Advice/Options waiting on NOA2

[A + M 29]

Options? Advice?

A lot of patience!

Good luck!

[Dractul 0]

To the original poster...

My fiancee and I are in the same exact boat. I looked at your post and asked my fiancee via SKYPE if she had posted it since it is almost verbatim what our situation is...

I have talked to USCIS ALOT - they can't help. They know NOTHING other than what is on the webpage that YOU can already read.

They CAN NOT/ WILL NOT contact the service center. As far as I can tell; the service centers are not allowed to use telephones and the different offices in USCIS are not allowed to acknowledge/pass information/talk/look at/each other... under any circumstance. Government bureaucratic nonsense at its very very best.

Your Congressman (actually his representative) will receive the same email / canned response that you do.

USCIS will ALWAYS tell you to wait.

So... wait. Try to keep your fiancee/fiance from pulling their hair out... stay positive with one another and be patient.

In these cases - love is the glue that holds us all together across all the miles.

[Rufus2012 175]

My guess is that some congressman and senators have a channel into USCIS that could get you approved fairly quickly. However, it's not one that you're get access to if you walk in off the street and ask. If you're influential or a major campaign donor, maybe, but most of us just have to accept the fact that there's going to be a wait.

[Scafidi454 22]

Hello all,

I am hoping someone more knowledgeable than myself can give me some advice or options on how to proceed given the following situation.

My I-129F application hit the 5 month mark today since the NOA1. I called the USCIS nationwide line at 1-800-375-5283 and proceeded through the system until I reached a customer service representative.

She was pleasant with me and answered my questions to the best of her knowledge. She was starting the process to open a service request for me when she came back and told me the following:

CSC is backlogged and is only processing applications for June 16. So, she told me she can't open a service request given that information. I asked her if CSC is reporting that they are processing application from June 16, why are there applications submitted in late July (15th-22nd) that are being approved. She couldn't/wouldn't answer that question and offered to transfer me to secondary customer support.

I was transferred to Officer Lopez. She was also pleasant but unhelpful. She re-iterated the processing time of June 16th and that she couldn't open a service request because of that. When I asked her why applications from right around my NOA1 time are getting approved, she responded that some officers work faster than others and my application must be in a stack of someone who is behind/slow/something else. Since I don't know enough of the inner workings of the CSC, I have no way to refute this claim.

So, my hope is that someone on Visa Journey can give me some helpful advice or options. Or even just a sympathetic ear. I am really hoping there are some more options to pursue to get our application approved. Please help VJ'ers!

Thank you for taking the time to read! And MANY thanks for any advice or help!

Cliff notes:

CSC - I-129F - NOA1 on July 20th - 5 month mark today

USCIS customer service says CSC only at June 16th for processing so won't open a service request

VJ'ers reporting approvals from NOA1's around my application (July 18 to July 21)

secondary support says that our application is just unlucky and stuck on a slow officer's desk

Options? Advice? Is that really the way it works at the processing centers?

I don't see that the I-129F for CSC shows a back logged date - The representatives usually are only authorized to tell us what is publicly available at: https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do

These haven't been updated yet for the month of December (they are supposed to be updated around the middle-of-the-month). I assume the holidays are what's prevented them from being updated yet.

Anyhow, I'm starting my 4th month of waiting. I haven't received any "touches" on my application since it's started. The other day I had something from USCIS, and I drove 50 miles out of the way to go get it (round trip). It was just an aknowledgment letter for the change-of-address I submitted for my fiance. So, I'm not sure if that means that they've looked at my paperwork or not, but I'd assume that if there was something they would have notified me or will notify me soon (knock on wood).

[Amy_and_Victor 159]

DO A CONGRESSMAN'S INQUIRY! Find your local congressman's office and call n visit to give them permission to inquire on your behalf; worked for many VJ'ers saw an approval same or next day. they person at my office said if i didnt hear back anything within 5 days. she'd call again but it wasnt needed (check out my timeline)

We did it but got nothing. Congressman got the same answer from USCIS as everybody hears by the phone, and he couldn't help us at all, just told that if we will not hear answer from USCIS in 45 days (we already close to 6 months mark since filing!), we can try to contact him again. [Victor from Russia]

[Waiting_Sugar 1]

Hello all,

I am hoping someone more knowledgeable than myself can give me some advice or options on how to proceed given the following situation.

My I-129F application hit the 5 month mark today since the NOA1. I called the USCIS nationwide line at 1-800-375-5283 and proceeded through the system until I reached a customer service representative.

She was pleasant with me and answered my questions to the best of her knowledge. She was starting the process to open a service request for me when she came back and told me the following:

CSC is backlogged and is only processing applications for June 16. So, she told me she can't open a service request given that information. I asked her if CSC is reporting that they are processing application from June 16, why are there applications submitted in late July (15th-22nd) that are being approved. She couldn't/wouldn't answer that question and offered to transfer me to secondary customer support.

I was transferred to Officer Lopez. She was also pleasant but unhelpful. She re-iterated the processing time of June 16th and that she couldn't open a service request because of that. When I asked her why applications from right around my NOA1 time are getting approved, she responded that some officers work faster than others and my application must be in a stack of someone who is behind/slow/something else. Since I don't know enough of the inner workings of the CSC, I have no way to refute this claim.

So, my hope is that someone on Visa Journey can give me some helpful advice or options. Or even just a sympathetic ear. I am really hoping there are some more options to pursue to get our application approved. Please help VJ'ers!

Thank you for taking the time to read! And MANY thanks for any advice or help!

Cliff notes:

CSC - I-129F - NOA1 on July 20th - 5 month mark today

USCIS customer service says CSC only at June 16th for processing so won't open a service request

VJ'ers reporting approvals from NOA1's around my application (July 18 to July 21)

secondary support says that our application is just unlucky and stuck on a slow officer's desk

Options? Advice? Is that really the way it works at the processing centers?

How did they say their on June 16 if on this website everyone in July is starting to receive thier approvals..

I think Your almost there,, I have a feeling ull get urs by this month or the begining of nxt month max!

Goodluck, I know how this unnaccaptable waiting feels...

D

[T ♥ G 0]

YOu should call the Uscis gov for ur case updates, that was my fiance did when we hit the 5month approx date, and after for hours we received an updates through txt and email, and we got approved....

[Fil-Am 1]

i would say give it till after the holidays hopefully you should hear something good then.

happy holidays! we waited for 6 months.goodluck!

[T&A2010 <3 0]

i would wait until the holiday season is over, im sure they are all lazy and don't want to do anything right now hopefully something will come after the new years stay positive

[Ro Damon 7]

We did it but got nothing. Congressman got the same answer from USCIS as everybody hears by the phone, and he couldn't help us at all, just told that if we will not hear answer from USCIS in 45 days (we already close to 6 months mark since filing!), we can try to contact him again. [Victor from Russia]

Awh ghee...Hang in there. but just to note to you all. Im not sure but the Friend of mines that I knew from college that was my community liaison at the congressman's office said she had to wait exactly 1 motnh after the 5 months mark...I had signed the form giving them permission as my timeline states then I called two days after and asked when she'd call...she said Thurs which was 1 month later. I didnt question it at the time but the Wednesday i called and asked why cant she do it now...and thts what she said. she has to wait exactly at 1 month *shugg shoulder* idk but ya....

Good luck to everyone.

Ro

i would wait until the holiday season is over, im sure they are all lazy and don't want to do anything right now hopefully something will come after the new years stay positive

yes, CHEERS TO THAT!

Ro

[Hank_ 9,173]

try sending CSC a nice christmas present

Like a good Scotch maybe !!

Battle Hill

Not sure it will speed up the process, but then neither will calling his congressman at this time....

[Gosia & Tito 199]

Do a service request (reason being after 5 months y calling the uscis) DIDNT WORK FOR ME, GOT THE SAME INFO I KNOW, "PENDING"

Do an infopass (dont kno how that works lol i didnt do that ) some ppl saw results

DO A CONGRESSMAN'S INQUIRY! Find your local congressman's office and call n visit to give them permission to inquire on your behalf; worked for many VJ'ers saw an approval same or next day. they person at my office said if i didnt hear back anything within 5 days. she'd call again but it wasnt needed (check out my timeline)

write them an email saying its over the 5 months mark, CSC.NCSCFollowup@uscis.dhs.gov. Be sure to provide all info, about ur case, i.e case receipt no. names DOBs etc (just got a reply today from a lady, "Linda" saying it was approved. emails them on Dec 7th and the inquiry with the congressman was made the 8th so her email was sooo late but at least we see they do check emails and get back to us)

Last option is to sit and wait my pet (but we aggressive ppl cant ever do that haha)

best of luck

Ro

Second this. When ours hit the 5 month mark (and at the time, the USCIS service times indicated 5 months for a 129), I started calling. Got several stories, from calling back in 90 days, to the backlog one. Contacted my Congress rep. His site indicated exactly how to do it (release of information forms, etc). Day letter get an acknolwledge he's got my letter and 2-3 days later get a letter saying they have contacted USCIS and case is in review, etc....3 days later I get the NOA2...Coincidence? Maybe, but others have reported similar stories when Congress rep got involved. You lose nothing and can gain everything. It would only cost a stamp.

[Mark + Melissa 49]

CSC - I-129F - NOA1 on July 20th - 5 month mark today

Mine is dated July 7th.....

[joonphon 7]

I bet you and I do have the same person who's looking at our case! LOL.. wait a couple more weeks and then call again.. They didn't look at our case until 2-3 weeks after our 5 months marked and now we got RFE... so we'll be waiting for a couple more months(I hope it isn't taking that long)! hahahaha right now just enjoy your holiday

Edited December 21, 2011 by joonphon

[baron555 934]

I understand there are people waiting longer than me. I am not asking for special treatment. But, I also think adding my voice to those that are waiting and not satisfied with the current system might help push it towards change at some point. The USCIS could make some changes that would make our life and their life easier.

USCIS operates under regulations set forth by our Congress. Rather than voicing here, you should voice to your Congressmen.