JANUARY 2021 I-129F K-1 FILERS (merged)

[Chauncey 138]

7 minutes ago, Caboose29 said:

Apparently Moscow embassy is processing or will process K/CR at about the same rate. Taking into account the delay to file the CR1 due to the hassle of trying to get married first, I figured a K1 will probably be faster. It would take me a minimum of 3-6 months to get married if I wanted the CR1 route. 

Yeah you can follow my timeline if you'd like I'm waiting for NOA2 and if I get an interview I'll add that in too. At this point we are thinking if we don't get one by the end of the year, then we will find a way to get married

Edited January 12, 2021 by Chauncey

[millefleur 5,046]

**Similar threads merged. Keep all January 2021 filers discussion to this thread.**

 

VJ Moderation

[NeonParticles 126]

14 hours ago, J&D1008 said:

Hi all, 

I submitted my I-129f packet last week. It took 5 days to be delivered by USPS to the Dallas lockbox. Now I’m currently waiting for my NOA-1 to come through. Praying this process goes by fast. I’ve seen some waiting a year plus which makes me very nervous. We all need some encouragement. Did anyone else recently file there I-129F and what step are you on? 

Filed mine Nov 5, USPS said delivered Nov 12 - still absolutely nothing from USCIS whatsoever.  Some folks from October are still waiting.  We're all in for a long ride

[Greenbaum 12,259]

46 minutes ago, NeonParticles said:

Filed mine Nov 5, USPS said delivered Nov 12 - still absolutely nothing from USCIS whatsoever.  Some folks from October are still waiting.  We're all in for a long ride

Yup.   Sit back and relax. Even after receiving your NOA1 there is another 7-9 month wait currently. "your mileage may vary" 

[mrveg 11]

https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-lockbox-updates

 

What does this statement mean?  "As a result of COVID-19 restrictions, an increase in filings, current postal service volume and other external factors, you may experience a delay of four to six weeks in receiving your receipt notice after properly filing an application or petition with a USCIS lockbox. These delays will not affect the receipt date which is determined pursuant to 8 C.F.R. 103.2(a)(7)."

 

So, say we sent it Nov 1st, they received it Nov 5th.  So, they'll write a receipt date of Nov 5th.  But if they haven't actually processed it till Feb 5th, when do we start counting the days if it takes ~7 months for NOA2?  From Nov 5 or Feb 5?

[stag 51]

3 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

Yup.   Sit back and relax. Even after receiving your NOA1 there is another 7-9 month wait currently. "your mileage may vary" 

Could the arrival of the Biden administration speed things up? I would assume during Covid period less people are meeting, so less fiancé applications...

[Greenbaum 12,259]

3 hours ago, mrveg said:

https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-lockbox-updates

 

What does this statement mean?  "As a result of COVID-19 restrictions, an increase in filings, current postal service volume and other external factors, you may experience a delay of four to six weeks in receiving your receipt notice after properly filing an application or petition with a USCIS lockbox. These delays will not affect the receipt date which is determined pursuant to 8 C.F.R. 103.2(a)(7)."

 

So, say we sent it Nov 1st, they received it Nov 5th.  So, they'll write a receipt date of Nov 5th.  But if they haven't actually processed it till Feb 5th, when do we start counting the days if it takes ~7 months for NOA2?  From Nov 5 or Feb 5?

That's a good question but we are in different times so no one can with any certainty answer that question. Two months ago, they were processing NOA1 in one to two weeks not it's 45-60 days. There is no predictability. 

 

Can I share somethings with you that I learned long ago about this process?

    • "the man with the gold makes the rules"
    • it will take as long as it will take 
    • no one with any certainty can tell you when some process will be completed
    • Your sense of urgency will never be equaled to what USCIS, NVC or your embassy demonstrates
    • Your journey is not going to mirror someone else's experience - yours and theirs are not the same
    • They only promised you a YES or NO answer. Never an exact time that their decision would be completed
    • Lowering your expectations will make you a much more relaxed individual

Good luck on your journey 
 

[Greenbaum 12,259]

2 hours ago, metuchen said:

Could the arrival of the Biden administration speed things up? I would assume during Covid period less people are meeting, so less fiancé applications...

That's unknown. No one knows what will and will not be. Take your crystal ball out and imagine that you will be required to have been vaccinated before you can get on a plane. No one could have predicted that a year ago but it's being tossed around. You have to be a realists and take each day and not worry about the one that past and not the one tomorrow. Deal with what you can from what is in front of you.

[stag 51]

I see first half of last year people getting NOA1 in just several days or a week, and now it seems it take more than a month to get NOA1 from what I read. This is so bad that the waiting time has become so long. I hope having filed this month, with a the start of new year and end of holidays, the NOA1 processing time will speed up!

[J&D1008 376]

8 minutes ago, metuchen said:

I see first half of last year people getting NOA1 in just several days or a week, and now it seems it take more than a month to get NOA1 from what I read. This is so bad that the waiting time has become so long. I hope having filed this month, with a the start of new year and end of holidays, the NOA1 processing time will speed up!

Yeah I saw that too. I really think the whole process start to finish could take up to a year or longer depending on the the last step (embassy interview). Thankfully, the US embassy in my fiancé country has been processing K1 since August. I’m hoping by the time he gets his approval the embassy will not be backed up. 

[stag 51]

1 hour ago, J&D1008 said:

Yeah I saw that too. I really think the whole process start to finish could take up to a year or longer depending on the the last step (embassy interview). Thankfully, the US embassy in my fiancé country has been processing K1 since August. I’m hoping by the time he gets his approval the embassy will not be backed up. 

Seems the major backup is here in the states. If a process that normally took up to a week, now takes more than a month, God knows how long the other steps will take!

[J&D1008 376]

9 minutes ago, metuchen said:

Seems the major backup is here in the states. If a process that normally took up to a week, now takes more than a month, God knows how long the other steps will take!

I agree but then look how backed up the embassy is. I see some people from Brazil who filed the end of 2019 finally got an interview date for June/July 2021. Now I’m sure when they filed the process stateside was much faster but then covid hit. I think filing in 2021 will have a delay on both ends 😩. I hope not but that’s what it’s looking like. 

Edited January 13, 2021 by J&D1008

[stag 51]

2 minutes ago, J&D1008 said:

I agree but then look how backed up the embassy is. I see some people from Brazil who filed the end of 2019 finally got an interview date for June/July 2021. Now I’m sure when they filed the process stateside was much faster but then covid hit. I think is filing in 2021 will have a delay on both ends 😩. I hope not but that’s what it’s looking like. 

Maybe filing in 2021 is better, since vaccinations are happening and work during covid is becoming more streamlined, so we won't get all those shutdowns like in 2020. 

[SalishSea 17,829]

17 minutes ago, metuchen said:

Seems the major backup is here in the states. If a process that normally took up to a week, now takes more than a month, God knows how long the other steps will take!

Most embassies have not been interviewing for routine K-1s though.  That is by far where the major backup is occurring.  

[stag 51]

4 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Most embassies have not been interviewing for routine K-1s though.  That is by far where the major backup is occurring.  

Do you know how I can find it if said embassy is interviewing or not?