Timeline after email from manila IR1

[Edwinh 2]

My wife and I received letter 9/3/25 that our case was expedited. Another letter on 9/5/25 to tell us to upload our AOMs along with information on scheduling the Biometrics appointment. Our attorney uploaded the AOMS (1 for my Filipina wife and 1 for me) to my wife's portal as there was nowhere to upload under my name. There was a sentence with a link about RESHEDULING APPOINTMENTS which confused our lawyer who had us call Manila and they told us we had no interview scheduled. Another company who helped us fill my 130 also told us the rescheduling statement did not mean anything was scheduled but was in all letters. 

 

We have heard nothing at all since 9/5/25. Is this normal right now. It seemed I saw others on the forum in January in manila who had already had interviews with original letters from manila later than our original letter from Manila. Is this delay just normal now or should we be inquiring about mistakes or anything?. Our priority date is October 25, 2023.

 

Thanks all and good luck

[Edwinh 2]

By the way, in the CEAC portal our submitted AOMs, submitted in my wife's portal under 'other' both say submitted still but not accepted. Hers was submitted 9/26/2025 and mine on October 3, 2025. Could this be a/the problem?

[appleblossom 5,945]

1 hour ago, Edwinh said:

By the way, in the CEAC portal our submitted AOMs, submitted in my wife's portal under 'other' both say submitted still but not accepted. Hers was submitted 9/26/2025 and mine on October 3, 2025. Could this be a/the problem?

 

Do the documents definitely meet the criteria set out in the country specific guidelines? https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Philippines.html

 

Who was it expedited by, USCIS or NVC? Have you paid the fees and submitted the DS-260? If you could fill your timeline in it would be helpful. 

 

Being DQ'ed should only take a couple of weeks, so if that still hasn't happened then there's definitely an issue somewhere. What does your lawyer say about the delay?

Edited Monday at 09:09 PM by appleblossom

[Edwinh 2]

2 hours ago, appleblossom said:

 

Do the documents definitely meet the criteria set out in the country specific guidelines? https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Philippines.html

 

Who was it expedited by, USCIS or NVC? Have you paid the fees and submitted the DS-260? If you could fill your timeline in it would be helpful. 

 

Being DQ'ed should only take a couple of weeks, so if that still hasn't happened then there's definitely an issue somewhere. What does your lawyer say about the delay?

We were DQ'd June 18 2025.

 

Our case is with the Embassy in Manila. They asked for the Advisory on Marriage documents from the  Philippines Government. We uploaded those docs into the CEAC on September 26 and October 3, 2025. The status of those uploads still says submitted not accepted. (i guess it has only been 6 months since those were uploaded, not 7 months). 

 

 

[appleblossom 5,945]

5 hours ago, Edwinh said:

We were DQ'd June 18 2025.

 

Our case is with the Embassy in Manila. They asked for the Advisory on Marriage documents from the  Philippines Government. We uploaded those docs into the CEAC on September 26 and October 3, 2025. The status of those uploads still says submitted not accepted. (i guess it has only been 6 months since those were uploaded, not 7 months). 

 

 

Were you definitely DQ’ed? If so, something is not right as you should have got your IL a few months ago - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/iv-wait-times.html

The rescheduling appointment thing makes it sound as though you were sent an IL. Have you been checking your junk/spam emails carefully? 

 

Just to confirm, you’re a US citizen? Not green card holder? 
 

What does your online case status say? And again, who expedited your case, USCIS or NVC? 
 

Lastly, when did you have the biometrics appointment? 

Edited Tuesday at 06:04 AM by appleblossom

[Edwinh 2]

3 hours ago, appleblossom said:

Were you definitely DQ’ed? If so, something is not right as you should have got your IL a few months ago - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/iv-wait-times.html

The rescheduling appointment thing makes it sound as though you were sent an IL. Have you been checking your junk/spam emails carefully? 

 

Just to confirm, you’re a US citizen? Not green card holder? 
 

What does your online case status say? And again, who expedited your case, USCIS or NVC? 
 

Lastly, when did you have the biometrics appointment? 

Yes definitely dq'd or it would not have been sent to the embassy. Neither I nor my wife nor our attorney received an IL. We have not done the biometrics yet. The letter says only to do it before the interview date and we have no interview date yet. Attorney says no rush to complete the biometrics. The NVC expedited and sent to Manila embassy and changes from k to IR1.

The timeline is concerning as it shows Manila processing visas dq'd in October 2025. We were definitely dq'd June 18

[Edward and Jaycel 2,585]

Have you tried doing a public inquiry with NVC pointing out that the AOMs you submitted to CEAC remain in "Submitted" state and not approved and that you have not received your IL yet?

 

 

[Edwinh 2]

3 hours ago, Edward and Jaycel said:

Have you tried doing a public inquiry with NVC pointing out that the AOMs you submitted to CEAC remain in "Submitted" state and not approved and that you have not received your IL yet?

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Edward and Jaycel said:

Have you tried doing a public inquiry with NVC pointing out that the AOMs you submitted to CEAC remain in "Submitted" state and not approved and that you have not received your IL yet?

 

WE have not tried that. Do you know the procedure for doing a public inquiry? Thank you for your suggestion.

 

[Edwinh 2]

3 hours ago, Edward and Jaycel said:

Have you tried doing a public inquiry with NVC pointing out that the AOMs you submitted to CEAC remain in "Submitted" state and not approved and that you have not received your IL yet?

 

Is it possible to inquire to NVC when our case is already with the Manila Embassy?

 

[Edward and Jaycel 2,585]

2 minutes ago, Edwinh said:

WE have not tried that. Do you know the procedure for doing a public inquiry? Thank you for your suggestion.

Go here and fill out the online form:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/ask-nvc.html

[Edwinh 2]

7 hours ago, Edward and Jaycel said:

Have you tried doing a public inquiry with NVC pointing out that the AOMs you submitted to CEAC remain in "Submitted" state and not approved and that you have not received your IL yet?

 

Is it possible to inquire to NVC when our case is already with the Manila Embassy?

Thank you all for your input. We consulted with two entities including our attorney, who reviewed our submissions again. Both reassure us that our submissions are complete and that the AOM uploads still saying submitted are not a problem as we are already DQ and there is no reason to for them to look at those at this stage. Our attorney is going to file an inquiry about the long wait just to be sure. I was wrong in thinking that our case is already in Manila. Apparently it is still with NVC until NVC makes the interview appointment. At this time we just need to keep waiting but at least we feel reassured know there are no red flags or problems. We keep waiting and praying

[appleblossom 5,945]

1 hour ago, Edwinh said:

Thank you all for your input. We consulted with two entities including our attorney, who reviewed our submissions again. Both reassure us that our submissions are complete and that the AOM uploads still saying submitted are not a problem as we are already DQ and there is no reason to for them to look at those at this stage. Our attorney is going to file an inquiry about the long wait just to be sure. I was wrong in thinking that our case is already in Manila. Apparently it is still with NVC until NVC makes the interview appointment. At this time we just need to keep waiting but at least we feel reassured know there are no red flags or problems. We keep waiting and praying

The red flag is that you should have had your IL letter quite some time ago.
 

And that your lawyer seems frankly, pretty useless. They should have submitted an enquiry months ago, your wife could be in the US with you by now and the delay is on them. 

[Pook075 1]

Question, I started the IR1 process in November 2024.  I am also DC and waiting for an appointment to be scheduled from the NVC.

 

I've read that your original filing date determines who gets scheduled 1st.  Since Apple changed categories, could that be his extreme delay?  That would mean I'd have my interview 1st.

 

Or does it go by the DQ date?  If so, he was Oct 2025 (or possibly June 2025) and I was Jan 2026.  So he would clearly go first in that instance.

 

This is all confusing because I've also read that there are no backlog delays for the IR1 category, we go as we're DQ and a slot becomes available.

[Crazy Cat 46,427]

2 hours ago, Pook075 said:

Or does it go by the DQ date?

Filing date generally determines I-130 approval date.  DQ date determines placement in the interview queue at NVC. 

 

1. Case is DQ'd by NVC.

2. Case then enters NVC queue for your consulate and waits at NVC.

3. Consulate informs NVC of available interview dates for upcoming month.

4. NVC schedules interviews for cases at the front of the line.

5. NVC schedules your  interview when your case reaches the front of the queue for that consulate.

6. NVC notifies person of interview date via email.

7. NVC then sends case to consulate.

After the interview is scheduled, it can take several days to several weeks for the consulate to receive the case.

Edited 3 hours ago by Crazy Cat

[appleblossom 5,945]

2 hours ago, Pook075 said:

Question, I started the IR1 process in November 2024.  I am also DC and waiting for an appointment to be scheduled from the NVC.

 

I've read that your original filing date determines who gets scheduled 1st.  Since Apple changed categories, could that be his extreme delay?  That would mean I'd have my interview 1st.

 

Or does it go by the DQ date?  If so, he was Oct 2025 (or possibly June 2025) and I was Jan 2026.  So he would clearly go first in that instance.

 

This is all confusing because I've also read that there are no backlog delays for the IR1 category, we go as we're DQ and a slot becomes available.

 

It's done by DQ date - see the link I gave above (5th post).

 

Who's 'he'? And what change of category? I assume your stepson (going on your other thread) but it would really be better if you kept all questions to that thread rather than hijacking somebody elses. So I'd post over there, giving details and timelines of each of the two cases, and why the change in category (which would normally slow things down). Hopefully then somebody can help you figure things out.

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by appleblossom