question about processing time

[Pennycat 880]

Ok you've got my curiosity going, why can't you sign petitions and stuff? If you don't mind sharing, of course. No pressure, only curious.

Traditionally the spousal visa requires longer to process, which is why we went the fiancé visa route. Unless you filed very recently, say within a month or so, it will likely be longer to go the spousal route at this point. Knowing what I know now, I would have gone that way last September. As wbeem had pointed out however, the I-129F was being processed quicker back then, so there's no way any of us could have known that it would have become this bad.

Anyway.

Eh, it's not a big deal. It's to do with my job and it has to do with lobbying and special interest stuff. Which this clearly is not because I have a personal stake in it, but anything that's really organized, we've been told it's best to stay away from so that we don't look like we're on one side or another of an issue, which is just really important for the office I'm at--very strictly non-political, non-partisan. I alluded before that I could possibly run all this by my boss and see what he thinks about both my getting vocal and also if he's familiar with this process and what might be done, but for now I'm so early in this process that I don't have much room to complain for myself...yet. But for sure, for now, complaining on behalf of others is where we start to get into the politics/ lobbying/ whatever side of things which I just can't do.

And yes, I mailed my petition last Saturday, so I may be a case where spouse visa is faster. Any idea how long those are running? Not that I'd actually have the time to go down there anytime soon. (Or want to have my future MIL think that she was right all along. She was *insisting* that if we'd just get married, he'd be able to join me faster--she claimed 3 months--because that's how it worked for a friend of hers this once). Just a dream.

[Wooderz 314]

Eh, it's not a big deal. It's to do with my job and it has to do with lobbying and special interest stuff. Which this clearly is not because I have a personal stake in it, but anything that's really organized, we've been told it's best to stay away from so that we don't look like we're on one side or another of an issue, which is just really important for the office I'm at--very strictly non-political, non-partisan. I alluded before that I could possibly run all this by my boss and see what he thinks about both my getting vocal and also if he's familiar with this process and what might be done, but for now I'm so early in this process that I don't have much room to complain for myself...yet. But for sure, for now, complaining on behalf of others is where we start to get into the politics/ lobbying/ whatever side of things which I just can't do.

And yes, I mailed my petition last Saturday, so I may be a case where spouse visa is faster. Any idea how long those are running? Not that I'd actually have the time to go down there anytime soon. (Or want to have my future MIL think that she was right all along. She was *insisting* that if we'd just get married, he'd be able to join me faster--she claimed 3 months--because that's how it worked for a friend of hers this once). Just a dream.

No clue. Check out the CR forums. I think generally the rule of thumb is 12-14 months for a CR visa. Definitely not anywhere near 3 months. I've also noticed that they don't send those petitions following any sort of rhyme or reason. Most are sent to Nebraska.

[av8or1 246]

Yeah, the I-130 route would definitely not be completed for you in 3 months without some sort of expedite. If you can't get down there to get married anytime soon, then it's best to just stay where you are. Unfortunately.

Edited February 24, 2015 by av8or1

[Pennycat 880]

Thanks, guys. Yeah. I was pretty sure that spouse visa takes longer than fiance which is why we decided on this route in the first place. Just, MIL was *so convinced* that she knew what she was talking about, it almost became an argument (eeeks). We straightened it out, and I showed her the USCIS processing time averages and she at least appeared to believe me. I didn't want to challenge her and ask "how long ago" and "was the US citizen living in Costa Rica" and all that so I just let it drop but I'd bet good money that this was either several years ago or someone who did DCF.

Thing is, at the time of this disagreement (this was over the New Year), the overall average for K1 looked like 4 or 5 months, and this is before I knew about the vast disparity between TSC and CSC. So....heh. Hooray. Still, though it is probably faster than CR1. I don't want to revisit that discussion by needing to suddenly change and marry down there, you know?

[AirConditioner515 15]

The thing that makes me angry is all the misinformation being given by websites, lawyers, etc and the ridiculous imbalance between Texas and California. Once I first started my process, I met a couple of immigration lawyers and they all told me the same thing. "Ohh, it'll only be about 5 months or so."

This website is the only website that has real up to date information due to the community.

I don't get how there could be such a huge difference between Texas and California. We're paying the same petition fee as the people who are routed to California, yet it appears the wait times are nearly double of California. How is this even being allowed?

It was always understand that a K1 visa would be much faster than a spouse visa. Not to mention the money saved. Now, the spouse visas are being approved faster than the K1 visas. This makes absolutely no sense.

If I had known of the ridiculous wait times and the joke that is this whole process, I would have done things differently.

Edited February 26, 2015 by AirConditioner515

[Pennycat 880]

The thing that makes me angry is all the misinformation being given by websites, lawyers, etc and the ridiculous imbalance between Texas and California. Once I first started my process, I met a couple of immigration lawyers and they all told me the same thing. "Ohh, it'll only be about 5 months or so."

This website is the only website that has real up to date information due to the community.

I don't get how there could be such a huge difference between Texas and California. We're paying the same petition fee as the people who are routed to California, yet it appears the wait times are nearly double of California. How is this even being allowed?

It was always understand that a K1 visa would be much faster than a spouse visa. Not to mention the money saved. Now, the spouse visas are being approved faster than the K1 visas. This makes absolutely no sense.

If I had known of the ridiculous wait times and the joke that is this whole process, I would have done things differently.

Agreed on all points. Had I known that 5 months was a total joke, I'd have started in October before our "real" (romantic, symbolic) engagement. We knew we were going for this. we just thought we needed more time. HA. we have it now.

Also, it is much more than double. It is now almost tenfold. 21 days to 204 days.