Is Texas Service Center Processing Petitions Faster Now or Before

[Marco&Bettina 502]

8 month! WOW, that's a long time, not sure if I can wait that long to see my man

You can visit.

[Pennycat 880]

You can visit.

I don't know about others (but I assume that most people are in the same boat as me)--I've personally spent all of my time off and goodwill from my employer, not to mention well beyond a typical travel budget for me just to get into and maintain this relationship. I'm essentially "grounded" (no more leave) until the summer, and I'm working a second job to (a) pay USCIS fees and (b) pay off credit card debt incurred to keep visiting. My fiance helps where he can, but his earning power is very low when it goes up against US prices. He can't come here--we've already been down that road.

I think that the frustration is happening because CSC is flying along, and you see how things *could* be (which is also how they "should" be, based on everything you read about K1 visas). If I'd known that the "four month" thing was a total lie, I may have made some significantly different choices---wouldn't have delayed getting engaged, wouldn't have bothered with the B2 application etc etc.

[Marco&Bettina 502]

I don't know about others (but I assume that most people are in the same boat as me)--I've personally spent all of my time off and goodwill from my employer, not to mention well beyond a typical travel budget for me just to get into and maintain this relationship. I'm essentially "grounded" (no more leave) until the summer, and I'm working a second job to (a) pay USCIS fees and (b) pay off credit card debt incurred to keep visiting. My fiance helps where he can, but his earning power is very low when it goes up against US prices. He can't come here--we've already been down that road.

I think that the frustration is happening because CSC is flying along, and you see how things *could* be (which is also how they "should" be, based on everything you read about K1 visas). If I'd known that the "four month" thing was a total lie, I may have made some significantly different choices---wouldn't have delayed getting engaged, wouldn't have bothered with the B2 application etc etc.

I feel your pain. Believe me. I was at TSC too. We had our own struggles too. Neither of us were well off. She currently can't work. LDR's are extremely inherently difficult to maintain. The pain seems physically unbearable at times during the wait. And then some time passes, & it's over. Then the real life begins. But I know where you're coming from. I really do.

[Ellie and Fron 10]

Macro - I can't visit due to my work and grad school schedule. The only time I will be able to visit is for our interview and if that's in 4-8 months from now, I will go crazy.

[Pennycat 880]

I feel your pain. Believe me. I was at TSC too. We had our own struggles too. Neither of us were well off. She currently can't work. LDR's are extremely inherently difficult to maintain. The pain seems physically unbearable at times during the wait. And then some time passes, & it's over. Then the real life begins. But I know where you're coming from. I really do.

I know that most people here understand in the way that average Americans (friends and family included) do not, which is a bit why the idea of visiting as some sort of balm to the hellfire that is TSC rings a little hollow, because folks here know that it's not really a solution.

We're also trying to save as much as possible between now and when he moves here to cover the time period during which he cannot work. It's hard, but we're doing it, and we just can't justify another $800 (which is equal to my roommate's share of the rent.....the roommate who will be moving out once my fiance is here) just because we're impatient. And then the frustration, as I'm sure you know, is from the fact that if TSC was doing it's job correctly, there wouldn't be much time for impatience and we wouldn't be in this position.

[Marco&Bettina 502]

I know that most people here understand in the way that average Americans (friends and family included) do not, which is a bit why the idea of visiting as some sort of balm to the hellfire that is TSC rings a little hollow, because folks here know that it's not really a solution.

We're also trying to save as much as possible between now and when he moves here to cover the time period during which he cannot work. It's hard, but we're doing it, and we just can't justify another $800 (which is equal to my roommate's share of the rent.....the roommate who will be moving out once my fiance is here) just because we're impatient. And then the frustration, as I'm sure you know, is from the fact that if TSC was doing it's job correctly, there wouldn't be much time for impatience and we wouldn't be in this position.

You're right. TSC actually costs people money, in my opinion. I had only seen Betty once for like 13 days (including her arrival & departure days) in Feb 2014, when I proposed to her. We were at TSC waiting & waiting. We started realizing we had no clue how long the wait was gonna be but my research led me to believe it could be 5.5-6 months. Since our NOA1 was mid-March 2014, as it got into summer, I surprised her with a "hey I'm coming to Germany to visit you in July!" That ticket costed me $1,490. We saw the visit as a bridge-gap. My rationale was that if she got approved in September, it could be 3 more months till she actually had POE. So I wanted something approximately in the middle as neither of us could stomach the thought of not seeing each other for a year. If we were at CSC & had been processed in their typical 2-4 weeks or whatever, that money would not've gotten spent. Additionally it took me so much work to save up enough leave from work for just the 10 days I got to spend with her in July. So trust me, the pain is well understood. I get emotional just thinking about it. I feel so bad for everyone who's trapped in TSC right now. My then-fiance may be here & she may be my wife now, but I still think daily about everyone who is currently where we were & my heart goes out to you all.

[NinaJimTeaghan 4]

I would say now!!!!

[TabeaK 517]

You are an expedite case due to your fiance's filipino origin. Sadly, your experience is in no way shape or form relevant to the rest of us TSC filers.

Nevertheless, congrats and good luck with the rest of the process.

[charlieprince 24]

Hello everyone

I was wondering if anyone knows if Texas Service Center is processing petitions faster now or months ago.

Slower. Much slower.

expect it to get worse whatwith the entire Department of Homeland Security shutdown and such..

even though the USCIS runs off the fees we pay them.. they are still under DHS and who knows what kinda work-shuffling will happen

so yes.. brace for the worst