I-601 WAIVER UPDATES

[Lamington 0]

The do work the cases in order received for the most part. However, they first need to get information from the consulate which the applicant is based. Each consulate takes different time to respond to requests and can take different time depending on the case. Each case also has varying levels of degree of complexities and information that needs to be verified. Some cases also are expedited which means they are going to get decisions much sooner. The current processing time is 7.5-Months. The vast majority of cases will receive an approval or RFE within 30 Days before or after 7.5-months of the receive date. There are also numerous officers involved in working cases and some are going to be more experienced and work faster. Not sure how they are assigned but imagine each officer has many cases they are working on at any given time. So, yes they do work the cases in order received but it is like building houses. Each house, depending on numerous factors, is not going to be completed on the same day despite work being started on the same day.

The processing time can increase or decrease at any time and to know what the processing time is, you can simply visit their website which is updated monthly. Because the processing time is based on the previous month, the processing time is going to be a bit out of date. The good news is that I doubt it will get longer since the last few months they are running at twice what their normal goal of 4-months.

Better to accept the 7.5-month time frame and be surprised and happy if you get an answer sooner as there is nothing you can do to speed things up prior to that unless you have a valid reason to get your case expedited. You can't even file an inquiry until you are past the current processing time.

I am speaking from experience. Wasted a lot of time and effort during the 8-month wait researching and obsessing. Better just put it out of your mind until you are closer to the processing time deadline. Just keeping checking their website each month to see what the current processing time is.

Hi John. We filed our 601 on November 20th. In looking at the CEAC status, it is still showing as no status. It has never shown as denied - is this something we should be concerned about? My fiancée never actually got a denial letter although he was told it was denied during his interview. Their system was down, so nothing was given or sent. I just want to make sure when we are approved for the 601, there are no delays due to the CEAC. Thanks for any advice you can give!

They definitely do not go in order of received date. There are case # I monitor that have end of July or early August 2015 received dates. Some have been approved. Some got RFEs. Some haven't had any action since received.

USCIS received our RFE response over 4 weeks ago and we still haven't heard anything. It's not looking good. USCIS is working very very slow.

Still no updates?

[LionessDeon 2,060]

Nope nothing. In the 5th week since USICS has had our RFE response. His new medical exam expires in 5 months. I hope someone does something soon.

[JohnThailandJohn 1]

Hi John. We filed our 601 on November 20th. In looking at the CEAC status, it is still showing as no status. It has never shown as denied - is this something we should be concerned about? My fiancée never actually got a denial letter although he was told it was denied during his interview. Their system was down, so nothing was given or sent. I just want to make sure when we are approved for the 601, there are no delays due to the CEAC. Thanks for any advice you can give!

Did you get a Receipt Number from USCIS? Have you checked their website to make sure it is showing a received date?

I am unsure of the CEAC status but would think it should show Refused if they entered everything once their computers were back up. I would be a bit concerned this could cause delays or problems later that you can deal with now by calling the embassy and asking. Better if they need to adjust this they do it now vs. later and have it hang things up. The embassy may require your husband call or email them vs you.

Good Luck and should be no big deal to clear up now if indeed it is an issue. Just think USCIS may have an issue approving if there is no record of the interview or being refused so better to deal with now if needing to be dealt with. But for all I know USCIS and the Consulate may do everything by paper.

[souad1986 1]

souad1986

Wow congratulations!!

We too submitted 601 and 485 together so your update gives us hope. Thank you for sharing.

One quick question, did you get a RFE or submit a service request while you were waiting for 601? Your received date is in June and that is like 11 month wait!!!! Ours was received in July (~10month wait now). We are debating if we should contact and bother USCIS once more. Any suggestions?

Best of luck with everything!! Again, Congratulations

Let me tell you

I did 4 inqueris and every time they told me wait for a certain time I contact the senator and I did an expedite request wet a medical emergency with my husband that she lives in Morocco. After that I did took an infopass and same day I contact senator"but he told me to wait until the time they give me, if they did not answer than contact him" so when I went to the immegration office the officer asked me to wait and he Calld his supervisor and he asked me if I contact the senator today and I answerd yes. Then he take my phone number.

So the next day they called me and asked me to bring midical exam to go ahead and process my waiver and aprove my i485.

I Calld my husband right away and we went to the doctor office and we did the medical exam and the results comes out on Friday and I took it the the officer who calls me .and the same day he aproved my i485 on Friday

And the next Friday we received our green card

Wish you the best and let me know if you need any other information

[souad1986 1]

souad1986, Congratulations! It's been a journey thank you for the update. Best of luck for you as well.

Thank you wish the best for every one who is waiting

[ATXmaster 0]

I keep on reading that people here are contacting their Representatives or Legislators... where did you guys learned that that's a way to expedite this? Can I contact just anyone from my local state capitol?

[LionessDeon 2,060]

I keep on reading that people here are contacting their Representatives or Legislators... where did you guys learned that that's a way to expedite this? Can I contact just anyone from my local state capitol?

You must contact a Senator or House of Representative from your district or state, I believe. You can google your state name and the word congressman, senator, or house rep. It will show their names and give you link to contact them.

Does it help? Sometimes. I haven't found them particularly useful. Some are better than others.

[memayra79 0]

QUESTION DOES THE DS-260 EXPIRE??? HOW CAN THAT BE UPDATED??

[Happyfaces 1]

Hey guys, just to update you on the fact that next week it will be 7 months for me waiting for answers on form I-601 receipt date Oct. 5th, 2015, so wondering if anyone has good news? because going on 8 months soon and still no answers from USCIS.

Maybe my answer is coming soon "I hope", but hope someone has good news.

[LionessDeon 2,060]

Haven't heard a word since they received our RFE response 03/25/16. (original receipt date is 08/04/15) Most were getting decisions within 2 weeks of returning a response to an RFE. We are going on 5 weeks tomorrow. We've tried everything...congressman, inquiry, phone calls, etc Still not a word.

There are a few cases around mine I monitor. Over half of them received RFEs. They have not turned in their responses yet. The final case that was still at received on 07/31/15 just received an RFE Monday. That is the only movement I've seen this week.

[Happyfaces 1]

LionessDeon I am so sorry you haven't receive any answers yet, I assumed they would have by this time... did they go on vacations? I mean it has slowed down severely. I in the other cannot even send in inquiry, i am really hoping we get an answer soon because its just ridiculous!

and what are the REF for? like what are they requesting most of the time? my medical hasn't expired yet so what else could they request?

[LionessDeon 2,060]

Thanks Happyfaces. I don't know what the RFEs are for except mine. Which is very complicated and we (including our lawyer) have no idea why they asked for an updated medical without making a waiver decision. When we called the rep said it could be that they want to see the new medical result before lmaking a decision. Ok, the new medical results have been sitting at the embassy since 04/04/16. No one has done a thing. I've been wondering the same thing myself....are they all on vacation, medical leave, what is it??

The other RFEs I have heard were for missing signatures, more hardship evidence, etc. A variety of reasons.

Edited April 28, 2016 by LionessDeon

[Happyfaces 1]

Oh no its something i fear getting REF's, but i think the worst is the wait I mean you have given them everything for them to make a decision but "what are they waiting for?" its so baffling to me how long they take for everything.

Ok so lets just keep positive about the outcome so we don't loose our minds... this is enough to make anyone insane. But keep the hopes up that they will approve yours soon.

God bless

[LionessDeon 2,060]

Haha! I need a REF about now. Maybe he could sort it out.

But yea RFEs used to mean you'd get resolve soon. Now it just means more waiting.... Oh well, I'm over it. It's all out of my control. There's nothing I can do but wait. I'm done stressing and fretting about it. Whatever, whenever....life goes on.

[Happyfaces 1]

LOL... So true, gotta find the humor on this.