Approved I-130; Petition retained. Parent of US citizen

[Tekla78 0]

Hallo my helpful readers. 

I filed for my mother who is out of the US. There was one request for Information and then the application was approved. 

 

This is what was said in approval:

 

The above petition has been approved. However, you indicated on the petition that the beneficiary intends to apply for an immigrant visa abroad at a U.S.
Embassy or a U.S. Consulate and will also apply for adjustment of status in the United States. Since you have indicated both options, USCIS has retained
the petition.

 

Does it mean she can apply for a Greencard while outside the US? Or just a visa to come to the US? I had thought she'd need to be in the US to adjust status. Further it says:

 

If the beneficiary decides to apply for an immigrant visa outside the United States based on this petition, you should file Form I-824, Application for Action
on an Approved Application or Petition, to request that we send the petition to the U.S. Department of State National Visa Center (NVC).
The NVC processes all approved immigrant visa petitions that require consular action. The NVC also determines which consular post is the appropriate
consulate to complete visa processing. It will then forward the approved petition to that consulate.

 

Any experience or advise is welcome.

[SteveInBostonI130 3,462]

It seems you marked both options, and therefore USCIS is holding onto the petition.  You will need to file I-824 to get it sent to NVC and then onwards to the embassy after all submittals and approval (DQ) at NVC.

[Pinkrlion 2,724]

Due to your error on the I-130 petition, you now have to file I-824 and pay another fee for consular processing.  Then she will be able to interview at her Embassy.  

[nastra30 2,287]

Oh dear! After waiting to get approved, you'll have to do more waiting again to have your approved petition sent to NVC which would have been automatic had you only selected the consular processing option. You selected both consular processing and adjustment when you filled form I-130 and because of this error on your part you'll have complete form I-824 and pay additional $465 for USCIS to transfer your case to NVC (and eventually to the Embassy).

[Tekla78 0]

Thank you very much! Now I know not to mess up my pa's application. The delay had much to do with the pandemic. They have been accurate with the timeline they gave me.

 

I wonder if I can just tell them to strike that second fee☺️

 

So, I file the I-824 and then tell mother to wait for communication from NVC?  My error costing me here, but still cheaper than what the lawyer wanted.

 

From what I know, mother has not submitted any application to the US embassy. Neither have I. I am targeting next summer.