Edward and Jaycel

Anecdotal evidence from me and Jaycel.... We helped someone with their I-129F petition, sent it to the Texas location via FedEx and our friend got the text with their receipt number less than 24 hours after the package was delivered.

Do everything in your power to avoid comparing yourself to others during this process... it will drive you crazy and will do you absolutely no good. Every case is unique and goes through its own process. At this point all you can really do is wait. USEM Manila will not give you any concrete details. I hope it comes through quickly for you!

She is exempt from having to file the I-693 because she had her immigrant medical exam overseas... as long as you file the I-485 within 1 year of that medical taking place. I would also include a copy of the DS-3025 with your I-485 filing as a friendly reminder to the intake folks at the lockbox and the USCIS adjudicator that she is exempt from that requirement.

WOW!! Congratulations!!! 🎉🎉 Thank you for sharing your update

After reading this post from MalloryCat on 10/16, our friends did an request with their congressional representative's office and received a response that they have opened a formal inquiry with USCIS on their behalf

It is not the same date.... And you would be hard pressed to find the date that NVC actually receives it as they do not give out that information that I have ever seen. Usually it takes a few weeks after USCIS says they have sent it for NVC to intake it and assign it a case number. In our case it was about 3 and a half weeks from the time USCIS changed the status to the time NVC gave us the case number via public inquiry request. YMMV as things have slowed down a bit since we did it in 2024.

Thank you for sharing your experience!!

If you have been living in the Philippines more than 6 months, you should have an ACR-I card. I would have her take that, plus a photo copy and get an NBI clearance done there on yourself and have her bring that.

All she will need to give CFO is the FBI History Check

Denver is one of the slowest Field Offices in the country. (I know from first hand experience ) Currently for Denver, USCIS is saying 80% of cases are completed in 8.5 months.

That's great news for those of us that have this coming up! Thank you for sharing!!

"Application Received" is good news.... This means that the Immigrant Visa section has completed their review and sent it to the Non-Immigrant Visa section for visa issuance. The Non-Immigrant Visa section are the ones who changed the status to "Application Received" when they got the case transferred to them. This happened in Jaycel's K-1 case and a day or two later it changed to "Approved" and then "Issued" right after.

How long have you been living in the Philippines? Your best bet, if you've been living there for more than 6 months is to get an NBI clearance for yourself and have your fiancée bring it with her to the CFO.

You should not wait to get a new place if you need to accommodate yours and your fiancé’s dog. Once the status on your I-129F changes to, “Case Has Been Transferred To The Department Of State”, give it 3 weeks or so and use their online public inquiry form to request your case number. They likely will not have it available yet but that’s fine because the real purpose will be to give them your new address. After asking for the case number, say something like, “Please also update my address to:”. Give them your new address and also take this opportunity to give them yours and your fiancé’s email addresses as well. This will ensure that the NVC and the embassy has both your email addresses and that you both get all future communications as they will exclusively use email from that point on in most cases.

Our friends got an RFE and the notice in the online account lagged behind the email notification by 2 or 3 days.

I would bet money on it

It's the receipt number for your case.... The NOA1 will come in the mail in a week or two. This means your case has been accepted for processing. Now I would put a temp freeze on your card so the 2nd case doesn't get created.

I think they are an "MSC" receipt which cannot use the online portal

Unless it is truly dire circumstances, I would NOT try to reschedule your embassy interview. You could face months of delay and uncertainty.

Yep... this is the reason that others have been denied for this type of thing. As far as what to tell the Consular Officer and CBP? The truth, that she coming to visit you both and her new grandchild.

The visa officer and CBP see this as her "working unpaid" in the US. I know it sounds crazy but it's an accurate representation of how they see it.

I would do this for sure

You should cancel the payment on the one still out there with USPS

That's great news!! 🎉 Congrats!!

Woo Hoo!! Congratulations!! 🎉🎉