Horrible experience with "Rapid Visa" CR-1/I-130

[FJinSD 14]

Read and heed!  After using their services - I CANNOT under any circumstances recommend that anyone use the company doing business as "Rapid Visa" to assist you in this process. After numerous delays and poor service - they mailed my petition to the WRONG ADDRESS. The instructions on the USCIS form CLEARLY STATE that the petition is to be mailed to the PHOENIX "lockbox" - yet they somehow managed to send mine to DALLAS. Dallas does NOT ACCEPT 1-130 petitions. Now they (Rapid Visa) tell me "do not worry, there are 2 scenarios what can happen next:

1) the USCIS will transfer your petition to Phoenix, AZ

2) Your petition will be returned to you - and you will be able to resubmit it or if you wish, you can send the petition to us and we will submit it for you (to correct address)."

Oh REALLY? This is what CAN happen? What about what WILL happen?

Then they go on to write: "Your petition will not get denied based on the filing error, you don't have to worry about this." Maybe not but it WILL BE DELAYED BY WEEKS IF NOT MONTHS!

Then they state: "Please note that currently the USCIS is under a backlog and it takes few weeks for them to issue the receipt notices." Again - oh REALLY?

As if I didn't know that there's a huge backlog? REALLY? Am I supposed to be reassured by this? It simply means that a few WEEKS/MONTHS will be added to this miserable process (due to their delay in mailing PLUS this egregious and flagrant error).

Government bureaucracy is bad enough - but when the private sector adds to the misery index - it is UNSATISFACTORY.

Again - I STRONGLY URGE anyone in this group or contemplating how to file their I-130 - AVOID RAPID VISA!

[Sarge2155 4,570]

I agree totally, did they offer you any reduction in rate or refund for their error? I would use this screw-up to dump them and do the rest yourself. If your packet gets returned run, don't walk away from "Rapid Visa"!!!!! Yes they have added much more time to your journey!!!!!

[Zoeeeeeee 795]

I totally agree. We didn't use Rapid Visa, we did it all ourselves and everything went smoothly. However, my husband used a very similar company for his divorce a few years back and they similarly screwed up, didn't file things, didn't file to the right place etc - and he ended up canceling and doing it himself, after months of inaction on their behalf.

 

Essentially, no one is going to care as much about your petition as you. No one will put in as much effort to get it right as you. So unless you have a super complex case (and in that instance, I definitely wouldn't use a company like Rapid Visa, I'd use a well recommended immigration lawyer), it's definitely preferable to use this site and do it yourself. I'm sorry you've found this out the hard way and hope it doesn't take too long to get this issue resolved.

[SalishSea 16,785]

2 hours ago, FJinSD said:

AVOID RAPID VISA!

Yup.  This is what seasoned VJ members advise newbies all the time.......

[FJinSD 14]

3 hours ago, Sarge2155 said:

I agree totally, did they offer you any reduction in rate or refund for their error? I would use this screw-up to dump them and do the rest yourself. If your packet gets returned run, don't walk away from "Rapid Visa"!!!!! Yes they have added much more time to your journey!!!!!

No they didn't. Quite the opposite in fact. They accused me of "threatening them" because I said that other than a refund I would (and will) sue them in the Las Vegas, NV small claims court.  Not a "threat" - a fact.  I'm done with communicating with them. I've already written the demand letter and am in the process of filing.  It's $86 and a few hours of my time - but worth EVERY cent and second - just to make them take the time to respond.  Failure to respond to a demand letter has its own consequences...

[Sarge2155 4,570]

17 minutes ago, FJinSD said:

No they didn't. Quite the opposite in fact. They accused me of "threatening them" because I said that other than a refund I would (and will) sue them in the Las Vegas, NV small claims court.  Not a "threat" - a fact.  I'm done with communicating with them. I've already written the demand letter and am in the process of filing.  It's $86 and a few hours of my time - but worth EVERY cent and second - just to make them take the time to respond.  Failure to respond to a demand letter has its own consequences...

Well very good sounds like you have a firm  handle on things.  Please keep us posted.

[JKLSemicolon 327]

Sorry to hear that this happened.

 

Just one clarification, this part of your post is not entirely correct:

 

5 hours ago, FJinSD said:

The instructions on the USCIS form CLEARLY STATE that the petition is to be mailed to the PHOENIX "lockbox" - yet they somehow managed to send mine to DALLAS. Dallas does NOT ACCEPT 1-130 petitions.

 

The instructions on the form say to visit the current USCIS Direct Filing Addresses page to see where to file. Dallas does accept I-130 petitions, but only for petitioners living in certain states (and who are not also concurrently filing the I-485 to adjust status from within the U.S.). Petitioners living in other states, like yours, send the petition to Phoenix.

 

Confusing for sure for those who do not file online.

[Ryan H 3,791]

Moved from Process & Procedures to Progress Reports.

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

9 hours ago, FJinSD said:

AVOID RAPID VISA!

I understand that they promote here but we see issues all the time in regards to screwing up petitions and giving people bad advice. 

[Liam2021 559]

RapidVisa will be out of business if everyone know about Visajourney.  In fact,  it's clearly look suspicious if we pay attention to "99.7% approved" stated on their website.

[retheem 553]

11 hours ago, FJinSD said:

Read and heed!  After using their services - I CANNOT under any circumstances recommend that anyone use the company doing business as "Rapid Visa" to assist you in this process. After numerous delays and poor service - they mailed my petition to the WRONG ADDRESS. The instructions on the USCIS form CLEARLY STATE that the petition is to be mailed to the PHOENIX "lockbox" - yet they somehow managed to send mine to DALLAS. Dallas does NOT ACCEPT 1-130 petitions. Now they (Rapid Visa) tell me "do not worry, there are 2 scenarios what can happen next:

1) the USCIS will transfer your petition to Phoenix, AZ

2) Your petition will be returned to you - and you will be able to resubmit it or if you wish, you can send the petition to us and we will submit it for you (to correct address)."

Oh REALLY? This is what CAN happen? What about what WILL happen?

Then they go on to write: "Your petition will not get denied based on the filing error, you don't have to worry about this." Maybe not but it WILL BE DELAYED BY WEEKS IF NOT MONTHS!

Then they state: "Please note that currently the USCIS is under a backlog and it takes few weeks for them to issue the receipt notices." Again - oh REALLY?

As if I didn't know that there's a huge backlog? REALLY? Am I supposed to be reassured by this? It simply means that a few WEEKS/MONTHS will be added to this miserable process (due to their delay in mailing PLUS this egregious and flagrant error).

Government bureaucracy is bad enough - but when the private sector adds to the misery index - it is UNSATISFACTORY.

Again - I STRONGLY URGE anyone in this group or contemplating how to file their I-130 - AVOID RAPID VISA!

But you people are funny tho. The rules are pretty self explanatory you don't need a lawyer unless you have a criminal history.

[FJinSD 14]

6 hours ago, JKLSemicolon said:

Sorry to hear that this happened.

 

Just one clarification, this part of your post is not entirely correct:

 

 

The instructions on the form say to visit the current USCIS Direct Filing Addresses page to see where to file. Dallas does accept I-130 petitions, but only for petitioners living in certain states (and who are not also concurrently filing the I-485 to adjust status from within the U.S.). Petitioners living in other states, like yours, send the petition to Phoenix.

 

Confusing for sure for those who do not file online.

Not in this case with this company. It is an internally generated "cover letter" and the ONLY address listed is the Phoenix lockbox. They screwed up and they fail to own it. PERIOD.

[SalishSea 16,785]

1 hour ago, Liam2021 said:

RapidVisa will be out of business if everyone know about Visajourney.  In fact,  it's clearly look suspicious if we pay attention to "99.7% approved" stated on their website.

Except that despite all the dire warnings here on VJ (and VJ is not new), people still use it.

[SalishSea 16,785]

35 minutes ago, retheem said:

But you people are funny tho. The rules are pretty self explanatory you don't need a lawyer unless you have a criminal history.

People mistakenly believe that using a service like RV, or a lawyer, will make the process faster or decrease the chance of a denial.

[JFH 12,189]

From all the stories I’ve seen here I’ve come to the conclusion that the only thing Rapid about Rapid Visa is the speed with which they charge your credit card.