I-129f turnaround time

[GaryK 39]

Hi Everyone.  On this website I found Igor’s list where you can select criteria (petition type, service center, etc.) and see how people have been faring to date.  For the I-129F petitions at the California Service Center (my situation), I am seeing a significant number of people reporting they received their NOA2s as soon as 3-4 months after their NOA1 was received.

 

Maybe I am making the incorrect assumption they received the NOA2 indicating acceptance (vs. RFE, for example).  Could it be that several individuals are checking off NOA2 (as in ‘acceptance’) when they haven’t really received an acceptance yet?  Maybe an RFE?  I see several NOA1s in November ostensibly getting NOA2s this month (March, 2019) and this surprised me.  I am even seeing December NOA1s reporting NOA2s in March which is only 3 months.  I thought most might be in the 5-8 month range but I see quite a bit sooner than that.

 

I hope it isn’t giving me a false excitement that maybe Anna and I could hear something positive soon.  Our petition was received on December 11.  I never received the NOA1 via text/email even though the applicable form was included in our package.  I did receive the hardcopy NOA1 during the Christmas week but I can’t remember which day so I went with December 24 (Monday).

 

What are people’s thoughts on this?  I am using an experienced immigration attorney and we put what I think was a good package together.  Anna and I had seen each other 6 times in the 2 years prior to submitting our petition, lots of proof of this, put all the correct documents together, etc.  We are close in age (5 years apart).  Hoping no red flags and to hear something positive real soon.

 

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

10 minutes ago, GaryK said:

Hi Everyone.  On this website I found Igor’s list where you can select criteria (petition type, service center, etc.) and see how people have been faring to date.  For the I-129F petitions at the California Service Center (my situation), I am seeing a significant number of people reporting they received their NOA2s as soon as 3-4 months after their NOA1 was received.

 

Maybe I am making the incorrect assumption they received the NOA2 indicating acceptance (vs. RFE, for example).  Could it be that several individuals are checking off NOA2 (as in ‘acceptance’) when they haven’t really received an acceptance yet?  Maybe an RFE?  I see several NOA1s in November ostensibly getting NOA2s this month (March, 2019) and this surprised me.  I am even seeing December NOA1s reporting NOA2s in March which is only 3 months.  I thought most might be in the 5-8 month range but I see quite a bit sooner than that.

 

I hope it isn’t giving me a false excitement that maybe Anna and I could hear something positive soon.  Our petition was received on December 11.  I never received the NOA1 via text/email even though the applicable form was included in our package.  I did receive the hardcopy NOA1 during the Christmas week but I can’t remember which day so I went with December 24 (Monday).

 

What are people’s thoughts on this?  I am using an experienced immigration attorney and we put what I think was a good package together.  Anna and I had seen each other 6 times in the 2 years prior to submitting our petition, lots of proof of this, put all the correct documents together, etc.  We are close in age (5 years apart).  Hoping no red flags and to hear something positive real soon.

 

 

Everyone's case is unique. Some petitions people submit are massive with so much evidence that USCIS has to go through and it slows them down. Some of them review petitions faster than others. Like you mentioned, some get RFE's.

 

Also, these 3 month NOA2's could be expedites. Or they got lucky. Or updated their info incorrectly also.

 

Many many different possibilities.

[AnneA 72]

I believe that ppl here know the difference and NOA2 is a NOA2 😊

Our NOA1 is September 24th another Dane have NOA1 September 26th and NOA2 February 14th and we're still waiting. So it really feels more like a lottery than anything ... others are still waiting for NOA2 and they are from August and months before that 😊

Edited March 29, 2019 by AnneA

[GP1977 288]

You are close and probably over 1/2 way there but just have to be patient. Some get approved earlier than others and are "lucky".  It isn't fair but it is what it is.

 

I have a friend who works for the State Department and works closely with the folks at USCIS and he told me it all depends on whose desk your case ends up on.  Sometimes you get lucky and your file ends up on the employee of the year, this person works hard and goes above and beyond and plows through cases.  Others are not so lucky and there case ends up on the employee who is slow and doesn't have the drive that the employee of the year has.  You really can't control it and just have to hope that it ends up on #1.  Patience is a virtue on this process.

Good luck.

 

[A.V 13]

We also sent our application in December and I’m also from Ukraine and my name is Anna:)

It seems they started December filers, but our case is not very simple so I understand we may wait a little longer. And funny thing when I tell my fiancé that they are already working on December filers he is joking he is not ready for me yet 😊

Good luck and wish you a speedy approval. 

[KJ2 230]

59 minutes ago, GaryK said:

Hi Everyone.  On this website I found Igor’s list where you can select criteria (petition type, service center, etc.) and see how people have been faring to date.  For the I-129F petitions at the California Service Center (my situation), I am seeing a significant number of people reporting they received their NOA2s as soon as 3-4 months after their NOA1 was received.

 

Maybe I am making the incorrect assumption they received the NOA2 indicating acceptance (vs. RFE, for example).  Could it be that several individuals are checking off NOA2 (as in ‘acceptance’) when they haven’t really received an acceptance yet?  Maybe an RFE?  I see several NOA1s in November ostensibly getting NOA2s this month (March, 2019) and this surprised me.  I am even seeing December NOA1s reporting NOA2s in March which is only 3 months.  I thought most might be in the 5-8 month range but I see quite a bit sooner than that.

 

I hope it isn’t giving me a false excitement that maybe Anna and I could hear something positive soon.  Our petition was received on December 11.  I never received the NOA1 via text/email even though the applicable form was included in our package.  I did receive the hardcopy NOA1 during the Christmas week but I can’t remember which day so I went with December 24 (Monday).

 

What are people’s thoughts on this?  I am using an experienced immigration attorney and we put what I think was a good package together.  Anna and I had seen each other 6 times in the 2 years prior to submitting our petition, lots of proof of this, put all the correct documents together, etc.  We are close in age (5 years apart).  Hoping no red flags and to hear something positive real soon.

 

I would pick a few timelines with the same service center and similar NOA1 date to yours and use them as a rough estimate. I filed a i130, but at Potomac, all of the dates around my noa1 were approved during the same few weeks.  It also is case dependent and they do background checks that can sometimes take longer than others depending on the beneficiaries history. Also, I haven't seen many i129/130s denied outright so I wouldn't worry too much. I know it's tough, but patience is key in this process! Best of luck 

Edited March 29, 2019 by KJ2

[JMEngland 438]

On ‎3‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 12:19 PM, GaryK said:

 

 

Here's how to get a real-feel on where they (USCIS) are.  Under the timeline section you have what is called "timeline search".  In that select visa type K1, service center "CSC", results "detailed".  Now, what you want to do is select "NOA Date Range" to go from the Sunday through the Saturday of your week.  Off this, see what percentage of people have NOA2.  If it's less than 60 percent, check the week prior, then prior to that, until you find a week with over 60 percent.  The week after the one with 60 percent is the people who should realistically be expecting their NOA2s at that current time.  The highest it usually gets is 60-70 percent NOA2 received before moving onto the next week, mostly because many people just don't come back and update their timelines in a timely manner. Once the week before yours is at 60 percent, then you know you should be receiving it "any day now".  If it goes past your week by quite a bit and you still haven't received anything, high chance you got an RFE, but still, the guy approving your I129F could simply be really slow.  Use this technique for tracking packets sent to NVC also, it works in that case just the same.  Past that point things change and this technique won't apply because things become Consulate specific.

[HP+IC 292]

I-129F processing times are what they are: 5.5 to 7.5 months, as USCIS says. There is absolutely no way to predict which cohort you will be in. That said, me and my fiance agreed that we will only start worrying if we don't hear something after 7 months. We did, as the new year present, almost at 6 months sharp, without an RFE. He attributed it to background checks which could have been performed in collaboration with Ukrainian agencies (which I doubt). There were Ukrainian couples approved in 5 months and well over 7, quite close to us. However, at the interview we both saw our file and it was like 3 inches thick. We were both pretty much surprised. As we are both on the older side, have been previously married, were/are in public jobs, the USCIS could have checked a lot and boy they did

[GaryK 39]

I have a follow-up question.  I apologize if the answer is right in front of me but, for the NOA1, which date am I really supposed to put there?   Here's my sequence of events:

 

December 7 - Petition sent

December 11 - Received by USCIS (per the date displayed on my online account on the USCIS website)

December 17 - Check shows as cashed by my bank

December 24 - Hardcopy NOA1 received (honestly, it was Christmas week and I don't remember precisely the day it arrived so I went with 12/24 for my timeline)

 

I never got the email/text notification for my NOA1 even though that authorization form was included in my package.

 

Should I stick with December 24 for my NOA1 date or should I change it to December 11... December 17?  Other?  What are other people doing?

 

JMEngland - Thanks for the note.  Excellent exercise for an IT guy like me.  🙂

[HP+IC 292]

Look at the date on your hard copy NOA1 and use that one. Or subscribe to USCIS website by WAC number and there it will be. 

[GaryK 39]

I was just checking the VJ website and it looks like I should use Notice Date as seen on my NOA1.  I will update that on my timeline now.