the.ronin

Thanks for the responses you guys ... yes, this is just me venting. Mostly because I am beside myself that $170 evidently doesn't even buy enough competence to warrant reviewing the whole application package. The passport copies were in front of the tab marked "evidence" and I presume they got to that passport, saw that the stamps were outdated and assumed that was the evidence of having met. When in fact ... 1) the passport was meant for proof of citizenship and 2) the only stamps on there are for travels to Morocco, the U.K., and Holland.

And yes, I do plan to be as cordial as can be when I speak to them ... as my boss always tells me, "... easier to catch bees with honey than vinegar" haha.

Thanks again you guys. It is helpful to just have good people that sympathize with you. I'd buy you all beers if I could.

We received our first touch a few weeks ago ... no email updates although I have signed up for it and no changes to the status language on the USCIS site.

Over the weekend I received an RFE for evidence that we have met in person within the last two years - evidence which I have already submitted ...

The Petitioner submitted evidence copies of Passport pages that show admission stamps older than 2 years.

The copies of each pages of the petitioner U.S. passport were per directions on the I-129F as proof of citizenship. Additionally, entry into Mexico from the U.S. does not warrant a passport stamp nor does re-entry into the U.S.

Under a separate section - which, mind you, I'd like to think was clearly marked per my obsessive compulsive disorder ...

... included 5 photos with month, day, and year stamped on each, location, and both of our full names. Additionally, this section includes copies of airline boarding passes each with our names and copies bus boarding passes each with our names; copies. Each page with the header clearly indicating "Proof of Having Met in Past Two Years" including a description of what is contained on the page. In each circumstance, all dates are within 2 years from the date of application (as well as the current date today).

Yes, I am extremely pissed off. I made sure to put in an inordinate amount of time and effort to make sure the application was not only complete - but also extremely organized and presentable. I would never presume that all the attention to detail would warrant an automatic visa - hardly. But I would expect my $170 to cover some degree of competence in reviewing my application. Now we've got another three months delay to the process thank you to an imbecile at USCIS with the mental capacity of a spoon.

Thanks so much for the encouragement ... this is kinda freakin me out. Would the USCIS site typically tell you some description of what came of the "touch" or why it occurred? It is still the same description as when I received NOA1.

Well since submitting the application late in February and receiving NOA1 a few weeks thereafter, I wasn't expecting to see any activity until closer to August / September given the processing times ... but low and behold during my morning USCIS website check, we got a touch TODAY!!

There was no additional narrative or description so I have no idea what it involved ... maybe the file fell out of the box and they needed to put it back in.

I'm just worried the dreaded RFE is going to rear it's ugly head - as happened to some friends of ours who went through the process last year (now happily in the U.S. awaiting AOS). Oh the suspense ... I don't know whether to be excited that something has happened or to be depressed that it might be an RFE. Just nice to see activity, I guess.

Wish us luck.

Keep your chin up ... for this too shall pass.

I think the dates are helpful ... certainly better than nothing. I understand these dates are typically "worse case" and I'm the type to prefer being told something will arrive Wednesday when in fact it is more likely to arrive Monday.

How are they confusing at all? If they are processing Sep 06 cases today, that means there is Mar 07 minus Sep 06 months of lag. Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar ... 7 months of lag. So if you filed in Feb 07, expect the case to be processed Feb 07 plus 7 months = Aug 07.

My service center is California. Can I mail my package Certified-Return Receipt to the PO Box address or do I send it to the physical address?

Mine was certified return receipt also to CSC. I think I got my actualy NOA1 before the post office got the return receipt back to me haha.

Things are moving at CSC. Currently they are processing 9/13/06 cases. So that 7-8 month trajectory is still holding.

We got her birth certificate translated along with the authorization / certification language just in case.

I wouldn't worry just yet but if you sniff RFE, that may be why.

Best of luck.

You guys are brave setting your wedding dates even before you've submitted ... try to be flexible just in case.

Goedemiddag

I miss Amsterdam.

Why risk it? I would just put within 90 days since that is the rules set forth. You're going to have to anyway right?

SHE SIGNS IT.

HAVE A NICE DAY.

That sucks. The whole pesos-for-the-family thing is a pretext, as I'm sure you've already figured out. Remittance is a multi-billion dollar industry - she can send money back home than she could ever have made in her home country.

Good on you to move on ... and good idea to just go through with the trip anyway. Maybe try to give her a last chance face to face. And if that doesn't work, you turn yourself around and head for the closest bar and get completely wasted and have a great time. That's what I would do. What I wouldn't do is go hunting for another wife just yet. Give it some time, Quimosabe.

So is it basically all over the place in terms on when people get their first touch? With some even having their first touch being the NOA2?

Just in case I made sure you wear deodorant today. Is it wierd that I prefer women's Secret?

lol awwwwwwww......you are soooooooooooo new here....don't worry...you don't even have your NOA1 yet.

Lean back an relax....IF you get touched it shouldn't happen any sooner than after 2 months!

SO hang in there :thumbs:

Oops I forgot to update my signature ... I actually did receive the NOA1 ... 2 months?!? Oh man my attention deficit disorder is not going to like this.

dont feel bad, some never get touched

Because no one wants to touch me.

Yeah, I'd have given up and moved to Germany by then.

Hang in there ... my friends just made the move to the U.S. this past Saturday. I couldn't even describe to you how elated they are ... "surreal" was a word used quite a bit. One thing was clear - every minute they suffered through the K1 process was every bit worth it!! Besides, that was just their case - your case will likely be very different and, depending on this RFE, perhaps a shorter delay.

Besides, German food is bland.

Please keep us in the loop on the specifics behind the RFE ... my friends got one for not providing a Circumstances of Meeting letter and not having dates on the proof of meeting photos. They say it stalled their process by about 3 months (CA Service Center).

Also, I've read through this site many times over and continually forget about certain information or sections ... such as the VJ timelines posted.

To the OP, welcome and to the Vermont people, damn you!!! Just kidding.

Bump for more votes

Ah I see what you're saying ... ok then congrats to us!!

My worst fear was that the package would get sent back as incomplete or something ... I can't imagine they cash your check anyway.

While I completely share your enthusiasm (mine was cashed around the same day) ... I don't know that the last part of your statement is entirely accurate. Afterall, that's what RFEs are for, no?