K1 Visa Expedite Process for I-129F

[sitamari 3]

My I-129f Request for Fiance visa has been approved as of yesterday, in 29 days!! Today is my birthday and getting the email that it had been approved was the best birthday present ever! I am pretty shocked that the request to expedite worked. I read a couple forums that talked about it though, and I thought it wouldn't hurt to try. I had a few people ask me about what I did to request the expedited process so I thought I'd put it in the forums in case others were interested as well.

So here's what I did:

I called the USCIS at 1-800-375-5283 on August 16th and followed the prompts regarding the fiance visa process until I was able to get a customer service person on the phone. I just asked her about the possibility of requesting an expedited case and she read off the expedite criteria (see below) and asked me which one applied to me. I told her that I didn't know how financial loss was measured, but I would lose one week's pay if we don't get the visa this year. I have arranged to take a week off unpaid from work in December in order to go to Jamaica and bring Lance back with me, but it can only be used this year. She just typed in a service request that said just what I told her, and told me someone would review it in approximately 5 days and would let me know if they needed further information. On Wednesday (the next day!), I got an email from USCIS requesting more information. Here's what it said exactly:

"The status of this service request is:

Your request for expedited processing has been received. We are unable to determine whether your request meets the expedite guidelines established by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services due to lack of information in your request. However, you may submit a letter/documentation as to your financial loss to self/company You may fax the letter/documentation to..."

On Friday August 19th, I faxed the letter to the number they had given me. This is what I did - I typed up a 1 page letter explaining that I had arranged to take time off in December to go get Lance and bring him home with me, and that I would lose the time and a week of pay (I included the dollar amount of the one week of pay) if we didn't get the visa this year. I also put a couple extra lines in about why I want to go help him relocate (i.e. there are members of his family I haven't met yet), and apologizing because I initially thought the entire process took about 5 months and that's why I arranged to take the time off in December. I was very polite and just stated the reason why I was requesting the expedited processing. I also had my boss type up a simple letter on company letterhead confirming that I have arranged for an unpaid week off in December and that I cannot roll that time over to next year.

I didn't get a confirmation from the USCIS that they received the fax or receive anything else from them until last night (August 24th) when I got the following email:

"Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Your Case Status: Post Decision Activity

On August 24, 2011, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice."

Honestly, I'm pretty shocked that this worked. I figured I would probably have to have a much better reason involving life or death or something, but I think they just look at your request and as long as it makes sense and seems valid, and you can support it, then I think they will consider it. Either that, or we just got really really lucky.

Anyway, I hope this helps!!

Oh - I included the criteria from the USCIS below.

Good luck!

Sita

Expedite Criteria per USCIS:

All expedite requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and are granted at the discretion of the Director. The burden is on the applicant or petitioner to demonstrate that one or more of the expedite criteria have been met. The criteria are as follows:

Severe financial loss to company or individual

Extreme emergent situation

Humanitarian situation

Nonprofit status of requesting organization in furtherance of the cultural and social interests of the United States

Department of Defense or National Interest Situation (Note: Request must come from official United States Government entity and state that delay will be detrimental to our Government)

USCIS error

Compelling interest of USCIS

Note: Discretionary expedite requests for petitions and applications that have Premium Processing Service available will not be considered for expedite processing. The only exception is when the petitioner is a not-for-profit organization designated by the Internal Revenue Service. For information regarding premium processing, please refer to the premium processing webpage.

If you have already filed your application or petition:

You can make an expedite request by contacting the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283. The NCSC will take a service request and forward your expedite request to the office with jurisdiction over the application or petition. You also have the options of 1). visiting your local office by scheduling an InfoPass appointment or 2). writing a letter to the local office or service center.

Edited August 25, 2011 by sitamari

[bekam 0]

LOVE IT!!!! so happy for you/yall! and kind of jealous... and wondering if I can do the same with my fiance in Mexico

Obviously we ALL (all k 1 visa people) want to be with our fiance's as soon as possible. I know I cant think of anything else. I sent the i-129f packet out a few weeks ago, i got the NOA1 saying they have received it.

could I send a request to expedite if my fiance wanted to come here and be able to enter school (university) by next year? would that be a viable reason or not?

[sitamari 3]

I am definitely not an expert on this, but I don't think it hurts to try. I would just frame your request within one of the USCIS guidelines to expedite. That was the first question they asked me when I called. If you can frame the request within those guidelines then I think it's worth a try!

LOVE IT!!!! so happy for you/yall! and kind of jealous... and wondering if I can do the same with my fiance in Mexico

Obviously we ALL (all k 1 visa people) want to be with our fiance's as soon as possible. I know I cant think of anything else. I sent the i-129f packet out a few weeks ago, i got the NOA1 saying they have received it.

could I send a request to expedite if my fiance wanted to come here and be able to enter school (university) by next year? would that be a viable reason or not?

[crystalanddalton 0]

WOW!!!!! I did not know they had expedited services. I have ran into some changes in my life that I am in need of my fiance getting here like two weeks ago! So does he still have to go through the interview process in Kingston? I have retained a lawywer do all my paperwork so do you think that will make a difference? Like should I have him do the request or should I do it myself? WOW!!! Congradulations to you for think so smart!

[sitamari 3]

WOW!!!!! I did not know they had expedited services. I have ran into some changes in my life that I am in need of my fiance getting here like two weeks ago! So does he still have to go through the interview process in Kingston? I have retained a lawywer do all my paperwork so do you think that will make a difference? Like should I have him do the request or should I do it myself? WOW!!! Congradulations to you for think so smart!

Thank you Crystal! I am so happy! As to your question, the expediting only applied to the i-129f petition. Now that I have the NOA2, as far as I know everything else progresses normally. Meaning, the application still goes through the National Visa Center, and Lance will still have to have his interview just like normal.

If you have circumstances that fit into the criteria for expediting then I think it could be worth it to call the USCIS and request it (it obviously worked for me).. On the other hand, since you are probably so close to having your NOA2 anyway, then I don't know if it will really speed much up for you.

Good luck!! I hope you get your NOA2 soon!! Maybe your fiance and mine will have their interviews right around the same time. :-)

Sita

[enquirer 0]

ENJOY THIS GREATEST GIFT OF GOD ESP. ON YOUR BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR INFO.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU.

VINAY

[sus 70]

While I am happy for you that your request for an expedite worked, it's not something that everyone should be trying to do - There is a valid reason sometimes for an expedite - Due to EMERGENCY circumstances, etc... - which are major changes / issues in your life - If everyone starts trying to request an expedite, all its going to do is tie up the system further and cause further delay for those that are impatiently waiting their turn.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Wait, am I reading this correctly? Losing one week's pay was good enough to prove "severe financial loss"?

There are people in serious emergency situations who don't get approved.

[MRStee 19]

I have to agree with Sus on this one... Although things worked out great for you its sad to think of others who needed their spouse with them for extreme circumstances. Just my opinion....

[sitamari 3]

I agree, people who have more extreme emergencies should apply for the expedite and should also receive it. Unfortunately I am not the USCIS and cannot control their decisions. I personally decided to request it based on my information and I'm happy the USCIS made the decision that they did. I thought this was the kind of group where I was supposed to share good news and share the information I was learning about the process with others going through the same thing, but I am new to this group so maybe I misunderstood.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

I agree, people who have more extreme emergencies should apply for the expedite and should also receive it. Unfortunately I am not the USCIS and cannot control their decisions. I personally decided to request it based on my information and I'm happy the USCIS made the decision that they did. I thought this was the kind of group where I was supposed to share good news and share the information I was learning about the process with others going through the same thing, but I am new to this group so maybe I misunderstood.

Sorry, I'm in no way faulting you for trying. I'm happy that it worked out in your favor. I'm simply wondering why/how it got approved when people in much worse situations end up having to wait. I guess that's just the way the system works.

[dap 5]

Congratulations on getting your expedite in. I understand that people are in more extreme situations (not sure what those situations could be since everyone on here is trying to get their loved ones here), but you did the work and got the results congratulations!

Good job of reading and understanding and getting it done! You go girl!

[Jim/Jan 1]

Re. a request to expedite a review of our 129F. My fiancee lives in a smal town south of Mexico City. Kidnapping has been a frequent event in her area. A member of her extended family (uncle) was actually kidnapped this year until a ransonm was paid. She received a call this week demanding money from her to prevent her form being kidnapped. The police are totally ineffective in their work. Is this grounds for me to request a review?

[hoaphuong 0]

Hi stitamari,

Do you still have the fax number for the VSC? I just called them this morning to request expedite, but might reasons weren't approve, so they denied my expedition. So i would like to send a letter to them. By any chance, can you help me with the number? thanks

[katt_henry 1]

wow..so happy for you..do u think we can expedite my fiance visa too?We have a 4 month old baby girl and she is a US citizen by birth since we took time to report her birth before my fiance went back to the states...he is concerned about the baby's safety...since he heard about the news of baby kidnappings here in the phils...can we make this as our reason???badly need help!!thank u!