APRIL 2021 I-129F K-1 FILERS

[Optimist19 775]

3 minutes ago, Fil&Em said:

Ok. This makes me somewhat sick.

 

I know that there is probably additional tasks that they are responsible, with or without relation to the petition, but knowing it takes so little and they cannot take care of this ever growing problem does make me sick.

😔 I feel like the problem is with staffing, which is the common problem here. What’s strange to me is that only US citizens can file an I-129F so I don’t know how it’s not getting priority. Unless this timeline is a priority timeline at this point (which I think it might be). 
 

Does anyone know if there has been legal action taken for the slow processing times relating to the fiancé visa lately? I know there was some action for the work permits issue and there was a lawsuit dealing with k1 in the shut down embassies during Covid. I’m not sure if there’s anything new though? 

[DSBeijing 303]

13 minutes ago, Fil&Em said:

Ok. This makes me somewhat sick.

 

I know that there is probably additional tasks that they are responsible, with or without relation to the petition, but knowing it takes so little and they cannot take care of this ever growing problem does make me sick.

 

EDIT: However, this tells me how much time they spend on average on petitions. I'd be curious to know the lead time, i.e. how long, on optimal and average situation, they take to complete it from start to finish (there could be waiting time for other automated tasks, etc..)-

Sure there is that too 

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/15/2021-27143/agency-information-collection-activities-extension-without-change-of-a-currently-approved-collection

 

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond:

 

The estimated total number of respondents for the information collection I-129F is 47,700 and the estimated hour burden per response is 3.25 hours. The estimated total number of respondents for the information collection of Biometrics is 47,700 and the estimated hour burden per response is 1.17 hours.

 

 

So it takes around 3.25 hours to process everything (Adjudication + everything around it => receive case, mail Noa1, Mail noa2 and all others administration work). Average adjudication is 40 minutes. 

The more you read about it, the more anojed you get :D. USCIS is literally broken.

 

[Xiaova 1,480]

Here are the end of day updates. Feels like they get slower every day 😑

 

70500: 1 Approval
71000: 2 Approvals, 5 RFEs
71500: 2 Approvals, 5 RFEs
72000: 1 Approval
72500: 2 Approvals, 4 RFEs
73000: 7 Approvals, 1 RFE
78000: 1 Withdrawal
81500: 1 Withdrawal
04/21/22: 32 Total Updates: 15 Approvals, 15 RFEs, and 2 Withdrawals

updates from untouched: 26

updates from in progress: 6

March (16) + April (32) = 48 total updates

[Fil&Em 285]

3 minutes ago, DSBeijing said:

Sure there is that too 

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/15/2021-27143/agency-information-collection-activities-extension-without-change-of-a-currently-approved-collection

 

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond:

 

The estimated total number of respondents for the information collection I-129F is 47,700 and the estimated hour burden per response is 3.25 hours. The estimated total number of respondents for the information collection of Biometrics is 47,700 and the estimated hour burden per response is 1.17 hours.

 

 

So it takes around 3.25 hours to process everything (Adjudication + everything around it => receive case, mail Noa1, Mail noa2 and all others administration work). Average adjudication is 40 minutes. 

The more you read about it, the more anojed you get :D. USCIS is literally broken.

 

 

This is unbelievable. I'm loss of words.

 

14 minutes ago, Optimist19 said:

😔 I feel like the problem is with staffing, which is the common problem here. What’s strange to me is that only US citizens can file an I-129F so I don’t know how it’s not getting priority. Unless this timeline is a priority timeline at this point (which I think it might be). 
 

Does anyone know if there has been legal action taken for the slow processing times relating to the fiancé visa lately? I know there was some action for the work permits issue and there was a lawsuit dealing with k1 in the shut down embassies during Covid. I’m not sure if there’s anything new though? 

The whole world is short staffed. I feel like looking into this, the fees we pay, are more than sufficient to cover the costs of this processing and still turn a profit. It is every day a little harder for me to believe there isn't an intentional bottleneck being created. This amount of incompetency is hard to believe. I know plenty of things that are run badly, but this bad it is not possible. It has to be intentional.

[Optimist19 775]

6 minutes ago, Fil&Em said:

 

This is unbelievable. I'm loss of words.

 

The whole world is short staffed. I feel like looking into this, the fees we pay, are more than sufficient to cover the costs of this processing and still turn a profit. It is every day a little harder for me to believe there isn't an intentional bottleneck being created. This amount of incompetency is hard to believe. I know plenty of things that are run badly, but this bad it is not possible. It has to be intentional.

What should we do? I drafted a letter to my local congressman but I don’t know if that will help anything especially since I’m still within processing times. Any other thoughts for actions we can take?

 

I can’t believe only 48 updates for today….

[Kasra 1]

37 minutes ago, Fil&Em said:

Ok. This makes me somewhat sick.

 

I know that there is probably additional tasks that they are responsible, with or without relation to the petition, but knowing it takes so little and they cannot take care of this ever growing problem does make me sick.

 

EDIT: However, this tells me how much time they spend on average on petitions. I'd be curious to know the lead time, i.e. how long, on optimal and average situation, they take to complete it from start to finish (there could be waiting time for other automated tasks, etc..)-

 

59 minutes ago, SouthBound2022 said:

50 pages.... our lawyers that we hired asked us for SO much stuff its over 230 pages. Texts, calls, letters, receipts flights, photos, like literally everything but the kitchen sink!!  I've been wondering if that's why they haven't touched ours.... no one wants to read through so much S***. 🤷‍♀️

I’m a lawyer, not in immigration, but even I did not submit more than 20-30 pages of photos, letters, or affidavits with the application. 

[Fil&Em 285]

1 minute ago, Kasra said:

 

I’m a lawyer, not in immigration, but even I did not submit more than 20-30 pages of photos, letters, or affidavits with the application. 

Same. Although I switched to banking (not as a lawyer). I was actually a little worried when I read that. Not censoring the amount at all, better safe than sorry.

[DSBeijing 303]

1 minute ago, Optimist19 said:

What should we do? I drafted a letter to my local congressman but I don’t know if that will help anything especially since I’m still within processing times. Any other thoughts for actions we can take?

 

I can’t believe only 48 updates for today….

Honestly, pressure on congressmen is best you can do. 

All politicians talk "pro immigration", you would think USCIS would be approving cases left and right, in reality agency is utterly broken, and legal immigration is not functioning. 

My fiance already contacted her congressmen (democrats running again in Midterms) and said that she is disappointed in current administration, she voted democrats with hope that it will make immigration easier, since then our estimated processing times have doubled. How it is possible that pro immigration democrt run admin is worse for legal immigration than anti immigration republican administration? She also said that she is loosing hope in legal immigration system and that she won't probably vote for dems im Midterms. Since then our congressman is very interested in our case and is contacting us and USCIS regularly (1 month) we are may filers. Will see if it brings anything

 

 

[S I A N 98]

51 minutes ago, DSBeijing said:

Well I was off it takes 40 Minutes to process 129f. 

This is according to USCIS:

 

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/14/2019-24366/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-fee-schedule-and-changes-to-certain-other-immigration

 

Just scroll down to "2.Completion Rates" there you can see average times im hours to process one Case. 

Figurs are from 2019, but this should have not changed substantially. 

 

So with an hour lunch, each person can average  10-11 I-129F cases during an 8hr shift…. So It depends how many ppl are delegated to do I-129F.. and how often they frequent the bathroom and scroll on Instagram.

[Optimist19 775]

1 minute ago, DSBeijing said:

Honestly, pressure on congressmen is best you can do. 

All politicians talk "pro immigration", you would think USCIS would be approving cases left and right, in reality agency is utterly broken, and legal immigration is not functioning. 

My fiance already contacted her congressmen (democrats running again in Midterms) and said that she is disappointed in current administration, she voted democrats with hope that it will make immigration easier, since then our estimated processing times have doubled. How it is possible that pro immigration democrt run admin is worse for legal immigration than anti immigration republican administration? She also said that she is loosing hope in legal immigration system and that she won't probably vote for dems im Midterms. Since then our congressman is very interested in our case and is contacting us and USCIS regularly (1 month) we are may filers. Will see if it brings anything

 

 

Oh really? That’s great to hear! I’m glad her congressman is actively involved. I guess it depends on the congressman. It won’t hurt to give it a try then. Maybe if they hear more of us complaining something could be done more immediately, though I’m not sure what. I’m a June filer so it’s hard feeling like we may wait 16 months at this rate. Thank you for the info! 

[leviiathan 206]

3 hours ago, slavaskii said:

I've also been skeptical about the 15 minute timeframe. Of course, a lot of the system is automated (the officer themselves isn't sending out the letter), but as you said, people routinely send 50+ page packets which require not only reading, but scanning into the computer. If someone dumps 100 pages of call logs and love letters, the adjudicator might as well order a pizza while standing next to the copier. 

This is the reason I sent the bare minimum. Literally exactly everything they ask for without extras (Had one extra and it was one page)

 

was approved just fine

 

I can only imagine being the adjucator and picking up a petition with hundreds of pages

 

probably sucks as much as working grocery and someone comes up with two shopping carts full of food 😭 pure misery I swear

[SouthBound2022 32]

10 hours ago, MissLadyRea said:

This is the reason I sent the bare minimum. Literally exactly everything they ask for without extras (Had one extra and it was one page)

 

was approved just fine

 

I can only imagine being the adjucator and picking up a petition with hundreds of pages

 

probably sucks as much as working grocery and someone comes up with two shopping carts full of food 😭 pure misery I swear

Now I'm worried because of the ridiculous amount our lawyers made us send in

 I looked once again at our application last night, and literally half of the 230 pages... is blank pages that just say "exhibit A" "exhibit B" ... etc. For each item we sent in. 

 

So now I'm scared they won't approve us because its way way too long 🤷‍♀️ tomorrow marks 365 days of waiting.... maybe this is why?!

[SouthBound2022 32]

30 minutes ago, SouthBound2022 said:

Now I'm worried because of the ridiculous amount our lawyers made us send in

 I looked once again at our application last night, and literally half of the 230 pages... is blank pages that just say "exhibit A" "exhibit B" ... etc. For each item we sent in. 

 

So now I'm scared they won't approve us because its way way too long 🤷‍♀️ tomorrow marks 365 days of waiting.... maybe this is why?!

I think I figured out why ours is so much longer! Lol.... our lawyers had me include my criminal.record check, divorce decrees for the both of us, my Fiances military records, and all information for two K2 visas for the kids, so much more than a typical application, so that kind of makes sense. 

 

Still..... 364 days and no response is driving me crazy ! Feels like it'll never come through for us. 

[Merica-n 65]

I'm really shocked Canadian's apply for this visa category, Rea and Southbound.  Can't you just walk, drive or fly across the border visa free?

[SouthBound2022 32]

1 minute ago, Merica-n said:

I'm really shocked Canadian's apply for this visa category, Rea and Southbound.  Can't you just walk, drive or fly across the border visa free?

If only it were that easy. Its not. We can stay in the US for 6 months at a time as a tourist/visitor but to just stay and go get married... not a chance. 

If we do anything they deem Visa Fraud, you can be deported and banned from re entry for something like 5 years. Its BS in my eyes. Some invisible line on the ground has destroyed my life and put everything on hold for years now.... and when we go to do things the "right way", the "legal way"... they pull this BS of taking over a year for just the first step. Perso ally i feel like they're holding off approving anyone to see how many they can get to break up and drop their applications.