JULY 2021 I-129 K-1 FFILERS

[J&D1008 376]

For those who have just filed your I-129f application with USCIS, this thread has been created for your needs and for you to be with others experiencing different aspects of this journey. This is a place to ask questions and to share experiences. All are here to learn together. Good luck because this is a long process currently running 6-8 months from filing date for your NOA2 approval.

 

Also note that USCIS goes by "Received date" not NOA-1:

Example

I-129 F Sent -  July 3, 2021

I-129 F Received - July 5, 2021

I-129 F - Notice Date - July 17, 2021

 

In this example your NOA-1 should be July 5. This will help you fill out your timeline properly. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2021 by J&D1008

[Keithn85 400]

For those who have just filed your I-129f application with USCIS, this thread has been created for your needs and for you to be with others experiencing different aspects of this journey. This is a place to ask questions and to share experiences. All are here to learn together. Good luck because this is a lengthy process currently running 5-6 months from filing date for your NOA2 approval.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/K1_Process_V11.pdf

 

Also, since your application will go through several background checks this is a primer on what goes on with the background process.

 

I know it really sucks, but the best way to get through this is to lower your expectations and try not to compare your timeline to anyone else's. Don't forget that the people here on Visa Journey represent a tiny percentage of all the petitions the CSC (California Service Center) must work through! When someone gets to your file, you'll hear from them. Stay busy, talk a lot with your fiancé about non-visa stuff, don't forget to hang out with your friends, take up a new hobby, go to a sporting event, and your time will come! Good luck

 

The explanation why is it taking so long.

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/681798-august-2018-i-129f-filers/?do=findComment&comment=9558550

 

I am repeating the timeline for emphasis.

1. If you have completed your personal profile, you'll see a flag in the left-hand column under your name. Select it and see all the information available to you about others from your country that you can follow, embassy information, timelines, and other cool stuff.

2. Go to the blue ribbon above, select "forums" then scroll down about three-fourths of the page and select the region that most represents where your country is located.  Join the conversation for your embassy and process with others. See what they are talking about.

3. Use the search box in the upper right-hand side of this page to find topics that you are interested in.

4. On the blue ribbon select the "Office Reviews & Info. There are reviews of actual experiences by members of the Visa Journey community that provide insight into the many immigration related offices around the world.

5. Using that same drop-down menu from #4 visit the US Embassy & Consulate Information tab. From this page you can view information on US Embassies around the world. Every embassy info page has a link that will let you update the information in real time if you have something to add or change.

6. Processing Times tab will allow you to determine many different timelines that will return several different data sets that you can query. 

7. Select the next-door neighbor to the Processing Times tab and you will land on the US Visa & USCIS Immigration Timelines (K1, IR1 Visas, EAD, AOS, etc...). Here is another source of information that you can search and manipulate data sets to answer your questions, like "How Long" will this take.

8. There is a wiki on various aspects of your visa processing. US Immigration Wiki - Page 5 - VisaJourney .

9. Current events section where many are talking about different issues that are impacting our lives. Current Events and Hot Social Topics - VisaJourney

10. And there is immigration news forum found here US Immigration News and Discussion - VisaJourney

[frodotoes 3]

I know we have a ways to go, but I’m excited to get this going. Mailed on July 1st, and got the text today saying our case was received. Edit: Also looks like they cashed the check today. 

Edited July 9, 2021 by frodotoes

[D y A 2]

We sent our paperwork on July 9th and received the notification today!
 

I-129 F Sent -  July 9, 2021

I-129 F Received (NOA1) - July 12, 2021

I-129 F - Notice Date - July 18, 2021

 

We are so happy! We know we need be patient! but way to go!!

Good luck to everyone!

[RRPC 0]

Hi, I am not sure if there is a thread for July filers but and if there is, please do send the link. Anyway, we filed our k1 on July 31,2021. We haven't received our NOA1 since, but we know that it has been delivered to a lockbox facility in Texas on August 5. Just curious if this delay is normal as I have been reading from other posts that they have received their NOA1 by mail within a month or two. Is there anything that could be done to know of our case status? Thanks.

[MarJhi 958]

Original application sent on July 10, 2021 but credit card payment was rejected for unknown reason. Used the same card (worked for them) to pay the lawyer the $535 fee and they wrote a paper check to USCIS. So the receipt for the NOA1 was on 7/27/21

 

Currently on 4.5 months and counting. I am hoping I have passed the halfway point waiting for the NOA2

[MarJhi 958]

On 10/18/2021 at 11:09 AM, RRPC said:

Hi, I am not sure if there is a thread for July filers but and if there is, please do send the link. Anyway, we filed our k1 on July 31,2021. We haven't received our NOA1 since, but we know that it has been delivered to a lockbox facility in Texas on August 5. Just curious if this delay is normal as I have been reading from other posts that they have received their NOA1 by mail within a month or two. Is there anything that could be done to know of our case status? Thanks.

Did you ever receive your NOA1?

[rocky95 53]

I know that things are extremely backlogged and they just recently started march, but just for my sanity how many months do you think until they even start touching July? 

Edited January 14, 2022 by rocky95

[J&D1008 376]

10 minutes ago, rocky95 said:

I know that things are extremely backlogged and they just recently started march, but just for my sanity how many months do you think until they even start touching July? 

Well USCIS is known for jumping around and reviewing a small portion of a random month to stay within processing time. However, with the current backlog, you are probably looking at another 3-5 months before they start July. 

Edited January 14, 2022 by J&D1008

[Austin&Olga 66]

Hi all. I'm in the same boat with our NOA1 received July 7. It seems like things are so backlogged right now they are completing like 1-2 NOA2s per day. Any reason for the major backlog and any hope/optimism that they begin speeding things up? My original NOA2 estimate date was early March. I received an email today that it's now May 10.

[slavaskii 886]

13 minutes ago, Austin&Olga said:

Hi all. I'm in the same boat with our NOA1 received July 7. It seems like things are so backlogged right now they are completing like 1-2 NOA2s per day. Any reason for the major backlog and any hope/optimism that they begin speeding things up? My original NOA2 estimate date was early March. I received an email today that it's now May 10.

NOA2 times fluctuate, but we first 'noticed' the slowdown back in November when March cases weren't being picked up as expected. Then came Omnicron, then came the holidays, then came working/adjudicating from home. So we effectively lost two months of processing time, unfortunately, which is well reflected in the new numbers given by USCIS (though expected estimate is still 10 - 12 months; most March filers will be getting their NOA2s at the 11 month mark). 

 

That being said, there is optimism because last week saw a gentle uptick in cases processed, and today is boding to be a really great day for the March filers. If you want the most up-to-date estimates, follow the March, April, May, and June groups and look out for their charts. Your best bet for real estimates will come from looking at the real experiences of those in the other groups. Good luck to you and to all! 

[MarJhi 958]

14 minutes ago, Austin&Olga said:

Hi all. I'm in the same boat with our NOA1 received July 7. It seems like things are so backlogged right now they are completing like 1-2 NOA2s per day. Any reason for the major backlog and any hope/optimism that they begin speeding things up? My original NOA2 estimate date was early March. I received an email today that it's now May 10.

Same for us, our original estimate was mid March, now it's the end of May. I am guessing the holidays did a lot of that damage as far as delays and the Omicron surge caused some staff shortages recently. Now that the holidays are over and Omicron is moving so quickly (which may be a good thing because it's so much more mild), maybe they will be fully staffed soon and make some progress. Not to get too political, but work restrictions in states like California where our application is being reviewed might also be the problem.

[DSBeijing 303]

2 hours ago, MarJhi said:

Same for us, our original estimate was mid March, now it's the end of May. I am guessing the holidays did a lot of that damage as far as delays and the Omicron surge caused some staff shortages recently. Now that the holidays are over and Omicron is moving so quickly (which may be a good thing because it's so much more mild), maybe they will be fully staffed soon and make some progress. Not to get too political, but work restrictions in states like California where our application is being reviewed might also be the problem.

Sadly its not the holidays that caused slowdown, but general decrease of processing of K1 in period from August 2021 to December 2021, the processing literally reduced 50%. Hopefully this improves.

 

I have been tracking the processing rate since May 2021 for all K1 cases submitted since December 2020 up to June 2021.

Below is the chart that shows processing for each passed month, so if you got NOA in August 2021, you are in August bar  (blue bar are closed cases, red are RFEs ).

As you can sadly see the processing rate each month has fallen.

 

This is screenshot from last week, so the January is not up to date. I run the tool this morning again (was noon in California), it seems that things are picking up steam, and they processed additional 100 or so cases.

 

 

 

[slavaskii 886]

1 hour ago, DSBeijing said:

Sadly its not the holidays that caused slowdown, but general decrease of processing of K1 in period from August 2021 to December 2021, the processing literally reduced 50%. Hopefully this improves.

 

I have been tracking the processing rate since May 2021 for all K1 cases submitted since December 2020 up to June 2021.

Below is the chart that shows processing for each passed month, so if you got NOA in August 2021, you are in August bar  (blue bar are closed cases, red are RFEs ).

As you can sadly see the processing rate each month has fallen.

 

This is screenshot from last week, so the January is not up to date. I run the tool this morning again (was noon in California), it seems that things are picking up steam, and they processed additional 100 or so cases.

 

 

 

If you don't mind me asking, do you recall the exact number of cases processed today? There hasn't been a day over 100 in a very long time so I'm very curious if you saw that happen this morning. March filers got 64 approvals/RFEs in all today and I know February is still fair game as well.

[DSBeijing 303]

40 minutes ago, slavaskii said:

If you don't mind me asking, do you recall the exact number of cases processed today? There hasn't been a day over 100 in a very long time so I'm very curious if you saw that happen this morning. March filers got 64 approvals/RFEs in all today and I know February is still fair game as well.

It was around 100, if memory serves me it was 97, but i run the tool at 13:00 (took 10 minutes for 32000 k1 cases that i have in database) California time. 

 

So by now its is probably well over 100.

 

I can run the tool this evening when i get of work and give you exact number (in 6 hours or so), it take only 10-15 minutes