Sharing on i130 hold due to Background and Security checks...

[UnaMexicana 153]

Guys,

Has the processing of your i130 been placed on hold due to background/security checks?

Can you please share your experience/any reasons you believe it could have happened/how long did it take for clearance?

I know all cases are different but at seven months wait, I feel helpless.

Thanks,

UnaMexicana

[Samad09 4]

I am almost at 9 months and its been showing case placed on processing hold due to security checks for the past 3 months. Not sure and I can't seem to find much info on this issue either.

[UnaMexicana 153]

I am almost at 9 months and its been showing case placed on processing hold due to security checks for the past 3 months. Not sure and I can't seem to find much info on this issue either.

Hi KSAMAD,

Have you tried filing an eRequest? We filed one and we received that dreaded reply... We had to wait 30 days and only today we were finally able to place a second inquiry.

It has been 8 months for us. I have seen a few people on the ALL Nebraska filers forum that are in the same situation as us

Do you have a lawyer? What have you tried so far (congressional inquiry, senator help, ombudsman, infopass)? Some say none of that work in our situation... but I just want to know if you have tried.

Hopefully we will hear something positive soon.

UnaMexicana

[Samad09 4]

I have filed two service requests. The first one was through the e-request on January 20th, 2014 and we received the reply on February 20thish (don't remember the exact date but it was almost 30 days)

The second, I requested a service inquiry over the phone on March 10th, 2015 and we received the reply on March 26th, 2015. Both times they stated that the case was on a processing hold due to the background security checks.

I also set up account access online and the last update on the receipt number was the date it was received (aside the service inquiries). Not sure if thats relevant.

Additionally, I frequently travel to the Middle East and Pakistan and have global entry and nexus (which is why I am at a complete loss as to the additional security. You would think if i am extensively checked for these privileges it would speed up the process)

I am starting the senator-congressman approach this week. Gathering all documentation and faxing the privacy release form which should be done by the end of this week.

I have set up an appointment next week with infopass (I know this won't help any but I want to cover my bases)

Any news for you guys?

[Samad09 4]

Oh I am sorry I skipped over the question about the lawyer. We did retain lawyer and he compiled the paperwork.

He's honestly hasn't had any input since then besides wait.

[UnaMexicana 153]

Thank you for the detailed info!

Our cases are exactly the same.. well I dont have Nexus / GE but I travel often on B1 status. And about the lawyer.. my God, same headache here. All they seem to know is how to take our money. :/

We are on the second information request. I heard none of that helps but just like you, I will not leave a stone unturned until we at least have this first step completed.

After that in our plan and if we are still waiting, comes the senator/congressional... then the infopass.. then the ombudsman... hopefully we will not hit the 2 year mark... but I am even considering at some point to file a mandamus lawsuit, if the situation calls for it.

My prayers are with you and all the people in our situation!

UnaMexicana

[Samad09 4]

Oh I hope the situation doesn't call for that. Hoping and praying that it comes through before that.

I plan on filing out the 7001 form on the ombudsman website right after my info pass appointment.

Probably overkill to do all that at once, however it's been 9 months and honestly I feel so helpless that sitting around for 30-60 days sending out individual requests after requests will frustrate me even more.

Just hoping there's no backlash to this approach.

And I'll be sending my third service inquiry April 10th.

Let's hope it gets the correct attention.

[mrs thb 331]

hi there,

back in late 2013 and early 2014 there were many of us waiting 10+ months for an noa2.

several in security checks....read back to the nov, dec 2013 and jan 2014 I-130 threads.

no reasons given, just 'security checks', it was frustrating to read about them but i will say from our experience....we were held up 10 months with no explanation. it was the info-pass appts that saved us. we figured we would sail through this process since we had been approved a K1 in 2012, turns out we were wrong.

my husband made 3 prior to hiring a lawyer who also made 2 additional. face to face appts had highest impacts.

if you live close to a regional office which is where the info pass is conducted, i highly suggest you visit. be friendly, have your questions ready and all docs ready, if your not getting satisfactory answers then ask to speak with the supervisor. its the supervisor who getd the ball rolling.

that said, if they really are doing security checks then unfortunately these take a lot of time and you can do nothing but wait.

however, the more you let uscis know (in the form of info-pass appts--service requests are a joke) the more the supervisor can do for you (in our case he investigated personally and asked for expedite) as he himself could not understand the delay.

in the end, it turned out they did background checks on both of us (we ended up filing for foia and just got our records now), so this too could be additional delays.

good luck and be patient, in the meantime, this is a good time to get your nvc docs ready. things there seem to be on a roll lately and times reduced significantly. so once your there, you will want to sail through quickly, so start reading the nvc april thread now.

cheers!

[Samad09 4]

Thank you! I have an info pass appointment set up for next week. Besides copies of our passports, the i797 and the e request responses is there anything else I should bring along?

Any advice for these appointments?

[UnaMexicana 153]

Sorry I did not see your message... how did the appointment go?

We called again and placed the 2nd service request. Then we called again and were told we should hear back from them by Apr 16, that the case is with an officer pending a decision... would that mean the security checks were completed? I don't know and they will not say...

... so we will wait!

UnaMexicana

Thank you! I have an info pass appointment set up for next week. Besides copies of our passports, the i797 and the e request responses is there anything else I should bring along?

Any advice for these appointments?

[Samad09 4]

Hey! I'm sorry for the late reply had numerous other things come up. I, unfortunately, had to reschedule my appointment for today. So wish me luck!

As a side note, I called uscis today and spoke with a tier 2 office and explained my situation.

He basically read off the response letter that stated that your case is still pending background checks.

I asked him specifically if they had received the results yet and he said that as of today we have not received the results of the background checks.

He referenced two acts (one being the Adam Walsh act and I don't remember the name of the other) but basically said that we have to make sure both of you are squeaky clean.

I asked specifically if they checked us both and he said yes.

He then sympathized with my frustration and told me to keep calling back every 30 days and that the next time I call he's hoping he can give me some good news :/

I also sent out all my documents to senator gillibrand and schumer and to my congressman.

Congress mans office told me that the person who handles immigration stuff has been out of the office and will likely return tomorrow.

Faxed senator gillibrands office on Monday and received a call on Tuesday that they had gotten my documents and would look into it.

No response from schumer.

I'm beyond frustrated and feel that even with inquiries from the senator and congressman it will just come back as background checks and nothing will be accomplished.

Gosh darn this waiting game!!!

I'll ipdate how the info pass appointment goes but I don't expect much

April 16th is tomorrow! Wishing you guys the best of luck!

[UnaMexicana 153]

Oh the USCIS info we got via call was just inaccurate at best. We woke up yesterday to a reply to the eRequest stating the same: on hold due to background and security checks.

I hope and pray that your infopass appointment brings good news. If anything, may God make them actually pick up the pace and realize just how long we have been apart from our loved ones!

Sending strong positive vibes your way!

UnaMexicana

[Samad09 4]

Conflicting pieces of information:

Went to the info pass appointment today. The lady I spoke with was very courteous and polite and gave me all the time in the world.

Basically she said that I understand you're frustrated but to be honest the service centers have been ridiculously slow and no one knows why. They put cases on background checks and those take forever. She said it used to be the FBI would get back to you really quick and now they take forever. Most cases she's seen have taken up to a year for a uscis approval however those end up moving faster once at the NVC stage.

In regards to my case she said that she has two different systems she checked:

One was updated in January which indicated my case was on processing hold due to security checks

The other was updated March 31st and said that my case was with an officer for review.

She told me that since my case was with an officer for review it meant that my security checks were done with.

They usually don't give the case to an officer for q decision until the security checks are done.

This is in conflict with what the tier 2 officer told me this morning but I am inclined to believe the woman at the info pass appointment.

She then said don't worry typically after assignment to an officer you should have w decision fairly wuickly (she said expect something in the next two weeks) but worst case scenario another 30 days or so.

She then took down my cell phone number and told me she would look up my case every couple of days and inform me if the status changed.

(I think she wanted to give me her number because she grabbed a card and started writing a number down but then her supervisor passed by and she just stopped. She then glanced over her shoulder w couple times and whispered for me to give her number. All the while keeping an eye out for him. Not sure what's going on? )

Other things I did today:

Contacted my congressman whose office said that they will send the request out today and to expect a reply within 30 days.

The woman I spoke to there was also wonderful. Told her my story she was appalled at hearing 9 months and said I will try to get out office to put as much pressure as we can.

Contacted the senators office who basically said they were completely backlogged and were currently working on people who filed for help with the process in December.

So all in all... Mixed emotions (apprehensive about tier 2 vs infopass)

But fairly optimistic

[Samad09 4]

Oh I forgot to add. What the lady at the infopass appointment said basically coincides with an email I received from the Nebraska center:

USCIS records confirm that this Form I-130 has been assigned to a Nebraska Service Center officer for review. Please, allow extra time for an Officer to review this application. If the you do not received a decision or other notice of action on this case within 60 days, please contact us for additional updates.

We hope that this information will be of assistance to you. At this time I am closing your inquiry on this matter.

Sincere Regards,

USCIS Nebraska Service Center

Which I received on April 9th.

Praying for the best

[UnaMexicana 153]

Oh my god!!! I am praying for the best for you as well!!!

This is just so difficult to be waiting and having nobody that seems to be able or willing to help us.

Just a question... this last email you received from Nebraska was in response to an eRequest or did you send an email to a specific address that you can share?

Thank you!

UnaMexicana