 checklist. Spoke to nvc and they said they will review it Document Review Team, hopefully something comes out of this other then me waiting for another 45 days.

[señoracalavera 21]

huh.... that's odd

I'd read of another person (Magazine?) getting the same thing......

I got a checklist for the IV fee.... get this - for my kids, it was finally invoiced and available last Tuesday, checklist three days later..... **smh**

so we finally were able to pay for all three cases today..... and now waiting......

I'm happy that you finally payed your IV fees, I am trying to be patient. But the waiting sucks. I hope the process goes quickly for you now.

We got a 'false checklist' too! After confirming that our case was complete, I get an email from NVC saying that we got a checklist for not including my husbands police certificate (for Fiji, the police certificate is sent directly to the US Embassy, and doesnt get sent with the packet thats delivered to NVC). I got out my highlighter, printed out the statement and was ready to send it overnight to the NVC. But for some reason, I decided to try and call the NVC again. After being on hold for over an hour, I finally got to talk to a real person and asked why we got the checklist. She told me that it was just to make sure that we have my husbands police certificate sent to the US Embassy in Suva. Then she gave me my husbands interview date and time over the phone!! :) :)

My blood pressure was definitely going up and down that day!

I'm angry because I been calling all past month to check on the status of the form, and they kept telling me all month that it takes "45 days to check it". I hope a real person checks my choice of agent form soon, i wonder how long it takes??

anywhoo, I'm glad you got a date for you interview on the phone!! Good luck!

Thanks for the support ChristinaG & Halai&Tim

[señoracalavera 21]

Yeah, I got that DS-260 checklist. Spoke to nvc and they said they will review it Document Review Team, hopefully something comes out of this other then me waiting for another 45 days.

Well lets keep each other updated, I'm really frustrated. I sent them an email with my attached pdf and confirmation email that I got from them when I originally filled out the DS-260 form. Hopefully we get an answer soon.

[Magazine 4]

Call again tomorrow since a rep said supervisor will review it, then a NVC rep can review over the phone after supervisor reviews it

[Halai&Tim 5]

I'm happy that you finally payed your IV fees, I am trying to be patient. But the waiting sucks. I hope the process goes quickly for you now.

I'm angry because I been calling all past month to check on the status of the form, and they kept telling me all month that it takes "45 days to check it". I hope a real person checks my choice of agent form soon, i wonder how long it takes??

anywhoo, I'm glad you got a date for you interview on the phone!! Good luck!

Thanks for the support ChristinaG & Halai&Tim

When I was calling the NVC to follow up on our case, I was calling about once a week. I was also keeping in mind that our case probably wouldnt get assigned an interview until July or August. I had hardly any expectation of an earlier interview date, and I think that helped a bit as I was surprised we got assigned a May date! I also think that the processing definitely depends on where your spouse is from. I'm assuming that the case workers are assigned per their specialized country. I dont think that the South Pacific countrys have a lot of applicants and thats probably why our case was processed so quickly.

Keep you chin up! 45 days is better than the original 60 days they initially told us it would take.

Take care,

Hala'i

[Devonian 20]

I'm angry because I been calling all past month to check on the status of the form, and they kept telling me all month that it takes "45 days to check it". I hope a real person checks my choice of agent form soon, i wonder how long it takes??

anywhoo, I'm glad you got a date for you interview on the phone!! Good luck!

Thanks for the support ChristinaG & Halai&Tim

Flippin' typical!! - there is I at 38 days thinking 'any day now for IV invoice' and the likelihood is that it's still some weeks away. I may yet have to stoop to pestering them on the phone if it hasn't been billed by the time I touchdown in the US at the end of next month!!

[Devonian 20]

When I was calling the NVC to follow up on our case, I was calling about once a week. I was also keeping in mind that our case probably wouldnt get assigned an interview until July or August. I had hardly any expectation of an earlier interview date, and I think that helped a bit as I was surprised we got assigned a May date! I also think that the processing definitely depends on where your spouse is from. I'm assuming that the case workers are assigned per their specialized country. I dont think that the South Pacific countrys have a lot of applicants and thats probably why our case was processed so quickly.

Keep you chin up! 45 days is better than the original 60 days they initially told us it would take.

Take care,

Hala'i

I think that's 45 days between confirming receipt of DS-261 to receiving IV invoice that is being talked about, not the amount of time taken to review the documents!!!

[Magazine 4]

Called NVC again today, they told me my checklist for DS-261 was a misprint and it should have been checklist for DS-260. My new scan date is when I got confirmation for filing out the DS-260 form which is 4/16, so 45 wait again begins from that date.