TSC approved I140s not going to NVC

[JBRE22022 37]

Hello everyone

 

Our I-140 was approved in March 2nd at TSC. We haven't heard yet from NVC and case status at USCIS shows only "My case was approved". I 797 arrived on March 11. We heard that it is normal for cases to take 6-8 weeks, however it looks like there is something happening specifically at TSC. I checked a sample of cases from both TSC and Nebraska and while Nebraska cases are being forwarded to the NVC usually in two weeks, most TSC cases since December are not moving. Are there other people in the same situation? Any suggestions that can be done to expedite it or information about what is happening ? 

So far I have sent an Inquiry to the DS after 30 days of the case approved (still queued) and an email to NVCResearch@state.gov which as answered stating that case hasn't been received by the DS. USCIS inquiries only go through after 60 days of last action and are the next step I plan. 

 

Thanks ! 

 

[RDG2022 17]

Hi - same happening here, but our case was approved in Feb.

 

I already open a Inquiry in NVC nd the status was the NVC didn't receive the process from USCIS. 

[susana_1983 44]

My I-140 was approved on January, 2th. It's been on TSC since then, without any action :(

[RDG2022 17]

2 hours ago, susana_1983 said:

My I-140 was approved on January, 2th. It's been on TSC since then, without any action

any feedback from NVC's inquiry? 

Edited April 23, 2022 by RDG2022

[susana_1983 44]

The told me that they haven't received my petition yet. NVC called the USCIS asking to locate it, but nobody answered 😞

[JLVS22BR 98]

Hi, everyone!

Not sure if I feel relieved to know that this is not happening just to me or if I feel even more anxious about the whole situation.

My I-140 was approved on January 19, 22 (TSC). Since then, it's been 99 days without any update.

I've called (over two hours of waiting) the NVC and they instructed me to send an e-mail to nvcresearch@state.gov. So I did, but got that same old reply: we're working with USCIS to locate your petition etc.

I've also reached out to the USCIS a couple weeks ago, and yesterday they replied me that my case was sent to the NVC on Abril 19. Thrilled by the news, I then called the NVC again (over an hour and a half) to check if they have received it, but that was not the case.

 

I guess I'll wait for another week before inquiring everybody again, but I'm keeping the hopes high that the welcome letter will arrive anytime soon!

[susana_1983 44]

On 4/23/2022 at 11:58 AM, RDG2022 said:

any feedback from NVC's inquiry? 

Any update about your case?

On 4/20/2022 at 4:33 PM, JBRE22022 said:

Hello everyone

 

Our I-140 was approved in March 2nd at TSC. We haven't heard yet from NVC and case status at USCIS shows only "My case was approved". I 797 arrived on March 11. We heard that it is normal for cases to take 6-8 weeks, however it looks like there is something happening specifically at TSC. I checked a sample of cases from both TSC and Nebraska and while Nebraska cases are being forwarded to the NVC usually in two weeks, most TSC cases since December are not moving. Are there other people in the same situation? Any suggestions that can be done to expedite it or information about what is happening ? 

So far I have sent an Inquiry to the DS after 30 days of the case approved (still queued) and an email to NVCResearch@state.gov which as answered stating that case hasn't been received by the DS. USCIS inquiries only go through after 60 days of last action and are the next step I plan. 

 

Thanks ! 

 

Any update?

 

[JBRE22022 37]

13 minutes ago, susana_1983 said:

Any update about your case?

Any update?

 

On 4/20/2022 at 3:33 PM, JBRE22022 said:

Hello everyone

 

Our I-140 was approved in March 2nd at TSC. We haven't heard yet from NVC and case status at USCIS shows only "My case was approved". I 797 arrived on March 11. We heard that it is normal for cases to take 6-8 weeks, however it looks like there is something happening specifically at TSC. I checked a sample of cases from both TSC and Nebraska and while Nebraska cases are being forwarded to the NVC usually in two weeks, most TSC cases since December are not moving. Are there other people in the same situation? Any suggestions that can be done to expedite it or information about what is happening ? 

So far I have sent an Inquiry to the DS after 30 days of the case approved (still queued) and an email to NVCResearch@state.gov which as answered stating that case hasn't been received by the DS. USCIS inquiries only go through after 60 days of last action and are the next step I plan. 

 

Thanks ! 

 

Yes! The status at USCIS changed today, and it says now that the case has been sent to the department of state as of yesterday. Since it took 57 days I wasn't able to submit an inquiry to USCIS (it can only be done 60 days after last action at Case inquiry - outside normal processing time). Now I am waiting for the Department of State to open the file and send the message requesting fee payment. 

 

[RDG2022 17]

12 hours ago, JBRE22022 said:

Yes! The status at USCIS changed today, and it says now that the case has been sent to the department of state as of yesterday. Since it took 57 days I wasn't able to submit an inquiry to USCIS (it can only be done 60 days after last action at Case inquiry - outside normal processing time). Now I am waiting for the Department of State to open the file and send the message requesting fee payment. 

 

Great News JBRE22022!!

 

Nothing here for my side, so far

[susana_1983 44]

Good news! 

But it makes me realize how unfair this system is. I've been waiting since January and any movement since then. Theoretically the Oldest cases should go first to NVC, but this is not the case. 

At least, someone is going to NVC finally. 

[RDG2022 17]

1 minute ago, susana_1983 said:

Good news! 

But it makes me realize how unfair this system is. I've been waiting since January and any movement since then. Theoretically the Oldest cases should go first to NVC, but this is not the case. 

At least, someone is going to NVC finally. 

 

Totally and the line doesn't flows chronologically. 

=> JBRE22022 was approved in Mar and move forward today

=> My approved in Feb and hold

=> Jose luis Vierira approved in Jan 9 and hold 

=> susana_1983 approved in Jan 2 and hold

 

 

[JBRE22022 37]

On 4/29/2022 at 9:41 AM, RDG2022 said:

 

Totally and the line doesn't flows chronologically. 

=> JBRE22022 was approved in Mar and move forward today

=> My approved in Feb and hold

=> Jose luis Vierira approved in Jan 9 and hold 

=> susana_1983 approved in Jan 2 and hold

 

 

Yes, this has been happening especially with the TSC cases. I Think Jose Luis' case has been sent on 4/19 from what he wrote. To make it clear if someone reads this later, once the case is approved the cases status tool from USCIS returns a screen like this one 

 

 

And then, later (sometimes much later unfortunately) when the case is sent to the Department of State (if the applicant has chosen Immigrant Visa Processing at the home country consulate) the screen changes to the following status

 

 

It is somewhat confusing because the I-797 notice which takes ~2-4 weeks after the approval to arrive by postal mail states that the case has been sent to the Department of State, when it is actually only sent when the status screen changes on the system, which can happen much later. So it looks to me that the issues on this step are much more on USCIS' hands than on the Department of State. 

 

 

 

 

 

[JBRE22022 37]

I will try to sum up what I believe is happening with the consular processing EB2-NIW cases at the Texas Service Center. It looks like with the acceleration in i140 approvals other parts of the system are backlogging. 

From the sample of about 1000 cases I analyzed, it is clear that that this problem is happening in the Texas Service Center and not in Nebraska. 

One point is that at least in the sample I got (consular processing EB2-NIW cases from a single law firm) the number of approved i140 cases is increasing a lot each week from November / 21. Most Nebraska cases are sent in two weeks while Texas takes at least 30 days and sometimes much more, so that's why we see a lot of grey bars in the graph, especially with the more recently approved cases

 

Please note that this does not mean that the TOTAL caseload of TSC is that much bigger then Nebraska's since this comes from one law firm only and the division between centers is geographically based. 

The differences in processing become more clear when we compare the time for approval and the time between approval and sending the cases to the Department of State 

 

 

 

Texas is approving cases on an accelerating clip, some recent cases have had the i140 approved in less than 60 days. Nebraska hasn't changed much the average length of i140 analysis of about 400 days. 

However, when it cames to sending cases to the department of state,  the situation is different

 

 

Again, Nebraska is very consistent with cases and sends pretty much all in about two weeks from I-140 approval and has kept this pace. TSC on the other hand had a massive increase in the time cases take to reach the department of state, beginning with cases approved in the end of 2021 and begging of 2022. Note that only cases already sent to the DS are included, so naturally the average of the recent weeks is lower (a few cases that made it in about 30 days - the bulk of cases approved in the period are still waiting as of the end of April 2022).

So there are many cases waiting for 90+ days, while some clear it faster. I couldn't find any logic or reason why, but nonetheless hope it helps understanding that this is happening with many cases at TSC.

I believe this is caused for a push that increased the number of cases approved and reduced the i140 processing times, with other parts of the process still needing to be adjusted to cope with the demand.

This is particularly delicate since the cases in the step after i140 approval and between arriving in the Department of state are in a process limbo. USCIS tallies backlogs and processing times from receiving forms to approval / denial while the department of state published backlog is between the Documentary Complete and Interview Scheduling steps.  So there is little visibility of this issue. 

 

 

[susana_1983 44]

On 5/1/2022 at 2:48 AM, JBRE22022 said:

I will try to sum up what I believe is happening with the consular processing EB2-NIW cases at the Texas Service Center. It looks like with the acceleration in i140 approvals other parts of the system are backlogging. 

From the sample of about 1000 cases I analyzed, it is clear that that this problem is happening in the Texas Service Center and not in Nebraska. 

One point is that at least in the sample I got (consular processing EB2-NIW cases from a single law firm) the number of approved i140 cases is increasing a lot each week from November / 21. Most Nebraska cases are sent in two weeks while Texas takes at least 30 days and sometimes much more, so that's why we see a lot of grey bars in the graph, especially with the more recently approved cases

 

Please note that this does not mean that the TOTAL caseload of TSC is that much bigger then Nebraska's since this comes from one law firm only and the division between centers is geographically based. 

The differences in processing become more clear when we compare the time for approval and the time between approval and sending the cases to the Department of State 

 

 

 

Texas is approving cases on an accelerating clip, some recent cases have had the i140 approved in less than 60 days. Nebraska hasn't changed much the average length of i140 analysis of about 400 days. 

However, when it cames to sending cases to the department of state,  the situation is different

 

 

Again, Nebraska is very consistent with cases and sends pretty much all in about two weeks from I-140 approval and has kept this pace. TSC on the other hand had a massive increase in the time cases take to reach the department of state, beginning with cases approved in the end of 2021 and begging of 2022. Note that only cases already sent to the DS are included, so naturally the average of the recent weeks is lower (a few cases that made it in about 30 days - the bulk of cases approved in the period are still waiting as of the end of April 2022).

So there are many cases waiting for 90+ days, while some clear it faster. I couldn't find any logic or reason why, but nonetheless hope it helps understanding that this is happening with many cases at TSC.

I believe this is caused for a push that increased the number of cases approved and reduced the i140 processing times, with other parts of the process still needing to be adjusted to cope with the demand.

This is particularly delicate since the cases in the step after i140 approval and between arriving in the Department of state are in a process limbo. USCIS tallies backlogs and processing times from receiving forms to approval / denial while the department of state published backlog is between the Documentary Complete and Interview Scheduling steps.  So there is little visibility of this issue. 

 

 

Thank you so much for your analysis. I've noticed that the largest time that one someone waited for this transference was about 105 days. I've been waiting for 102 days and to be honest I'm totally disappointed with all this process.  Losing my hope to move this year

[Sindhieagle 19]

Hi All - I am in similar Situation. Case approved on 12 Nov 2021 but yet to receive any updates from NVC.  USCIS website still showing "Case was approved."  

Sent two inquiries to USCIS. In first (Feb 23) , still processing to sent to NVC. Second (Apr 11)  case is enroute to NVC. ( what does this mean??)  Rest, just waiting desperately. 

 

On the other hand, an acquaintance received approval on 1 Dec 2021. His case was faster than mine. Currnently, he is waiting for NVC to review his submitted documents.