United Kingdom US Marriage Visa Approvals by Month (K1 Visas Way Down, CR1 Visas Up)

[Captain Ewok 1,857]

We've had tons of questions on whether the London US Consulate in the United Kingdom has been approving marriage based US Visas (and if so at what rate).  To answer that, we dug into the official US State Department data and plotted visa approvals for K1, CR1 and IR1 visas over the last 2 years. Here is what we found:

 

• K1 Visa processing is WAY down.  In fact it's down by more than 3x from pre-Covid levels (~40 a month pre-Covid to ~120 a month now).  There is likely to be a significant backlog after not approving cases for 9 months!  Clearing the backlog could take 18 months at this rate.
• IR1 Visa processing is back to pre-Covid rates.  Maybe slightly ahead.  There is likely a backlog that will take several months to clear given the slow down last year.
• CR1 Visa processing (couples married less than 2 years) is mirroring IR1 Visa trends.

 

What do you think of the data (below)?  Do you think the US consulate in London is artificially slowing don K1 Visa processing for other reasons?  It certainly makes no sense that IR-1's can be back to (roughy) normal but not K1s.  Both are family based... Perhaps resources are being applied elsewhere despite US policy to prioritize reunification of families.  VisaJourney supports shining a bright light on this.  How can we help?

 

[danb1978 15]

Hi there,

 

I'm in the Unmarried Sons and Daughters Aged Over 21 of U.S. Citizens category. I think its the F1 visa? I've been DQ'd since Aug 2020 and waiting for an interview in London. Do you have any figures for how those interviews are progressing by any chance?

 

Thanks

 

Dan

[Tonez 23]

I don't know about "artificially" slowing down K1 visas, but as someone whose K1 case is at the NVC waiting to go to the Embassy, I can say we have been told by the NVC and the Embassy that they are not requesting more cases due to "covid restrictions" and "UK and US law" which is complete rubbish. There is no law stating they can't process these visas.

 

This is why the lawsuits are happening. The lawyers have realised they the embassies aren't processing without a legal reason and are therefore looking for mandamus writ to make them do their job.

 

Maybe enough lawsuits will kick them in to hear and they will start processing properly again soon?

[Captain Ewok 1,857]

9 hours ago, Tonez said:

I don't know about "artificially" slowing down K1 visas, but as someone whose K1 case is at the NVC waiting to go to the Embassy, I can say we have been told by the NVC and the Embassy that they are not requesting more cases due to "covid restrictions" and "UK and US law" which is complete rubbish. There is no law stating they can't process these visas.

 

This is why the lawsuits are happening. The lawyers have realised they the embassies aren't processing without a legal reason and are therefore looking for mandamus writ to make them do their job.

 

Maybe enough lawsuits will kick them in to hear and they will start processing properly again soon?

Have people considered a civil protest in front of the embassy and calling the media to attend?  The VisaJourney community did this in 2003 in front of the Texas Service Center and by that night (no kidding) everyone was approved.  Courts "can" work -- at great expense.  The lawyers love it.  But the squeaky wheel almost always works.  No one, not even the government wants bad press by keeping families apart during the pandemic.

 

I'd be happy to help out.

 

Here is a photo from the 2003 Valentines day protests.

 

[Tonez 23]

On 5/30/2021 at 7:27 PM, Captain Ewok said:

Have people considered a civil protest in front of the embassy and calling the media to attend?  The VisaJourney community did this in 2003 in front of the Texas Service Center and by that night (no kidding) everyone was approved.  Courts "can" work -- at great expense.  The lawyers love it.  But the squeaky wheel almost always works.  No one, not even the government wants bad press by keeping families apart during the pandemic.

 

I'd be happy to help out.

 

Here is a photo from the 2003 Valentines day protests.

 

Considered it, decided that if they are using "covid restrictions" as a wrongfully legal excuse, then a protest outside their building won't change anything

[KSVJ 216]

this is so heartbreaking 😢

[Benny4352 90]

I'm hoping they will have caught up by the time my turn comes around. Im guestimating probably a year away for me before I get to this stage. Best of luck to all of those currently waiting!