BOS_LHR

Everyone contacting the Service Centers or filing a service request is getting this same response right now. Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with your case, and it's highly unlikely that it will actually take 6 months from now for them to approve your petition. It's just the latest in a series of their standard replies because they can't be bothered to help anyone individually anymore.

Worth noting it's different for F2A filers, you've posted in the CR1/IR1 section and our wait times are substantially different.
Congrats!

I don't think there'll be any curse, though at times I almost felt that way for being July spreadsheet moderator. I'm not really worried about July, August, esp ones at CSC (though yes some do get stuck at CSC too), I am saddened to see Nebraska, Texas lagging, and even more painful to see earlier months still waiting. I know we all get happy and come here doing happy dance when approved/transferred...but it's not until one goes through seeing others getting approved/transferred before oneself that one truly appreciates and understands the injustice of this system, the pain/frustration it causes. Let's all be mindful that even though we are happy to have moved forward, there are many watching helplessly as others move forward. Let's keep supporting those people and keep them in our prayer and doing what we can to support.

You do realize I sleep at times lol Well 2 sets of eyes better than one. It's updated. July is getting there now with CSC and picking up on August spreadsheet. Good Luck to August. I am praying for NSC and TSC approvals to come and pick up their pace. Kick their

I got an email from the embassy this morning. They said my husband's visa has been issued and he has to be in the States by March 9, 2014.
Most of you know our story. We were in AP 16 months when our visa got denied because the embassy said we were not legally married because I am a Christian and he is Muslim. We hired an immigration attorney and won our appeal. Our case was sent back to the embassy where we were kept in AP almost another 2 years.
My husband is strong and he kept our marriage together through the long wait.
I want to thank all my friends on visa journey that supported us and encouraged us through the years.

Just found this out the hard way myself, bah I'm so ready for winter to be over!

Yeah, taking the full 20 days seems entirely standard. For us that's the 17th, which is a holiday But even with zero expectation of anything happening before then I don't mind calling every day. It's really a much nicer experience than calling USCIS, and it takes very little time out of my day to get that peace of mind.

My case was received at NVC on Jan 21 as well. I'm calling them daily, but based on other members' timelines, I'm not really expecting any good news for another week or two. Still, they say 10-20 business days, and we're now at the 10 business day mark, so they'll be hearing from me regularly

That's your approval, don't worry! This is totally normal for CSC. California doesn't send separate notices to tell you that they've transferred your case to NVC, they do it all in one. You have NOA2 and your case should be at NVC in about two weeks. Congrats!

That's your approval, don't worry! This is totally normal for CSC. California doesn't send separate notices to tell you that they've transferred your case to NVC, they do it all in one. You have NOA2 and your case should be at NVC in about two weeks. Congrats!

Lots of us are going through the same thing.
We just need to be patient and understand!
We have no other way but to be patient with USCIS, why not our other halfs? they deserve it more!!!

You will most likely be forced onto the CR1/IR1 path. What's been happening is that the two petitions are matched up and approved together at USCIS, but at NVC they chuck out the I-129F. I know there are some members very strongly interested in pursuing the K3 and they have expressed their preference to USCIS, but there's no movement yet to see whether they'll be allowed to go that route.
As for how long it'll take to get through the rest of the process, it depends a lot on your embassy and how quickly they're getting people in for interviews. NVC will probably take you 2-3 months, so you can look at other filers with your embassy to see what the wait might be like after case complete.

You can't file as single if you're married. You can get a tax ID number for your wife if you want to file married jointly, or you can file married separately without her needing an SSN or ITIN. For the latter option you won't be able to file online, you'll need to print your return and put "NRA" for non-resident alien in the spouse's SSN field, then mail to the IRS.

Wrong. We were prepared to wait and accepted it that we would be apart for a while. We weren't prepared for the fact that they were going to hold our case for as long as they did, because people who'd filed just a few months before us did not experience those delays.
Instead of telling people to suck it up, we should all work towards improving it. You're assuming that we can't change anything. In that, I think you're entirely wrong.
As far as how to dealing with separation, well, telling someone suck it up is not helpful. It doesn't give any tips on dealing with the stress. It doesn't give tips on effective communication with your spouse. It gives no hint of how to work around financial hardships that come from trying to maintain 2 households. It does not show any empathy or consideration for someone who is going through a rough time, and thus no emotional support.
Telling someone to suck it up says: Sucks to be you. If coming from someone who got their fiancee/spouse here in a short amount of time, it says: I got mine, who cares if you get yours. It says: Your pain isn't important or real. It minimizes and demeans someone who is already feeling extremely low. Telling someone to stop complaining about something that is bothering them just says that you don't consider them important enough to have real and valid feelings and opinions. YOU have the option of not responding or not reading threads where people are complaining if you don't want to see or hear complaining. But coming in and basically telling someone to shut up and take whatever their given is bullcrap.

I added you I like working quietly in the background!!!

I don't doubt it, but based on VJ member data, those cases are outliers rather than the average. It seems with Texas if you're not approved a month after transfer, you're in for a long wait.
March:
46% of Texas transfers approved
Approved members waited an average of 30 days
Unapproved members (i.e., 54%) waiting average of 95 days
April has 67% of TSC transfers approved, and those still waiting were transferred at the end of November.
May has 33% of TSC transfers approved, and those still waiting were transferred in December.
June:
48% of Texas transfers approved
Approved members waited an average of 31 days
Unapproved members (i.e., 52%) waiting average of 52 days

We'd all probably be set for retirement by now. I think this is one of the most unintentionally obnoxious things the people in our lives do to us. They're interested and they don't understand what's going on, but to explain it properly takes so much time, and most don't care quite enough to really listen to the complexities of the process. I have a handful of friends who make an honest effort to understand and who take genuine interest in how we're progressing. Anyone else who asks gets kind of a brushoff response, for everyone's sake At Christmas I fantasized about making a FAQ sheet to explain to all the relatives I knew would be interrogating me. I would have loved to head off all the "have you called anyone to find out what's going on? Can a congressman/senator/lawyer help?" type questions!

We'd all probably be set for retirement by now. I think this is one of the most unintentionally obnoxious things the people in our lives do to us. They're interested and they don't understand what's going on, but to explain it properly takes so much time, and most don't care quite enough to really listen to the complexities of the process. I have a handful of friends who make an honest effort to understand and who take genuine interest in how we're progressing. Anyone else who asks gets kind of a brushoff response, for everyone's sake At Christmas I fantasized about making a FAQ sheet to explain to all the relatives I knew would be interrogating me. I would have loved to head off all the "have you called anyone to find out what's going on? Can a congressman/senator/lawyer help?" type questions!

We'd all probably be set for retirement by now. I think this is one of the most unintentionally obnoxious things the people in our lives do to us. They're interested and they don't understand what's going on, but to explain it properly takes so much time, and most don't care quite enough to really listen to the complexities of the process. I have a handful of friends who make an honest effort to understand and who take genuine interest in how we're progressing. Anyone else who asks gets kind of a brushoff response, for everyone's sake At Christmas I fantasized about making a FAQ sheet to explain to all the relatives I knew would be interrogating me. I would have loved to head off all the "have you called anyone to find out what's going on? Can a congressman/senator/lawyer help?" type questions!

Wise words above guys. I know the feeling of not wanting to be helpless; I wanted to do everything in my power, regardless the odds of it making a difference, just so I (and my partner) knew I had done my level best and no stone was left unturned. I needed to be able to say that I tried everything. But at the end of the day, it's important to accept that we do not and cannot control this process. Don't forget that life is still happening, now, every day. It's easy to get caught up in looking toward the future, but you can do things to make the present a happier place. Find what works in your individual lives, and take solace and joy in your spouses. Hang in there everyone -- sending lots of positive vibes out to you all.

USCIS needs to stop doing this to people on Fridays! I hope your approval is around the corner, good luck!!

I just got this email from USCIS (I'm subscribed to their distribution lists):
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is pleased to announce the launch of a new Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system that provides customers with streamlined access to immigration information, case status, and customer service representatives. Beginning February 1, callers will hear new series of messages when calling the USCIS toll-free National Customer Service Center number at 1-800-375-5283. The IVR system was redesigned in response to stakeholder and customer feedback to better serve USCIS customers. The IVR is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and live assistance is also available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm in the continental U.S. To supplement the new IVR system, USCIS has developed updated public education materials on its website to help customers better understand the immigration process. In addition to its toll-free number and educational resources, USCIS continues to offer customers a variety of online self-service tools through its www.uscis.gov/tools web page, including the ability to check case status, change their address, and submit a case status inquiry.
I wonder what the impact of this might be. Will it be more difficult to reach a human Tier 2 operator? Will this line more easily provide information that I-130 filers have had to painfully drag out of operators up to now? I hope some of you give this a go and can report back as to what you think of the service.

I just got this email from USCIS (I'm subscribed to their distribution lists):
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is pleased to announce the launch of a new Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system that provides customers with streamlined access to immigration information, case status, and customer service representatives. Beginning February 1, callers will hear new series of messages when calling the USCIS toll-free National Customer Service Center number at 1-800-375-5283. The IVR system was redesigned in response to stakeholder and customer feedback to better serve USCIS customers. The IVR is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and live assistance is also available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm in the continental U.S. To supplement the new IVR system, USCIS has developed updated public education materials on its website to help customers better understand the immigration process. In addition to its toll-free number and educational resources, USCIS continues to offer customers a variety of online self-service tools through its www.uscis.gov/tools web page, including the ability to check case status, change their address, and submit a case status inquiry.
I wonder what the impact of this might be. Will it be more difficult to reach a human Tier 2 operator? Will this line more easily provide information that I-130 filers have had to painfully drag out of operators up to now? I hope some of you give this a go and can report back as to what you think of the service.

Wise words above guys. I know the feeling of not wanting to be helpless; I wanted to do everything in my power, regardless the odds of it making a difference, just so I (and my partner) knew I had done my level best and no stone was left unturned. I needed to be able to say that I tried everything. But at the end of the day, it's important to accept that we do not and cannot control this process. Don't forget that life is still happening, now, every day. It's easy to get caught up in looking toward the future, but you can do things to make the present a happier place. Find what works in your individual lives, and take solace and joy in your spouses. Hang in there everyone -- sending lots of positive vibes out to you all.

Wise words above guys. I know the feeling of not wanting to be helpless; I wanted to do everything in my power, regardless the odds of it making a difference, just so I (and my partner) knew I had done my level best and no stone was left unturned. I needed to be able to say that I tried everything. But at the end of the day, it's important to accept that we do not and cannot control this process. Don't forget that life is still happening, now, every day. It's easy to get caught up in looking toward the future, but you can do things to make the present a happier place. Find what works in your individual lives, and take solace and joy in your spouses. Hang in there everyone -- sending lots of positive vibes out to you all.