I-129F May 2017 Filers

[PadieNerkBrapone 341]

2 hours ago, AnJ Co said:

Time to focus on documentation to show a continuous relationship and planning out the medical (day or 2 days, hotel, travel, etc). And maybe birth certificate is squared away, police clearances, etc so when NOA2 arrives, you hit the gas and don't look back.  Before NOA2 it's at uscis pace, after NVC it's at your pace.

Best of luck to you, expediency and no RFEs

 

Novice questions coming...What happens after you get a NOA2? I know it gets sent to the NVC but what do they do and how does it relate to the consulate? I am knew to this and with tons of info on this process out there, the saying "study long, study wrong" seems apt. Should you already be working on the things you've stated above and have them ready? Also, is it correct that you make the appointment with the consulate, the consulate does not make it for you?

[AnJ Co 1,676]

13 minutes ago, Greenbaum said:

I couldn't have said any better. Cheers!

Well, Thank you

I appreciate that.  When i began this journey, a 6 month noa2 vet was very frank with me, and didn't sugarcoat what he had to say. Just keeping my expectations in check really helped, and knowing that I wasn't alone makes this whole thing do-able.

[bcoakley06 280]

3 hours ago, AnJ Co said:

The harsh truth is K1s that used to get approval in 80 to 90 days are now 125 rare to 150 normal. Doing the math, there's a glut from March because they had a lot of December left over in June so the March filers were the group where the expansion was most felt. One application mailed one day after mine got their k1 visa in hand a week before I even got a NOA2 so you can see the disparity in the process.  You have a 50 50 shot at getting your approval in 120 or in 160. BUT, Try to expect 6 mos. Count your blessings if it happens sooner, but plan for 6 mos.  The good news is applications tailed off in June, that's going to help you. Another thing is the b1 visas will be done soon freeing hands to help with the k1s. If you just hit 100, I think you are 2/3rds there.  Time to focus on documentation to show a continuous relationship and planning out the medical (day or 2 days, hotel, travel, etc). And maybe birth certificate is squared away, police clearances, etc so when NOA2 arrives, you hit the gas and don't look back.  Before NOA2 it's at uscis pace, after NVC it's at your pace.

Best of luck to you, expediency and no RFEs

 

Wow that gives us hope we can make it by christmas still. I will start working on the other papers then. I think she has most of the things ready from her side.

[AnJ Co 1,676]

12 minutes ago, PadieNerkBrapone said:

Novice questions coming...What happens after you get a NOA2? I know it gets sent to the NVC but what do they do and how does it relate to the consulate? I am knew to this and with tons of info on this process out there, the saying "study long, study wrong" seems apt. Should you already be working on the things you've stated above and have them ready? Also, is it correct that you make the appointment with the consulate, the consulate does not make it for you?

NOA2?  Go celebrate for 14 days, on the 15th day take 2 ibuprofen for the hangover and start calling nvc for your Cambodian embassy 10 digit number.  When you get the number start your DS-160. Everything after NVC is embassy specific so be sure to click on Portals at top left of screen to visit Cambodia portal. You will find a lot of information there as well as a list of other Cambodian filers. They will help you through the specifics of your embassy.

[LabOz 915]

12 hours ago, Maria1989 said:

I dont even know my day.... I just know Im May 17 and Im sad 😔

They won't get that deep into May until late next month but it will happen just hang on. We have no choice.

[LabOz 915]

2 hours ago, AnJ Co said:

NOA2?  Go celebrate for 14 days, on the 15th day take 2 ibuprofen for the hangover and start calling nvc for your Cambodian embassy 10 digit number.  When you get the number start your DS-160. Everything after NVC is embassy specific so be sure to click on Portals at top left of screen to visit Cambodia portal. You will find a lot of information there as well as a list of other Cambodian filers. They will help you through the specifics of your embassy.

I would start calling 10 days after NOA 2 and DS-160 can be started at any time. No need to wait for NOA 1 or NVC number just remember to log into the CEAC website at least once every 30 days or the DS-160 will be gone.

[Murph4865 597]

8 hours ago, AnJ Co said:

The harsh truth is K1s that used to get approval in 80 to 90 days are now 125 rare to 150 normal. Doing the math, there's a glut from March because they had a lot of December left over in June so the March filers were the group where the expansion was most felt. One application mailed one day after mine got their k1 visa in hand a week before I even got a NOA2 so you can see the disparity in the process.  You have a 50 50 shot at getting your approval in 120 or in 160. BUT, Try to expect 6 mos. Count your blessings if it happens sooner, but plan for 6 mos.  The good news is applications tailed off in June, that's going to help you. Another thing is the b1 visas will be done soon freeing hands to help with the k1s. If you just hit 100, I think you are 2/3rds there.  Time to focus on documentation to show a continuous relationship and planning out the medical (day or 2 days, hotel, travel, etc). And maybe birth certificate is squared away, police clearances, etc so when NOA2 arrives, you hit the gas and don't look back.  Before NOA2 it's at uscis pace, after NVC it's at your pace.

Best of luck to you, expediency and no RFEs

 

This is what i found on uscis site

[Murph4865 597]

According to the app i am sitting at 109 days now been a long road but have kept myself busy with work all the time but can not be helped since i am a truck driver cross country.

[Rob.Ish 18]

on my 90 days...still have a long way ahead of me.

[Rob.Ish 18]

FYI for those fiance(e) from the Philippines: You can schedule your CFO appointment in Manila with or without visa yet. I just scheduled mine this Sept. 25 and they gave me a confirmation letter via email even if I did input that I don't have K1 visa yet in my passport. they will give you a list of requirements to be secured.

[Murph4865 597]

I was wondering if it would do any good to get senator involved now for inquiry on my case even though i am only at 109 days right now to maybe get the process rolling even faster.

[Brntorun 48]

7 minutes ago, Rob.Ish said:

FYI for those fiance(e) from the Philippines: You can schedule your CFO appointment in Manila with or without visa yet. I just scheduled mine this Sept. 25 and they gave me a confirmation letter via email even if I did input that I don't have K1 visa yet in my passport. they will give you a list of requirements to be secured.

And ur getting the GCP?

What if fiance doesnt have working email?

 

Mayb i can give her my email to use

[AnJ Co 1,676]

3 hours ago, Murph4865 said:

This is what i found on uscis site

 

1 hour ago, Murph4865 said:

I was wondering if it would do any good to get senator involved now for inquiry on my case even though i am only at 109 days right now to maybe get the process rolling even faster.

Yep, that's what they put on their site, and it is the Averages.  Look also at uscis reports that show 1st qtr unanswered k1 petitions at 12k and 2nd qtr unanswered k1's at 15k.  The backlog continues to grow.  Even though uscis has stopped their online app from updating and allow scraping data, the other sources of info can correlate the big picture of what is going on there.  Simply stated, k1's just aren't the 'cash cows' that other visa types are.  K1's are a small percentage of all visa types, and there are times that only one adjudicator is working on k1's while the other adjudicators are busy with other actions (example based on recent output in 3rd week of July 2017).

A K1 filer who went through a long uscis wait and finally went to his congressional representative for assistance told me this......

"USCIS is unable to keep up with the workload, so they play a game with averages...many cases are done within the 100 day range and sometimes they get work on some of the cases in as little as 50 days.....in order to keep the average at 150 days...the rest they backlog and get to as part of their overtime.  From what I understand, employees are required to put in 35 hours of overtime per month...and this is when they get to the backlogs....it is all calculated.  They certainly do not process paper in the order they come in ...that is a big lie... although each case is scanned upon arrival and they know where your case is....  The second lie you will be told is that 'each case is different'.  

When you call the National Service Center, the first person you talk to works for an answering service, not an employee of homeland security.  Their job is to take the brunt of angry citizen complaints...a tier 2 supervisor (homeland security employee) has the ability to view a little more of where your case is at...such as, is it still in a box or on someone's desk.  You can get to a tier 3 rep if you are insistent and they are the ones who can call the  service center where your case is and speak to someone about your case.

Because they play the averages, you are not able to 'complain' unless your case is beyond the processing time that is posted on the USCIS web page......."                (source: SE)

Everything I have seen here in VJ pretty much aligns with what this author above has said.  When you see a 180 day filer approved, look and see two 60 or 80 something filers approved the same day.  Total their waiting days and divide to get the average and be amazed how it comes to 150.

Another trick is VJ represents about eight point something percent of total filers.  You have a fairly good slice of what is done to compare and see what is happening.  The closer you get to 150, the better your chance.  Some get lucky and are the lower waiting day case that uscis needs to match with an old timer case to average the numbers.  Some are the 150 day cases.  Some are the old timers.  It's all luck.

Regarding a congressional inquiry......  At 140 days, I would start the process because it takes some time to get your case assigned to the case work division in your representatives office.  Congressional's take about 30 days to get an answer.

 

[bcoakley06 280]

8 hours ago, Rob.Ish said:

on my 90 days...still have a long way ahead of me.

Stay strong. Its a long wait but all worth it

[bcoakley06 280]

So the Ds 160 form do we need to wait for NOA2 or can it be done sooner?