*** K-3 May and June 2007 Filers ***

[raquel_1208 1]

2 approvals on K-1 today so far both CSC.

[Divine Mercy 0]

I posted this initially in the March thread waiting for transfer to NVC. I'm posting to this thread to hopefully allow you to set your expectations on the step following approval. Sadly, once again, it is best to lower our expectations.

I spoke with USCIS CSC just a minute ago. Like others I'm very disappointed at yet ANOTHER significant delay in my paperwork. I wanted to understand why it is taking so long to ship the I-129F to the NVC. This is what the kind Chinese lady told me.

For an I-130 application, they can simply send the application "as is" to the NVC. Therefore, shipping the I-130 is pretty quick.

For an I-129F, K-3, application, the paperwork has to be physically manipulated by hand by pulling certain documents and putting them into new file pouches. Then the I-130 application has to be filed and stored to be held for the AOS. This is what they are referring as the staging area.

I asked how long this should take. She replied saying they don't have a good estimate, since they are new to this process. (As we all know by now.)

So it looks like we are being held up by the huge backlog or surge in applications. We just jumped in at the wrong time for "quick" processing. She said it's been taking about a month.

It now doesn't seem to me that we are just sitting around waiting to be shipped. Instead we are again finding ourselves waiting on low resources to deal with the surge they have experienced. Funny, you would think they could keep up with the pace of adjudication. But that would be too logical of an assumption.

Hope this helps. For me, IF THEY WOULD SIMPLY EXPLAIN THE SITUATION AND TRUTH OF THE MATTER, I wouldn't have been as frustrated. Although, I have thankfully handled this much better than I anticipated.

As my mom says, "Don't pray for patience. The way you learn patience is by waiting." I have not been praying for patience, but I still received a nice, long wait.

Sorry if this is common knowledge. I don't remember hearing these specific handling details.

That's really helpful to know, thank you for taking the time to post it!

[edp333 9]

hello guyz... let me start to intoduced my self... i got married in foreign country last 2005 july... been here since i got married.... im going back to us this coming friday sept 28th... then file 1-130 after my 1-130 apporved i will file k3 visa... i will post my timeline here =) i hope it will be done in 6 months time so excited =) but sad right now heheehhehe... being away with ur love one is so sad....

do u think filing 1-130 will be fine instead filing k3 visa for my husband to come to us soon? help need some infor thanks guyz mwahhhhhhhh

thanks guyzzz woootttttttttttttttt

Hello shaman goddess,

I think some more clarity and information is needed before anyone can asnswer your question. You state you are returning to the US, so are you an United States Citizen? If you are filing an I-130 for yourself, how are you doing this from inside the US?

It is a little late to file a K3 after your I-130 is approved. If you are planning to take the K3 route it is best to send the I-129F petition in with your I-130 or as soon as you recieve the NOA1 from the I-130.

[G&A 1]

I made some updates to the chart based on the CSC and VSC approvals in the last 2 month for 129Fs. The 130 estimates are all over the place so i would not go by them... The dates got a bit worth for the reasons outlined above...

[davejaz42107 1]

hello guyz... let me start to intoduced my self... i got married in foreign country last 2005 july... been here since i got married.... im going back to us this coming friday sept 28th... then file 1-130 after my 1-130 apporved i will file k3 visa... i will post my timeline here =) i hope it will be done in 6 months time so excited =) but sad right now heheehhehe... being away with ur love one is so sad....

do u think filing 1-130 will be fine instead filing k3 visa for my husband to come to us soon? help need some infor thanks guyz mwahhhhhhhh

thanks guyzzz woootttttttttttttttt

Hello shaman goddess,

I think some more clarity and information is needed before anyone can asnswer your question. You state you are returning to the US, so are you an United States Citizen? If you are filing an I-130 for yourself, how are you doing this from inside the US?

It is a little late to file a K3 after your I-130 is approved. If you are planning to take the K3 route it is best to send the I-129F petition in with your I-130 or as soon as you recieve the NOA1 from the I-130.

It is still possible to file for K3 if your I-130 is approved right? Several of us are in the same position that going forward with the K3 brings about a much shorter wait than if we opt for IR1/CR1. Wish I knew that they were going to approve my I-130 so fast but I can't complain its still progress.

[baaj 0]

NOA received at the same time for both I-130 and k-3. Please update the chart with the dates in my sig, G&A. I also received another letter (in addition to the NOA-2 for the 129F) stating the the petition will be forwarded to the place we were married. What is this? an NOA3?

As they were both approved on the same day. Do I need to make a decision now and cancel one? I've seen posted here that the i-130 can take a shorter time to process from this point forward. Obviously, I don't want to have to unnecessarily file an adjustment of status and pay thousands in fees, but it would be worth it to us if it were a question of months.

Anyone here have any insight regarding this?

Cheers!

[edp333 9]

NOA received at the same time for both I-130 and k-3. Please update the chart with the dates in my sig, G&A. I also received another letter (in addition to the NOA-2 for the 129F) stating the the petition will be forwarded to the place we were married. What is this? an NOA3?

This is basicly the same as the NOA transfer notice (I797c) that you received when your petitions were sent to VSC.

As they were both approved on the same day. Do I need to make a decision now and cancel one? I've seen posted here that the i-130 can take a shorter time to process from this point forward. Obviously, I don't want to have to unnecessarily file an adjustment of status and pay thousands in fees, but it would be worth it to us if it were a question of months.

Anyone here have any insight regarding this?

Cheers!

It is standard procedure at this point for VSC to retain your I-130 (IR1/CR1) and send the I-129F (K3) to NVC. If you want the I-130 to continue it cost another $200 in fees and may take up to three months. The normal time for a I-129F at VSC is 5 to 10 days and normal time for the I-130 is 3 to 6 months. There is also more processing to be completed at the Embassy/Consolate for an I-130.

The I-130 is definately a better visa because your spouse will be a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) upon arrival.

[C and J 1]

It is standard procedure at this point for VSC to retain your I-130 (IR1/CR1) and send the I-129F (K3) to NVC. If you want the I-130 to continue it cost another $200 in fees and may take up to three months. The normal time for a I-129F at VSC is 5 to 10 days and normal time for the I-130 is 3 to 6 months. There is also more processing to be completed at the Embassy/Consolate for an I-130.

The I-130 is definately a better visa because your spouse will be a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) upon arrival.

I think edp333 means NVC (National Visa Centre) for the highlighted part Because the I129F definitely doesn't take 5-10 days at the service centre.

And, yes, you should research in the countries forum to see what turnaround times the visa's have at the embassy. I know that for some countries the I130 interview times are 10-12 months, with only a 2-3 month wait for the I129F interview. Those are 2 things you really need to bare in mind

Edited September 25, 2007 by C and J

[Urge To Race 2]

baaj,

You are lucky to have been at the VSC. You got both NOA2 (approvals) quickly. And the letter, the thing you reffered to as the NOA3? is actually the letter from NVC telling you that they are sending the K3 to the embassy, where they will send the packet 3 to your SO and schedule an interview. You are moving along very quickly. CSC takes about a month to transfer approved I129Fs to NVC, but VSC by all accounts (including yours) takes about a week, which is what it really should be. Congrat

Also, as others have said, you got both approvals together, for K3 paired petitions, your I129F is already at NVC and on its way to hte embassy. Your I130 will be held by USCIS for your SO's eventual AOS in the in the US. The NOA2 for the I130 should say something to the effect that your SO is in the US and will file for Adjustment of Status.

Cheers and again congrats

NOA received at the same time for both I-130 and k-3. Please update the chart with the dates in my sig, G&A. I also received another letter (in addition to the NOA-2 for the 129F) stating the the petition will be forwarded to the place we were married. What is this? an NOA3?

As they were both approved on the same day. Do I need to make a decision now and cancel one? I've seen posted here that the i-130 can take a shorter time to process from this point forward. Obviously, I don't want to have to unnecessarily file an adjustment of status and pay thousands in fees, but it would be worth it to us if it were a question of months.

Anyone here have any insight regarding this?

Cheers!

[Urge To Race 2]

I made some updates to the chart based on the CSC and VSC approvals in the last 2 month for 129Fs. The 130 estimates are all over the place so i would not go by them... The dates got a bit worth for the reasons outlined above...

Thanks G for the update. I have my fingers crossed that CSC won't slow down more, and that we will be adjudicated by your estimated 10/10 date

[My Honey 0]

NOA received at the same time for both I-130 and k-3. Please update the chart with the dates in my sig, G&A. I also received another letter (in addition to the NOA-2 for the 129F) stating the the petition will be forwarded to the place we were married. What is this? an NOA3?

As they were both approved on the same day. Do I need to make a decision now and cancel one? I've seen posted here that the i-130 can take a shorter time to process from this point forward. Obviously, I don't want to have to unnecessarily file an adjustment of status and pay thousands in fees, but it would be worth it to us if it were a question of months.

Anyone here have any insight regarding this?

Cheers!

Congratulations on your approvals!!! Another one from VSC.....

[edp333 9]

I think edp333 means NVC (National Visa Centre) for the highlighted part Because the I129F definitely doesn't take 5-10 days at the service centre.

Your are correct, VSC = NVC.

[kdancer04 0]

I was on this list before but hadn't updated in a while so I think I got taken off. Anyways I havn't had any touches since 7/19 so I'm just waiting.... Hope things start to speed up soon!

My timeline is in my signature.

Thanks!

Kristi

[G&A 1]

I was on this list before but hadn't updated in a while so I think I got taken off. Anyways I havn't had any touches since 7/19 so I'm just waiting.... Hope things start to speed up soon!

My timeline is in my signature.

Thanks!

Kristi

Kristi, you are still on the list but hidden. I will update your timeline. Welcome back.

G

[baaj 0]

Congratulations on your approvals!!! Another one from VSC.....

Thanks all for the quick feedback and support.

So, based on everyone's input, it sounds like I am pretty far along in the K-3 process and probably should continue that way. According to the stats on this site, the visa processing center in China is very slow for K-3's - 113 days from consulate receiving info to interview, so I'm not in the clear yet.

So it is because of this 4+ months that I was wondering about the speed of the I-130 processing. Is there a chart here for processing times of the I-130 that is similar to the K-3?