What the heck is going on with I-130 processing times?

[CTCR 0]

I submitted the I-130 petition for my husband (U.K.) on December 7, 2022. Its status IMMEDIATELY updated to "being actively reviewed" and it said our wait estimate was 7 months (so est. July 2023). Around the beginning of 2023, it changed to 10 months from that point (so est. fall-winter 2023). It slowly dwindled down, right on time, until a month ago, when it suddenly updated to two weeks! Then the two weeks came and went, and we no longer have a wait time estimate at all. Just says it's "taking longer than expected."

 

Meanwhile, I've seen the overall estimated turnaround time increase from the 7-10 months the USCIS quoted in the beginning to now over three years! And the USCIS is now saying that the earliest date I can submit questions about my petition is January 10, 2026! That's compared to my original quote of June 2023 to be able to ask questions. 

 

So basically everything keeps getting pushed back longer and longer. I'm trying really hard not to panic about it, but as of typing this, our case has supposedly been "being actively reviewed" for seven months when it doesn't appear they're actually anywhere near looking at our application. And every time we get close to the day we're allowed to submit inquiries about our case, it's pushed back even more.

 

So what the heck is going on with this? Has anyone else experienced this? For anyone who just got approved, when did you submit?

 

Also, here is a simplified timeline if it helps:

-December 7, 2022: I-130 submitted. Case being actively reviewed. Estimated time until case decision is 7 months. Can ask questions in June 2023. 

-Feb./March 2023: Case still being actively reviewed. Estimated time until case decision is 10 months. Can ask questions in August 2023. 

-June 2023: Case still being actively reviewed. Estimated time until case decision is 2 weeks.

-Now, July 2023: Case is still being actively reviewed. No estimated time at all. Can ask questions in January 2026.

[Boiler 44,014]

I am not sure what Actively Reviewed means in English, Google Translate does not work on USCIS speak, anyway they do not use normal English definitions.

 

The estimated timelines are similar, seems pretty much every case eventually takes longer than expected.

Edited July 4, 2023 by Boiler

[Redro 4,603]

33 minutes ago, CTCR said:

I submitted the I-130 petition for my husband (U.K.) on December 7, 2022. Its status IMMEDIATELY updated to "being actively reviewed" and it said our wait estimate was 7 months (so est. July 2023). Around the beginning of 2023, it changed to 10 months from that point (so est. fall-winter 2023). It slowly dwindled down, right on time, until a month ago, when it suddenly updated to two weeks! Then the two weeks came and went, and we no longer have a wait time estimate at all. Just says it's "taking longer than expected."

 

Meanwhile, I've seen the overall estimated turnaround time increase from the 7-10 months the USCIS quoted in the beginning to now over three years! And the USCIS is now saying that the earliest date I can submit questions about my petition is January 10, 2026! That's compared to my original quote of June 2023 to be able to ask questions. 

 

So basically everything keeps getting pushed back longer and longer. I'm trying really hard not to panic about it, but as of typing this, our case has supposedly been "being actively reviewed" for seven months when it doesn't appear they're actually anywhere near looking at our application. And every time we get close to the day we're allowed to submit inquiries about our case, it's pushed back even more.

 

So what the heck is going on with this? Has anyone else experienced this? For anyone who just got approved, when did you submit?

 

Also, here is a simplified timeline if it helps:

-December 7, 2022: I-130 submitted. Case being actively reviewed. Estimated time until case decision is 7 months. Can ask questions in June 2023. 

-Feb./March 2023: Case still being actively reviewed. Estimated time until case decision is 10 months. Can ask questions in August 2023. 

-June 2023: Case still being actively reviewed. Estimated time until case decision is 2 weeks.

-Now, July 2023: Case is still being actively reviewed. No estimated time at all. Can ask questions in January 2026.

Actively reviewed means your case was "touched". 

Generally, when a case is actively reviewed just after submission this means the case was assigned to a processing center. 

What you want to look out for is a second actively reviewed with a newer date. This will likely mean your case will be approved soon (look in the notices section of your online account). 

As you might have guessed: Do not pay attention estimated time until case decision because it is doesn't seem to follow any sort of logic. 

When we went through the process in 2021 our processing time fluctuated, too.

From 6 months to 12.5 months then 13.5 months then 14.5 months. 

Actual time ended up being 9 months. 

Unlike the I-129F, processing times for the I-130 are not standard. 

You can read the processing group times IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

Here are November 2022, December 2022 and January 2023 filers. 

Someone else received the same message here:

And you can check average timelines here.(step 2)

And latest NOA2 approvals here. (Order by I-130 NOA2). 

 

 

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Redro

[powerpuff 6,124]

~~ Topic moved from Process & Procedures to Progress Reports ~~
 

Actively reviewed in USCIS terms means somebody took your file and put it at at the bottom of the pile where it’s sitting and waiting many months for someone to finally have a look at it.

 

That and giving fake estimates is what truly baffles me. I don’t understand why USCIS gives people false hope…

 

Average processing these days is 12-14 months. 

[Loren Y 2,752]

I agree with @powerpuff, The I-130 I did last year took about 12-14 months exactly. I-130 was approved a little after 12 months, NVC took another month in a half or so, then interview and visa issue was another month or so. I think from start to finish ( File to visa in hand) was about 16 months total. The estimates went from 9 months to 7 months to 12 months to 10 Minutes LOL, Those estimates are complete garbage and should be ignored. I would say you should have visa in hand by March 2024 or so.

[SalishSea 17,050]

13 hours ago, Boiler said:

I am not sure what Actively Reviewed means in English, Google Translate does not work on USCIS speak, anyway they do not use normal English definitions.

 

The estimated timelines are similar, seems pretty much every case eventually takes longer than expected.

Someone should write an app to specifically translate USCIS-speak!

[Kyle6811 21]

On 7/4/2023 at 6:38 AM, CTCR said:

I submitted the I-130 petition for my husband (U.K.) on December 7, 2022. Its status IMMEDIATELY updated to "being actively reviewed" and it said our wait estimate was 7 months (so est. July 2023). Around the beginning of 2023, it changed to 10 months from that point (so est. fall-winter 2023). It slowly dwindled down, right on time, until a month ago, when it suddenly updated to two weeks! Then the two weeks came and went, and we no longer have a wait time estimate at all. Just says it's "taking longer than expected."

 

Meanwhile, I've seen the overall estimated turnaround time increase from the 7-10 months the USCIS quoted in the beginning to now over three years! And the USCIS is now saying that the earliest date I can submit questions about my petition is January 10, 2026! That's compared to my original quote of June 2023 to be able to ask questions. 

 

So basically everything keeps getting pushed back longer and longer. I'm trying really hard not to panic about it, but as of typing this, our case has supposedly been "being actively reviewed" for seven months when it doesn't appear they're actually anywhere near looking at our application. And every time we get close to the day we're allowed to submit inquiries about our case, it's pushed back even more.

 

So what the heck is going on with this? Has anyone else experienced this? For anyone who just got approved, when did you submit?

 

Also, here is a simplified timeline if it helps:

-December 7, 2022: I-130 submitted. Case being actively reviewed. Estimated time until case decision is 7 months. Can ask questions in June 2023. 

-Feb./March 2023: Case still being actively reviewed. Estimated time until case decision is 10 months. Can ask questions in August 2023. 

-June 2023: Case still being actively reviewed. Estimated time until case decision is 2 weeks.

-Now, July 2023: Case is still being actively reviewed. No estimated time at all. Can ask questions in January 2026.

Is this only for those who submitted online?

[Boiler 44,014]

No