Can't Stand the Waiting

[qwoppy 1]

So I'm sure almost everyone else has felt the same with this. The waiting is horrible... My wife and I had our wedding almost 5 months ago, and we filed the papers the next day with our lawyer who is helping us through the visa, then I flew home about a month later. In the meantime, I've had a couple of friends apply for work visas in the US and Canada and they were both approved in 1-2 weeks! Doesn't marriage trump work? I just feel like i'm waiting every day for us to be together again. The latest we heard (only a couple of days ago) was that the I-130 has been approved and now we can actually apply for the visa... I honestly thought that the I-130 was the visa too, but it turns out it's only the petition (although that's my fault for not understanding correctly). Now we have to wait 45-60 days for the National Visa Center to send out "fee bills" and then we can file for the visa... I just don't understand all the waiting! It seems so unnecessary...

Does anyone know typically how long it takes after these "fee bills" are released? No one seems to be able to give us a straight answer, other than "the whole process generally takes around 6 months from the date of filing the I-130", but I'm really starting to lose faith in that...

[Kastrs 723]

I am not sure where you got the guidance that it typically takes about 6 months from filing, that is true if you go through DCF (not an option available to you) where the process is almost always less than 6 months

For the majority of filers-people going through the lock box such as yourself, the process is generally around a year

It has been my observation that lawyers never speed up the process compared to what an average person could do them self and often actually slow down the process even if slightly as there is one more intermediary, and lawyers do make mistakes

Once your petition has been approved, it is about 30 days for the NVC to have your petition in hand and assign a case number, from there you will be able to start all the NVC steps, there is a very helpful NVC guide on this site read through it on a computer

[M&A2 5]

Ok,

After nvc got our pettition, send us the first notification that is called NOA1. We were waiting for nvc to request tax transcripts, ( I domt know what do you mean with this fee bill- hope you have sent the check of your payment with other papers). And... We never were asked for those tax. From nov 17 , 2015 we waited till june 5, 2016 to hear from them. I mean to get NOA2. Than you can make the other appointmemt, which are a lot. Till there you can read about this . Read and yiu will understand

[M&A2 5]

You can read here on visajorney, on wiki

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/IR1_and_CR1_Immigrant_Visas

[Kastrs 723]

Ok,

After nvc got our pettition, send us the first notification that is called NOA1. We were waiting for nvc to request tax transcripts, ( I domt know what do you mean with this fee bill- hope you have sent the check of your payment with other papers). And... We never were asked for those tax. From nov 17 , 2015 we waited till june 5, 2016 to hear from them. I mean to get NOA2. Than you can make the other appointmemt, which are a lot. Till there you can read about this . Read and yiu will understand

Your timeline indicates that you filed a K1 petition, that does not follow the same process as CR1 processing

[qwoppy 1]

I shouldn't have a timeline, I haven't set one up. I may have accidentally selected that during sign up too

[NikLR 13,231]

CR1 process normally takes 8-12 months. Work visas are easier because it's not a path to a green card. So it's processed completely by the foreign consulate or embassy which makes it much faster.

[Caykay1 71]

So I'm sure almost everyone else has felt the same with this. The waiting is horrible... My wife and I had our wedding almost 5 months ago, and we filed the papers the next day with our lawyer who is helping us through the visa, then I flew home about a month later. In the meantime, I've had a couple of friends apply for work visas in the US and Canada and they were both approved in 1-2 weeks! Doesn't marriage trump work? I just feel like i'm waiting every day for us to be together again. The latest we heard (only a couple of days ago) was that the I-130 has been approved and now we can actually apply for the visa... I honestly thought that the I-130 was the visa too, but it turns out it's only the petition (although that's my fault for not understanding correctly). Now we have to wait 45-60 days for the National Visa Center to send out "fee bills" and then we can file for the visa... I just don't understand all the waiting! It seems so unnecessary...

Does anyone know typically how long it takes after these "fee bills" are released? No one seems to be able to give us a straight answer, other than "the whole process generally takes around 6 months from the date of filing the I-130", but I'm really starting to lose faith in that...

Don't loose faith. Trust me have the biggest faith and patience you can get. Mine petition was approved in just two months which I was surprised to the extent it gave me migraine. It was fully unexpected because I gave myself up to maybe June ending before I will worry. I have been saying on this flatworm that this journey is "to each is his/her own". I am still patiently waiting for the rest.

[B&Z 201]

Plus, since you're dealing with the UK, you don't have to deal with the issues other people have when filing for a high-fraud country and with possible super-long administrative processing afterward. Then there are the people who get denied a couple of times and have to refile every time until they finally make it...spending years and years separated from their spouse. In my opinion, you should count yourself lucky already. Now that your I-130 is approved, if you follow the NVC process carefully and quickly, your spouse can have their interview a few months from now.

[THEMSRILEY 4]

I shouldn't have a timeline, I haven't set one up. I may have accidentally selected that during sign up too

I dont think they was talking to you, it was someone else that posted on the topic

[nervouswreck10 0]

Don't give up. My husband and I have a 2 1/2 years old son and we've been apart for the last 2 years of his life. My husband sees my son only a few times a year and it's a very short visits. He have to work 2 jobs, and we filed our visa for almost 2 years now, still waiting. I know it's hard to be apart from your love ones, but at the end it will all worth it.

[Ryan H 3,819]

Moved from Process & Procedures to Progress Reports.

[JFH 12,191]

It is tough when you see people apply for other visa types that seem to overtake you. But you have to think of it like this.

Those people you know with the work visas are applying for work visas. Not residency. Yours/ours is a far superior visa in that it grants permanent residency. Not the chance to work and pay tax for a few years and the leave. But to become a permanent resident (and, if you want, the chance to become a citizen three years later). The USA is one of the most over-subscribed countries when it comes to visas. It seems half the world wants to move there. Hence the huge numbers of applications. Unfortunately because it is such a desirable place for so many, there are many applications that resort to fraud or illegal tactics to get in. These need to be weeded out through careful scrutiny of all documents. There are also people with dishonourable intentions hoping to use the spouse visa process as a means to get into the country "undetected".

For you and me and others here, we are not going there to chase the American Dream. We are going there because our spouses are there and we want to be together. It's just "unfortunate" that our spouses live in the place everyone else wants to live in.

We are being granted a much greater privilege than your friends with the work visas. Wouldn't you want to check someone out before you let them live in your home permanently? It's the same principle - you'd check out a tenant far more than you would the plumber before letting them in the house. So the USA inspects potential residents far more than they do temporary workers.

Are you ready fot the NVC with all your civil documents and financial stuff? The more prepared you are for that stage, the faster it will go.

As my husband says, we can't make it any easier but there's plenty we can do to prevent it being any harder than it is.

Edited May 13, 2016 by JFH

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

You can help yourself at this point by gathering the documents NVC will be asking for like the criminal investation report

check documents needed specifically for UK and the information you will need to fill out the I 864 and visa application

Step 1: Choose an agent

Step 2: Pay fees

Step 3: Submit visa application form

Step 4: Collect financial documents

Step 5: Collect supporting documents

Step 6: Submit documents to the NVC

BTW i had to do 3 applications and our wait was 6 years

the best to you

cases in NVC currently being worked on or on hold is over 4,550,000 since November 2015

Edited May 13, 2016 by Adil & Jeanne

[SunflowerSweet 1,321]

Plus, since you're dealing with the UK, you don't have to deal with the issues other people have when filing for a high-fraud country and with possible super-long administrative processing afterward. Then there are the people who get denied a couple of times and have to refile every time until they finally make it...spending years and years separated from their spouse. In my opinion, you should count yourself lucky already. Now that your I-130 is approved, if you follow the NVC process carefully and quickly, your spouse can have their interview a few months from now.

Not to mention UK citizens can use the VWP to visit easily

Edited May 13, 2016 by MorganandMichael