alizon

Hi,

I live in New Jersey and I just received the email from my mailing a couple days ago that the I-130 processing is to be handled by the California Service Center. Isnt that a slower center, I was expecting being in the northeast for it be handled by the Vermont Service Center. Any ideas?

Assignment to service centers doesn't seem to be based on state of residence. It just seems to be kind of random.

Your application was put on fast track and expedited coz the beneficiary had a job interview lined up in US?

If this is true then all the beneficiary would do same, now days its not much difficult to apply for jobs from different countries.

If what you are saying is true then all the applicants would be eligible for expedtied process.

You don't have to believe me if you don't want to; I'm just reporting what happened with us. You'll note that we were July filers (many of whom are still waiting for NOA2s) and that we got our NOA2 5 days after the expedite request.

I will say, however, that this isn't just any job that could be replaced with another. We demonstrated with evidence that this was a very specific, time sensitive opportunity, and that having to turn down this offer would also deny him the certification he needs to accept similar offers in the future. So maybe that's the difference.

Same here. I got access to the Print Coversheet button as soon as we paid. I didn't send anything before the status got to paid though, didn't want to risk have original documents rejected and sent back.

Also same. I have the coversheet in my AOS package now, though the bill is still showing as In Progress. I'm not planning on waiting to send, though; I'll likely send it today. I figure that since we're doing electronic processing, I won't be losing much time if the documents are rejected. What do you think, Saylin?

Lastly, do I really need to put the case number on every page if they're reviewing the document as a single PDF? I can't get my PDF editor to let me insert a text box anyway...

AOS invoiced and paid...electronic processing is flying by! *knock on wood*

Wow, one day! I had to wait 16 days for mine!

Yeah, I was pretty surprised by that...at least I think this was the opt-in acceptance: Dear Sir/Madam: This case is now enrolled in the Electronic Processing Program...etc.

I woke up to two of the emails, actually, sent within a minute of each other. One responding to the first, incorrect case number I sent, but correcting it for me (the operator gave me the year 2011 instead of 2012), and then another for the corrected email I sent them.

Our electronic optin was accepted in less than a day. Still waiting for fees to be invoiced...and it strikes me as funny that they won't LET me pay them over $400!

Just another voice to the choir of "that's cheap!" Even my university subsidized, "we cover practically nothing" student health insurance would cost as much or more if I added my husband.

(Also in Chicago, btw. )

Congrats!

Job interview does not move the process any faster, now days lot of beneficiary do not even have to do a job interview they have job lined up such as internal transfer in MNC.

That would not expedite the case, the only reason they expedite the case is when its a humanitarian conditions or extreme health issues or for active duty military spouse.

Not true, we were expedited for a job interview. I haven't seen anyone report that their case was actually hurt by trying for an expedite and being denied, so if you think you're eligible, then just apply for it. I think the most important factor is whether the processing time for the visa is the only or major factor that might cause death, financial loss, whatever. If your job offer is willing to wait for you, like if it's an internal transfer, then you probably don't have a case for an expedite.

But for expedites where the PETITIONER has lost their job...even if you get the expedite, you're going to have a problem when the time comes for the Affidavit of Support.

Got our case number a few minutes ago by email!

Yay!

Still not able to sign into payment portal though. Not worried about it yet.

Grats!

The beneficiary ID should have been assigned at the same time as the case number and IIN. Perhaps the operator you got didn't know what that was. I'd suggest calling back and asking again. Good luck!

Got it! And found that the first operator was off by one digit, so I resent my optin and expedite request with the corrected case number.

I was literally JUST about to post that I am getting impatient for my case number, but I called the operator one more time just to check, and our case was just entered today!!

I got the case number and Invoice Identification Number, but she said there was no beneficiary ID listed yet. Is that normal?

Yay! Porter already flew between my city and my husband's, and now they'll fly to my parents' too!

I called NVC today and they give me my case number & IIN. Thank God! But we are still waiting for my sons case number. They still didn't receive the case of my son. Is this normal? My son and I were approved on the same date at USCIS last Dec. 16, 2011.

That's good to hear (that you got one, at least). Our NOA2 was Dec. 17, and we're still waiting for our case number.

My husband is still living and working in Canada since our application is only now getting to NVC. Any idea what we should do about taxes? Obviously we both have to file in our respective countries as married since we are, but I'm assuming/hoping we don't have to report each others' income to our own governments? None of my income was made in Canada and I haven't lived there, and same for him and the US. If I'm allowed to file jointly in the US and exclude all of his income, I could get a serious jump in my refund...but I don't know if filing jointly is allowed in our situation or if I'll have to pay taxes on his income if I do that. And will he get any tax benefit for being married in Canada or will he have to be taxed on my income regardless of where it was made and where I reside? So confusing...

call every day...

I just don't want to 1. be pissed off every single day that I call and don't receive a number or 2. start getting irate operators who can see that I've called every day even after I was told to wait...

I just spoke to an NVC operator, and she told me that since my file was received Dec. 27th, I should wait until January 24th to call back for a case number. I have been trying to be sane about the number of times I call NVC (automated system every 2 or 3 days, operator only twice since my NOA2 on Dec. 17), but waiting until the 24th to call back seems a bit long...should I listen to her, call in another week, or keep trying every couple days?

Where did you stay in Montreal? I'm looking for a hotel within a half Km away to the consulate. There are several options but none offer airport shuttle. Do you know of any that do?

For $8 you can take the 747 STM bus from several locations downtown and/or the central bus station (Berri UQAM). It's a simple bus to take since it's pretty much dedicated to getting to and from the airport, and if you get yourself a week long STM pass (I think it's $20?), you can just use that and won't have to pay the extra $8.

http://www.stm.info/english/info/a-747.htm

It is odd how they will approve these kind of expedites but deny health ones. Well, congratulations to you at least.

I think expedites are given based on how time dependent the situation is. In our case, the loss of a job would be entirely dependent on the speed of the visa processing, whereas in some health situations, the faster visa processing might be nice, or even more humane, but it doesn't have any real impact on the outcome of anyone's health.

We waited 5 months at CSC too and suffered because of it; we're not one of those couples who were inexplicably approved in a week or a month. I am trying not to be offended by the tone of your response, but you seem to be saying we are undeserving.

What did you file an expedite for exactly? Was it through a member of congress?

Ours was for possible economic loss because of my husband's employment situation. We filed it ourselves by calling USCIS and then sending further evidence later that day.

Saylin, we were expedited through USCIS and plan to file for an expedite through NVC. Do you think we could file for the expedite before we get our case number (as in, we know the file must be there bc of the general speed of mail, so hurry up and enter that info to give us a case number), or are we stuck with that 3-4 week wait?

"all petitions in normal processing prior to 16June are complete" and so that's what they are 'processing'.

Based on what an USCIS operator said about standard processing time (i.e. it's not really 5 months, it's whatever they say it is), I think that's accurate.

I don't mind explaining it to my family, but I was totally baffled by one of my friends who assumed that my husband was allowed to be here immediately after we were married. That friend is Canadian and studying in the US on a visa...and he thought getting married was an immediate green card...what the...

It's nearly January, so are you enrolled for Spring 2012?