Processing Time Difference between IR of Citizen to Permanent Residents

[Niraj 4]

I was just going through Processing Time Information of Vermont Service Center where my I-130 is being processed.
We can see difference between processing time for Relative of US Citizen and of Permanent Resident, which is shown below.

Form-----Title-------------------------------Classification or Basis for Filing-------------------------------Processing Timeframe
I-130------Petition for Alien Relative-----Permanent resident filling for a spouse or child under 21-----5 Months
I-130------Petition for Alien Relative-----U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21------February 13, 2013


As shown in the table, current I-130's of Relative of US Citizen are at Feb 13 while of Permanent Residents can be around July or August. Is it true ?

If yes why so, that the Permanent Residents are given first preference ?

Although I am a Relative of Permanent Resident and its good for me, but I was just curious.


Regards,

[Ryan H 3,791]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to USCIS Service Centers forum; topic is about petition processing times.

[Salo&Romashka 83]

They don't receive as many petitions from Legal Residents as they do from U.S. citizens and that makes the line longer for U.S. citizens. You would think that the $420 paid should be enough to cover the cost of the adjudication and that USCIS could allocate resources based on a prediction how many cases they are going to receive each month). However, if you glance at processing volume data you'll see each month that while USCIS averages more and more I-130 petitions, completions have become fewer and fewer.

[thedude6752000 360]

They don't receive as many petitions from Legal Residents as they do from U.S. citizens and that makes the line longer for U.S. citizens. You would think that the $420 paid should be enough to cover the cost of the adjudication and that USCIS could allocate resources based on a prediction how many cases they are going to receive each month). However, if you glance at processing volume data you'll see each month that while USCIS averages more and more I-130 petitions, completions have become fewer and fewer.

There's a lot more to it than than that. When an IR/CR-1 gets through the USCIS, the NVC picks up their cases and starts adjudicating it as soon as they have people available to do so. When an F2A comes in, they wait to process it until the PD becomes current. They try to get the F2A's out the door faster because they have a longer wait at the NVC. They want the NVC to pick up their case as soon as the PD becomes current.

[Ryan H 3,791]

There's a lot more to it than than that. When an IR/CR-1 gets through the USCIS, the NVC picks up their cases and starts adjudicating it as soon as they have people available to do so. When an F2A comes in, they wait to process it until the PD becomes current. They try to get the F2A's out the door faster because they have a longer wait at the NVC. They want the NVC to pick up their case as soon as the PD becomes current.

Just a small correction on semantics, the NVC doesn't adjudicate anything. Their purpose for IR-1/CR-1 cases is for intake of documents and checking to ensure what is needed is there.

[thedude6752000 360]

Just a small correction on semantics, the NVC doesn't adjudicate anything. Their purpose for IR-1/CR-1 cases is for intake of documents and checking to ensure what is needed is there.

But the NVC issues RFE's and also signs off on a lot of paperwork. They may not call it "adjudicating" but what also could you call their relatively lengthy process?

[Niraj 4]

They don't receive as many petitions from Legal Residents as they do from U.S. citizens and that makes the line longer for U.S. citizens. You would think that the $420 paid should be enough to cover the cost of the adjudication and that USCIS could allocate resources based on a prediction how many cases they are going to receive each month). However, if you glance at processing volume data you'll see each month that while USCIS averages more and more I-130 petitions, completions have become fewer and fewer.

Thank you all for your insightfull replies.

That means my case may run much faster than than that of Citizen Relative.

One more question.. am I considered IR1 beneficiary ? Because from all I read, IR is an Immediate Relative of "US Citizen" not permanent resident.

[Ryan H 3,791]

But the NVC issues RFE's and also signs off on a lot of paperwork. They may not call it "adjudicating" but what also could you call their relatively lengthy process?

They don't "sign off" on anything, they only review to ensure needed documents are there and forms are correctly filled out. NVC issues "checklists" not "RFE's" and if a checklist is issued, it's because a needed document was not included or a form was improperly filled out.