August 2018 I-129F Filers

[vera1992 12]

Hello, We submitted our petition on August 10th and our NOA1 was received on August 16th. Any of you from these dates has received further updates?? Thanks!!!!!

[Shiran 1,134]

20 minutes ago, vera1992 said:

Hello, We submitted our petition on August 10th and our NOA1 was received on August 16th. Any of you from these dates has received further updates?? Thanks!!!!!

They just barely started on August. You can book mark https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/monthly_filers.php?form=1&visa=1&scenter=1&option=1&sortby=2 also known as "Igor's list" and monitor it there.

Do make sure you are checking mailbox, as it seems they are very inconsistent with updating online sources. 

[Chris&Ale 153]

I have signed up for Informed Delivery with the postal service so I can preview letters coming each day.

 

Anyone have a screenshot of what an RFE letter looks like on the outside (i.e. the envelope)? I'm curious if it looks the same as an NOA2 letter. 

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited January 3, 2019 by Chris&Ale

[Kowatti 189]

2 hours ago, Chris&Ale said:

I have signed up for Informed Delivery with the postal service so I can preview letters coming each day.

 

Anyone have a screenshot of what an RFE letter looks like on the outside (i.e. the envelope)? I'm curious if it looks the same as an NOA2 letter. 

 

Thanks in advance!

I was just wondering the same thing.

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,096]

2 hours ago, Chris&Ale said:

Anyone have a screenshot of what an RFE letter looks like on the outside (i.e. the envelope)? I'm curious if it looks the same as an NOA2 letter. 

Probably the most noticeable difference is that a NOA2 letter will have a visible '1 of 1' in the window, but the pictures of RFE letters I've seen here generally have noticeably thicker envelopes too.

[Kowatti 189]

2 minutes ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

Probably the most noticeable difference is that a NOA2 letter will have a visible '1 of 1' in the window, but the pictures of RFE letters I've seen here generally have noticeably thicker envelopes too.

Thanks.  I have been wondering the same thing.

[Shiran 1,134]

18 minutes ago, PandT said:

Thanks.  I have been wondering the same thing.

In most cases, there are basically only 2 things they will sent you after NOA1. either RFE or NOA2. NOA2, which my experience, and those of others has clearly visible 1 of 1 page count. In the upper right part of the window of the envelope you can also see name of the beneficiary. It might not always be visible depending on how paper moves inside the envelope. The other less likely things  you might get is NOID or sorta NOA1/receipt if you ever submit correction request. I believe both of those are also more than 1 page. 

Edited January 3, 2019 by Shiran

[Kowatti 189]

3 minutes ago, Shiran said:

In most cases, there are basically only 2 things they will sent you after NOA1. either RFE or NOA2. NOA2, which my experience, and those of others has clearly visible 1 of 1 page count. In the upper right part of the window of the envelope you can also see name of the beneficiary. It might not always be visible depending on how paper moves inside the envelope. The other less likely things  you might get is NOID or sorta NOA1/receipt if you ever submit correction request. I believe both of those are also more than 1 page. 

Thank you for explaining it so well.  I want to see the envelope with 1 of 1 on it 😂

[floresaaron 25]

On 12/31/2018 at 5:43 PM, Shiran said:

I am in California, and also a "he". The note is indeed approval. Dec 27 is a date on the notice, which was Thursday, no online notification of any kind.  Postal stamp on envelope reads Dec 28.  

I did make an attempt to expedite due to Russian/Ukrainian tensions about a month ago, that was denied. I have pretty unique last name, no military service, which might've sped up background check some. I know I had a few minor mistakes on 129F, like the box for "multiple filers" I left unchecked when I was suppose to check "Not applicable" Didn't affect anything. We have met online, but not on dating site, no IMB questions with regards to that. Good luck everyone, start checking your mailboxes, sign up for informed delivery if you haven't yet! Thank you all for support and good wishes.

No military experience? Don't you mean military experience? How would military experience make the process longer??

Asking because I have and we filed a month apart.

[Greenbaum 12,259]

3 minutes ago, floresaaron said:

No military experience? Don't you mean military experience? How would military experience make the process longer??

Asking because I have and we filed a month apart.

How would military experience make the process longer??  Additional background checks. I don't think that a grade school teacher and a military operative have the same MO. I have no trouble recognizing the difference.

[Jay Jones 261]

15 minutes ago, floresaaron said:

No military experience? Don't you mean military experience? How would military experience make the process longer??

Asking because I have and we filed a month apart.

I wonder the same thing because I'm retired Army.  I served 20 years.  I sent in a copy of my DD 214 which basically shows my military service and I was honorably discharged.  I believe that's an easy check

[floresaaron 25]

9 minutes ago, Greenbaum said:

How would military experience make the process longer??  Additional background checks. I don't think that a grade school teacher and a military operative have the same MO. I have no trouble recognizing the difference.

I understand that those occupations are different, but I'm not sure that would make a difference. Researched this. I'm 100% service-connected disabled by VA, Honorable Discharge... and have never been in any legal trouble what so ever. Was thinking it could be less background checks since the FBI already checks you when you enlist. Don't think being enlisted at some point would make it any different than anyone else.

[floresaaron 25]

2 minutes ago, Jay Jones said:

I wonder the same thing because I'm retired Army.  I served 20 years.  I sent in a copy of my DD 214 which basically shows my military service and I was honorably discharged.  I believe that's an easy check

You sent a copy of your 214? Didn't think I should do so since I'm sure they can pull it up right away. Character of discharge and all...

[Jay Jones 261]

8 minutes ago, floresaaron said:

You sent a copy of your 214? Didn't think I should do so since I'm sure they can pull it up right away. Character of discharge and all...

I can sometimes overdo things, lol.  I'm 100% disability P&T as well.  I even sent that printout from the Ebenefits website.  I know those are certain documents they may trash but I didn't want there to be any doubt.  

Edited January 4, 2019 by Jay Jones

[Greenbaum 12,259]

Just now, floresaaron said:

I understand that those occupations are different, but I'm not sure that would make a difference. Researched this. I'm 100% service-connected disabled by VA, Honorable Discharge... and have never been in any legal trouble what so ever. Was thinking it could be less background checks since the FBI already checks you when you enlist. Don't think being enlisted at some point would make it any different than anyone else.

You would like to believe that to be true. There are so many factors that are involved in background checks and being in the military would be one of them. Now if you have been in friendly country your entire enlistment, then I could go along with what you are saying but if you are in other country's that we have conflicts with I would think that some additional scrutiny is required. I was in the military in the 70's so I doubt that anything would be on a radar as my civilian record is clean but just the same they will check.

 

As part of its benefits adjudication process and as required by law, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducts background checks on petitioners and applicants who seek certain immigration benefits. These background checks consist of four separate checks against systems within Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In order to facilitate the collection and transmission of information necessary to complete background check processes, USCIS maintains five information technology electronic systems: the Fingerprint Masthead Notification System (FMNS), the Customer Identity Capture System (CICS), the FD-258 Tracking System - Mainframe (FD-258 MF), the Benefits Biometrics Support System (BBSS), and the Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) Manifest. USCIS is conducting this privacy impact assessment (PIA) because FMNS, CICS, FD-258 MF, BBSS, and IBIS Manifest collect, use, and share personally identifiable information (PII). This PIA replaces the previously published USCIS PIA for the "Background Check Service (BCS)" which describes planned background check-related systems that were never implemented. Upon publication of this PIA, the BCS PIA will be retired.

 

Additional screening and background checks based on country of birth, citizenship, or residency in the “State Sponsors of Terrorism” (T-7) list: Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Syria; or from the “List of 26”: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Yemen. This is a mandatory stop list and allegedly takes 2 to 4 days, thanks in part to the partially rolled out PATRIOT (Pre-Adjudicated Threat Recognition and Intelligence Operations Team) system managed by ICE, but often take 3 to 6 weeks and if there is a hit who knows how long.

 

Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) or Washington Special Clearance,[1] commonly called security clearance, administrative clearance, or administrative processing,[2] is a process the United States Department of State and the diplomatic missions of the United States use in deciding to grant or deny a United States visa to certain visa applicants. The process involves sending a request from the visa issuing post to the Department of State's headquarters in Washington, D.C., to investigate an individual's case for possible espionage, terrorism, and illegal export of technology out of the United States.