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

[rob999 51]

Well look at the stats on Igors list for April. There's 35 129f's at TSC and then 181 129f's at CSC. As people have said above CSC is now just going to go slow and TSC will catch up. It seems that they can't do "balance" in the sense of getting priority for people waiting the longest, just move the problem somewhere else and not actually solve anything.

hey ho, on with waiting we go.

[mallafri76 1,012]

Yes, I'm not sure if they are expediting Syria, but certainly should be.

The only one I know who get auto-expedited is Philippines, because they had a storm three years ago.... It does say on USCIS' website that Syrians can get protective status, although I haven't read through the whole procedure so not sure what it entails. Have a look at below link:

http://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status-deferred-enforced-departure/tps-designated-country-syria/temporary-protected-status-designated-country-syria

OP, if the K-1 visa is now taking this long, have you considered getting married and filing an I-130 for a K-3 visa? That process takes about 8 to 10 months, if you have all papers ready for every step before you get there. Plus your foreign spouse is allowed to work as soon as she enters the US.

[TabeaK 516]

Well look at the stats on Igors list for April. There's 35 129f's at TSC and then 181 129f's at CSC. As people have said above CSC is now just going to go slow and TSC will catch up. It seems that they can't do "balance" in the sense of getting priority for people waiting the longest, just move the problem somewhere else and not actually solve anything.

hey ho, on with waiting we go.

I'm willing to bet that all these 35 are mislisted cause newbies do not unterstand there is a difference between the lockbox and TSC.

And I wouldn't be sure CSC is slowing down - not on account of just I-129Fs anyway. Average case numbers at TSC per month can be well over 200 as well. But we don't know how many other petitions are re-routed..

[rob999 51]

I'm willing to bet that all these 35 are mislisted cause newbies do not unterstand there is a difference between the lockbox and TSC.

And I wouldn't be sure CSC is slowing down - not on account of just I-129Fs anyway. Average case numbers at TSC per month can be well over 200 as well. But we don't know how many other petitions are re-routed..

Probably are mislisted.

If CSC are now getting more cases then, in terms of the OP, you wouldn't see the same speed of CSC dealing with cases as they did previously. Though they probably would still be faster than TSC for a few months yet. How much they slow down only time will tell but one can't expect the average processing time to remain the same at CSC. Plus of course all the other applications beyond the 129f's as well as applications we don't see on VJ. So I think it will be inevitable that CSC will slow down (unless they have had a major recruitment campaign), but it will take a few months to know by how much. I do wish they provided access to their statistics, would be enlightening, or maybe a counter to say what queue number in line our form is until it gets an adjudicator!

[walrusbaby 20]

I just want to say I feel so relieved and so much less alone after seeing CamMarie and Walrusbaby who are both at TSC and French!! My fiancé and I got our first NOA on October 14, 2014 and have heard NOTHING since then... no RFE, literally nothing. It's so frustrating. I feel like no matter what I do (calling, looking online, etc) I can't get a straight answer for any of my questions. But It makes me feel so much less alone just to see two other people in a similar situation <3

Actually we got our NOA over a week ago now. I don't think you can see my signature. But I'm aware I've been very "lucky" for someone who was sent to TSC.

Edited May 12, 2015 by walrusbaby

[OUR LOVE 1]

We have been waiting 5 months now and I have only been able to visit her 4 times in the past year. So I feel your pain. We have decided that the wait at the TSC is worth a lifetime together. So we Skype a lot and enjoy the time we have now and try not to worry about the wait.

[Cathi 5,607]

Thanks for the advice and varied opinions. We have decided simply to stick it out at the TSC.

I wish you guys the best of luck! The process is long and painful and can never be predicted with any real accuracy. I would hate to see you start over and then get delayed all over again, you can not ask which service center you are sent to and certainly they can send you wherever they want. When we applied back in 2011 for an I-130 the service center for the Northeast was VSC(it still is), our case went there yet a friend of mine who is also from the same state I am from went to CSC. VSC was averaging about 5 months at the time and we were approved in 90 days and my friend at CSC waited 11 months for NOA2. Even removing conditions is unpredictable, we went to VSC again(August 2014 filers) and our approval took 6 months, another friend who applied a month before us had hers in 2 weeks from VSC, and there are August 2014 filers who have yet to be approved fro VSC. In July my hubby will apply for citizenship and we have no idea what to expect. Keep us updated and hopefully things will speed up at TSC soon.

[Cathi 5,607]

We have been waiting 5 months now and I have only been able to visit her 4 times in the past year. So I feel your pain. We have decided that the wait at the TSC is worth a lifetime together. So we Skype a lot and enjoy the time we have now and try not to worry about the wait.

Many people never get to visit at all during the process, and ceratinly not 4 times in a year, You guys are luckier than most

[Cathi 5,607]

The only one I know who get auto-expedited is Philippines, because they had a storm three years ago.... It does say on USCIS' website that Syrians can get protective status, although I haven't read through the whole procedure so not sure what it entails. Have a look at below link:

http://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status-deferred-enforced-departure/tps-designated-country-syria/temporary-protected-status-designated-country-syria

OP, if the K-1 visa is now taking this long, have you considered getting married and filing an I-130 for a K-3 visa? That process takes about 8 to 10 months, if you have all papers ready for every step before you get there. Plus your foreign spouse is allowed to work as soon as she enters the US.

the k-3 is an obsolete visa, It is RARELY approved. It would be a waste of time and money to attempt to go that route

[mallafri76 1,012]

the k-3 is an obsolete visa, It is RARELY approved. It would be a waste of time and money to attempt to go that route

I know the k-3 is all but obselete but since OP already have a filed I-129, by going the k-3 route, they wouldn't have to cancel the I-129 but simply file the I-130. Once both petition reaches NVC, the I-129 would be cancelled by NVC. I have read of others on here doing it that way so it does work.

[chantuff9 21]

Many people never get to visit at all during the process, and ceratinly not 4 times in a year, You guys are luckier than most

Agreed.... We visit twice a year, and I'm aware that even THAT is lucky.

But again, I just am happy to see people on here who know what we are going through.

[uniquelyJo 34]

I just want to say I feel so relieved and so much less alone after seeing CamMarie and Walrusbaby who are both at TSC and French!! My fiancé and I got our first NOA on October 14, 2014 and have heard NOTHING since then... no RFE, literally nothing. It's so frustrating. I feel like no matter what I do (calling, looking online, etc) I can't get a straight answer for any of my questions. But It makes me feel so much less alone just to see two other people in a similar situation <3

I think that's a very valid point, even though we "know" there are a lot of others going through the process, we do feel alone in the journey and hearing nothing for so long makes you go into panic mode. That's why this site is so helpful, not just for all the information available but also physically being able to see other peoples stories, which makes it more real that you aren't alone. Good luck everyone, hopefully you will all be celebrating soon.

[mrandmrsBRS 116]

Something to consider, I think CSC is already slowing down. I did some rough analysis based on VJ data and for the march filers approx 80 VJ member received their NOA2 by April the 9th compared to the April filers where approximately 30 petitions have been approved in the same number of days. The numbers get much worse if you run the same analysis by date sent instead of NOA1 date.... ..... My own VJ estimate has also been pushed back on when my petition might by approved.....

I feel for everyone, this is a very draining process already from me and I have not involved with it that long. I could not image having to wait for months and months or even years.

It is amazing that employers can pay for an expedite for HB1 visas but we can't pay for an expedite of K1 visas that just does not seem fair !

we don't even have a VJ estimate..not enough similar petitions...

[Amhara 460]

we don't even have a VJ estimate..not enough similar petitions...

Boy, you are telling me! I know of only three other 'current' K-1 visas for Afghanistan from this site. Afghanistan doesn't have a page under the "Embassy Info" tab (I've requested one) and the reviews are pretty old. Most of the reviews are in rather broken English, so it's hard to get a clear understanding of what happened.

But at least we all have this site for support and a way to get some sort of idea on how to learn the process, what others have gone through and a place where we can vent our frustrations and share ideas! Thank you VJ!!!!!

[Marco&Bettina 502]

we don't even have a VJ estimate..not enough similar petitions...

Any day now, your timeline estimates should pop up.