Withdrawing from TSC in order to resubmit through CSC - is it really so bad?

[CamMarie 10]

As most everyone knows about the USCIS "workload balancing," those of us who submitted (even as recently as March, like us) from states assigned to the Texas Service Center are stuck there until they get through their backlog, regardless of the fact that all new I-129's are seemingly being routed to California, regardless of origin state -- and getting approved in a fraction of the time. We are currently *hoping* that the projected NOA-2 approval dates of approximately 10/7-17 hold, but even then, who knows...

My fiancé and I are at a point of such elevated frustration, we are willing to pay the extra money to withdraw and re-submit so that we don't have to wait until the beginning of next year in order to live with each other. Watching others at CSC just sail through the process is just killing us. It's just absolutely ridiculous.

Other than the obvious expense, is there really any down-side or potentially negative effects in the eyes of USCIS if we were to withdraw our current petition and re-submit?

[sandra3711 52]

They say that you can really never be sure if you get stuck at TSC; but I've seriously considered to the same even though I have waited 8 months already. Obviously it's not realistic for me, but if I was a pre-March 27th filer, I would probably go ahead and do it haha. Nice to see another Richmond couple by the way!

Edited May 11, 2015 by sandra3711

[Cathi 5,609]

and what happens if CSC slows in the meantime?

[sandra3711 52]

and what happens if CSC slows in the meantime?

It hasn't though, in the 1.5 months that CSC has processed the majority of i-129f's they have continuously been rolling out approvals within the month. Worst case scenario is that they would have to wait 3 months instead of 1, which is still a whole lot better than the current 8 month wait at TSC.

[spahawk 10]

Hello

I had a healthy 5 1/2 month wait for the Texas service center but it did get through eventually. You are two months down, they are shipping out work to the other centers, so hopefully the July date will not slip. You have no guarantee that if you cancel and resubmit that the new one won't end up being kept at the TSC for processing; so you may just end up extending your wait!

Hang tight, things will move. Once you are through that stage the rest of the process is pretty quick.

Good luck.

[yuna628 9,528]

Personally, while the thought crossed my mind, and I'm sure many of our minds it is not the most logical or economical thing to do. The canceling process does take a good amount of time and the time it takes to wait for that to happen (hope that it is done correctly) and then refile is lengthy. We know that since the 'workload balance' that isn't really one, there has been chunks of approvals happening each week - albeit sporadic and completely out of order. You could be lucky or unlucky. It is very possible you could be seen to in a few months time, even though there be no guarantee of that either. It remains to be seen what effect this balance will have on processing times - it could be longer or faster. In that same regard, we've yet to see what the long term impacts will be to CSC aswell.. which could, become a negative. It is simply too soon to tell.

I would urge you to stay the course, even though that is a painful thing for me to say, and just as painful for you to hear. However, you should make the best decision for you as a couple.

[lost_at_sea 995]

A word of caution: in the time I've been on this forum, I've seen VSC, CSC and TSC all be the slowest processing centres. USCIS never seem to truly "balance" the workloads, and inevitably just as you think one location is doing well, it suddenly picks up a large backlog and slows right up while the laggard gets the crown of most sought-after centre.

When I first submitted my I-129f, CSC was taking 9 months.

[Amhara 460]

CamMarie, I can't give you any advice, but I know how helpless and heartbroken you must feel thinking about that kind of time frame. Are you guys planning on visiting each other during the approval? If you can try to budget it in, it may help the wait. You may find that TSC is approving more petitions per week than CSC (it was a month ago) so there is still hope. From what I've read on here, withdrawing a petition can take just as long as getting approved and can delay your process further.

[CamMarie 10]

We really appreciate all the advice and perspective. We have been able to visit during the process, and will do so again. It's just the emotional and financial strain that it puts on us (as well as everyone else in our situation, obviously). I just figured it wouldn't hurt to float the question out there and get people's opinions on the matter.

@Spahawk - you mention a July deadline (approx), but we still have an expected October deadline in our timeline. Is there something you know that I don't? Or are you simply talking about your own deadline? (or perhaps you're reading the date in the UK/Euro Day/Month syntax, as opposed to our US Month/Day syntax) Thanks in advance for the clarification.

[TabeaK 516]

I think it is syntax confusion. In the 1.5 months since routings have been announced, there has been zero impact on average processing times at TSC. It stinks. I have been through 4.5 months of hell alread...with probably at least another 3 to go.

That being said, administratively closing an application takes time and USCIS has shown before it is not necessarily organized about these things. There have been couples on here who had to refile for other reasons and USCIS kept mixing up their two cases...they were massively delayed.

Also, refiling for the same fiance within a very brief period of time may well cause you to get stuck in another background check issue because it may seem a little bit like fraud...

[CamMarie 10]

@Tabeak - much appreciated.

[Amhara 460]

We really appreciate all the advice and perspective. We have been able to visit during the process, and will do so again. It's just the emotional and financial strain that it puts on us (as well as everyone else in our situation, obviously). I just figured it wouldn't hurt to float the question out there and get people's opinions on the matter.

Comparing your situation to others will add to that stress. Don't look at the CSC timelines, they won't help your mood. I understand the strains that tears at our hearts. Because of recent developments in our journey, we are at a point where we aren't sure if we should save the money we have now for his one-way ticket (after the visa of course) or if we should go ahead and schedule a visit. If we visit now, we may need to delay his US entry later. This process isn't an easy process, but at least we have Skype, long-distance phone calls, VJ and other tools to stay connected and focused on our individual journeys. Being at CSC doesn't make everything rosy - I know it doesn't help - but looking at the grass on the other side may find that the grass has turned brown by the time you reach it. (NOT saying that your relationship is the grass...the service centers are the grass...)

The waiting just hurts. It just hurts.

[baron555 934]

regardless of the fact that all new I-129's are seemingly being routed to California, regardless of origin state

Is this a verified fact?

, we are willing to pay the extra money to withdraw and re-submit

You normally don't get to vote which SC your case is sent to.

Other than the obvious expense, is there really any down-side or potentially negative effects in the eyes of USCIS if we were to withdraw our current petition and re-submit?

Can't say. You can go first and fill us in on how it went.

[CamMarie 10]

Other than the obvious expense, is there really any down-side or potentially negative effects in the eyes of USCIS if we were to withdraw our current petition and re-submit?

Can't say. You can go first and fill us in on how it went.

@baron99 - Snarky posts from members who have not only been approved, but are also already married and together are just salt in the wound.

[yuna628 9,528]

baron: Yes it is confirmed. By directives from the President. All new cases are being directly sent to CSC. We do not know currently how long this will be for, nor do we know what the impact it will be.

Edited May 11, 2015 by yuna628