August 2017 I-129F Filers

[Csoberano 12]

Accepted August 29th and sent to the California Service Center! And ...we wait.

[CaptainAmerica 115]

I've just visited the site after being with my fiancee for a week and a half. Within that time, my timeline has jumped later by almost 20 days and now nearing the end of February. How can this be allowed? When we first submitted our petition, the estimated date of approval was around 20th December. Now we're looking at over two months later. It's criminal that our money can be taken upfront and yet we have no oversight of any of this process. As others mention on this forum, if we knew how long it may take we may have decided to go for the CR-1 option instead. It's been incredibly difficult to make life choices based on the original timeline, and yet we're now looking at waiting two more months until we can even consider being in the final stretch. I wish there was some way to complain - as one could to a public body in the UK - but with this, we essentially have to put up or shut up until we can get our US petitioner to start making calls to senators. 

It's incredibly frustrating to spend a lot of money but yet have no ability to find out what's going on. It seems crazy that in 2017 this is a process that's allowed to occur. It's like some sort of cruel mental test to see which of us can genuinely feel the love for our partners to make this process worthwhile! 

I know this is preaching to the converted but I needed to vent about how unfair this all is! I know petitioners from other months are having a worse time too.

[Sailormooon 268]

Hi everyone! Me and my fiance filed and received our NOA1 on 02/08/17.. i have just come back 2 hours ago from visiting him in the states and hopefully and going again in January.. I feel so sad that the timeline just keeps getting pushed back. We were already meant to originally have our NO2 by December but its looking to be end of January, start of February  :-(... Wishing you all well <3

[Sailormooon 268]

2 minutes ago, CaptainAmerica said:

I've just visited the site after being with my fiancee for a week and a half. Within that time, my timeline has jumped later by almost 20 days and now nearing the end of February. How can this be allowed? When we first submitted our petition, the estimated date of approval was around 20th December. Now we're looking at over two months later. It's criminal that our money can be taken upfront and yet we have no oversight of any of this process. As others mention on this forum, if we knew how long it may take we may have decided to go for the CR-1 option instead. It's been incredibly difficult to make life choices based on the original timeline, and yet we're now looking at waiting two more months until we can even consider being in the final stretch. I wish there was some way to complain - as one could to a public body in the UK - but with this, we essentially have to put up or shut up until we can get our US petitioner to start making calls to senators. 

It's incredibly frustrating to spend a lot of money but yet have no ability to find out what's going on. It seems crazy that in 2017 this is a process that's allowed to occur. It's like some sort of cruel mental test to see which of us can genuinely feel the love for our partners to make this process worthwhile! 

I know this is preaching to the converted but I needed to vent about how unfair this all is! I know petitioners from other months are having a worse time too.

I am feeling the exact same way! I can't even plan the next few months of my life as I'm not sure if I'm going to be here or the USA! It is incredibly frustrating! 

[CaptainAmerica 115]

2 minutes ago, Tea_pgtips said:

I am feeling the exact same way! I can't even plan the next few months of my life as I'm not sure if I'm going to be here or the USA! It is incredibly frustrating! 

I'm sorry you're feeling the same way. Our posts were like a jinx, saying the same thing so close together.  

I went back to find the email I sent to my fiancee when I first came across this forum, which included a screengrab of my timeline in August. It was estimating between December 26-30. We'd almost be there by now... It's really made me depressed and even more frustrated. I handed in my three month notice at work based on this original timeline, and yet it keeps on moving back and back. It's difficult to balance a job and general life when I don't know where I'll be. Family and friends keep asking me when I'll be moving and I can see the look on their faces when I tell them, "I don't know". It really doesn't seem right. I'd love to know how this works the opposite way, immigrating to other countries. I have to imagine it's difficult everywhere, however does any country offer better immigration transparency?

[Sailormooon 268]

3 minutes ago, CaptainAmerica said:

I'm sorry you're feeling the same way. Our posts were like a jinx, saying the same thing so close together.  

I went back to find the email I sent to my fiancee when I first came across this forum, which included a screengrab of my timeline in August. It was estimating between December 26-30. We'd almost be there by now... It's really made me depressed and even more frustrated. I handed in my three month notice at work based on this original timeline, and yet it keeps on moving back and back. It's difficult to balance a job and general life when I don't know where I'll be. Family and friends keep asking me when I'll be moving and I can see the look on their faces when I tell them, "I don't know". It really doesn't seem right. I'd love to know how this works the opposite way, immigrating to other countries. I have to imagine it's difficult everywhere, however does any country offer better immigration transparency?

I am so sorry you're feeling that way too! We have a lot of similarities... 

Both from the UK, both just came back from visiting our fiances, both felt the same way and made similar posts at the same time, and both mad about the timeline! My friends and family have constantly been asking me the same thing too! 

 

I'm sorry you have given your notice in, however hopefully it won't get pushed back any longer. You'll at least have a few months to prepare everything before you leave and be with your loved one so it may be a good thing! 

 

I hope we hear back soon! We have very similar timelines too! :-)

Edited December 18, 2017 by Tea_pgtips

[Dee&Claudy 105]

On 12/14/2017 at 9:08 PM, N&Rdorcy said:

Hi all we filed our papers on August 10,2017 and still no word. Just an update that our papers were received on August 14....No update from the site since or anything, fiancé is in Haiti.

My Noa1 is August 14th and my fiance is also in Haiti too. We're on the same boat.

[noraliz73 243]

All is right with the my world for now.  I just talked to my baby!  He was falling asleep talking to me.  Egypt is seven hours ahead of Pennsylvania's time zone now and he still tries to wake and sleep when I do so we have like a normal family routine of sleeping and meals.  I know he would do anything to care for and protect me, but he is my baby.  I never loved any other adult so much!!!🕊

[MandW 310]

When I filed in August the timeline said approx.: DEC 16-22 for NOA2 then monthly or seems like every two weeks it gets pushed back another two weeks then another two weeks, it went to dec 26 to jan2 then jan2 to jan 8 then jan 8 to jan 16 then 16 and so on and so on, just checked and it is now pushed to feb 2 to feb 6 so I expect in two weeks that will go to feb 6 to feb 13, when we send $500+ upfront and no other information until you get either noa2 or a rfe and nothing you can do about it , it needs to be changed to send $25 then when they give the noa2 then you pay the rest. This "might" motivate them faster, but then again it may not. Holidays are coming , they will start being under staffed due to employees taking time off for the holidays so I expect longer delays ahead for us august filers. I'm over the 4 month period waiting for the noa2. Just don't understand how last year this time they were getting approvals in 30 days to going to beyond 6 months!!! I don't even want to talk about the future with my fiancé because this really sucks.

[noraliz73 243]

52 minutes ago, MandW said:

When I filed in August the timeline said approx.: DEC 16-22 for NOA2 then monthly or seems like every two weeks it gets pushed back another two weeks then another two weeks, it went to dec 26 to jan2 then jan2 to jan 8 then jan 8 to jan 16 then 16 and so on and so on, just checked and it is now pushed to feb 2 to feb 6 so I expect in two weeks that will go to feb 6 to feb 13, when we send $500+ upfront and no other information until you get either noa2 or a rfe and nothing you can do about it , it needs to be changed to send $25 then when they give the noa2 then you pay the rest. This "might" motivate them faster, but then again it may not. Holidays are coming , they will start being under staffed due to employees taking time off for the holidays so I expect longer delays ahead for us august filers. I'm over the 4 month period waiting for the noa2. Just don't understand how last year this time they were getting approvals in 30 days to going to beyond 6 months!!! I don't even want to talk about the future with my fiancé because this really sucks.

    I was thinking today that if they were a business, we could complain and get a refund or a discount.  I think that it's unfair that people who get bad service have to pay the same as those who got approved in 30 days. Wait, we didn't.  It went up this year didn't it?  I wish Trump could make USCIS great again.  LOL!

   I know this is tough.  I used to love talking about the future.  But now there is the what if we get denied future.  No matter what, we are not waiting another year.  I will go to live in Egypt.  This is the person I want to be with no matter where that is going to be.  USCIS can't take that love and commitment out of people if it's there.  You're frustrated now,  but most people’s marriages could not make it through this strain.  People here in the USA are so untrusting of each other.  You are making it through this trial.  We all make it through and then if we all still get married, that's something special that most people just don't have.  Our fidelity and love is being tested every day by this ordeal, and when we finally come through, I think most of our relationships will have strengthened as a result.  You'll make it.  And it will be here fast, God willing.

[geowrian 22,337]

1 hour ago, MandW said:

when we send $500+ upfront and no other information until you get either noa2 or a rfe and nothing you can do about it , it needs to be changed to send $25 then when they give the noa2 then you pay the rest. This "might" motivate them faster, but then again it may not.

And what if the petition is denied or gets withdrawn? I doubt many people would be too eager to pony up the processing costs for something that offers no benefit anymore. They would have assumed all the costs (background checks, IO's time, overhead, etc.) with no guarantee of payment.

Even if the above wasn't an issue, adding another payment step (and backend process to support it) would create its own delays and higher costs, and is one more place for things to go wrong. I've always tried to follow the mantra of "a process designed to be complex is one designed to fail".

 

The cost itself seems inflated (probably in order to cover the costs associated with more complex cases that take much, much longer and cost much more to adjudicate properly). But there's not much to do about it...you either pay up or you don't get the benefit.

[N&Rdorcy 60]

2 hours ago, Dee&Claudy said:

My Noa1 is August 14th and my fiance is also in Haiti too. We're on the same boat.

Wow!!! How awesome!! Like we are really in the same situation lol what state are you in? 

[Majesty 72]

On ‎12‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 6:54 AM, Csoberano said:

Accepted August 29th and sent to the California Service Center! And ...we wait.

Same here. August 21st...The wait makes me so anxious.

[blenheim 243]

Long time lurker, first time poster. NOA1 received August 18th

Feeling so sad today. Reading posts in the May and June filer topics on how there are many still not approved makes me think we won't even be married by summer 2018  ... Every time I check my timeline it's pushed back further and further with no end in sight

[patientguyinlove 92]

On 12/18/2017 at 5:12 AM, CaptainAmerica said:

It was estimating between December 26-30. 

I remember when mine said mid December. 

 

On 12/18/2017 at 7:01 PM, geowrian said:

I've always tried to follow the mantra of "a process designed to be complex is one designed to fail".

Poor process or lack of staffing? or both?

There needs to be a single window initiative and less paper for all the agencies involved.

DHS has been successful with this in the past, such as the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). I wonder why USCIS' electronic initiative was such a colossal failure. 

This Feb article keeps ringing in my ear (https://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2017/02/15/billion-dollar-blunder-immigrants-still-cant-rely-on-uscis-electronic-filing-system/#3f8fa0e5c37a).

 

On 12/18/2017 at 7:01 PM, geowrian said:

The cost itself seems inflated (probably in order to cover the costs associated with more complex cases that take much, much longer and cost much more to adjudicate properly).

Or a form of deterrence.