Processing timeframe for F2A

[keyshawn18 52]

I have a friend who is a permanent resident and he filed an I-130 for his wife who is outside the US.He filed the petition on October 7th and received a NOA 1 shortly afterwards.I have read here several times that the wait is 2 years or more but my friend was told that the wait is about 1 year.Can anyone confirm whether it is 1 year or more than two years?

Also can anyone please explain how the process works? What happens when he gets his NOA2? If he is on a 2 year wait does the paperwork get sent to the beneficiary's home country for processing or does the NVC wait till the 2 years before processing? I appreciate youtr answers and any further information.My friend has been in the US for almost three years.My other question is , will he get his current request approved before he files for his citizenship in about 2 years?

Thanks.

[aaron2020 11,651]

I have a friend who is a permanent resident and he filed an I-130 for his wife who is outside the US.He filed the petition on October 7th and received a NOA 1 shortly afterwards.I have read here several times that the wait is 2 years or more but my friend was told that the wait is about 1 year.Can anyone confirm whether it is 1 year or more than two years?

Also can anyone please explain how the process works? What happens when he gets his NOA2? If he is on a 2 year wait does the paperwork get sent to the beneficiary's home country for processing or does the NVC wait till the 2 years before processing? I appreciate youtr answers and any further information.My friend has been in the US for almost three years.My other question is , will he get his current request approved before he files for his citizenship in about 2 years?

Thanks.

Approval of the I-130 your friend file is only the first step. Generally, an approved I-130 is sent to the NVC to wait for an available visa in the family preference categories before it can be processed further.

Your friend petitioned for his wife in the F2a family preference category (LPR petitioning for a spouse). The day that USCIS receives the I-130 is his wife's Priority Date. Her PD is essentially her place in line to apply for a visa.

For Feb 2012, the current PD in the F2a category is June 8, 2009. This information is in the Visa Bulletin; http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_1360.html This means only those beneficiaries with I-130 petitions filed on or before June 8, 2009, can apply for visas. These spouses of LPRs have been waiting almost 3 years to apply for a visa.

Generally, USCIS approves the petition well ahead of when a PD is about to become current. Your friend's petition can be approved in a few weeks, a few months, or a few years. It doesn't really matter since his wife would still need to wait for her PD to become current before she can apply for a visa.

[keyshawn18 52]

Thank you.This is the best and most detailed explanation I have received on this topic.I appreciate it.