Megan & Luke

The processing times also include the folks in April and May who were transferred to CSC unfortunately. If you filter the K-1 Timelines page to 'Texas Service Center' then 'Not transferred' you'll get a better picture of how sad their approval rates have been. All the TSC approvals lately were CSC transfers TSC has not approved many on their own in the past two weeks.
That's really awesome for the folks who were transferred, or will be transferred if they do another push to get TSC in standard.. but doesn't bode well for those of us still stuck at TSC and waiting.

The processing times also include the folks in April and May who were transferred to CSC unfortunately. If you filter the K-1 Timelines page to 'Texas Service Center' then 'Not transferred' you'll get a better picture of how sad their approval rates have been. All the TSC approvals lately were CSC transfers TSC has not approved many on their own in the past two weeks.
That's really awesome for the folks who were transferred, or will be transferred if they do another push to get TSC in standard.. but doesn't bode well for those of us still stuck at TSC and waiting.

We are currently in the process of drafting an email and sending it to every Pennsylvania senator, congressman, government official we can find to:
1) Try and push our petition through
2) Make them aware of the ridiculous situation that is occurring with TSC
It may be a long shot and it might come to nothing ... But its better than doing nothing and fills this horrible waiting time.
If lots of other people did the same for their states then you never know the outcome.
Worth a shot right?

My fiance and I just watched episode 1 together.. We had way too many comments on it.
We both agreed we'd have preferred to see a couple with more commonalities. Not to say that every couple with language/culture barriers is going to have a tough time - but why not show a more "common" couple? England/USA, Canada/USA, Australia/USA, etc... Instead we have huge culture and language barriers.
Then again I suppose the question is the answer - there's not as much drama. Not as much possibility for drama. Instead of showing how a K-1 can actually help couples (especially those of us together a LONG time.. my fiance and I have been together going on six years), they take the ones together a year or less and add even MORE stress to the process by shoving a camera in an already difficult time.
We had some laughs, we both judged too much and we'll probably continue watching it just to finish it up. I wish there was a true "reality" show that doesn't just show the drama, but also the couples together a long time who struggled and finally made it.

My fiance's ARN was changed 7 days after we received the NOA1 and we are still waiting. A while back it used to be a sign of things to come, but it isn't like that now. Many filers have their fiance's ARN changed soon after their NOA1 is received. Some others have it changed twice - right after NOA1 then again around approval time. I wouldn't put too much weight on the change, just consider it a 'touch' and that some sort of progress has happened. Good luck!

This post is what I propose in a letter to a local congressman / woman and was written by the UK Beneficiary (Ross), any negative backlash on this is to come to ME and ME alone.
The parts I have enclosed in * * will change depending on your situation or because I am uncertain of the information at this moment in time.
Dear Sir/Madam/Conress Person,
I am writing to see if you can assist in a matter that is extremely important and I feel needs addressing.
I am currently waiting on an outcome of the *K1* visa I submitted so that I can marry the person whom I fell in love with (have the persom whom i married live with me here).
I filed on *date* and received my Notice of Acceptance 1 on *date*.
Since this time i have heard nothing back. I am aware the national average wait time is currently *X* months, of which I am currently in month *X* of waiting.
The issue I wish to raise is that we currently have two visa processing centres, one in Texas, the other in California.
The California processing centre currently processes applications within an *X* month timeframe, whilst the Texas processing centre processes in a *X* timeframe.
Due to my locale I fall into the Texas processing centre's remit.
Whilst i appreciate that there are thousands of applications for visas every day I wish to point out the VAST difference between the two centres.
Recently a percentage of the backlog was transferred from the Texas processing centre in order to even out the wait times and this did work for a time but the California processing centre is back to approving (or rejecting) applications within a *X* month timeframe whilst the wait times for the Texas processing centre are currently *X* months.
Secondly, I am aware that Phillipino nationals have had the luxury of expediated visa applications due to a natural disaster that happened almost a year ago, I again appreciate this is a touchy subject but honestly it's beginning to become an issue with more and more people becoming angry and frustrated at processes that seem massively unfair.
I fail to see how either of these points are fair on the ones of us that have to wait purely based on where we have lived our whole lives or where we have moved to in order to better our way of life.
Would it be possible for you to raise the questions as follows:
1. Can more applications be tranfsferred to the California processing center to again alleviate more backlog at the Texas processing centre.
2. Ascertain why Phillipino nationals are still getting expediated a year on from the event, if this cannot be changed due to agreements or other political agendas I am unaware of can they at least be limited?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely
Disgruntled Visa Applicant

I'm getting very disappointed with the TSC process. It seems like once a week out of a month they decide to go through a ton of petitions, and the rest of the time they aren't touching them at all. I can't believe that people in January and February are still waiting, it is just sickening. I hope they do another round of transfers.

Hi,
I'm sorry to hear that. As a beneficiary you can't officially cancel the process since the I-129F is handed by the petitioner.
The best you can do is not respond to any requests from USCIS or the embassy if it gets that far. You can respond to them if you'd like with a letter stating that you no longer have a relationship with your fiance and do not wish to continue with the K-1 process. If you do meet someone in the future and they need to file for you, they will have to disclose that another person petitioned for you in the past. Other than that there isn't much you can do. Eventually the application should run it's course and your ex will receive the denial notice.
Hopefully things will change and you two can talk it out. Moving to the USA doesn't mean it's permanent forever. You can always move back to Australia with your then-husband or wife once you receive your permanent green card or citizenship. There's some stipulations depending on how long you can be out of the country with the green card, but the separation from your country might only be short-term.
Good luck

My fiance and I are going to have an intimate ceremony in my home state. We don't intend on inviting any family members, possibly just my mother. We looked into a number of options but neither of us think it's a good idea to spend thousands on a wedding, especially since his family can't come that quickly on short notice. We plan on having a bigger bash for our one year vow renewal.
We also didn't want to do nothing and end up just doing a civil ceremony at the courthouse. So far we're looking at a 'just us' bed and breakfast stay in a gorgeous rural area locally. It includes a two night stay in their best room, dinner, breakfast, a small ceremony with cake, vows, etc.. It's perfect for us and we can have a day or two to go around and be touristy. It works for us. I always wanted a big wedding but as long as I'm marrying him, I don't care what we do. If all our budget could afford was a courthouse wedding, we'd do that instead.

I'm in complete agreement with everything you have said. I know there are things that we "shouldn't say"- but if this is a safe place to vent to other people going through our same experience than people who don't agree with our venting don't have to read it right? I think the number one grievance with this entire process that I have is that as an American citizen, born and raised, I feel as if I have zero rights. Often I feel as if I'm being treated like a criminal with what I have to prove to my government concerning marrying the love of my life. I am still in complete astonishment as to why people from the Phillipines are having their visas expedited after a year...there I said it. Maybe some people are afraid to but at this point I'm so frustrated with this process that it's hard for me to be happy for people who already have their petitions approved as September filers because of a hurricane that happened a year ago. We're getting ready for my fiancé to visit for the holidays and the amount of paperwork we are planning on bringing just so he doesn't get denied entry is stupid to me...that's the only word I can think for it. Again- I feel like he will be interrogated as if he's a criminal just to come visit me. I know I'm not the only one who sees something completely broken with this process. The discrepancy of processing time between CSC and TSC is ridiculous. I could understand if California was processing a couple of weeks ahead of Texas- but 2-3 months ahead is absurd. I've tried to basically keep my mouth shut in terms of being "PC" about everything...but honestly, if I see another Phillipine visa processed in a month I'm going to lose it. It's simply not fair to people who have been waiting MONTHS to be approved. We've only just sent ours in September- but I read other posts and my heart breaks for couples who have been separated for 7 or 8 months. How is that right at all? So I'm glad that you are venting because I've been holding that on for awhile & I needed to get it out. The only glimmer I see is that Texas appears...and I use that word cautiously...but they appear to be moving a bit more quickly. Let's hope. I don't think some people really grasp what months away from the person you love actually feels like. I'm not talking two months either. Two months is very different from 6 or 7 or 8 months. I completely relate with everything you're saying though and I sincerely wish you the best. God Bless.

Hi,
I'm sorry to hear that. As a beneficiary you can't officially cancel the process since the I-129F is handed by the petitioner.
The best you can do is not respond to any requests from USCIS or the embassy if it gets that far. You can respond to them if you'd like with a letter stating that you no longer have a relationship with your fiance and do not wish to continue with the K-1 process. If you do meet someone in the future and they need to file for you, they will have to disclose that another person petitioned for you in the past. Other than that there isn't much you can do. Eventually the application should run it's course and your ex will receive the denial notice.
Hopefully things will change and you two can talk it out. Moving to the USA doesn't mean it's permanent forever. You can always move back to Australia with your then-husband or wife once you receive your permanent green card or citizenship. There's some stipulations depending on how long you can be out of the country with the green card, but the separation from your country might only be short-term.
Good luck

Not to bring anyone down.. but this seems like the safest place to complain about the discrepancy between TSC and CSC... again. Since this topic is really supposed to just be TSC filers.
I just looked at the recent timeline for K-1 approvals, filtered by California, no transfer.. they are seriously already working on July.. and August.
Seriously? What is this? TSC is still working on April and May filers, California has CLEARLY run out of enough petitions to stop their ridiculous 30 or 60 day timeframes, and now we're kind of back where we were before the transfers. UGH, really makes me want to scream. So frustrated tonight. I keep watching our estimated date waffle back and forth from November 30 to December... when there's July filers at CSC already getting approved.. AND AUGUST! The August aren't even from the Philippines.
Honestly, I am not angry with the petitioners getting approved. I hate to see anyone wait in this process because it's exhausting and depressing. This huge discrepancy should have been dealt with already. I am angry with USCIS and how they are handling this. I just wish this process was more fair. I could understand a discrepancy.. but really - if you file and get CSC you basically have a guaranteed short wait at the minute.
Sorry I just had to vent. Geezus.
Maybe it would have been faster if we all relocated to CSC-serviced states and filed then. -.-

Hi,
I'm sorry to hear that. As a beneficiary you can't officially cancel the process since the I-129F is handed by the petitioner.
The best you can do is not respond to any requests from USCIS or the embassy if it gets that far. You can respond to them if you'd like with a letter stating that you no longer have a relationship with your fiance and do not wish to continue with the K-1 process. If you do meet someone in the future and they need to file for you, they will have to disclose that another person petitioned for you in the past. Other than that there isn't much you can do. Eventually the application should run it's course and your ex will receive the denial notice.
Hopefully things will change and you two can talk it out. Moving to the USA doesn't mean it's permanent forever. You can always move back to Australia with your then-husband or wife once you receive your permanent green card or citizenship. There's some stipulations depending on how long you can be out of the country with the green card, but the separation from your country might only be short-term.
Good luck

When my fiance and I filed in July, I started becoming obsessive over timelines, current events, other posts, the huge discrepancy at the time between CSC and TSC.. We started getting into small arguments about how I was negative. He - the same as your fiance - is more patient than I am and is more optimistic. I worry about things a lot and that can get on his nerves when it becomes constant.. which I completely understand.
Take a step back for a minute though and realize that it's silly to fight when you're FINALLY doing something about the distance! My fiance and I made an agreement to only check our USCIS case status on Saturdays when we spend the weekend on Skype together. Other than if we receive a text message, of course. I come on after work to catch up on the latest news and check my followed threads. I check our timeline adjudication date each day, but ultimately I think I've calmed down. It's taken me about two months to get there though. We're almost 'halfway' to a NOA2 according to the projected USCIS guideline of 5 months.. we can only hope that transfers from TSC to CSC helped us summer filers.
Busy yourself with a new hobby, preparing your documents for the next steps to come so you can react fast once you get that NVC case number, clean the house, get rid of things you don't need, etc..
Keep your head up and remember that if nothing else, you're one step closer to being together than you would have been had you never filed. At least the process has begun.
Good luck!

It's pathetic to say that we have just passed two months and it's almost like I am less hopeful each day. This is agonizing. My fiance was here for a month in May - June 2014 and we got engaged then. We filed July 2, and it feels like it's been ages. I stopped looking at the K1 July Filers thread because it makes me feel like a horrible person. I was hopeful a few weeks back when TSC was approving 12-20 petitions a day.. now it seems both service centers have just given up. At some point CSC will be back to one month approvals and TSC will be at 7 or 8 months. Yay!
It's so hard to be happy for others when you are going through something so tough. I don't know - maybe that makes me an awful person. I just couldn't stand seeing another 'I'm approved! Yay!' -.- After a while it just made me bitter and I spent more time complaining to my fiance than anything else. I truly am happy that people are being approved, deep down it's awesome. Everyone has to wait some length of time. I guess it's just frustrating to see people being transferred then almost immediately approved (granted, many of them have hit their 5 months). Then to see the Philippines still being expedited (NOA1: July 1, NOA2: July 28.. what?) I get it, I do.. I just had to rant there for a second.
I just want this over with already. It's been impossible for my fiance and I to plan his actual move because 1. who knows if TSC will get their stuff together and process at five months.. 2. who knows if we will be transferred eventually.. 3. he has to give a 3 month notice period at work.
I fear having him give his notice at NOA2... What if something goes horribly wrong and he is denied at the interview? What if things are delayed at the NVC? Ugh. Too many variables and USCIS doesn't do much to help. Conflicting processing times, no official notice of transfers, hardly any acknowledgement of anything. Our file was last touched July 16 when Luke's ARN was assigned. Since then, nothing. Depressing
I have a visit to England planned early November to see him for a week, hopefully that will help. It's way too short of a time to spend with him, but it's what we can work with.

I know that the VJ group is a small percentage of filers, however (and as long as their timelines are correct) looking at the amount of K-1 approvals at TSC over the past few days, they've ramped up to 10-12 approvals. Considering how small our percentage is, that's significant, and at least for the moment shows that they're DOING something.

I understand that some people from CSC got their hopes up - but honestly, the standard is five months, no more no less. I would much rather expect five months, be at CSC, and get it in two, than be at TSC, expect they would do their jobs correctly and keep everyone at 5 months but it could end up being 7 or 8.
Five months is what USCIS tells us to wait... expecting anything sooner is a lot of wishful thinking - even if the service center you were transferred to is ahead of the game. Over the years all the service centers experienced huge fluctuations in timelines - some months TSC is fast, then VSC closes and dumps all their K-1's on TSC... TSC is slow now and CSC speeds up.
It's just how it goes. The bickering between CSC and TSC is just exhausting anymore. USCIS finally decided to do something about all the complaints from TSC filers still waiting and was proactive - keeping as many petitioners as possible within their stated five month time frame - and now a lot of CSC filers are complaining. CSC speeds up and TSC filers are complaining because it's unfair. Yeah - it is unfair. I have nothing against CSC, but USCIS has a weird way of making sure things are processed in the 'order they were received'. They should just have one giant center where ALL the K-1's go and just go in order of receipt (excluding long background checks, etc).
People keep getting their hopes up - first CSC because you were at an absurdly fast 30-60 days. Then a bunch of May and April filers were transferred from TSC to CSC... so June and July filers, like myself, are getting excited we will actually see the correct five month time frame. Heck - I am not even expecting anything sooner than five months!
Everyone has the exact same end goal - to be with our significant others. To marry and start a life TOGETHER instead of hundreds or thousands of miles apart. It's rough enough to handle the wait and being patient is definitely a virtue in this process. I try to put myself in the shoes of petitioners from CSC. I hope they do the same for petitioners at TSC. We all have enough stress over this process, adding this into the mix doesn't help

Vermont no longer processes I-129F.
No matter what - the original location your petition is sent to will be based on your state. Prior to these past two weeks, NO ONE was transferred to a service center that did not have jurisdiction over their state. However, USCIS has decided to transfer some petitions (April, May 2014) from TSC to CSC for faster processing. So far these are the only dates which have shown up as actual transfers. Many people get confused by the fact there is a Texas service center and a Dallas, Texas lockbox.
Dallas, TX lockbox - they will route your petition to CSC or TSC depending on the state you live.
It either sits at this service center until it is adjudicated, or if USCIS decided to workload balance.

Vermont no longer processes I-129F.
No matter what - the original location your petition is sent to will be based on your state. Prior to these past two weeks, NO ONE was transferred to a service center that did not have jurisdiction over their state. However, USCIS has decided to transfer some petitions (April, May 2014) from TSC to CSC for faster processing. So far these are the only dates which have shown up as actual transfers. Many people get confused by the fact there is a Texas service center and a Dallas, Texas lockbox.
Dallas, TX lockbox - they will route your petition to CSC or TSC depending on the state you live.
It either sits at this service center until it is adjudicated, or if USCIS decided to workload balance.

Vermont no longer processes I-129F.
No matter what - the original location your petition is sent to will be based on your state. Prior to these past two weeks, NO ONE was transferred to a service center that did not have jurisdiction over their state. However, USCIS has decided to transfer some petitions (April, May 2014) from TSC to CSC for faster processing. So far these are the only dates which have shown up as actual transfers. Many people get confused by the fact there is a Texas service center and a Dallas, Texas lockbox.
Dallas, TX lockbox - they will route your petition to CSC or TSC depending on the state you live.
It either sits at this service center until it is adjudicated, or if USCIS decided to workload balance.

Vermont no longer processes I-129F.
No matter what - the original location your petition is sent to will be based on your state. Prior to these past two weeks, NO ONE was transferred to a service center that did not have jurisdiction over their state. However, USCIS has decided to transfer some petitions (April, May 2014) from TSC to CSC for faster processing. So far these are the only dates which have shown up as actual transfers. Many people get confused by the fact there is a Texas service center and a Dallas, Texas lockbox.
Dallas, TX lockbox - they will route your petition to CSC or TSC depending on the state you live.
It either sits at this service center until it is adjudicated, or if USCIS decided to workload balance.

1. No offense, but your situation is Canada-United States. For some of us, the distance is literally on the other side of the world. It takes me 24 hours (at a minimum, usually closer to 30) to reach my fiancee.
2. I think most of us are complaining or unhappy not due to the status of our relationships anyway. It is due to the anxiety.
3. That anxiety is not due to the time, but not knowing when things will be done. If USCIS said "8 months" or "1 year" and it was consistently 8 months or 1 year, I would be perfectly fine with it. Hell, I had no anxiety until I discovered that TSC was behind and there was a backlog. When I submitted my application, USCIS was saying 5 months and it seemed pretty consistent. Soon after, things became clearly backed up. It has been shown that bad news is less stressful and better for your health than being in limbo and not knowing.
I understand your point, and don't disagree, but I don't think it really addresses the anxiety people are expressing on this board.

Congratulations!! I know you've posted in many many of the TSC threads and you'd said you were still waiting (impatiently no doubt!). So glad this part of the journey is over for you Good luck on the next steps!!

This discrepancy between service center wait times has just caused arguments and bitterness between VJ members. Everyone's idea of a long wait isn't the same - Heck, it's barely been 1 month since our NOA1 and it feels like forever. Everyone's circumstances are different - family issues, pregnancies, relationship troubles - that can cause a person's short wait to seem excruciatingly long.
Do I get annoyed when I see CSC folks being approved in 30-60 days? Sure I do, because it's unequal and that's the government's problem to fix - hopefully this is a step in the right direction. I am not against everyone getting to be with their loved one - but it really needs to be fair. It is not like those people who got TSC chose to go there - they were forced there based on the state they live in, and the way USCIS have divided the country it's HIGHLY imbalanced. A majority of the highly populated states go to TSC.
This process puts everyone on edge and I think instead of taking it out on our significant others, we take it out on each other because there's less risk of causing long-term 'problems'. Arguing over the wait time can destroy a relationship. I think many of us want solace and comfort, but then threads get comments from the "other" service center (be it TSC or CSC depending on the thread) and it's suddenly an all out war of who has been waiting the longest.
Hopefully USCIS are attempting to balance out the workload and they KEEP it that way going forward. They honestly need to rebalance the states - my fiance and I took the USCIS divided TSC/CSC and went by states population. There was a significant discrepancy, and they would do well to re-balance or open VSC back to process I-129F.
The reality is that this process is long, this process is rough and this process just plain sucks. We're only making it worse when we start getting at each other's throats even though none of us have control over where we are sent and all each of us cares about (ultimately) is getting our loved one here with us.
Good luck, hopefully TSC is getting on track

This discrepancy between service center wait times has just caused arguments and bitterness between VJ members. Everyone's idea of a long wait isn't the same - Heck, it's barely been 1 month since our NOA1 and it feels like forever. Everyone's circumstances are different - family issues, pregnancies, relationship troubles - that can cause a person's short wait to seem excruciatingly long.
Do I get annoyed when I see CSC folks being approved in 30-60 days? Sure I do, because it's unequal and that's the government's problem to fix - hopefully this is a step in the right direction. I am not against everyone getting to be with their loved one - but it really needs to be fair. It is not like those people who got TSC chose to go there - they were forced there based on the state they live in, and the way USCIS have divided the country it's HIGHLY imbalanced. A majority of the highly populated states go to TSC.
This process puts everyone on edge and I think instead of taking it out on our significant others, we take it out on each other because there's less risk of causing long-term 'problems'. Arguing over the wait time can destroy a relationship. I think many of us want solace and comfort, but then threads get comments from the "other" service center (be it TSC or CSC depending on the thread) and it's suddenly an all out war of who has been waiting the longest.
Hopefully USCIS are attempting to balance out the workload and they KEEP it that way going forward. They honestly need to rebalance the states - my fiance and I took the USCIS divided TSC/CSC and went by states population. There was a significant discrepancy, and they would do well to re-balance or open VSC back to process I-129F.
The reality is that this process is long, this process is rough and this process just plain sucks. We're only making it worse when we start getting at each other's throats even though none of us have control over where we are sent and all each of us cares about (ultimately) is getting our loved one here with us.
Good luck, hopefully TSC is getting on track