I-130 July 2018 Filers

[KJ2 230]

Just now, Shanika&Rohan said:

It all depends on how fast the person working on your case is. Everyone is given a stack and some are faster than others, and some applications are assembled in an way that is easier to navigate through or are less complicated cases. 

That's what I figured, ugh! ThankS!!

[SM&RM 196]

1 hour ago, CamilaRemolina said:

Do you have any links to the stories where decision was made prior to interview? I would love to read those and give myself some hope. Lol thank you 

Just read the NVC forums and interview forums. You will see interview stories on the timelines of filers that have been through the entire process to interview. 

[SM&RM 196]

1 minute ago, KAK09004 said:

That's what I figured, ugh! ThankS!!

Yw. Believe me I feel your pain and frustration too. I called them today hoping and praying they would say I was approved. I had to reset my online password, so I just asked about my application...Lol 

[KJ2 230]

9 minutes ago, Shanika&Rohan said:

Yw. Believe me I feel your pain and frustration too. I called them today hoping and praying they would say I was approved. I had to reset my online password, so I just asked about my application...Lol 

haha I tried calling today too and I couldn't even get a real person!!

[SM&RM 196]

10 minutes ago, KAK09004 said:

haha I tried calling today too and I couldn't even get a real person!!

🤣🤣🤣🤣! Great minds think alike....Lol We will hear something soon. They gave me the same old message they are still approving December 2017 applicants....SMH 🤦🏽‍♀️🙄

Edited December 19, 2018 by Shanika&Rohan

[KJ2 230]

5 minutes ago, Shanika&Rohan said:

🤣🤣🤣🤣! Great minds think alike....Lol We will hear something soon. They gave me the same old message they are still approving December 2017 applicants....SMH 🤦🏽‍♀️🙄

Yeah i hope!! We are almost the same date! I'm like 5 days ahead of you so we hopefully will both hear soon haha

[SM&RM 196]

6 minutes ago, KAK09004 said:

Yeah i hope!! We are almost the same date! I'm like 5 days ahead of you so we hopefully will both hear soon haha

I really hope this week. I don’t want to get caught up in the after Christmas pile! 😔

[carmel34 3,625]

4 hours ago, CamilaRemolina said:

Do you have any links to the stories where decision was made prior to interview? I would love to read those and give myself some hope. Lol thank you 

The stories I remember reading here on VJ were cases where the couple did not side-load any additional evidence of ongoing marital relationship at the NVC stage, and just took it all to the interview and then were denied at the interview for insufficient evidence and when they said they had additional evidence with them the CO refused to look at it and handed them a form asking them to submit more evidence (that they had in their hands), adding more weeks of waiting to the process.  I'll search tomorrow and see if I can find any specific examples.

[carmel34 3,625]

3 hours ago, KAK09004 said:

I am at Potomac July 25th and I noticed that it is super random and kind of out of order how Potomac is processing.  I see people in May/ June/ July unapproved (including myself) and then I see people in August with approvals.  Any insight on this? It's frustrating!! 

A few weeks ago I read a post from a former USCIS officer who processed petitions, you can find it here on VJ somewhere.  A lot of it is random, and frustrating for all of us when some petitions are approved in 5 months and others take a year or more.  The processing times from VJ members' timelines and the USCIS website are only averages, some take less and others more time so it's best to expect the worst and then be surprised when it is approved.  Officers are assigned boxes of files in an organized way, the oldest ones are given to an officer in batches, then he/she works on the box at their own pace, some go on vacation or work slower, others process them quickly, depending on the details of the case, background checks, complexity of the cases, etc.  I picture in my mind a desk piled high with files and boxes, and officers going through our applications, viewing our photos, etc. and other personal information.  There are hundreds of petitions arriving every day, and they pile up, not enough employees to review them so they wait in a storage room to be assigned to a USCIS immigration officer.  The poster said some files took a long time to review, others were fast.  When they finish their box of files, they go back for a new box.  Humans make errors, and there are rooms full of boxes, so I can see some employees taking a box of newer petitions by mistake and may miss an older box that sits on a shelf in a storage room or gets lost for a few months, out of order.  You would think that in 2018, they would scan everything to an electronic file and then the computer would automatically assign the next case in the queue to an officer in a more fair way, but that's not how it works.  They assign and review paper files based on the former employee's post.  On top of that, some centers work faster than others, or get assigned more files so they get behind, or add more employees or lose some, you get the picture.  The good sign right now is that if you look at the average days for I-130 approvals, it is going down slightly the last few months.  The waiting really sucks.  Lots of visits to be together is how my husband and I are coping with this long process of living apart.  All the best to all July filers!

[carmel34 3,625]

15 hours ago, CamilaRemolina said:

Do you have any links to the stories where decision was made prior to interview? I would love to read those and give myself some hope. Lol thank you 

Here's an example of a post from today.  The CR1 visa was denied at the interview because of insufficient evidence of an ongoing marital relationship.  Clearly this couple did not side-load at the NVC stage, perhaps not even enough evidence sent with the I-130 petition to USCIS, and the CO had made a decision to deny before the interview.  The beneficiary had a lot of additional evidence at the interview, but they did not look at it, they had already made the decision to deny and asked for the couple to submit evidence that they refused to look at and gave them a 221g.  This is one of many examples where side-loading would have likely prevented the denial.  Hopefully they can submit everything they have quickly and get the visa issued, but why risk this extra time?  Just submit more evidence with the I-130 or side-load it at the NVC stage and avoid extending the wait even longer than it already is.

 

 

[SM&RM 196]

23 hours ago, KAK09004 said:

I am at Potomac July 25th and I noticed that it is super random and kind of out of order how Potomac is processing.  I see people in May/ June/ July unapproved (including myself) and then I see people in August with approvals.  Any insight on this? It's frustrating!! 

June applicants already at the NVC stage of the process 😍😍! 

[SM&RM 196]

21 hours ago, carmel34 said:

The stories I remember reading here on VJ were cases where the couple did not side-load any additional evidence of ongoing marital relationship at the NVC stage, and just took it all to the interview and then were denied at the interview for insufficient evidence and when they said they had additional evidence with them the CO refused to look at it and handed them a form asking them to submit more evidence (that they had in their hands), adding more weeks of waiting to the process.  I'll search tomorrow and see if I can find any specific examples.

I read a lot where they side-loaded at the NVC stage. This is your only chance to send updated information, because they will only look at what they ask for at the interview. 

[SM&RM 196]

10 hours ago, carmel34 said:

Here's an example of a post from today.  The CR1 visa was denied at the interview because of insufficient evidence of an ongoing marital relationship.  Clearly this couple did not side-load at the NVC stage, perhaps not even enough evidence sent with the I-130 petition to USCIS, and the CO had made a decision to deny before the interview.  The beneficiary had a lot of additional evidence at the interview, but they did not look at it, they had already made the decision to deny and asked for the couple to submit evidence that they refused to look at and gave them a 221g.  This is one of many examples where side-loading would have likely prevented the denial.  Hopefully they can submit everything they have quickly and get the visa issued, but why risk this extra time?  Just submit more evidence with the I-130 or side-load it at the NVC stage and avoid extending the wait even longer than it already is.

 

 

I agree. Thank you for the information. This is my embassy, so this was very interesting and eye opening to read. I sent it to my husband to read. 

[SM&RM 196]

On 12/19/2018 at 1:24 AM, carmel34 said:

The stories I remember reading here on VJ were cases where the couple did not side-load any additional evidence of ongoing marital relationship at the NVC stage, and just took it all to the interview and then were denied at the interview for insufficient evidence and when they said they had additional evidence with them the CO refused to look at it and handed them a form asking them to submit more evidence (that they had in their hands), adding more weeks of waiting to the process.  I'll search tomorrow and see if I can find any specific examples.

Look at your Embassy timeline too. You will read stories on what your embassy is looking for as evidence and interview questions. Go to Portals. You will see your embassy specific information. 

Edited December 20, 2018 by Shanika&Rohan

[KJ2 230]

On 12/18/2018 at 11:20 PM, Shanika&Rohan said:

I really hope this week. I don’t want to get caught up in the after Christmas pile! 😔

I just received my approval notice today!!! Yours is coming soon  Merry Christmas/ Happy Hoidays!