Ellinora

Nothing here either but I guess they can't transfer us to a local office since we are abroad.

For the 130 filers for May, can you guys tell me if you are currently separated from your spouses or are some of you together in another country? Just wondering if it makes a difference on when/if your file gets transferred. Thanks and congrats to those that have movement!

We are both in Finland and have not been transferred. PD May 13th.

^^ Thank you! I hope it is a good sign, but who knows

Our case has not been transferred either, still at OP I assume.

Just checked case status and it is still in initial review with the following info:

"On December 4, 2013, your address was changed relating to the I130, IMMIGRANT PETITION FOR RELATIVE, FIANCE(E), OR ORPHAN that you filed. Please check our website at www.uscis.gov for further updates on your case. Please wait until the end of normal processing time before calling customer service at 1-800-375-5283 for live assistance.

^ Yes, they told us today that they're processing February 2013 now, but I wouldn't count on it really being the case.

edit. they also told us that we can't submit a service request since we are filing from abroad...

you could call today and get that same answer,... and then call next month and get the same answer ... get the trend? its just another smoke screen to make you stop calling...

I called 3 months ago and got that same response, then the month after that.... same thing... they just reword it...

Oh I've given up on analyzing any possible trends etc.

Can you word this differently? Do you mean add six months to the 11 months posted? Or does it mean six months from NOA1 to NOA2? Or something else?

Thanks!

r060106 is correct, they meant six months from that particular notice so about six months from today. But who know what happens. Nothing is as certain as uncertainty when dealing with USCIS.

We received an answer to our service request today. It said that due to work load issues not related to our case, we should expect an estimated 6 months delay in the process from the date of the notice. Wonderful.

Petitioner made another service request today. Those of you, who have made many service requests already, how long did you wait until making another one?

Nothing here either.

1. Country USC resides in: Finland
2. Is there a USCIS field office in this country / Is DCF still possible? No
3. When did you file the I-130: NOA1 dated May 15th 2013
4. How long had you been living abroad: 3 years
5. Do you reside in the country legally? Yes
6. What is the reason for your residence: work permit/student/tourist/ Spousal visa, work and live here
7. Did you list your foreign address on all forms in I-130 package? Yes, received NOA1 to our address abroad
8. Did you send I-130 package from abroad? Sent it to a family member in the U.S, who sent if forward
9. Did you include evidence of your residence abroad in the I-130 package? Yes
10. Did you mention the fact you reside abroad in the cover letter or write a letter describing your current situation and the evolution of your relationship with your spouse (mentioning your residence abroad)? Yes
11. Has your case been "auto-expedited"? How long between NOA1 and NOA2? Definitely not, still waiting for NOA2

12. Service center you were routed to? National Benefits Center, Overland Park

Congratulations MrsParker!

No hope here Oh well...

Congratulations!

Are any of these NOA2s from Overland Park?

We're looking forward to hearing about people starting to get NOA2s from Overland Park. It would make us feel a bit more hopeful about our situation.

Did you get that information from USCIS Tier1? aka misinformation line?

Yea, I wouldn't really call that information. They bs us around like it's their job. No wait, I guess that is their job...

Ellinora, it has been open yes. It has also been processing the applications. However, their current processing was that they were simply taking the file and sticking it in the mail. At the end of the month a new division will open that will adjudicate the application at that office instead of just mailing it out

I know it's been open for a lil while, but the division 8, which handles I-130s, is not (estimated opening by the end of this month). But that it has been open for two years, well, that's news to me! USCIS.gov says it was opened April this year. Maybe I just can't count.

USCIS representative just told the petitioner that Overland Park has been open for the last two years and is processing I-130s as we speak. I'd laugh if it wasn't so sad.

^Yay! Hope you get more good news soon

I also mind waiting, although we don't have that pressing of a need to move. We paid for a service and now they're not delivering. I guess the only problem for us is that husband will lose the job opportunities that were waiting for him, if we had gotten the visa in a timely manner. But that's a small problem compared to for example to those of us who have a spouse in a war zone.

I guess I take a different approach than some, since I do believe the congressional inquiries matter. It brings more attention to this situation. It might not change it, at least for us, but more and more congress(wo)men are aware of it, so maybe, just maybe something will be done. I don't hold my breath though.

USCIS customer service is appalling, they are either poorly trained or their actual job is to feed customers bs. They can get as angry as they wish, but until they stop feeding their customers bs, I don't really care if we piss off a few of them by repeatedly inquiring why they don't keep to the estimates they themselves set up.

And please note, again, that I don't have high hopes that our congressman achieves anything spectacular, he represents a scarcely populated farming community, I doubt he has to deal with immigration issues too often. But like I said before, contacting him is just about the only thing we can do, so we do what we can.

^ Tier 2s are very inconsistent on what they tell customers. They told us that they're working on January 2013, and on another occasion told us that Overland Park is already processing I-130s.

Yes, I realize they are estimates. And eventhough they are just estimates, taking more than twice the estimated time is something to inquire about. And if no one inquires about anything, nothing will change. But hey, that's just my opinion, everyone is entitled to their own of course.

Hi Ellinora, I am a little confused... why is your timeline 60 days? Isnt the standard timeline for CR1 about 180 days?

Good luck! Hope the Congressman helps!

Hi! It says so here http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Outreach/Notes%20from%20Previous%20Engagements/2013/May%202013/NBC-AILA-QA-2013-05-01.pdf

"What is the processing time expected to be for stand-alone I-130s filed by an overseas petitioner?

Our congressman replied yesterday that he has put forward an official inquiry on why our case was sent to a place that was not even open and why they have exceeded the 60 day timeline, which they themselves have announced. We'll see if this inquiry amounts to anything, one can always hope...