Confused...

[thebaileyohana 1]

We filed our I-130 petition along with a Request to Expedite the application process to the Chicago Lockbox for IR-1/CR-1 and received our NOA-1 on Feb 6, 2014.

Then on Feb 26, 2014 I phoned to inquire if they had seen our Request to Expedite that we had attached to the petition application. They said they had no indication of that. :0 However, the lady went and put in a request for me. I received an email with this response...

"We are unable to expedite your application at this time as we are waiting for your biometrics to be taken. When you receive your biometric notice, you may go to the appointment location on an earlier date than scheduled. If they are able to accommodate you, they will do so. Once you have completed your biometrics you may resubmit your expedite request. Please be advised that an emergent need must be presented."

So... I have a few questions.

1. How long does it take to receive the biometrics notice?

2. Is the biometric notice the same as the NOA-2?

Does anyone have suggestions on how I should proceed? If I should make some calls or is it just a waiting game now?

Anyone feedback and advice is appreciated! Thanks so much.

[Hypnos 6,576]

1) Usually within a couple of weeks of receiving the receipts.

2) No.

[blk 87]

The biometrics appointment is for them to take your fingerprints & photograph.

[Ryan H 3,796]

For the IR-1 visa process, biometrics are taken at interview time, this should not have any affect on an expedite request.

[thebaileyohana 1]

So I am thinking that USCIS has made an error. The next step after NOA-1 would be NOA-2 correct? So why did USCIS tell me they are waiting for biometrics from us before they can expedite anything?So weird.

[thebaileyohana 1]

Just to update so they basically told me that email about biometrics was a mistake. And that when I sent my request with the i-130 intially that they probably denied it and just didn't notify me that it was denied. #######??? And this immigration officer on the phone was just assuming and I asked him how to proceed whether I should file another request or contact a senator and he said, "No, you can't do anything. You have to wait 6-9 months like everyone else to get processed." TO me this doesn't make any sense I mean they didn't even look at all the evidence I sent with my request and hes just gonna say too bad for you. At least give me the fair chance of evaluating the evidence I sent in to support myrequest to expedite!!

Any suggestions or ideas on how I should proceed? Or what I can do to advocate for myself???

[ppihtr123 68]

What reason did you use for the expedite request?

[Novembro 1,763]

What reason did you use for the expedite request?

This.

[li_09 40]

When we initially sent in my petition we also included evidence to expedite and requested for it to be expedited in the cover letter. However I read in here somewhere that they don't really care about that and you have to call them. So my husband called as soon as we got noa1 and requested to be expedited. They emailed us a few days later 'requesting evidence' even though they had it already in our petition. My husband sent them the exact same evidence they already had then they approved it. I think your mistake was expecting them to expedite it when you sent in your paperwork.

Call them, put in a request to expedite, then provide evidence. Hopefully you get a different person.

Also when my husband first called the person he spoke to bluntly told him "you're not even in the country anymore so what's the rush to get her here" and flat out refused to put the request through. Thankfully my husband lives in a desert right now with such crappy phone service so the line cut out during that conversation. He called back, got someone else, and they put the request through.

Good luck

[thebaileyohana 1]

Thanks for the responses. The reason to expedite is based on medical reasons. My issue was that the immigration officer on the phone who first off had not even viewed the request, didn't have any evidence in front of him just decided to make the assumption that they probably denied it and told me that I would be denied in the future. Like no offense but #######, you know nothing about my medical condition so how could he tell me that my case would definitely not be expedited without viewing any of the evidence I provided?!!!

@li_09 thanks for the suggestion I will try that!

[NikLR 13,220]

Expedites on medical reasons is very tough to get approved, but you can try. The expedite request needs to be sent in after the I-130 has been accepted. The person you are talking to on the phone is just a call center employee. They are not someone who reviews any cases. BTW always make sure you're talking to a tier 2 not a tier 1. And if you don't like the person you're talking to, try calling back.