I-601 WAIVER UPDATES

[AmericanTaxpayer 1]

It's my pleasure. First and foremost, I want to help others as much as I can. This is *the* most frustrating experience I've ever encountered in my life, and if my frustration and experiences can help someone else get through the same process, then it's worth the effort put into posting it.

And, secondly... it's therapeutic.

Thank you for your kind words.

Thank you for the detailed updates! This has been the most frustrating experience for me as well. The thought of my file just sitting under a stack of papers collecting dust week after week gives me major anxiety.

[Iman&Haitham 0]

Yes it is tough. Our I-130 was received March 2013. It stayed at the National Benetis Center until mid November 2013. Then transferred to Nebraska. The approval came January 9th 2014. By the time it got to NVC it was it was mid March 2014. By the time they requested the payments for the sponsor and the visa application it was mid April 2014. The interview finally came October 8th 2014. Now we are waiting on the I-601 since May 4 2015 the date it was received. How much longer before I pull my hair out??

[J&N071213 57]

WOW! I'm feeling like I should've done an expedite request.

I'm trying to find out what it means since uscis caae status hasn't changed. At DoS we were told ro wait 60 days for instructions from consulate but uscis only says case received.

Plus the rep did not say waiver was approved, i need to hear or see the words.

Edited September 13, 2015 by J&N071213

[HerCookie 4]

Well, got an email from USCIS last night. On September 10, they sent an RFE. So, I guess we wait for that and see what else they want. We sent them everything we could possibly think of... so, we have no idea what it could be.

[Iman&Haitham 0]

What did the email say? That they will mail you out a notice of what they need? Did it go to you or the beneficiary? What's your received date?

[HerCookie 4]

What did the email say? That they will mail you out a notice of what they need? Did it go to you or the beneficiary? What's your received date?

This is the email. We don't know to whom the letter will go to, but I suppose it will be her (the beneficiary). Our I-601 was received by them on March 5, 2015.

*** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL ***

There has been a recent processing action taken on your case.

Receipt Number: LINxxxxxxxxxx

Application Type: I601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility

Your Case Status: Request for Evidence

On September 10, 2015, we mailed a request for additional evidence for your Form I601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, Receipt Number LINxxxxxxxxxx. The request for evidence explains what we need from you. We will not take action on your case until we receive the evidence or the deadline to submit it expires. Please follow the instructions in the request for evidence. If you do not receive your request for additional evidence by October 10, 2015, please go to www.uscis.gov/e-request to request a copy. If you move, go towww.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

A request for evidence is made when an application/petition is lacking required documentation/evidence (initial evidence) or the officer needs more documentation/evidence (additional evidence) to determine an applicant's eligibility for the benefit sought. We may send you a request for evidence at any stage of our review. The request will indicate what evidence or information is needed for us to fully evaluate your application or petition. The notice will explain where to send the evidence and will give the deadline for your response. Your application or petition will be held in suspense during that time. If you receive a request for evidence and have questions about what you need to submit, you may call our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

• Log-in to your myUSCIS account to view your case history and understand what you can expect to happen next on your case.
• Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at under Check Processing Times.

Sincerely,

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

[Iman&Haitham 0]

That's insane that your waiver was received in March and now doing a RFE. What's crazy is that a couple of weeks ago when we called uscis, we were told by an officer that they start working on them as soon as they receive them. So for them to be taking this long to request evidence doesn't make sense. On Friday we called again and asked the customer service rep if we can be transferred to an officer, we were told that there are no officers at uscis, only customer service reps of higher rank but they would not be able to help us either. I wonder if on our case there will be a RFE, would they mail it out to my husband the beneficiary, or to the attorney, just like the receipt notice? Would she get the email? It seems like the easy cases are being approved all the way through to August receipt dates. Yet the more complex cases are pending, with march being completed. I honestly don't know what to think anymore. Just when you think you have it figured out, they throw you off and you realize there is no logic to this madness. All we can do is sit, pray, and wait.

[J&N071213 57]

Has anyone's ceac status updated to anything other than refused?

[J&N071213 57]

My husband was just called by the consulate to drop off his passport!!!

Spent all morning calling different numbers and no one seems to tell me anything other than wait! God is good!

[efrabenc 2]

Generally how long after the I-601 approval have people waited to hear from the consulate? I'm dealing with the Consulate in Montreal, does anyone have experience with this particular consulate? I emailed them last week to notify them of my approval, but they said the haven't received anything yet. They actually requested that I send a scanned copy of my approval notice, which I don't have yet...

[kristbarr 0]

We are receipt dates March 26 and April 3. Still no word after the CEAC Refused message updated to August 12th.

Looks like the processing time is still 4 months on the updated USCIS report.

Edited September 14, 2015 by kristbarr

[Iman&Haitham 0]

Kristbarr you may be lucky and hear something by the end of September or early October. So hang tight. They are working on early March as of last week.

[kimet08 1]

Dear friends!

Could you please help us?

We are going to write to our congressman to get him involved in our case.

How would you start the letter to him? Should we go into details or just shortly describe the situation?

Maybe some of you who already had asked for congressman’s help can help us with a sample of your letter. You can use privet messenger. That will help a lot!

[Iman&Haitham 0]

I didn't write a letter but now that we see how they treat us at uscis, it seems like we should have. I wish I knew how to help. Best thing to do is consult an attorney.

[allyinchicago 8]

Generally how long after the I-601 approval have people waited to hear from the consulate? I'm dealing with the Consulate in Montreal, does anyone have experience with this particular consulate? I emailed them last week to notify them of my approval, but they said the haven't received anything yet. They actually requested that I send a scanned copy of my approval notice, which I don't have yet...

Not Montreal, but for us the day after our i601 was approved I emailed the consulate to let them know uscis approved our waiver, they responded right way saying they hadn't received any notification. I got the approval notice in the mail 6 days after we were approved, i scanned it and emailed it to them. the next day the consulate requested my husbands passport, medical, and police report. visa was issued august 12....We had a delay with the courier so we lost like 13 days so he probably could have had the visa issued in 3 weeks after approval