Have any K-1 experts seen this before?

[thatangela 134]

Today was the six-week anniversary of receiving our NOA-2 from California Service Center. It has been incredibly frustrating watching people with October dates even interview and yet still we have no case number from National Visa Center.

The NVC rep with whom I spoke today gave the spiel about emailing NVC Research. I told him I've done that already but I didn't know how long it would take. He (nicely) said it takes as long as their researchers need to find our case in the system.

In the meantime, he said I should call USCIS (1-800-375-5283) and ask for a Tier 2 rep to confirm that our case had even left CSC.

After getting through to a humandroid, I learned I couldn't be the one to make the call. They will release information only to the petitioner (i.e., the U.S. citizen).

So ...

My fiance calls and ends up in an 80-minute wait to speak to a Tier 2 officer. I have no sympathy for his time on hold, considering I've been calling NVC every day for the last six G.D. weeks. He just got through and was told that our paperwork was transferred to the Department of State. It is likely sitting on someone's desk in Spokane or Seattle.

The officer has put in a request for the paperwork to be actioned and this process usually takes seven to eight days.

Has anyone else seen this happen? Does any of it make sense at all?

Edited November 7, 2014 by thatangela

[usmsbow 802]

Today was the six-week anniversary of receiving our NOA-2 from California Service Center. It has been incredibly frustrating watching people with October dates even interview and yet still we have no case number from National Visa Center.

The NVC rep with whom I spoke today gave the spiel about emailing NVC Research. I told him I've done that already but I didn't know how long it would take. He (nicely) said it takes as long as their researchers need to find our case in the system.

In the meantime, he said I should call USCIS (1-800-375-5283) and ask for a Tier 2 rep to confirm that our case had even left CSC.

After getting through to a humandroid, I learned I couldn't be the one to make the call. They will release information only to the petitioner (i.e., the U.S. citizen).

So ...

My fiance calls and ends up in an 80-minute wait to speak to a Tier 2 officer. I have no sympathy for his time on hold, considering I've been calling NVC every day for the last six G.D. weeks. He just got through and was told that our paperwork was transferred to the Department of State. It is likely sitting on someone's desk in Spokane or Seattle.

The officer has put in a request for the paperwork to be actioned and this process usually takes seven to eight days.

Has anyone else seen this happen? Does any of it make sense at all?

So I'm in a similar situation with you, and that makes no sense. Someone's desk in Spokane or Seattle?? WHAT? Why?? Why would it be in the state of Washington?

Your fiancee should request a service request ASAP with USCIS. That's what I did. USCIS people also make up answers a lot of the time.

Here is a link I posted on another thread that's useful:

http://www.dhs.gov/cis-ombudsman-update-getting-most-out-your-call-uscis-national-customer-service-center

And your fiancee should contact his senators and congress person.

You basically have to attack this head on and be as pro-active as possible. Otherwise? Yeah, good luck.

[TBoneTX 45,543]

*** Thread moved from K-1 Process forum to the K-1 Case Progress subforum. ***

[thatangela 134]

So I'm in a similar situation with you, and that makes no sense. Someone's desk in Spokane or Seattle?? WHAT? Why?? Why would it be in the state of Washington?

Your fiancee should request a service request ASAP with USCIS. That's what I did. USCIS people also make up answers a lot of the time.

Here is a link I posted on another thread that's useful:

http://www.dhs.gov/cis-ombudsman-update-getting-most-out-your-call-uscis-national-customer-service-center

And your fiancee should contact his senators and congress person.

You basically have to attack this head on and be as pro-active as possible. Otherwise? Yeah, good luck.

Thanks, dude. I'm in total ####### mode right now. The IO has filed a service request. He said it should take seven to eight days to recover our file. If we haven't heard back in 13 days, we call again.

The abbreviation for "what the fudge" is even censored here? Wow. How vanilla.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

^{California is known to ship approved petitions in batches. You apparently missed the last one and are waiting for the next shipment.}

[Kay&Jay 44]

That's what its happening with CSC FILERS.

[Zedayn 485]

Today was the six-week anniversary of receiving our NOA-2 from California Service Center. It has been incredibly frustrating watching people with October dates even interview and yet still we have no case number from National Visa Center.

The NVC rep with whom I spoke today gave the spiel about emailing NVC Research. I told him I've done that already but I didn't know how long it would take. He (nicely) said it takes as long as their researchers need to find our case in the system.

In the meantime, he said I should call USCIS (1-800-375-5283) and ask for a Tier 2 rep to confirm that our case had even left CSC.

After getting through to a humandroid, I learned I couldn't be the one to make the call. They will release information only to the petitioner (i.e., the U.S. citizen).

So ...

My fiance calls and ends up in an 80-minute wait to speak to a Tier 2 officer. I have no sympathy for his time on hold, considering I've been calling NVC every day for the last six G.D. weeks. He just got through and was told that our paperwork was transferred to the Department of State. It is likely sitting on someone's desk in Spokane or Seattle.

The officer has put in a request for the paperwork to be actioned and this process usually takes seven to eight days.

Has anyone else seen this happen? Does any of it make sense at all?

It can take up to 8 weeks for the NVC to receive your case from the USCIS service center. NVC is a part of the Department of State, so when you were told that your "paperwork was transferred to the Department of State", it was really their way of saying it was sent to the NVC. It is likely sitting in the mail room in Portsmouth, NH.

Since your petition was already sent to the NVC, it is likely you will get your case # soon. Just be patient and call NVC every day until you have it. It took me 5 weeks to get our case number.

[usmsbow 802]

^{California is known to ship approved petitions in batches. You apparently missed the last one and are waiting for the next shipment.}

More like batches missed. It's been nearly 2 months since my NOA2 and nearly 6 weeks for the OP.

Edited November 7, 2014 by usmsbow

[usmsbow 802]

It can take up to 8 weeks for the NVC to receive your case from the USCIS service center. NVC is a part of the Department of State, so when you were told that your "paperwork was transferred to the Department of State", it was really their way of saying it was sent to the NVC. It is likely sitting in the mail room in Portsmouth, NH.

Since your petition was already sent to the NVC, it is likely you will get your case # soon. Just be patient and call NVC every day until you have it. It took me 5 weeks to get our case number.

You're making a big assumption: USCIS knows what it is talking about and in fact mailed the petition. Sometimes it drops the ball and it just sits there or they've made some other dumb mistake. I've read a handful of horror stories on this board (most notable is when USCIS has sent it to the NRC and not NVC).

Edit to add: where did you get that 8 week number? I've never heard that one before.

Edited November 7, 2014 by usmsbow

[thatangela 134]

More like batches missed. It's been nearly 2 months since my NOA2 and nearly 6 weeks for the OP.

Yeah, some people really aren't understanding what's happening here.

[Zedayn 485]

You're making a big assumption: USCIS knows what it is talking about and in fact mailed the petition. Sometimes it drops the ball and it just sits there or they've made some other dumb mistake. I've read a handful of horror stories on this board (most notable is when USCIS has sent it to the NRC and not NVC).

Edit to add: where did you get that 8 week number? I've never heard that one before.

A big assumption about what? I never disagreed with what USCIS has said.

The 8 week time frame comes directly from the NVC. If you call them, they will tell you it can take that long. This is due to increased workload of the NVC.

[usmsbow 802]

A big assumption about what? I never disagreed with what USCIS has said.

The 8 week time frame comes directly from the NVC. If you call them, they will tell you it can take that long. This is due to increased workload of the NVC.

I have called them 2-3 times a week for the past month and a half. Not ONE has told me 8 weeks. Not a single one. The longest I was told was 7 weeks, the most common answer was 25 business days.

Anyway, the reason I'm being ####### about this is if it has been more than a month since you (the general you) received your NOA2, you need to start doing as much as possible because the government takes forever to reply to your inquiries most of the time. While I understand your advice is to try to help the OP and others feel better about their situation, they shouldn't take solace in that and just sit back and hope for the best.

[d3adc0d3 186]

It took 6 1/2 weeks for my case to be transferred from TSC to NVC when I got my case #, last year. It can take up to 8 weeks until NVC gets your petition, and it's not that uncommon to not see your case in NVC's system for another 1-2 weeks after it's been reported as "delivered".

I know that patience is especially difficult since you just waited for 5+ months, however it is still needed. Once your case lands in the embassy's lap thing should move along much faster.

USCIS sends out approved petitions in batches. These batches lately have been getting further and further apart. Initially it was once a week, now it seems to be once every 2-3 weeks. Likely, they're trying to save on shipping, and shipping one big a$$ box to NVC with all the petitions, versus several small ones on a more regular basis.

Call again at the 8 week mark, and then call NVC every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to see if your case number has been assigned, for another 2 weeks. If it has not, then contact your local congressman, file a service request and hunker down again.

This is the U.S. Government, not Kohls. You're not a customer, you will not "always be right". The U.S. Government's unofficial policy is "hurry up and wait" and when it comes to admitting fault it is "Only admit fault when no else can take the blame."

Trust me, I understand the frustration, both as someone who's been through the K1 process, and as retired military having to deal with veteran's benefits... however, you need to do something productive about it. In the meantime, it's likely only a few weeks until you get packet 3 in the mail. I'd recommend that you look up the process for your consulate/embassy and see if your embassy has the packet 3 available for download on the embassy page (some do). Start preparing the paperwork you need, mail anything he or she may need at the interview, and see what you can do about setting up house and home for their arrival.

Keeping yourself busy will keep you sane.

Edited November 7, 2014 by d3adc0d3

[YamenWaad 45]

you're lucky my friend

we're waiting for NOA2

we haven't got it yet

[Zedayn 485]

I have called them 2-3 times a week for the past month and a half. Not ONE has told me 8 weeks. Not a single one. The longest I was told was 7 weeks, the most common answer was 25 business days.

Anyway, the reason I'm being ####### about this is if it has been more than a month since you (the general you) received your NOA2, you need to start doing as much as possible because the government takes forever to reply to your inquiries most of the time. While I understand your advice is to try to help the OP and others feel better about their situation, they shouldn't take solace in that and just sit back and hope for the best.

I have called them well over 100 times, every day over a 4 week period, until I had my case number. I've had many give me the generalized "it can take up to 8 weeks" speech when I still didn't have my case number a full month after NOA2. Eventually it came and I waited 5 weeks for it. The only thing you can do at this point is wait. If the 8 weeks pass and still nothing, then is the time I would suggest putting in a service request. You are still within the normal processing times of the NVC.