January NOA1 recipients but no NOA2 yet !!

[slimbolina 48]

We received our NOA1 on January 4 and are still waiting for our NOA2. There are people who got their NOA1 after us who have been approved and our timeline states we should have had ours between February 17th and 20th. Waiting is the hardest part and paranoia can set in easily but hang in there, our time will come.

[Tricked 33]

Were the people who have NOA2 UK out of interest?

Also, 54(?) days... should be any day now

CSC is 8 hours behind, so between 4pm and 1pm is the usual cycle for case updates?

Edited February 26, 2016 by Tricked

[slimbolina 48]

I don't remember, I stopped looking because I became and still am obsessed! There's no hard or fast rule, it's difficult to predict what happens at the centre and bearing in mind that K1s are not the only visas they deal with, so we just have to wait it out and try not to over think it.

[Tricked 33]

Agreed, and good advice

[Mick & Janni 11]

Our NOA1 is January 4, our estimated time for NOA2 was 14-16 February, we still haven't received anything. I think there are even people who got their NOA1 in december who still haven't got their NOA2 or an RFE, but also people who got their NOA1 after us who are already approved. It's weird that they don't handle the petitions by what date the NOA1 was sent out.

[Chalandrae 31]

You should get your NOA2 soon, don't worry about it. The way they work it odd, but they will get to you soon

Coming from someone who went through TSC Hell ( NOA 1 July 29th 2014, NOA 2 Feb 5th 2015), if you worry about it, it will make you sick.

[Pennycat 880]

We received our NOA1 on January 4 and are still waiting for our NOA2. There are people who got their NOA1 after us who have been approved and our timeline states we should have had ours between February 17th and 20th. Waiting is the hardest part and paranoia can set in easily but hang in there, our time will come.

Heya-- just chiming in with a pet theory of mine that may be completely false. I'm not trying to start rumors or "this is how it will be for you", but rather maybe try to calm this paranoia if my theory is true....my thought is that if you answer "yes" on Question 15 "Has your fiance ever been in the United States", your NOA 2 comes in on or a little above average. REMEMBER: "average" is an average. Half of applicants will be faster and half slower-- it appears from anecdotal observation to me that the people who have been to the US before make up that "half will be a little slower" portion.

I've been around these boards for over a year and I have anecdotaly noticed that folks from VWP countries tend to come in a little at the "back of the pack" for their NOA1 date (and I first noticed it because at some people, certain individuals were being rather nasty about it. Being from the civilized world and all, vs all these probable scammers from banana republics).... My working theory is that generally people from VWP countries in relationships with US Citizens have been to the US before (right?). It also happens that I've observed (I have no data, but could probably collect it) that the faster approvals seem to be in cases where the beneficiary has not been in the US before (my own case included-- TSC was taking 7 months at that point, we came in at 5 months, 3 weeks).

My guess is that if you answer yes on 15, they have to send a request to CBP for your entries/exits or look at your ESTA application (or DS-160 if it was a B2 visa), making sure your responses on it and on your 129f are consistent etc. Slightly more work= slightly longer processing times? Maybe?

In this case, CSC is so blazing fast that your're looking at a margin of error of like 2 weeks which is diddly squat in the world of international relationships, immigration and marriage in general. Keep that in mind, keep an eye out and see if that makes any sense to you, too.

[Dutchster 1,107]

We send in our case on January 5th 2016 and got noticed on January 13th and received NOA1 on January 19th. I myself think that it takes an average of 40+ days for NOA2 after receiving NOA1. We're waiting for five weeks already too! Our case is going through CSC, which says that Europeans should get NOA2 approved within 1-2 months. Total estimated case time is 5 months IN TOTAL. Including getting approved and interview etc.

One of my other forum members on a Dutch forum got his NOA1 a week earlier than me, on the 12th and he got approved yesterday, So, I might think that mine will come in a week later.. hopefully. Best of luck!!

[slimbolina 48]

Heya-- just chiming in with a pet theory of mine that may be completely false. I'm not trying to start rumors or "this is how it will be for you", but rather maybe try to calm this paranoia if my theory is true....my thought is that if you answer "yes" on Question 15 "Has your fiance ever been in the United States", your NOA 2 comes in on or a little above average. REMEMBER: "average" is an average. Half of applicants will be faster and half slower-- it appears from anecdotal observation to me that the people who have been to the US before make up that "half will be a little slower" portion.

I've been around these boards for over a year and I have anecdotaly noticed that folks from VWP countries tend to come in a little at the "back of the pack" for their NOA1 date (and I first noticed it because at some people, certain individuals were being rather nasty about it. Being from the civilized world and all, vs all these probable scammers from banana republics).... My working theory is that generally people from VWP countries in relationships with US Citizens have been to the US before (right?). It also happens that I've observed (I have no data, but could probably collect it) that the faster approvals seem to be in cases where the beneficiary has not been in the US before (my own case included-- TSC was taking 7 months at that point, we came in at 5 months, 3 weeks).

My guess is that if you answer yes on 15, they have to send a request to CBP for your entries/exits or look at your ESTA application (or DS-160 if it was a B2 visa), making sure your responses on it and on your 129f are consistent etc. Slightly more work= slightly longer processing times? Maybe?

In this case, CSC is so blazing fast that your're looking at a margin of error of like 2 weeks which is diddly squat in the world of international relationships, immigration and marriage in general. Keep that in mind, keep an eye out and see if that makes any sense to you, too.

That is a very good theory, however, it will be difficult to prove unless we know if the beneficiaries who are still waiting for their NOA2 have/haven't been to the States and what they answered on the form. I had been to visit my fiance twice prior to submitting the I-129f and so the answer to that question was 'yes' but we also submitted all of my booking/flight documents relevant to those visits as part of our evidence. That said, I'm sure it would still need to be examined and checked against their records which yes, equals extra time. Never thought before it could possibly be to do with the questions (that one in particular) answered on the form.

[rochelel 5]

I'm having this same problem, the potomac service center where my case got sent to is new i was told (just opened 5 months ago), and i'm yet to see a case status from anyone

[roseandtim 6]

It's a good theory but I don't think it applies in USCIS decision processing. There are so many K-1s have never visited in US- both men and women- and we are all sailing in the same boat. Internet is so rich in giving opinion in almost everything and honestly speaking I think it's all about case by case scenario. Can you imagine USCIS reps flipping papers looking for a certain line item and based on whatever adjudicate a case? Thousands of applications flood USCIS centers every day and there's a process established to adjudicate cases.

[Gabi e Celo 2]

We've mailed ours on Dec 7th and only on Jan 29th we received NOA1... since then, no news.

So i'd definitely say you are not alone lol

Good luck to you guys

[Mena28 35]

I'm having this same problem, the potomac service center where my case got sent to is new i was told (just opened 5 months ago), and i'm yet to see a case status from anyone

Are you Ir-1 or CR-1? Because all the people in this thread are K-1. Have you been able to find an Ir-1 Cr-1 thread?

[Mena28 35]

VJ wont let me post my whole post -

anyways - good luck!

I-130 tend to take longer than K-1s, and sometimes USCIS just takes their sweet old time, just because they can, so try to relax and just take it as is. As someone who waited 10 months from NOA1 to NOA2 (on a K-1) I know how frustrating the wait can be. But honeslty - the only thing that helped me was to distract myself and ignore the fact that I was basically just waiting for something to happen. Eventually it will happen :-)

[djnantes 3]

You just have to be patient. It took just under seven months to get our NOA2.

Good luck!