Andie

I did read a couple of weeks ago about July filers who suddenly could see their status. Whether they fixing and updating the system functioning a piece at a time I have no idea how it works.. but when I read that at the time I did check ours and it was still not viewable and all felt pretty hopeless.... but now today it is. I still think we have a bit of a wait but it feels more hopeful. I'm seeing it in weeks rather than months now.

Yes I thought the same... felt like someone had turned a small light on at least and we're not totally in the dark. The fact that they notified everyone has no doubt upset a lot of people hoping that it is a decision. There are still a lot of July filers waiting.. I think we have a bit of a wait yet.

So I know some people check out all the profiles on Igor's list ... at present TSC for August shows around 25% and more for September... these must be either Philippines or CSC's or have listed themselves as TSC. Is that correct? Are any of them 'normal' August/September TSC filers?
(and yea I hate all the "we're all in this together" cheer leading team too. I check in every day but don't read most of it anymore).
Anyway.. thinking of us all that have just simply had enough of this part of the journey.... (not much else I can say)

This is the mistake that so many people make and one of the reasons why the timelines are so inaccurate now. You did not send your application to TSC, but rather it was routed there by USCIS.

The real issue why some people get processed fast and others slow, is actually due to the service center they are sent to first and foremost. TSC is backlogged, CSC is spitting them out in rapid speed. The other things you mention may have an affect, but it is not the driving factor for the majority of us right now with simple cases with little to no issues. Another factor that speeds up an application is if you are from an expedited country, such as the Philippines.

The answer to your thread title is "USCIS."
Edit: Look at the different Service Centers, CSC & TSC. Most of the difference is due to that.
2nd Edit: CSC processes significantly faster than TSC. USCIS doesn't appropriately spread the applications across the 2 SCs.

Two things come to mind:
1. It seems you know what the right thing to do is. You're not going to find many people on these forums telling you to get married (without following the legal protocol, with a K-1) when you know what your girlfriend did was illegal.
2. This is a little off-topic and maybe even nosy, but if your "girlfriend" makes such life-altering decisions without even informing you...are you sure she's really your girlfriend and that you want to marry this person? How do you know this is the first time she's done this?

Quit crying. At least you are at the CSC. Want to trade places and be at the TSC?

It absolutely blows my mind that it's even legal for the wait times to be so much longer depending on what part of the country you are in. This process is unbelievably frustrating. As happy as I am for everyone who is getting their approvals so fast, I still can't help but to feel angry about the whole thing.

I agree 100%, but unfortunately that requires a level of responsibility and forethought that some people just don't have.

They don't work on week days ......

They don't work on week days ......

They don't work on week days ......

No. The rest of us are sitting here pissed off waiting longer because people with a fiancé from the Philippines get expedited and jump the line in front of the rest of us. We can't even get any information on the status of our case while we're waiting, so we aren't excited or approved.

I don't know if he is discriminating against foreign men and women, after all from my understanding of what I read here is that most of the visa process is targeted against fraud...fraud from what? fraud of a foreign fiance wanting to marry an American citizen with the sole purpose of coming to live in America, with no love interest for the petitioner. I think he was just letting us know that this has happened to him and giving us some precautions to take to guard against it. I could be wrong, but I'm not sure if there are too many Americans men/women trying to scam a marriage to move to a third-world or other foreign country, that's why we petition to bring them here.

My understanding of the purpose of this thread was not about whether or not the expedites/transfers etc were fair, but about having a more reliable source to assess time frames for approvals for those (the majority) not in that situation. We all have lives to get on with and this floating in limbo is not easy.

You are so right about peoples motives. Especially for Nigeria. I have known of neighbor people who lied to field investigators telling them the person was married had wife and kids in village just to mess them up. Jealousy can do many things.
Plus my ears went up wondering why in the world AFTER an interview and AP would you take on a NEW job in a NEW state when you are about to move (hopefully). Just seems crazy. And personally I doubt very seriously if wife in US agreed. Probably she had no say in the matter.
Just dumb move on all accounts. And Ontarkie is right your friend knows all the gossip going around and knows there are probably field agents right outside his complex watching his ever move why would he not correct such a thing. Family friend. Sister visiting. Sounds like a dang harem up in there what you think immigration going to think.
And he will come back and post on VJ how Immigration is so mean and bad and hates Nigerians and pick on them. Na wa o, abi.

I hate to say this, but, Ontarkie, you raise a really good question about the friend...
I don't want to sound paranoid, but sometimes you never know what a persons true motive is, and in my opinion, it is never appropriate for a married man to live in a home with a woman other than his wife, mother, or sister, regardless of the circumstance.
I think it is better for the husband to find a temporary home by himself or with another man. There is too much at risk with him staying with the woman friend both in regards to the AP he is under now, and in regards to the future relationship with his wife, as you never know if or when the woman friend could decided to make up a lie about the husband to the wife out of jealousy or loneliness. If the husband truly loves his wife, he would do what is in the best interest of his marriage. If anyone questions why he moved again, he can just explain that he was uncomfortable with his living situation as people began to form the wrong impression about his relationship with the roommate, and that because he values his relationship with his wife, he did not want to do anything to jeopardize it. Therefore, it was in his best interest to move out, not only to protect his marriage, but also both his and his wife's reputation.

I would move, why has he not corrected the neighbours? If he wont move he needs to make it very clear that he is just a room mate, renter or anything that can clear up this mess. He really should not of let it get to that point. Is he sure the friend is not telling ppl other wise?

They will question any timing issue that they are suspicious of. They will question any issue relating to any petition that they are suspicious of. ANY. That does not make them incompetent. It makes them thorough.

The first thing I would do is ask the lawyer to show me the hard copy of the RFE and make sure that they responded appropriately. It seems like every lawyer horror story involves them not responding to an RFE appropriately (or at all). It's unbelievable and inexcusable, really.

Frustrating, outrageous, depressed, sick, lonely are we

In view of the speed of CSC, all I-129F's should be sent to them. It seems that TSC is doing nothing at all for I-129F's except maybe Philippines and a few other expedites. As far as the confusion with the TSC petitions as opposed to the Texas Lockbox... can anything be done by the mods to fix this so it doesn't continually jig the figures?
The imbalance between the two "service" centers is a joke frankly. USCIS has to be aware of this which makes it even more of an outrage.

Your service center says Texas Service Center. That can't be right. Congrats but please change your info so people don't get confused.

I don't think I'm paranoid. I just wanted to be sure everything was done correctly as required so as not to delay anything. I didn't want to chance a delay with an RFE. I visited him so I was able to get original signatures, bring them back with me, and mail them in with the petition.
I believe you are lucky you did not receive an RFE. I have read posts of those who did for original signatures. So OP you can get original signature or take the chance. Its up to you.