USC petitioner living abroad

[Mntjc 14]

Hello everyone,

We filled from abroad in October and, like a lot of people here, are wondering what's going to happen... So far we have an MSC number (online status not working) and have been waiting for a couple of weeks.

I've been reading and trying to understand the changes as best as I can but I feel like nobody really knows how much the waiting times will be impacted.

If anybody has more accurate data, let me know!

Good luck to all of us

[Rajamundis 1]

Hello, same case here.

Both my wife and I are living here in Spain, receive the MSC # the 30 oct. and still waiting for the NOA1 letter. I read that our case could be "auto-expedited" since we are both living abroad, but I´m not so sure since we have the MSC code.

Anybody knowing more information about all of this?

[ALSA 2]

My I-130 was just approved a few days ago. I haven't received my hard copy so I don't know exactly where it was processed. It was transferred to a USCIS office from Vermont on September the 13th. It took them exactly 2 months to process my case after transfer, Less than 3 months since I mailed it out. I don't know if it was "auto-expedited" like they used to do it, but I know it was fast. I will come back and update you guys as to where it was processed when I receive the hard copy.

[Darnell 8,478]

Thanks so much for the report, ALSA !!

[ebe 6]

yay, ALSA, glad to hear your good news! hope that we can say the same, too, soon. I filed shortly after you.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Any updates? It seems that we are in the regular queue now...

[MeredythB 38]

We got our NOA1 notification today via email. Also included in the email was the notice that we've been forwarded to NBC. I'm curious and anxious to see what impact the new processes are going to have on our timeline. As far as I've read here, transfer to NBC simply means that we'll be transferred again to another field office? Am I incorrect in believing that?

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

We got our NOA1 notification today via email. Also included in the email was the notice that we've been forwarded to NBC. I'm curious and anxious to see what impact the new processes are going to have on our timeline. As far as I've read here, transfer to NBC simply means that we'll be transferred again to another field office? Am I incorrect in believing that?

No one knows for sure where the people who file abroad are going because we don't really have a field office. I guess we'll have to see.

[SamF 0]

From what I understand, USCIS has several Field Offices all over the United States (different from the Service centers), and some abroad too. This is probably where the files are forwarded.

I also got an email from the USCIS office in Frankfurt, and they told me that people from Germany can still file directly with them. I would guess it is the same with people in Italy and United Kingdom, and probably every country with a USCIS office (so not France nor Belgium unfortunately).

It seems like it's back to the way it was before, 3-4 months to get a I-130 approved, and then 3-8 months until interview, depending on the service center, just like if applying from the US.

I hope that helps.

[lucybelle 453]

Any more updates about people filing from abroad getting NOA2?

Seems like there is no more "auto expedite" any more.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Any more updates about people filing from abroad getting NOA2?

Seems like there is no more "auto expedite" any more.

I saw someone in the last few days at 56 days to NOA2 with a file abroad, but that might just be a NBC thing.

We're at 3 weeks, so it is still early for us...

Anyone else?

Edited December 6, 2012 by Nola123

[ebe 6]

I was just approved! Living abroad and sent the petition mid September. 76 days, not bad but not super fast either. The good thing about living abroad is you're there with the person at least, so a bit more time isn't always that bad (assuming you like the country okay, i suppose!)

Good luck to the rest of you, hope you'll be getting good news soon as well.

[OriZ 3,157]

Priority date Oct 2nd here, filed from abroad, hoping to get NOA2 sometime this month, but not gonna hold my breath.

[Darnell 8,478]

Seems the days of 2 week approvals at CSC have gone the way of the dodo since all casefiles have been going to MSC (since the 15th o August) .

Crud.

[Mntjc 14]

Still waiting for us too... I remember checking this topic everyday and reading about new expedited cases all the time!

I still check VJ very often but we now get so little data that it's hard to guess what will happen for us.

VJ keeps giving me an NOA2 estimate for the end of December (it's moving very often but stays in the same range).

I hate waiting without any reliable deadline to look forward to...