I-129F June Filers

[Clarky and Tarah 0]

Dear Friends:

A little insight as to challenges that face Cuban K-1 applicants and why there is no reason for some VJers to be envious, angry or even stressed out on why CSA appears to approve or even look over some Cuban cases so quickly while others sit around and take longer. If you could only imagine how a normal, loving relationship in Cuba is so exhausting and difficult to manage as basic human necessities are daily challenges that no one could ever understand. Not even Cubans! For example; there are no visits of any kind permitted due to a 45 year old US economic embargo and if such visits indeed take place, there is often no proof of entry as the Cuban government does not stamp US Passports. Letters never reach your loved ones due to a failed Cuban postal system. There is no Fed-Ex, UPS or any priority or overnight services to Cuba so you better have all your documents in order or else. E-mails, IM's, Chats are non-existent because Cubans are not allowed internet access. Phone calls (at a rate of $1.89 per minute) are to different numbers as most Cubans (especially from the interior) do not have their own telephone lines at home and have to depend on a neighbor or a public phone to maintain contact with their loved one's. Cell Phones are for foreign tourists or diplomats only and no ordinary Cuban can legally own one, so no text messaging either. How about that! Now, can you imagine a simple request for proof of relationship? This is actually a very simple request but a very difficult task for petitioners like us given these types of circumstances. With all that said, even when you are lucky enough to have your US visa approved during the whole K-1 Process, the Cuban immigration now has to approve the departure by paying a $400 departure tax and a very lengthy wait and let's see process where they can tell you if you can actually leave the country. OH! Let's not forget that you only have 3 months to enter the US once your K-1 visa has been issued by the consulate or your visa gets cancelled. How about that! Now, would you want to trade places? So I beg of you not to get hysterical, offended, enraged or even jealous as to why (if true) Cuban petitions are processed more quickly, as I am quite certain that none one of you is willing to endure our pain and sufferings just to have our loved ones next to you. So a month or two of longer wait time is a very small price for freedom that we often take for granted.

I think you have six months to enter and once you arrive three months to be married.

[olgui 0]

Dear Friends:

A little insight as to challenges that face Cuban K-1 applicants and why there is no reason for some VJers to be envious, angry or even stressed out on why CSA appears to approve or even look over some Cuban cases so quickly while others sit around and take longer. If you could only imagine how a normal, loving relationship in Cuba is so exhausting and difficult to manage as basic human necessities are daily challenges that no one could ever understand. Not even Cubans! For example; there are no visits of any kind permitted due to a 45 year old US economic embargo and if such visits indeed take place, there is often no proof of entry as the Cuban government does not stamp US Passports. Letters never reach your loved ones due to a failed Cuban postal system. There is no Fed-Ex, UPS or any priority or overnight services to Cuba so you better have all your documents in order or else. E-mails, IM's, Chats are non-existent because Cubans are not allowed internet access. Phone calls (at a rate of $1.89 per minute) are to different numbers as most Cubans (especially from the interior) do not have their own telephone lines at home and have to depend on a neighbor or a public phone to maintain contact with their loved one's. Cell Phones are for foreign tourists or diplomats only and no ordinary Cuban can legally own one, so no text messaging either. How about that! Now, can you imagine a simple request for proof of relationship? This is actually a very simple request but a very difficult task for petitioners like us given these types of circumstances. With all that said, even when you are lucky enough to have your US visa approved during the whole K-1 Process, the Cuban immigration now has to approve the departure by paying a $400 departure tax and a very lengthy wait and let's see process where they can tell you if you can actually leave the country. OH! Let's not forget that you only have 3 months to enter the US once your K-1 visa has been issued by the consulate or your visa gets cancelled. How about that! Now, would you want to trade places? So I beg of you not to get hysterical, offended, enraged or even jealous as to why (if true) Cuban petitions are processed more quickly, as I am quite certain that none one of you is willing to endure our pain and sufferings just to have our loved ones next to you. So a month or two of longer wait time is a very small price for freedom that we often take for granted.

I think you have six months to enter and once you arrive three months to be married.

THE NOA2 NOTICE APPROVAL IS GOOD FOR 4 MONTHS, (MINE STATES VALID FROM 07-07-2007 TO 11-06-07) WHICH MEANS THE VISA HAS TO BE ON FIANCE'S HAND BEFORE THE 4 MONTHS IS OVER, IF NOT AN EXTENSION HAS TO BE FILED..... SO CUBAN GOV'T HAS THE FINAL WORD ON THIS SINCE IT IS REALLY HARD TO GET THE OK TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.... AND THE INTERVIEW WAIT, FORGET ABOUT IT, WORD OF MOUTH SAY APPOINTMENTS FOR CUBA ARE BACKED UP FOR MONTHS, SO THE WAY I SEE IT A LOT OF PRAYER FOR A SPEEDY PROCESS IS NEEDED, AND PATIENCE.....

[darkhorse 0]

E-mails, IM's, Chats are non-existent because Cubans are not allowed internet access.

Cell Phones are for foreign tourists or diplomats only and no ordinary Cuban can legally own one, so no text messaging either.

I am sorry to say that is NOT my experience with Cuba.

My brother is married to a Cuban girl. When she was still living in Cuba we e-mailed and talked on the phone.

She had her own computer with internet acces and her own personal cellphone. So don't get me wrong if I say this is a little excessively. Please don't try to make it look/sound worse than it already is.

It is a real PITA to get your loved one from Cuba over to the U.S. It took my brother 2 years from filing to entry!

So, GOOD LUCK EVERYONE WHO HAS FILED FOR HIS/HER LOVE FROM CUBA!!!

[darkhorse 0]

THE NOA2 NOTICE APPROVAL IS GOOD FOR 4 MONTHS, (MINE STATES VALID FROM 07-07-2007 TO 11-06-07) WHICH MEANS THE VISA HAS TO BE ON FIANCE'S HAND BEFORE THE 4 MONTHS IS OVER, IF NOT AN EXTENSION HAS TO BE FILED..... SO CUBAN GOV'T HAS THE FINAL WORD ON THIS SINCE IT IS REALLY HARD TO GET THE OK TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.... AND THE INTERVIEW WAIT, FORGET ABOUT IT, WORD OF MOUTH SAY APPOINTMENTS FOR CUBA ARE BACKED UP FOR MONTHS, SO THE WAY I SEE IT A LOT OF PRAYER FOR A SPEEDY PROCESS IS NEEDED, AND PATIENCE.....

that is exactly the reason why it took so long for my brother to get his wife over!

[Clarky and Tarah 0]

THE NOA2 NOTICE APPROVAL IS GOOD FOR 4 MONTHS, (MINE STATES VALID FROM 07-07-2007 TO 11-06-07) WHICH MEANS THE VISA HAS TO BE ON FIANCE'S HAND BEFORE THE 4 MONTHS IS OVER, IF NOT AN EXTENSION HAS TO BE FILED..... SO CUBAN GOV'T HAS THE FINAL WORD ON THIS SINCE IT IS REALLY HARD TO GET THE OK TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.... AND THE INTERVIEW WAIT, FORGET ABOUT IT, WORD OF MOUTH SAY APPOINTMENTS FOR CUBA ARE BACKED UP FOR MONTHS, SO THE WAY I SEE IT A LOT OF PRAYER FOR A SPEEDY PROCESS IS NEEDED, AND PATIENCE.....

Yes, but once they are approved they have six months to enter, not 3.

[olgui 0]

THE NOA2 NOTICE APPROVAL IS GOOD FOR 4 MONTHS, (MINE STATES VALID FROM 07-07-2007 TO 11-06-07) WHICH MEANS THE VISA HAS TO BE ON FIANCE'S HAND BEFORE THE 4 MONTHS IS OVER, IF NOT AN EXTENSION HAS TO BE FILED..... SO CUBAN GOV'T HAS THE FINAL WORD ON THIS SINCE IT IS REALLY HARD TO GET THE OK TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.... AND THE INTERVIEW WAIT, FORGET ABOUT IT, WORD OF MOUTH SAY APPOINTMENTS FOR CUBA ARE BACKED UP FOR MONTHS, SO THE WAY I SEE IT A LOT OF PRAYER FOR A SPEEDY PROCESS IS NEEDED, AND PATIENCE.....

Yes, but once they are approved they have six months to enter, not 3.

right, once they have the visa on hand they have 6 months to enter, but in order for that to happen they must go to the interview... so God willing the interview date for my fiance will be before november 6th......... i cannot set up the interview until he gets his passport because they ask for the passport number, in order for him to get his passport he needs to show paperwork on why he wants a passport which i sent him a copy of the NOA2.... then the passport takes about a month to get...... Cuba is very complicated.............

[amrssnowangel 0]

USA BRAZIL:

Let me explain what I feel to what may be happening....Maybe Cuban petitions are getting priority proccesing (if that is true) because the Cuban end of the US Visa petitions is a very complex issue. Cubans are not free to travel anywhere! Even with an approved visa to the visiting countries, they must get a Cuban exit visa to leave (Carta Blanca) which can take up to six months if granted. This might be the reason to get the Approved Packet ASAP to the Embassy so the visa proccess can begin sooner. These are only my thoughts and I do not know if such priorities actually exisit for Cuban Petitions and/or if there are any special arrangements set-up by service centers for Cuban Citizens..... But I assure you that we all have to be patient and wait our turn.

Ummm, Just a thought. I may be off base here to. But....is it POSSIBLE that there are different departments within these service centers. So say, All Middle Eastern Petitions go to one unit, ALL Cuban, and other similar countries go to another. And depending on the backlog in THOSE units...it may also affect processing time? Is it possible that certain service center representatives are responsible for only certain countries since the rules may differ from country to country? And there may be different checks depending on the country you come from??? Just a thought. But if I were setting up a service center, I'd have certain units responsible for the same countries over and over. Unit 1 - Britain, Ireland, France Unit 2 - Pakistan, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, India....see? So if there aren't so many in the Unit processing Cuba...maybe it just plain goes faster.

[amrssnowangel 0]

Just a thought.....

Is it POSSIBLE...that each service center may have "units" dedicated to certain countries? And within THOSE "units" they work each petition by date received? In other words. Say "Unit A" works middle eastern countries (Egypt, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanastan, ect) while "Unit B" works European countries mainly...maybe "Unit C" works south of the boarder. My point is..each country has different requirements for security (such as Middle East may be looked at harder, thus taking longer). This way each "Unit" would be more in tuned with the rules for those countries.

Maybe THIS is why some petitions take longer and others, (maybe with less backlog in that "Unit") whiz right through. Maybe its not discrimination but a matter of "work flow".

[SteveSandyHill 0]

Interesting thought, I inquired to my attorney about just that thought on Monday! I asked him specifically if certain countries where processed quicker than others, the reply I got was "not to the best of my knowlage", yet I was also told that it appeared some countries visas went through the USCIS faster than others. So your guess is as good as mine.

It would also appear that the USCIS "pending time for K1 visas" is not accurate per cases he has filed, though Vermont has slowed down, 60 -90 days seems to be more in line with what he has been seeing. Hopefully the process will speed up once we get through the summer months, as they seem to be typically slower, (not to mention they are cutting back from 4 to 2 USCIS processing centers)!

[Clarky and Tarah 0]

Interesting thought, I inquired to my attorney about just that thought on Monday! I asked him specifically if certain countries where processed quicker than others, the reply I got was "not to the best of my knowlage", yet I was also told that it appeared some countries visas went through the USCIS faster than others. So your guess is as good as mine.

It would also appear that the USCIS "pending time for K1 visas" is not accurate per cases he has filed, though Vermont has slowed down, 60 -90 days seems to be more in line with what he has been seeing. Hopefully the process will speed up once we get through the summer months, as they seem to be typically slower, (not to mention they are cutting back from 4 to 2 USCIS processing centers)!

When you said 90 days I wanted to pull my hair out.

[niceguy26 0]

Something is wrong here. I sent my packet to TSC on June 21st, and STILL NO REPLY!!! No cashed check or anything!! I did call them yesterday and they said our names werent in any databases yet at all, and to give it another week.

Would they receive my package and set it aside for a while or what? The fee increase is less than 2 weeks! i thought for sure I'd make it since I set it on June 21st. maybe they do this on purpose??? 27days and no NOA1 ????

[joymike 0]

7-18-07 Hi. sent in 129f on June 1. they got on 6-15. no further info. what is noa1? never got one.

Also why was I instructed to sent to Nebraska and they moved it to Calif? is that going to slow things down? Joymike

[olgui 0]

Something is wrong here. I sent my packet to TSC on June 21st, and STILL NO REPLY!!! No cashed check or anything!! I did call them yesterday and they said our names werent in any databases yet at all, and to give it another week.

Would they receive my package and set it aside for a while or what? The fee increase is less than 2 weeks! i thought for sure I'd make it since I set it on June 21st. maybe they do this on purpose??? 27days and no NOA1 ????

hi, any thing that is post marked before july 30th should be ok with the old fee. anything on that date and after should be the new fee which is totally ridiculous..............

[SteveSandyHill 0]

I believe all the Texas Paperwork is being forwarded to California? Not sure, but I have heard that Texas & Nebraska processing centers will be closing soon. You should be able to call the USCIS info. line for an update on these closings. Good luck, we all need some!

[olgui 0]

7-18-07 Hi. sent in 129f on June 1. they got on 6-15. no further info. what is noa1? never got one.

Also why was I instructed to sent to Nebraska and they moved it to Calif? is that going to slow things down? Joymike

has your check been cashed???? NOA1 is a receipt notice, they send with a receipt number and states the amount you paid. with the receipt number you can check the status of the case while at USCIS.... that number will also be stamped on the back of your cashed check...should start with 3 letters followed by 10 numbers...ex: WACxxxxxxxxx

i don't think Nebraska is processing I-129f anymore, same thing happened to me, I sent mine to Texas and was moved to Calif..... good luck!!!