Filing I-130 online experience

[mbssss 107]

4 minutes ago, ultrasoul said:

@Dispie @mbssss Having filed many I-130's (paper and electronic) and concurrent I-485's and I-130's for various family members, I can categorically tell you that it is better to file a concurrent I-130 and I-485 package versus breaking them apart into 2 separate filings.

Yes- the online I-130 filing is most certainly a breeze compared to the paper version and has a tremendous benefit of time saving for those who are planning on consular processing with the electronic transmission of the approved I-130 to the NVC, eliminating 30 - 55 days of waiting time after  I-130 approval (no need for USCIS to send paper package from approving service center to NVC, no need for NVC manual data entry from USCIS forms to create NVC case)

 

However, you aren't doing consular processing but rather an adjustment of status. Based on my experience handling several AOS cases (concurrent paper I-130/ I-485 filings and separate I-130/ I-485 filings), my recommendation is always to go with the concurrent albeit paper filing. Why? 

 

For concurrent filings, both I-130 and I-485 is adjudicated in the same local USCIS FO. If you separate them, they are adjudicated separately. Pre-COVID, I have seen I-485 interviews being scheduled by local FO within 60 days of I-485 filing and have seen I-130's taking 6 months to adjudicate by a USCIS service center. 

 

Therefore, my perspective is that saving an hour with an electronic I-130 is NEVER preferable to concurrent paper filings. Just my 2 cents.

 

Makes a lot of sense. I actually ended up filing them concurrently on paper after speaking with other people who expressed similar opinions as you.

 

Very useful post and I'm sure that it will be useful for other people who consider doing it.

[ultrasoul 51]

@mbssss Just to clarify again, for separate I-130 and I-485 paper filings, both from my experience are adjudicated separately by 2 different officers with 2 different timelines.

 

@Dispie As mentioned before, I'm not sure if a local FO adjudicator is able to pull down an electronic I-130 to make a decision on the I-130 as well at your I-485 local FO interview so please do share back.

[mbssss 107]

55 minutes ago, ultrasoul said:

@mbssss Just to clarify again, for separate I-130 and I-485 paper filings, both from my experience are adjudicated separately by 2 different officers with 2 different timelines.

 

@Dispie As mentioned before, I'm not sure if a local FO adjudicator is able to pull down an electronic I-130 to make a decision on the I-130 as well at your I-485 local FO interview so please do share back.

Right, the I485 goes to the local office while the I130 is processed by one of the service centers if I remember correctly. Nonetheless, I filed them together to make it easier for myself so hopefully that will work out fine! 

[Dispie 7]

@ultrasoul thanks for sharing your experience.

 

When we spoke with a lawyer last December (we thought of filing through a lawyer), he said we would wait up to a year or even more before hearing back from the San Francisco office. He also said we would be lucky if they forward the documents to Sacramento, where it was supposed to be faster. We didn't even expect to be called for interviews within 6+ months. I would still assume that they can pull the electronic version at any time in any office, and thus it should not be a factor comparing to mailing separately. Well, it might be my wishful thinking

It's been 6 months since I filed I-130 and 2 months since I-485 filing. No updates on either case yet.

[asad22 0]

I have some question regarding online I130 filing, pleas help me.

1. There is no surname in my wife passport , it has only given name , will it be accepted in online ?

2. can beneficiary fill the form and sign electronically instead of petitioner as it require name only ?

3. what documents to be uploaded

[Tango777 3]

Hello all of VJ, 

 

This site helped me greatly with our K-1 6 years ago.  Now we would  like my wife's grown daughter to come to the U.S. I filed (and paid $ 535.00) the I-130 today. The daughter is in her home country of Thailand. 

 

I am trying to determine if there is anything else I should be doing at this point, or is just wait wait wait?  Thanks all very much - Tango

[Chancy 6,241]

4 minutes ago, Tango777 said:

Now we would  like my wife's grown daughter to come to the U.S. I filed (and paid $ 535.00) the I-130 today.

 

Are you listed as the petitioner?  Or do you mean that you helped your wife file the I-130 to petition her daughter?  If you are the petitioner, how old was the daughter when you and her mom got married?

 

[Tango777 3]

My wife is the petitioner, I just filled out the online I-30. The daughter is 28 now, and her Mom and I have been married (K1) for over 6 years now. Thanks for commenting on this. 

[Chancy 6,241]

13 minutes ago, Tango777 said:

My wife is the petitioner, I just filled out the online I-30. The daughter is 28 now, and her Mom and I have been married (K1) for over 6 years now.

 

Thanks, just checking.  Also, is the daughter single?  If so, she should stay that way until she enters the US with her immigrant visa.  Other than that, nothing for any of you to do now but wait and wait until petition approval.

 

[Tango777 3]

Yes, she is single and has a 9 year old whom we hope to get over here at some point. This is all mainly for a better future for the boy. Our daughter (my step daughter) will do fine over here also. It's difficult to get ahead in Thailand especially if you are not from a known family. So I was skeptical about applying because I've always heard it's quite difficult to get a green card. I am thinking if it ever happens it could be 5 - 10 years? 

Thanks again Chancy. 

[Chancy 6,241]

9 minutes ago, Tango777 said:

I was skeptical about applying because I've always heard it's quite difficult to get a green card. I am thinking if it ever happens it could be 5 - 10 years?

 

Not really difficult in terms of procedure, but the visas for your step-daughter's category are limited (unlike K1) so the line is very long.  Better set your expectations to 7 years minimum wait time.

 

[acidonyx 3]

On 10/9/2020 at 7:06 AM, Dispie said:

It's been 6 months since I filed I-130 and 2 months since I-485 filing. No updates on either case yet.

Did you get any updates as of 2021? Planning to file online as well.

[Tango777 3]

Nothing thus far. I just look at it like an investment to get in line. $ 550.00. I'll spend some time looking into it later in this year. I spent so much time on our K-1 in 2012-2014 but that was when the CGI contractors were in the State Dept. Hopefully they're gone now but I don't know. 

[Brand83 10]

Hi everyone

 

I am a little confused about the "Additional Information" section under the "Other Information" tab when filing online.

 

Is there were I need to attach the I-130A PDF

[Dispie 7]

31 minutes ago, Brand83 said:

Hi everyone

 

I am a little confused about the "Additional Information" section under the "Other Information" tab when filing online.

 

Is there were I need to attach the I-130A PDF

I don't remember where exactly I attached I-130A but I didn't have anything in the "Additional Information" section. Unless they have updated the process, it should be somewhere before that