Unbelievably short Timelines

[The Mean Lady 604]

what's with all of the html breaks?

[speedwell 224]

<br /><br /><br />Someone much smarter than me put it best when he/she said that the extremely short and long timelines screw up the real number as to how long the silent majority shall wait.

Uh, actually, that WAS me.

what's with all of the html breaks?

Someone's using the angle brackets instead of the square brackets.

[The Mean Lady 604]

Uh, actually, that WAS me.

Someone's using the angle brackets instead of the square brackets.

But you can just push the enter key...........

[speedwell 224]

OMG, I've seen your desk and your boss called and asked if you had completed that thing he asked you to do last October... )

Nice try. Switched groups in the department in December, haha!

[StephAnn2012 50]

<br />Uh, actually, that WAS me.  <img src='http://static-forums.visajourney.com/public/style_emoticons/default/blush.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /><br /><br /><br />Someone's using the angle brackets instead of the square brackets.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

My Firefox does all the bracketing for me. I just use # tags and pseudonyms.

[AKSinghSingh79 143]

I'm choosing to read the OP's post as saying that the statistical outlier early approvals are legitimate, but that their data points are not helpful in compiling an estimate of when the average case filing should be expected to occur, any more than we should count the data points of outliers who have been waiting longer than a year. Approvals that are that early skew the timelines on this site, too, and it's frustrating to see the algorithm show such an early approval date when the reality is so likely to be different.

Well said.

Yes, the outliers should be scrapped, both far left and far right. There are also so many variables unaccounted for on VJ (expedites, military, filed from abroad, DCF, etc....) that offset the estimated approval rates and then there's the members on VJ that never complete their timelines.

I wish USCIS would release raw data so we could get an actual real number in regards to processing rates.

By the way, do you use any particualr statistical program to get your numbers?

[speedwell 224]

Well said.

Yes, the outliers should be scrapped, both far left and far right. There are also so many variables unaccounted for on VJ (expedites, military, filed from abroad, DCF, etc....) that offset the estimated approval rates and then there's the members on VJ that never complete their timelines.

I wish USCIS would release raw data so we could get an actual real number in regards to processing rates.

By the way, do you use any particualr statistical program to get your numbers?

Nope, I use an old-fashioned Excel spreadsheet to collect the information I get by entering each number manually into Online Case Status. Then I apply simple filters and sorts.

Edited February 10, 2013 by speedwell

[EminTX 131]

<br /><br /><br />

I think there was a moral lesson in that post. Keep your files only as thick as necessary to tell your story, right?

HA! I honestly didn't believe how complicated his situation was until I was helping him with his paperwork and to change lawyers. (The first one, while very successful, was painfully obviously a shyster.)

This was my first exposure to the ####### that is our immigration system. Inefficient, wasteful, and discouraging. So much blantant fraud and so many people doing things right that are delayed, paying for those delays (in a variety of ways), and politicians offering amnesty to line jumpers. Sigh.

Regarding file sizes, I am always shocked by the people on here that brag about including hundreds of pages of chat logs as "evidence". I can't see how that ever would help anyone's case and I am pretty sure that if I had to deal with that in my job, those would automatically go on the bottom of the stack. It's just triage, plain and simple--help out the most people you can in the shortest time--if it takes 3x or 5x or 10x longer to deal with your file, it probably won't be dealt with first. Or second. Or anytime soon. (I wouldn't put a separate caseload in front of it, though.)

[TBoneTX 43,326]

The blazingly-rapidly-approved file might have been pulled from newly received files to be used in a training exercise.

(Organizer hat on)

*** Thread moved from CR-1 Case Progress to the USCIS Service Centers forum -- chief thrust of topic is the mystery and variance of processing times, which affects more than one visa type. ***

[Alex&Amy 28]

Most of those timelines are filed from abroad.

That's why they approve so fast.

Your over exaggeration, however, was hilarious.

Thank you for that.

Does filing abroad actually change anything?

[ca_poppy 1]

If you're legally residing in a foreign country for over six months then...sometimes, maybe. Not in my case. I don't know what the deal is now that they've started routing cases to local offices. When we filed, we were hoping to be routed to the "auto-expedite" at California Service Center. We got stuck at Vermont for six months instead.

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

<br /><br /><br />

Blondie, what gave you the idea that there was a hint of jealousy in my post? Could it be the part where I said, "even if it is true, (congratulations, I'm jealous)? I'm just spit balling here, but I bet that might have misled you to believe that there was a "hint" of jealousy and for that misunderstanding, please forgive me.

It could not be categorized as a "hint" of anything, more of an overt gut reaction. Kind of like when I am at the popsicle stand waiting with all of my other friends in the hot summer sun, just waiting "in line" for our turn and then a pretty girl walks up to the front of the line to simply "ask" the popsicle guy Andy where she should get in line and Andy smiles at her and asks what she wants. The whole time I'm thinking "hey what's up with that?" Me and friend Mikey have been waiting here all day for the new Caramel Nutty Buddy and that's the one she tells Andy that she'll have. That is more of the feeling I was trying to convey.

So go enjoy your Caramel Nutty Buddy, by the way, Andy told me when I finally got up to the front of the line when it was my turn, Andy told me he gave you the last one! (envy)

You should come join the Jaded thread, perhaps we could make an exception for a K1 filer

There is no "OMG look at me, I was approved in under the time since you've been waiting a response back for your expedite request" allowed there.

Edited February 10, 2013 by Nola123

[JTB11 1,079]

Although I found your post highly amusing I also found a hint of, to put it in the easiest way possible, jealously.

Our petition was approved within 28days and I have my interview this Monday. We filed at the end of October before my fiancé was deployed to Afghanistan with the US Air Force. We were thinking of expediting and although we looked into it, we didn't. I still dont know to this day why we were approved so fast but very thankful we were. The only thing we could think of was that the person who processed our case was fond of the military.

From talking to other people on VJ, I understand that their petitions are taking a rather long time and it must be frustrating for them...yourself included. I'm sure your NOA2 will come through soon. Try not to think about other petitions and just remember that sooner rather than later you will be with your loved one. I personally think the whole process is like a game of snakes and ladders. I guess we were just lucky and rolled a double 6 but im sure you'll be climbing that ladder soon!

[Xanax 349]

There is no magic formula! Using a lawyer won't make your process fasting, being named "Trump" won't help you.

The thing is , they [the people who get approved so quickly] generally did nothing, they were lucky. You just need to be content to wait. I am sorry you are so annoyed

Try not to get to "frustrated". Being annoyed at people because their process was quicker than yours doesn't help you, it will just cause you more distress. Be happy for those approved ahead of you and look forward to your approval, after-all, 1 less form in the pile means you're one step closer to your approval too

Edited February 10, 2013 by Xanax

[StephAnn2012 50]

Thanks Xanax, I feel better now. Xanax always makes me feel better.