Reasonable response time for expedite request

[TanyaF 0]

My US fiance requested expedited processing based on compelling US government interests (supported by US Army) 9 weeks ago. We have not yet received any response. He has called the military help line a couple of times to follow up, and they keep advising they escalated the request and he'll hear within 7 days, but still nothing. Is there anything productive he can do to follow up? Based on what we've researched online this timeframe for an expedited request seems excessive, but would value advice please.

[Boiler 45,519]

K1's are not currently being processed. 

 

I am intrigued as to how a K1 could be a compelling UK Government interest but that is not really relevant to the question, well often if you do not hear anything they do not consider it a valid reason.

[waiting489 1]

9 Weeks is a very very long time. Have you called USCIS directly to ask?

[TanyaF 0]

20 hours ago, Boiler said:

K1's are not currently being processed. 

 

I am intrigued as to how a K1 could be a compelling UK Government interest but that is not really relevant to the question, well often if you do not hear anything they do not consider it a valid reason.

I thought they were still being processed, albeit very slowly? Reports suggest 18 K1s were processed through Sydney in September. Has there been a formal announcement that K1s are not being processed?

[TanyaF 0]

5 hours ago, waiting489 said:

9 Weeks is a very very long time. Have you called USCIS directly to ask?

It really is!

 

Yes, my fiance has called and emailed multiple times. He keeps being told he'll receive a response within 7 days, but the 'response' he receives is a call back 7 days later asking why he left a message, being advised the call centre operator can't see the case, and letting him know they've escalated it to a tier 2 operator. Then we enter another 7 day cycle. It would require a lot less effort on their behalf to simply decide the request.

 

It would be almost funny if it wasn't so important to us. Just wondering if anyone else has had this experience, and how they managed to break the cycle?

[Greenbaum 12,259]

1 hour ago, TanyaF said:

It really is!

 

Yes, my fiance has called and emailed multiple times. He keeps being told he'll receive a response within 7 days, but the 'response' he receives is a call back 7 days later asking why he left a message, being advised the call centre operator can't see the case, and letting him know they've escalated it to a tier 2 operator. Then we enter another 7 day cycle. It would require a lot less effort on their behalf to simply decide the request.

 

It would be almost funny if it wasn't so important to us. Just wondering if anyone else has had this experience, and how they managed to break the cycle?

This is a process that many, many others have experience. Nothing about the process is first time, except of course the pandemic. There are only a few things you can do but they too will take time.

 

1. You email the ombudsman (cisombudsman.publicaffairs@hq.dhs.gov) and they will auto-reply with a link to a form to file a follow-up. The ombudsman is an independent contractor not affiliated with USCIS and when they make an inquiry on your behalf USCIS will respond.
2. Send a letter with all the details of your case to your U.S. representative's contact information can be found in this handy directory, and your U.S. senator's information is in this one.
3. You can sue USCIS to make a decision on your case if it has gone too long. This is not recommended as it typically ends with a denial. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a-FPirWXg2jSXHKXE_jocaOQuNMfib_4/view?usp=sharing

[Greenbaum 12,259]

7 hours ago, waiting489 said:

9 Weeks is a very very long time. Have you called USCIS directly to ask?

They are using the military USCIS phone connection which is different from the "normal" USCIS phone lines. There is a special number set aside for Military to use for this purpose. It's kind of an expeditious avenue to follow if petitioner is in the Military. Most expedited cases get approved quickly if the Military member is shipping out as they understand that the beneficiary would like to be settled when the military petitioner leaves.