10 months in- still no NOA2

[Goose-o 7]

Hi everyone,

My fiance and I applied for our K-1visa on August 27th 2020. We still have not received our NOA2. We also have not received any RFE.

I have planned the move to the United States from Canada for the end of July. We thought that we had given ourselves a good buffer but with Coronavirus everything is delayed. 

 

In April we requested a follow-up on our case and 2 weeks later sent us an email basically saying "I know this is frustrating but we're working on it.".

 

We just submitted another request and are supposed to get a response June 30th, but I'm worried were just going to get the same thing. We are anxious to start living together but I can't make any plans until we know this has been approved at the minimum.

 

 

I have a few questions:

Should we just switch to a K-3 Visa, or will that delay things even further?

If this response has no information again, how to we contact the USCIS more directly (phone)?

Has anyone ever been denied after such a long wait time?

Has anyone been requested an RFE after such a long wait time?

 

Thank you,

 

A

[xxlian 100]

It took a little over 10 months for our NOA2. I submitted two out of normal processing inquiries, contacted my Senator, and contacted my U.S. Representative. I was never able to reach them on the phone, but I've heard that if you ask for technical support, they will let you through to an agent. We were approved with no RFE. 

 

Also, the K-3 visa is pretty much obsolete at this point, so that wouldn't really be an option for you.

[arken 4,197]

K-3 is out of picture since it's for the spouse not for the fiancé.

 

You can keep trying contacting uscis and hopefully at some point you'll get the decision soon.

[Goose-o 7]

8 minutes ago, xxlian said:

It took a little over 10 months for our NOA2. I submitted two out of normal processing inquiries, contacted my Senator, and contacted my U.S. Representative. I was never able to reach them on the phone, but I've heard that if you ask for technical support, they will let you through to an agent. We were approved with no RFE. 

 

Also, the K-3 visa is pretty much obsolete at this point, so that wouldn't really be an option for you.

Thank you so much, you've given me some hope that there will be no RFE and this is just a fluke.

I appreciate it!

[Mike E 11,727]

To do a K-3 you would need to marry. If you marry you are better off doing a CR-1

 

Per 

CR-1s are being processed at twice the rate as K-1s and the K-1 processing rates are still well below prepandemic highs.  
 

I believe that because USCIS is also doing less processing during the pandemic, it will deprioritize NOA2s destined for a particular embassy that is also deprioritizing K-1s. 
 

So if you believe the CR-1 queue is under twice as long as the K-1 queue, getting married (if you do, I recommend the Utah Zoom wedding) now might be the right strategy.  While  you will start from the back of the queue,  you might get to NOA2 faster.  
 

I suggest looking at how @Captain Ewok got the data and monitor the trend before making a decision.  You might even be able to determine the relative lengths of the two backlogs.  

[carmel34 3,538]

2 hours ago, LittleGoose2021 said:

I have planned the move to the United States from Canada for the end of July. We thought that we had given ourselves a good buffer but with Coronavirus everything is delayed. 

Like many countries around the world, the US Consulate in Montreal has a huge backlog right now because of COVID, and it was a long wait in pre-COVID times.  So even if the I-129F is approved this week, the wait for the visa interview will be many many months after receiving NOA2.  It could be late this year or even 2022 before the visa interview is likely to be scheduled.  So don't make any moving plans until you have received your passport with the K-1 visa inside.  Good luck! 

[SalishSea 16,916]

3 hours ago, LittleGoose2021 said:

Hi everyone,

My fiance and I applied for our K-1visa on August 27th 2020. We still have not received our NOA2. We also have not received any RFE.

I have planned the move to the United States from Canada for the end of July. We thought that we had given ourselves a good buffer but with Coronavirus everything is delayed. 

 

In April we requested a follow-up on our case and 2 weeks later sent us an email basically saying "I know this is frustrating but we're working on it.".

 

We just submitted another request and are supposed to get a response June 30th, but I'm worried were just going to get the same thing. We are anxious to start living together but I can't make any plans until we know this has been approved at the minimum.

 

 

I have a few questions:

Should we just switch to a K-3 Visa, or will that delay things even further?

If this response has no information again, how to we contact the USCIS more directly (phone)?

Has anyone ever been denied after such a long wait time?

Has anyone been requested an RFE after such a long wait time?

 

Thank you,

 

A

You won’t be able to move here by the end of July.   Even pre-covid, K-1 was never the visa to choose if you needed to make those types of concrete plans.

 

K-3 is not an option.   You are not married, and even if you were, you would need to do the CR-1.

 

 

[Goose-o 7]

2 hours ago, carmel34 said:

Like many countries around the world, the US Consulate in Montreal has a huge backlog right now because of COVID, and it was a long wait in pre-COVID times.  So even if the I-129F is approved this week, the wait for the visa interview will be many many months after receiving NOA2.  It could be late this year or even 2022 before the visa interview is likely to be scheduled.  So don't make any moving plans until you have received your passport with the K-1 visa inside.  Good luck! 

Thanks for this advice I really appreciate it. I suppose we will have to re-evaluate our plans.

[Chancy 6,233]

9 hours ago, LittleGoose2021 said:

I have planned the move to the United States from Canada for the end of July.

 

If you mean July 2022, that might still be feasible.  Based on the Montreal K1 tracker mentioned in this thread, wait time from NOA2 to interview seems to be around 11 months.  Some folks who got their NOA2 in the 2nd half of 2020 just got K1 interview slots for August 2021 in Montreal --

 

 

[Cute doll face 27]

18 hours ago, LittleGoose2021 said:

Hi everyone,

My fiance and I applied for our K-1visa on August 27th 2020. We still have not received our NOA2. We also have not received any RFE.

I have planned the move to the United States from Canada for the end of July. We thought that we had given ourselves a good buffer but with Coronavirus everything is delayed. 

 

In April we requested a follow-up on our case and 2 weeks later sent us an email basically saying "I know this is frustrating but we're working on it.".

 

We just submitted another request and are supposed to get a response June 30th, but I'm worried were just going to get the same thing. We are anxious to start living together but I can't make any plans until we know this has been approved at the minimum.

 

 

I have a few questions:

Should we just switch to a K-3 Visa, or will that delay things even further?

If this response has no information again, how to we contact the USCIS more directly (phone)?

Has anyone ever been denied after such a long wait time?

Has anyone been requested an RFE after such a long wait time?

 

Thank you,

 

A

@LittleGoose2021 I would suggest you be patient alittle more I know it is stressing but be alittle more patient and pray to God to be approve soon ....your almost there Cz if you start a new process it’s going to take 6-8 months before your approved of which you can’t be guaranteed that it will take a shorter time ....so just be patient alittle more Cz once your approved your case will be sent to NVC and if your embassy is open it will be forwarded to the embassy.... you will  have your interview and booom the waiting is over 

I know it’s not easy but just give it more time ....Gods timing is the best 🙏🏽

[sarahcha 5]

20 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

If you mean July 2022, that might still be feasible.  Based on the Montreal K1 tracker mentioned in this thread, wait time from NOA2 to interview seems to be around 11 months.  Some folks who got their NOA2 in the 2nd half of 2020 just got K1 interview slots for August 2021 in Montreal --

 

 

It's me - I am one of those people, and you and that tracker are spot on. We applied Jan 30th 2020, NOA1 Feb 7 2020, NOA2 September 24 2020, interview was booked for August 20th (which puts us almost exactly at 11 months to the day from NOA2 to interview).

Things HAVE been speeding up, because some people with NOA2 dates up to about December 2020 also got booked in the August interview batch, but they are definitely still slower than normal. It's going to be at minimum an 16-18 month process from petition submitted to visa in-hand for a good while I think. 

Edited June 29, 2021 by sarahcha