Family Based (question) (off topic)

[BOKURAGAITA 101]

Hello! 

 

Im sorry i dont know where to post this but im asking if someone knows the step by step procedure of Family Based Visa (F1)? My schoolmate was asking and i have no idea what are the procedures since iam a K1 applicant. 

 

Her father is a US citizen petition her and she got a NOA and shes asking what will happen next and how long does it takes to be with her father? 

 

 thank you for your reply! 

Godbless! 

[Ontarkie 13,914]

~~Moved to Bringing Family of USC, from K1 P&P~~

[geowrian 22,335]

Family-based preference visas follow the same general process as other immigrant visas. The main difference is how long it takes for the Priority Date to become current. These visas are limited annually, and some countries (like Philippines) are oversubscribed already. So there is a long wait before a visa is available. This is not due to processing speed but just due to limits on the number of visas available and the number of people already in line ahead of you.

 

Check the visa bulletin for current wait timelines. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html

For this month, F1 from Philippines is current for people who filed on or before Sept. 1, 2011. So people who started the process roughly 9 years ago are starting to become eligible now.

 

Generally, the wait gets longer over time. Meaning the date may advance less than a full month every month on average. Sometimes it may advance 3 months forward. Sometimes it may advance only a few days. Sometimes it may regress (go backwards).

Over time, the historical average for F1 for Philippines has advanced about 10 months every year. So they fall behind about 2 months more every year. Although this category tends to see severe swings forward and backwards (it can advance 3 years in 1 year, then go backwards the next year).

https://www.myprioritydate.com/

 

Filing the I-130 is the first step and gets you in line (the Priority Date). Then it'll sit at USCIS for a while (likely several years). Note that even if USCIS approved the petition in a week, it would not speed anything up due to the Priority Date not being current in the visa bulletin yet. So don't worry about how long it takes USCIS to process it...unless it goes beyond the wait for the Priority Date to become current.

https://www.visajourney.com/guides/us-immigration-for-children/

https://www.visajourney.com/guides/us-immigration-guide-for-children/

 

CSPA

The longer the petition sits at USCIS, the better actually. CSPA may help any children of the beneficiary from "aging out" (turning 21 or older). Any time from filing to approval at USCIS is subtracted from a child's real age to determine their CSPA eligibility.

 

Once USCIS approves the petition, it will be sent to NVC. And it'll sit there until at least the Dates For Filing is current in the visa bulletin.

Then the petitioner will get a welcome letter and can start submitting documents. Summary: https://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process

Once complete at NVC, NVC will schedule an interview with the embassy/consulate. They likely won't schedule this until near or after the Priority Date is current in the Final Action Dates table (because they can't issue the visa before that date). A medical will be required, PCCs, etc. Then an interview. It's all similar to the K-1 process you went through at that point.

Edited August 7, 2020 by geowrian

[BOKURAGAITA 101]

5 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Family-based preference visas follow the same general process as other immigrant visas. The main difference is how long it takes for the Priority Date to become current. These visas are limited annually, and some countries (like Philippines) are oversubscribed already. So there is a long wait before a visa is available. This is not due to processing speed but just due to limits on the number of visas available and the number of people already in line ahead of you.

 

Check the visa bulletin for current wait timelines. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html

For this month, F1 from Philippines is current for people who filed on or before Sept. 1, 2011. So people who started the process roughly 9 years ago are starting to become eligible now.

 

Generally, the wait gets longer over time. Meaning the date may advance less than a full month every month on average. Sometimes it may advance 3 months forward. Sometimes it may advance only a few days. Sometimes it may regress (go backwards).

Over time, the historical average for F1 for Philippines has advanced about 10 months every year. So they fall behind about 2 months more every year. Although this category tends to see severe swings forward and backwards (it can advance 3 years in 1 year, then go backwards the next year).

https://www.myprioritydate.com/

 

Filing the I-130 is the first step and gets you in line (the Priority Date). Then it'll sit at USCIS for a while (likely several years). Note that even if USCIS approved the petition in a week, it would not speed anything up due to the Priority Date not being current in the visa bulletin yet. So don't worry about how long it takes USCIS to process it...unless it goes beyond the wait for the Priority Date to become current.

https://www.visajourney.com/guides/us-immigration-for-children/

https://www.visajourney.com/guides/us-immigration-guide-for-children/

 

CSPA

The longer the petition sits at USCIS, the better actually. CSPA may help any children of the beneficiary from "aging out" (turning 21 or older). Any time from filing to approval at USCIS is subtracted from a child's real age to determine their CSPA eligibility.

 

Once USCIS approves the petition, it will be sent to NVC. And it'll sit there until at least the Dates For Filing is current in the visa bulletin.

Then the petitioner will get a welcome letter and can start submitting documents. Summary: https://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process

Once complete at NVC, NVC will schedule an interview with the embassy/consulate. They likely won't schedule this until near or after the Priority Date is current in the Final Action Dates table (because they can't issue the visa before that date). A medical will be required, PCCs, etc. Then an interview. It's all similar to the K-1 process you went through at that point.

Like K1 timeline too? i thought when i look at it online its like 8 yrs which is crazy😅. 

 

Thank you @geowrian very helpful! 

[geowrian 22,335]

9 minutes ago, BOKURAGAITA said:

Like K1 timeline too? i thought when i look at it online its like 8 yrs which is crazy😅. 

 

Thank you @geowrian very helpful! 

From initial filing to visa interview, expect over 9 years and hope for less, based upon the current visa bulletin for F1 from Philippines.

It could be 7 years. It could be 13 or 15+ years. There's no way to know what will happen between now and when the Priority Date becomes current. People get married (F1 -> F3 change), divorced/annulment  (F3 -> F1 change), have kids (more visas used -> less visas available for others), petitioners naturalize (F2B -> F1), etc.

Edited August 7, 2020 by geowrian

[BOKURAGAITA 101]

7 minutes ago, geowrian said:

From initial filing to visa interview, expect over 9 years and hope for less, based upon the current visa bulletin for F1 from Philippines.

It could be 7 years. It could be 13 or 15+ years. There's no way to know what will happen between now and when the Priority Date becomes current. People get married (F1 -> F3 change), divorced/annulment  (F3 -> F1 change), have kids (more visas used -> less visas available for others), petitioners naturalize (F2B -> F1), etc.

WOW. I agree between the long years so many things will gonna happen and Im like i dunn wanna complain about my K1 being delayed the F1 will shame me 😂

 

Thank you again  You guys who patiently answers everyone's questions are awesome! 

 

p.s i agree the changes on the last part. 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

The step by step procedure for getting immigrant visas is also clearly detailed on the Dept of State website. Start at this page https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-1-submit-a-petition.html and keep going.