why CA service center

[stech786 236]

1 hour ago, geowrian said:

Many family-preference I-130s (i.e. an LPR filing for a spouse) do tend to go to CA from what I've noticed. As for the exact reason why yours did, nobody here can say for sure. CSC will review your case and adjudicate it, unless they decide to transfer the case....which they sometimes do to help rebalance the load.

 

For I-130 processing times, use the USCIS chart in the second link. The visa bulletin determines when the PD will become current, but that's a separate function from when they will adjudicate the I-130. In the vast majority of cases, they will approve the I-130 before the PD is current, so the approved I-130 will just sit at NVC waiting for the PD to become current so the case can proceed.

thats what I think that my case is in CA center. Once they review and approve my i-130, then it will goto vermont center until my PD is available.  How long will it take to get it approved? I assume ~ 5 months, but based on what you mentioned above, that I should use 2nd link, that means it can take 2 yrs to just approve the i-130? that sound like it will go beyond my PD May 11,2018

 

It seems, that visa bulletin board (my first link) is used when i-130A is approved. another question, does it matter if US citizen or LPR files i-130, will it take same amount of time.

 

1 hour ago, payxibka said:

It is best not to clock watch or you will just drive yourself crazy

 

I'm not trying to watch the clock, but my brother file similar profile case on July 2017 and have PD July 27, 2017. He only received receipt # letter. Now, VISA bulletin is saying Sept 2017. So that means, his is PD is current. But he has not heard anything yet. He even did not get approved i-130 letter. His case is at CA service center too. What should he do now? Going back to CA center times, it says, they are in Oct 2016. Does that mean CA center is processing i-130 received around Oct 2016. therefore, my brother have to wait until they process his i-130. Doesn't makes ense, since his PD is current. 

 

Thank you!!

 

 

[payxibka 10,047]

2 minutes ago, stech786 said:

thats what I think that my case is in CA center. Once they review and approve my i-130, then it will goto vermont center until my PD is available.  How long will it take to get it approved? I assume ~ 5 months, but based on what you mentioned above, that I should use 2nd link, that means it can take 2 yrs to just approve the i-130? that sound like it will go beyond my PD May 11,2018

 

It seems, that visa bulletin board (my first link) is used when i-130A is approved. another question, does it matter if US citizen or LPR files i-130, will it take same amount of time.

 

 

I'm not trying to watch the clock, but my brother file similar profile case on July 2017 and have PD July 27, 2017. He only received receipt # letter. Now, VISA bulletin is saying Sept 2017. So that means, his is PD is current. But he has not heard anything yet. He even did not get approved i-130 letter. His case is at CA service center too. What should he do now? Going back to CA center times, it says, they are in Oct 2016. Does that mean CA center is processing i-130 received around Oct 2016. therefore, my brother have to wait until they process his i-130. Doesn't makes ense, since his PD is current. 

 

Thank you!!

 

 

Case inquiry date and current files they are processing may or may not be the same.  Case inquiry simply means that if you have not heard from them and your case falls outside that date then you should contact them

[geowrian 22,338]

22 minutes ago, stech786 said:

thats what I think that my case is in CA center. Once they review and approve my i-130, then it will goto vermont center until my PD is available.  How long will it take to get it approved? I assume ~ 5 months, but based on what you mentioned above, that I should use 2nd link, that means it can take 2 yrs to just approve the i-130? that sound like it will go beyond my PD May 11,2018

 

It seems, that visa bulletin board (my first link) is used when i-130A is approved. another question, does it matter if US citizen or LPR files i-130, will it take same amount of time.

Once the I-130 is approved, it will go to NVC where it sit and wait until the PD becomes current. The PD remains the same regardless of when they approve the I-130. So if they approve the I-130 tomorrow, it will sit at NVC until about 2 years after the I-130 was filed (approximate time for F2A right now). If they approve it a year from now, it will sit at NVC until the same date. The blocker is when the PD becomes current, not when USCIS approves the petition.

 

An I-130 from a USC for a spouse falls into the immediate relative category of visas. This category does not have a wait for the PD to become current - the PD is current immediately. So their only waiting time is for the I-130 to be approved, NVC processing, and embassy/consulate processing. This is currently about 12-16 months.

An I-130 filed by a USC for other categories (21+ child or sibling) also have waits. Very long waits. Those I-130s usually take years for approval (again, because approval won't make their cases go any faster so why rush it).

[stech786 236]

On 5/17/2018 at 12:33 PM, geowrian said:

Once the I-130 is approved, it will go to NVC where it sit and wait until the PD becomes current. The PD remains the same regardless of when they approve the I-130. So if they approve the I-130 tomorrow, it will sit at NVC until about 2 years after the I-130 was filed (approximate time for F2A right now). If they approve it a year from now, it will sit at NVC until the same date. The blocker is when the PD becomes current, not when USCIS approves the petition.

 

An I-130 from a USC for a spouse falls into the immediate relative category of visas. This category does not have a wait for the PD to become current - the PD is current immediately. So their only waiting time is for the I-130 to be approved, NVC processing, and embassy/consulate processing. This is currently about 12-16 months.

An I-130 filed by a USC for other categories (21+ child or sibling) also have waits. Very long waits. Those I-130s usually take years for approval (again, because approval won't make their cases go any faster so why rush it).

I agree that this is the process how cases work. But if PD is current, and i-130 for LPR is not approved yet? my understanding is that i-130 is always approved PD  becomes current.

 

Thanks!

[geowrian 22,338]

6 minutes ago, stech786 said:

I agree that this is the process how cases work. But if PD is current, and i-130 for LPR is not approved yet? my understanding is that i-130 is always approved PD  becomes current.

If the PD is current but I-130 is not approved yet, then it will remain with USCIS until they finish adjudicating the petition. After approval, it will be sent to NVC, and sine the PD is current already, you can proceed with NVC processing right away. It's by no means impossible for this to occur, but normally the I-130 is approved a few to several months before the PD is current for F2A, and years before the PD is current for other categories.

[stech786 236]

14 hours ago, geowrian said:

 sine the PD is current already, you can proceed with NVC processing right away.

how would I do that? are there instructions somewhere on  NVC website. What will that do to my case if I complete all steps for NVC process and yet my i-130 is not approved

[geowrian 22,338]

11 hours ago, stech786 said:

how would I do that? are there instructions somewhere on  NVC website. What will that do to my case if I complete all steps for NVC process and yet my i-130 is not approved

You cannot do anything with the NVC process until the I-130 is approved and sent to NVC, then you need to wait for the PD to become current. They (NVC) will send a welcome letter with the next steps.

 

Here's a wiki outlining the NVC process: http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process