Bh_sarah

Ohh, that's awesome. Even if it should've been a weekend before! They totally wasted a change of having you celebrate on a Friday night! haha And yep, I've seen late updates, and also people that got the mail notice and are still waiting for the system to be updated. It's all a mess.

Oh I see, I think it's safer. It's hard to know these days, usually approvals came in early, now I see RFEs coming super early, before they even open (maybe because they were updates from the day before) and most approvals only come in by the end of the day. But the system lag by scanning too early this week was a new one to me, could be CaseTracker fault as well. And thank you! I'm glad it's being useful. I see you're from March, so hoping you and your Brazilian fiancé get an approval soon as well!

I meant PT (actually PDT), so California time. Sorry, I do usually mix the timezone abbreviations but I was thinking California, Pacific time! USCIS doesn't really have their working hours officially published (not that I could find) but the Google business hours for the California Center say they work 8am to 4pm. And Google says these were updated by the business/themselves 5 weeks ago too so I consider this recent/accurate since there is no other info available. I used to scan only after 5pm PT, then started scanning after 4pm PT seeing these hours, but I did miss some updates this week because of that, so I'm back to after 5pm PT just to be sure.

Oh my God!!! I'm so sorry, I replied that without having my first coffee of the day and my math didn't work! hahahaha I see now what you meant and you are correct. I took it as you were saying all the rest would be touched in May but of course you meant the number until it got to the 95% that January now has. I apologize. I should learn to not reply anyone without not being fully awake! haha and you are right, it sucks that when we filed was 8 months and now it's 16.5, but it's unfortunately still inside the processing times given by USCIS at the moment. I just hope we don't come to a point we are even allowed to make an inquiry, that would be infuriating.

Yes. It will show as "Request for Additional (or Initial) Evidence Was Mailed". Just like the USCIS page would say. Then you get the actual request with that they want in the mail in about 5 days/week. Then after you sent it, it will be updated to "Response to USCIS' Request for Evidence was Received". After that, for a NOA2, it varies. Some people get NOA2 in weeks, others in 1-2 months. I am not so certain about that knowing people from December and January are still waiting. There is no certainty our cases will be touched on May/that they will completely finish February in May. Just looking at past months' examples. And no problem! Wish every month kept a spreadsheet, used to be like that with most early 2021 months. And I am not sure I would say they go by order, especially inside the months. As you can see, there are less cases in the first week of February, and the first two weeks were heavily touched when they first started. The last two weeks are only being touched now, when they already moved on to March and even started April. I'd say they approve cases in every range when they start a month, but approve slightly more on the early ranges than the later ones. It all depends on quantity of cases too, there are more cases in the last 2 weeks than in the first. But there are people still waiting from the first weeks, etc. It's a gamble.

Today's numbers [April 26th, 2023] I waited a bit today to scan so hopefully they won't update the system after I scanned it all! Also, I found a MAJOR flaw in my spreadsheet and I gotta apologize. I always wondered why the untouched cases number on the Obllak spreadsheet were so different from mine. I know she tracks precise cases, but the difference was huge for it to be cases outside my scanned ranges. Turns out that since I got this spreadsheet from other months and they did not count withdrawals, I was adding withdrawals without realizing they were also included in the "other action/untouched" column. So now I added the column PENDING to reflect the REAL number of pending cases. Sorry about that! The numbers are now fixed on the graph and running totals as well. 46500 - 2 approvals 47500 - 1 approval, 4 RFE 48500 - 3 approvals, 3 RFEs, 1 withdrawal 49000 - 1 approval, 1 RFE 50000 - 1 approval 50500 - 2 approvals 51000 - 1 approval, 1 denial 51500 - 1 approval, 1 RFE 52000 - 1 approval, 1 RFE 52500 - 7 approvals, 3 RFEs (1 RFE from an expedited case) 53500 - 1 RFE 54000 - 2 RFEs 54500 - 3 RFEs, 1 other 55000 - 6 RFEs 55500 - 4 approvals 56000 - 1 approval Today's totals: 25 new approvals, 1 denial, 25 RFEs, 1 withdrawal Totals so far: 1690(+25) Approved 296(+1) Denied/Rejected 579(+16) RFE/RFERs 663* Pending Cases 146(+1) Withdrawals Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15yTdQDjmS6ik3bPNGmThSc0jFUszsiGcXurI1hT_Jcw/edit?usp=sharing

If they actually started working in April (I mean 50+ cases approved per day), then they started April with March being 37% processed/50% touched (that would mean that they move from a month at 50% touched, not processed as I thought to be true). I think we have no way of actually knowing if they go by month like we do. It's just like referencing cases inside a 500 range, we don't know how they divide them, we just do it like that due to the CaseTracker limit. But all the data points to moving from month to month since the cases from the month before start seeing a lower activity, instead of us seeing the same activity for 2 different months (let me know if my thinking here makes sense). I do hope you're part of the first batch/wave of approvals, I don't recommend seeing new months get the majority of activity when you're still waiting. I think there's a slight better chance for you since you're an early filer, but again, nothing is certain. Talking about my month only since I track it in detail, there are early February filers still waiting. There are *more* later February filers waiting, but it's not like they zeroed the early cases. It's all a gamble and probabilities, it's hard to know. To me, seeing we are left without any transparency, it depends now much on pure luck of being somehow chosen by an agent before they slow down and move on to the next month.

Congratulations! You waited long enough, super deserving. Hoping for a smooth journey going forward!

Chiming in to say this is a good resource to see how NVC waiting have been decreasing: https://visawhen.com/nvc And it all points out that the wait for NVC sending your case to the embassy does depend on the embassy backlog. NVC will hold out a case for longer to not overwhelm embassies that are already busy. Now, why USCIS is taking long to send the case to NVC is a mystery, maybe NVC also has a limit they can take in. And during this time, there is almost no information available to us, people usually just inquiry about their case until they have confirmation the case was received and they have assigned it a case number.

I only fully scan it after closing time, after 4 pm ET. It was probably a system lag from either USCIS or CaseTracker.

UPDATE: I did scan too early, they just pushed more data to the system and I'm seeing the day wasn't as bad as I thought. Yahoo! I'll update the spreadsheet correctly with today's numbers tomorrow! But now just follow @Vivek Patel's data above. Hoping one of us was approved today!

3 approvals in my range?! I might scan again! haha maybe I scanned too early today, because even with the ones that changed dates I don't see it reaching this totals. Thank you!

Today's numbers [April 25th, 2023] If these numbers weren't depressing enough, noticed again some approvals from yesterday changed dates to today. Hoping I was just early or they are having issues with the server, and we'll see better numbers tomorrow. Hoping they haven't completely moved on now. 46500 - 2 RFEs 48000 - 2 approvals, 1 RFE 49500 - 1 approval 52000 - 2 approvals 52500 - 1 denial, 1 RFE 55500 - 1 approval 56000 - 1 approval Today's totals: 7 new approvals, 1 denial, 4 RFEs Totals so far: 1636(+7) Approved 295(+1) Denied/Rejected 570(+3) RFE/RFERs 872 Other Action/Untouched 145 Withdrawals Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15yTdQDjmS6ik3bPNGmThSc0jFUszsiGcXurI1hT_Jcw/edit?usp=sharing

Thank you! Fingers crossed!! And I thought the 'processed' word had a meaning it was closed since they talk about completed cases when explaining the processing times here. In fact, they say "Processing time is defined as the number of days (or months) that have elapsed between the date USCIS received an application, petition, or request and the date USCIS completed the application, petition, or request (that is, approved or denied it) in a given six-month period." So it's not really just touched (like an RFE), but fully completed/adjudicated, right? Yes, I've heard many people ignored the meeting in person in the 2 years prior to filing because of Covid lockdowns, thinking USCIS would just let go of that requirement. They didn't.

Hi, @JLees2k. I'm glad you decided to join! I know there are more cases waiting for a decision, it's just harder when you don't even know if that case really represents someone still waiting for a decision or if it's someone that doesn't care or that had their case withdrawn or closed and the system never got updated. As you can see I filed 11 days after you so I can imagine how hard is being to you as well, especially being inside the range 49500 that received so many approvals already. I also try to convince myself this will all sudden be a bittersweet memory, but while the future doesn't arrive, I am feeling hopeless. Will keep an eye for 49500 range and root for your approval sooner than later. It sucks we have to wait more than other cases, but I also know it will all be worth it! Stay strong.

Oh, definitely have her do everything in Rio, it's such a long trip for her, especially with a daughter. In this case the tips above ARE gold! There are only 3 doctors in Brazil and none in her region. I am only 1h30 away from SP, so I will research if it's better for me to have everything done there then go to Rio, but maybe it's not even worth it. I will be sure to tell my experience whenever I do get to this point!

I'm the Brazilian fiancé and I am still haven't worked out the details but I stumbled upon this exact topic last year and I am using this as a base. I am still not certain if I will do my medical in Rio since I'm way closer to São Paulo and can get around there way more easily than in Rio, but will need to check once the time comes as I understand it's better to have your medical close to the interview due to the visa expiration date following the medical date. Guess doing everything in Rio and super close in days is a better option for those that will be flying to Rio from more distant states. I don't think anything has changed when it comes to the process related above. I have some experience with having medical done for Canada and it's usually the same licensed doctors and exams, and yes, all paid in cash with not a lot of info from the embassies. I've seen someone recently asking if the interviews in April 23 were somehow changed to Wednesdays, but can't find the topic now. Just found this with more info and it seems the doctor in Rio does things differently from the doctor in SP? Hoping @mw & rg k1 can help with more info later since they are in front of me in this process, and I will definitely share my experience too for you when my time comes!

It could be. Maybe they don't have the evidence USCIS is asking for and just let it unanswered?! Who waits 15 months to not reply it? Or waits 15 months without having evidence for a case? I can't understand it. But then again, the lack of knowledge between K1 fillers is absurd and never stops amazing me. This could be just my former emo teen talking and you might not even know what I am talking about, but my anthem now is Untouched by The Veronicas. Literally "I feel so untouched right now, need you so much somehow.... NOA2".

Thank you, this gave me a lot of hope. Congratulations on your approval! I know I am not alone in this, but woof, this is harder than I was expecting. 13 months were bad enough to wait but I was being strong and patient, but the 14 month mark hit and they moved on from February and my hope just vanished. My fiancé says the same thing but deep down he is also as anxious, he just is trying to be the reasonable one here! haha I hope it doesn't take us to a point we need to make inquiries, but thank you! Hoping I'm only 3 days after my VJ estimate as well!!!

Yep, I understand the feeling of wanting the case to be touched (untouched here just dying to have a tiny sign of life from USCIS), so your perspective does make sense! But also somehow to me it seems the RFEs are sent and then the case ends up dying because they never respond to it? The number of RFEs sent is so high compared to the RFEs received. This is a mystery to me. Are they not updating the system, are people never replying to RFEs? Also because once the RFE is sent and then received, they have no timeframe to actually make a decision in your case, it feels it would take 2 weeks or months. So I'm not even sure if they count those cases in their processing rates as well. When we think we understand it, we realize we don't know anything at all about this whole thing!!! haha You now put me into a perspective that I was indeed left in the 20% when it comes to touched cases. It was better when it was the last 50% of still pending cases. I am not sure which one is better hahaha I tell you, we know from the start it's not in order, and that you didn't do anything wrong to be left behind, but when you start seeing people that filed in the same date as you already waiting for NVC letters... it hurts. And all rational thinking goes out the window.

Oh, you're talking about touched cases, talking about RFEs and pending too. I usually only care about the processed ones to be fair, and that's to me how they also count the processing rates on USCIS? Or maybe they also have RFEs they sent inside the 16.5 processing time? To me it was all closed/processed/reached a final decision cases. The pending ones to me can be misleading because it can be just a name or address update and doesn't necessarily mean to me they are reviewing the case at all. Sorry, I should have made that distinction, I feel as soon as February reached around 50% *closed* cases, they moved on to March.

That's my perspective on things now. I used to think it was 80%, but now that they are completing more cases per week, it also seems they are rushing through months and moving on at 50%. I feel the activity slows down significantly on 50% (from 100 cases approved daily to around 40), but it *drastically* slows down when they are close to 80% meaning they basically only close around 5-10 cases daily in those that are around 80% (comparing December daily numbers vs January daily numbers vs February). We'll see if this pattern continues once March reaches 50% and February reaches 75-80%.

Thank you for rooting for me. I think right now I am a bit hopeless. Seeing February filers that filed the same day as me already counting the NVC waiting days is honestly harder than I thought would be. Every day I just wake up hoping today is the day.

Seems I just hit a new low. I'm now past the estimate VisaJourney gave me for my NOA2.

It personally hurts me to say, but I also feel they will start April 22 by the end of this week/start of the next. They are moving on and slowing down significantly when a month hits 50% and March is having around 5% completed every day. And yes, most early 2022 filer topics are EMPTY, I feel everyone is on Facebook. It's so weird to see that because 2021 filer topics were so busy! And you'd think a long wait would make people reach out to the first forum they can find... which is this one haha