why r some people approved so fast and others r not?

[amandas1216 8]

my case is pretty clean cut i thought!i just dont understand!?

[DanNNina 5]

Honestly, a lot of it is just the luck of the draw. Waiting is the hardest part, but eventually our number is pulled. Patience is truly needed for the process. Sometimes it is as simple as you have a slower processor, or one that is more diligent. Eventually we all get there, but the waiting isn't easy.

[la2011 5]

my case is pretty clean cut i thought!i just dont understand!?

My new favorite saying is "THE USCIS WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS"

LMBO...

seriously, it's all a big mystery. Sometimes, it has to do with the country of the beneficiary, the amount of petitions received, the local field office, who's on vacation, off sick etc. And in other times, we just dont know I know it's annoying as heck (preach to the choir!) but all it is, is a waiting game. As I've heard someone else say on this board, "it's best to get a hobby" to avoid going crazy.

Mine's tanning right now Sad, sad, sad!

[amandas1216 8]

they say we have a priority date.i dont see any good in that when people r getting approved before and after my date!seems like certain countries r pretty fast...what does that mean?like low crime rates or no terrior suspects?makes me mad....theres good and bad everywhere!

[keysjangle 145]

It's like asking "how long is a piece of string?".

There's no real answer.

Be patient. Every case is different.

[mounir412 101]

Patience....Patience.....Patience

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Inappropriate comment has been removed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moderator's 'hat' off . . .

There doesn't seem to be any real rhyme or reason why some petitions are processed faster than others. You have received some good responses here. The petition stage happens in the US. They process many other types of petitions as well as the I-130s and it seems like they go in 'waves' with a focus on different petition types based on the backloads in those petition types. So, not only are you waiting for all of the I-130 petitions filed ahead of yours to be reviewed, you are also having to wait for whatever other petition types are receiving priority at the time. Right now it does seem to be about 5 to 6 months average to get a spousal petition approved. It wasn't that long ago, however, that they were taking 8 and 9 months to be approved so it has got a bit better.

When I was going through the process in 2003 my petition took over 6 months, and I was so frustrated to see petitions for people in other countries get approved faster. At the petition stage it really has very little to do with the beneficiary's country, though, and more to do with the process at USCIS.

The greater variability in waiting time occurs once the petition gets to the Consulate overseas. Some process them very quickly - within 2 months, some take 5 or 6 months and there are few that take longer. A reasonable 'guesstimate' to plan on for when he is able to come to the US on his approved visa is about a year. from the initial filing If it is faster, then that is great, and if it is slower, it is usually not too much longer.

Good luck and hang in there. Remember, good things are worth waiting for..

Edited August 17, 2011 by Kathryn41

[amandas1216 8]

thanks kathryn...just depressed and stressful on our marriage...

[iwuvcheshert 6]

hang in there.. i'm sure it would be fast enough soon.. do something worthwhile while you're waiting.. would keep your mind off of what's going on..

[gfprincess 0]

Amanda,

We've just been assigned an interview date -245 days from the date our I-130 was received -that looks to be pretty standard. Truly, even with all your paperwork in order, I think the timeline is pretty arbitrary.

From my experience, I can say that the pressure on our long-distance relationship was hardest during the petition process. You have no idea when it's going to end, and you have this feeling of powerlessness that some stranger has command over your future...hhhh...so you and your husband don't make any firm long-term plans together, and yet you're newlyweds and you have this innate drive to want to start settling into life together....it's tough, tough, tough. But of course, on the upside, all this hardship will only strengthen a strong relationship. I really believe this whole immigration/long-distance business is a good opportunity to refine your communication skills.

But surely like you, I checked in on Igor's List regularly and watched one-by-one as couples who'd submitted their I-130 petitions before and after us were being approved. At around 4-months (May 2011) I started to panic that there was something wrong with our case or our file was lost...who knows. I don't generally cry much, but man I was emotionally fragile, breaking down from all the pressure and crying daily. Same for my USC husband.

Two-weeks shy of 5-months, we asked if the congressman's office could inquire on the progress of our petition. and BANG!!! We were approved (NOA-2) the very next day.

Don't know if that was coincidence, but that's how it happened. That "approved" moment is a great relief, and eases some of the pressure, but there's still more waiting after that.

Hang-in there, you're still pretty early in the process -prepare yourselves for a bit of a wait.

DMV

[amandas1216 8]

we just had a fight cuz of stress...i feel so hopeless and sad....he says i have to say sorry before he talk to me...i only need him here for me more than he is!dont know what to do anymore...

[keysjangle 145]

Don't get so obsessed over the waiting. Only negativity will come from it. Find something to keep your mind busy, stay occupied, and get on with your life.

[brettdresseur 0]

The problem with this process is that it never adds up to if you do A and B you get the visa. This process is a ####### shoot when it comes to time and having visas issued. The only thing that really saved us is that we started researching this process a year before we were married (we wanted to know which route was the best one for us) and since he works abroad we knew we were in for a long haul.

You are at Cal Service Center, they have been moving pretty fast but this is definitely a process. There are even certain times of the year which have longer waits than other times. Just try to go about your business, talk to your husband and just live. Check my timeline and the timelines of others over in the Turkish portal to get a better feel of what you have in store. Judging by what we went through and what a few of the others went through, your NOA 2 can be right around the corner.

[Mariye & Ky 172]

Hi Amanda,

You know our case is an I-129F, and to our surprise we were approved sooner than the 5 mos we anticipated (it was at the 4 mos mark ). However, at that time no matter if we got approved earlier than the 5 mos, it wouldn't have mattered to us as Kadir was on the USAF base in Iraq and he would have to stay another 2 mos to finish his contract. When he did get home to Adana, A Total Surprise to us, we breezed through NVC in 5 days which I thought would take another month! Our file had already reached the US Embassy for interview... A change of plans occurs!

Unfortunately, his father took very ill. Even with our interview, and our plans for his arrival and our wedding here in the States, we felt we needed to put our plans aside so he could be there at a very critical time with the family. Thus, even with our early approval, a family emergency takes priority. We had a plan B for the "just in case" and the Just in Case happened! Uh Oh!! lol, but it's all very good, really!!

So you see? Sometimes things change and it's still OK. Your love for one another will sustain through the best and worst times. Focus on a very happy and solid future, work to edify that, think very positively and as Brettdresseur says, Live! If you can be resilient and still consistently focussed when your VJ gets really stressful, you two will be great together as a team in any situation.

Best to you Amanda and Hubby!

Mari and Kadir

PS: Please come join us in the Turk Kahvesi and meet everyone! Here's the Link:

http://www.visajourn...e/page__st__720

[amandas1216 8]

thanks mari and kadir...u r really nice!and brettdresseur thanks!if it wasnt for such nice people like u id not know what to feel!i know this is harder than even a breakup with someone!its the not knowing how or when!