We Got Approved in Less Than 3 Months

[JFH 12,189]

In 2016 when I was doing my CR-1 people doing a K-1 had their I-129F approved in 30

days or so. Many of them completed the entire process (from mailing the I-129F to getting their passport delivered with the visa inside) in less time than it took for my I-130 to be approved. So this is not particularly fast but faster than it has been of late. 

 

Just proves that timescales for any stage of this journey are completely flexible. 

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,078]

17 hours ago, Unlockable said:

The petition phase of the K1 is the fastest part of the process. Three months is not really considered very fast for a petition approval.

From mid-2017 to mid-2018, it was taking 6-7 months to approve most I-129Fs. So for most people who filed around then and didn't end up with extraordinarily long waits at their embassy/consulate for an interview or administrative processing, that was the longest part of the immigration process prior to their fiance(e) coming to the US. And since most of us who have been around for a while but not for years are mostly coming from around then, 3 months seems extremely fast for a non-expedited petition approval even if that's becoming common again.

 

For us it was 5.5 months from NOA1 to NOA2, 1.5 months at NVC, 1.5 months from arrival at Moscow to interview, two weeks from interview to visa issued, and two weeks from then to Anastasia's arrival in the US.

[SalishSea 16,770]

4 hours ago, Falcon Cara said:

Never heard that long of wait, maybe 30 or 45 days

LOL what?  You must be new here.  Last year at this time ours took 185 days, and we were amongst the first to receive NOA2 in the February 2018 129-f filing group.

[Jaquelly 1,647]

24 minutes ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

From mid-2017 to mid-2018, it was taking 6-7 months to approve most I-129Fs. So for most people who filed around then and didn't end up with extraordinarily long waits at their embassy/consulate for an interview or administrative processing, that was the longest part of the immigration process prior to their fiance(e) coming to the US. And since most of us who have been around for a while but not for years are mostly coming from around then, 3 months seems extremely fast for a non-expedited petition approval even if that's becoming common again.

 

For us it was 5.5 months from NOA1 to NOA2, 1.5 months at NVC, 1.5 months from arrival at Moscow to interview, two weeks from interview to visa issued, and two weeks from then to Anastasia's arrival in the US.

K1 Visa Event Date Service Center : California Service Center Transferred? No Consulate : London, United Kingdom I-129F Sent : 2017-07-05 I-129F NOA1 : 2017-07-06 I-129F RFE(s) :   RFE Reply(s) :   I-129F NOA2 : 2018-02-08 NVC Received : 2018-02-21 Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : 2018-02-22 NVC Left : 2018-02-26 Consulate Received : 2018-02-27 Packet 3 Received : 2018-03-06     Interview Date : 2018-03-23  Submit Review

 

 

I'd LOVE to hear some gripes about wait times. Ours wasn't even that bad in retrospect, but some people (KBA, John & Rose) had it SO bad.

[Ryanmaria2018 185]

14 hours ago, Béchameloo said:

Not what I hear. The longest and most frustrating step is getting the NOA 2 from what I hear. It should take 2-3 months now to get an interview, no? 

That's amazing because my fiancee's k1 petition took 7 months from November 2017 to June 2018. My wife's interview was only 1 month from the time we were approved so make sure you call the NVC in 2 weeks to get your NVC case number so you can start on the DS 160 visa application and pay for the visa fees. I just filed her adjustment of status forms and finding that will take anywhere from 8 -14 months and the Employment authorization card 4-6 months.

[Ryanmaria2018 185]

1 hour ago, Jaquelly said:

K1 Visa Event Date Service Center : California Service Center Transferred? No Consulate : London, United Kingdom I-129F Sent : 2017-07-05 I-129F NOA1 : 2017-07-06 I-129F RFE(s) :   RFE Reply(s) :   I-129F NOA2 : 2018-02-08 NVC Received : 2018-02-21 Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : 2018-02-22 NVC Left : 2018-02-26 Consulate Received : 2018-02-27 Packet 3 Received : 2018-03-06     Interview Date : 2018-03-23  Submit Review

 

 

I'd LOVE to hear some gripes about wait times. Ours wasn't even that bad in retrospect, but some people (KBA, John & Rose) had it SO bad.

That's about the same time as our k1 visa approval so that will be nothing to compared to the AOS wait times of 10-14 months and 4-6 months for the EAD card which is the approval to have a job. 

[Celie 793]

22 hours ago, Béchameloo said:

What the title says.

 

We submitted our K1 petition early March.

 

Today, May 29th, my fiancée got a letter in the mail from USCIS saying that our petition got approved, and that it will be sent to the consulate to further contact me, the beneficiary.

 

Is this normal? Doesn't usually need at least 6-9 months? Even more? has this happen to anyone since the processing times got longer?

 

Times are going much faster for some people in comparison to last year and the year before that. 3 months isn't unheard of but y'all are lucky! Embrace the glory but don't count all your eggs just yet. This is half the battle. Depending on your embassy you're looking at around 2-3 months more between NVC getting your case number ready and finding an interview at the embassy.

[mupsyc 2]

23 hours ago, Béchameloo said:

What the title says.

 

We submitted our K1 petition early March.

 

Today, May 29th, my fiancée got a letter in the mail from USCIS saying that our petition got approved, and that it will be sent to the consulate to further contact me, the beneficiary.

 

Is this normal? Doesn't usually need at least 6-9 months? Even more? has this happen to anyone since the processing times got longer?

 

we got approved in 3 months, I believe the process is moving faster

[Falcon Cara 377]

5 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

LOL what?  You must be new here.  Last year at this time ours took 185 days, and we were amongst the first to receive NOA2 in the February 2018 129-f filing group.

No not new, been around here 12 years and have multiply approved K1 visas.

 

My last K1 was approved less than 30 days, and had the interview around 45 days in Manila.

[SalishSea 16,770]

4 hours ago, Falcon Cara said:

No not new, been around here 12 years and have multiply approved K1 visas.

 

My last K1 was approved less than 30 days, and had the interview around 45 days in Manila.

Serial K-1 filer?

 

I have never seen one that fast in recent years.  Are you trying to do a new one now?

[Falcon Cara 377]

5 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

Serial K-1 filer?

 

I have never seen one that fast in recent years.  Are you trying to do a new one now?

I have done a few k1's.  My last one was a 3 years plus ago,  They were approving them fast, if you were California Service Center which I wan't they were approving them 7 to 10 days for Philippines.

 

 

[Ryan H 3,790]

~~~Hijack post and replies to said post removed.~~~

[HTMW 378]

On 5/30/2019 at 10:45 AM, Jaquelly said:

K1 Visa Event Date Service Center : California Service Center Transferred? No Consulate : London, United Kingdom I-129F Sent : 2017-07-05 I-129F NOA1 : 2017-07-06 I-129F RFE(s) :   RFE Reply(s) :   I-129F NOA2 : 2018-02-08 NVC Received : 2018-02-21 Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : 2018-02-22 NVC Left : 2018-02-26 Consulate Received : 2018-02-27 Packet 3 Received : 2018-03-06     Interview Date : 2018-03-23  Submit Review

 

 

I'd LOVE to hear some gripes about wait times. Ours wasn't even that bad in retrospect, but some people (KBA, John & Rose) had it SO bad.

Lol, right??!!! 😂 I remember when we reached day 200 and I thought THAT was so hard. So many people here really don’t know.... 

 

um, 582 days here as we waited for our NOA 2 (haven’t met anyone longer than that - I’m sure there are a few that exist). I remember when kba received her NOA 2 shortly after 400+ days.

 

We have become pro-waiters and have completely given in to the reality (a long time ago) that we have very little control over this process; as we just received our NOA2 not even 2 weeks ago, we fully expect at least another 3-6 months until VIH.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SmallTownPA 71]

USCIS has finally automated a lot of the process now.  The background check hits multiple databases at once and a lot of the manual record keeping has not been automated (even simple things like counting the number of I=129Fs you submitted had to be manually verified on a separate computer system.  Now its all connected.

 

So the USCIS part should go quick, buts when the State Department and counsulor offices get involved the slowdown starts.

[midwinterrose 263]

8 hours ago, SmallTownPA said:

USCIS has finally automated a lot of the process now.  The background check hits multiple databases at once and a lot of the manual record keeping has not been automated (even simple things like counting the number of I=129Fs you submitted had to be manually verified on a separate computer system.  Now its all connected.

 

So the USCIS part should go quick, buts when the State Department and counsulor offices get involved the slowdown starts.

How do you know they automated that stuff? Did they put out like a press release or something?  Thank goodness they're getting (at least somewhat) more efficient!