Hand-written vs computer-filled forms

[JFH 12,190]

Is there any evidence to suggest that hand-written forms are processed any slower at NVC than computer-filled forms?

We are fast approaching 6 weeks since our scan date and I'm getting frustrated and impatient. I have been wondering if the fact that the I-864 from our joint sponsor was partially completed by hand could be the reason for this? We were hoping for case complete with 30-34 days, as per the average. Obviously to reach an average someone has to be over the average time but we are wondering if this is why we are beyond the average processing time.

Joint sponsor completed the form by computer, printed and signed and realised he had skipped a page in error. Rather than doing it again on the computer he quickly added the answers to the missing page by hand and sent it in the mail. The I-864 has the bar code that stores the data as you type so that if can be quickly read by a machine. So if someone completes it by hand it probably has to be input manually into the system. Could that be the case?

Edited October 8, 2016 by JFH

[gregcrs2 1,778]

I know all this waiting is frustrating for you and now you are looking for reasons why your case is taking so long. Yes, any handwritten part of the I-864 will require manual input. So that will slow it down. But more likely it is that NVC is overloaded and some files are taking longer than others. Hang in there.

[JFH 12,190]

I wanted to be home with my husband before the year is out. I know we've only been in the process since February and others have been a lot longer but it's wearing me down now. At least the London embassy should be quick to schedule an interview when NVC finally completes our case.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I don't think the bar code does what you think it does (makes the form answers scannable). I think it just gives a unique identifier that can pull up a case after the stuff has been inputted.

If anyone has any information one way or the other, I'd be interested to know.

I think printing is superior than typing because typos won't happen that way, but I know I am in the minority. (I have seen a lot of people panic that their names were spelled wrong, dates wrong, etc, from typing).

[BigDaddy28 228]

I dont think that filling up the forms with hand would be processed any slower than applications fillies computer wise. However when those forms are filled with computer the actual bar codes change in form to accommodate the things added. Thus it makes me sure that the officers have to scan forms and all informations are put in computer automatically to prevent human error.

I dont think that filling that missed page by hand is a problem, but it could've been filled by computer and only printed that one page.

NVC is slow in my case when I applied for my parents it took them 6 weeks minus couple of days to process my documents. Frustrating.

[Ash.1101 1,756]

I don't think it would be done any slower. Everything I ever filled out was half typed/half handwritten. Some of my things didn't even have those boxes you're talking about (which I thought was weird).

All the papers probably do go through a scanner that inputs everything it understands, but I also think at the end of the day there's someone there still reading it all to make sure it's correct. Computers mess up, people mess up, etc. I'd imagine the person who does the scanning of papers is the same person who would type in any information written by hand.

Files pass from one person to another, but it's a waste of time (and money) and increases chance to have error to have a person who does scanables and then a person who does manual input, as A LOT of people like myself have half/half files, and some of my files had hand written for maybe 2 boxes pages in, so unless someones look through them first, they wouldn't know.

It makes more sense for your files to go to ONE person who inputs it, that same person will be the one who verifies if the information is correct. Time for all that, would simply be the wait for the files to get one your selected inputters desk.

[JFH 12,190]

I don't think the bar code does what you think it does (makes the form answers scannable). I think it just gives a unique identifier that can pull up a case after the stuff has been inputted.

If anyone has any information one way or the other, I'd be interested to know.

I think printing is superior than typing because typos won't happen that way, but I know I am in the minority. (I have seen a lot of people panic that their names were spelled wrong, dates wrong, etc, from typing).

I'm not very technically minded but this is how it works https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDF417