Tempeck

I have concerns regarding my wife traveling abroad. She has a K3 visa which still has over a year and a half of validity remaining, and she is currently in the US. We have not yet applied for AOS and my wife has to leave the US soon. I am concerned that she may have trouble with immigration when returning to the US. I spoke to USCIS and explained to them the situation, but they were unsure. I then contacted Customs and Border Security, which was recommended to me by the USCIS rep I spoke to, and asked the same thing. The officer at the national office said that she would require advance parole (travel document) while the local office at the international airport (in Houston, Texas) said that as long as her K3 is valid she should have no problem.

Of course this raises the dilemma in whom to believe. I am concerned that if she leaves the US without at least applying for AOS that this may constitute abandonment of adjustment of status. However, since the K3 visa is a multiple entry visa there should not be a problem for her to enter the US again.

Any help in this matter will be appreciated.

Tempeck

Thank you all for your advice. You guys are right, it all depends on the consular post abroad. Good luck to you all, I hope you are with your loved ones soon.

Hello. Does anyone know whether it's possible for direct consular filing (DCF) for an IR-1/CR-1 visa from the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Also, if this is the case and it's possible - does anyone know if there are any requirements - such as the petitioner must reside and work within Saudi Arabia? I've e-mailed them (the embassy in Riyadh) this same question, but no one has responded to this. So if you have any information I would appreciate it. Good luck to everyone.

Hello everyone. I wanted to ask anyone who had been issued an RFE whether they are aware if it's possible to extend the deadline for a RFE? I received a RFE in regards to the I-130 I had submitted. The deadline is September 19th. However, with the way things seem to be working out - I will have to go to see my wife overseas. The problem is, that I will not be able to go until the first week of September (earliest), and that only leaves me about a week to ten days in which to get the proper documents I require and have them faxed back to the US, after which they have to be mailed to USCIS (so, really cutting it close). Unfortunately, it's not just an issue of submitting forms but rather correcting a major oversight on my part. The marriage certificate I submitted was not acceptable to USCIS (because it was never registered/recorded with any civil authority ), therefore I would have to go again and get a civil marriage certificate and make sure it was properly registered. So you can imagine calling this an oversight doesn't quite bring justice to this mistake. I cannot just "up" and leave due to work and scheduling. I spoke with a USCIS representative and I was told that as long as I get the proper marriage certificate made that there should be no problem to my case. Of course I would have to explain what exactly occurred and also provide further evidence like pictures (from when we initially got married). Does anyone know whether USCIS would be willing to extend the RFE deadline? The reason I ask is on the back of the blue RFE instruction sheet, it says that "NO extension of time will be granted." Do you think it's possible to send in a written request, or will they just refuse regardless of the circumstances? I appreciate any help that can be offered. Thanks in advance, and good luck to all.

Hafiz30 & Lorelle,

Thank you both for your prompt replies. I was just surprised that the RFE was sent now regarding my I-130 which has been sitting there for a liftime. I assumed if there was any missing info that USCIS would have noticed it a lot earlier. But then again, it is the USCIS we have to take into consideration and things have been stranger than this. Good luck to everyone.

Not sure if this is new news or not - considering all the debate regarding whether K3 applicants will be receiving RFEs or not (due to IMBRA), but I just checked my case status online. I noticed that I have been touched twice in the past week (which is a record for me). Also it stated that an RFE (for my I-130) has been sent out. Here is the update:

"On June 27, 2006, we mailed a notice requesting additional evidence or information in this case. The notice explains in detail what additional material is needed. If you have questions about the notice, what is required, or if 30 days have passed and you have not received the notice. Please contact the service center where you submitted your application during business hours."

Well, I hope this clears some things up one way or the other. I am somewhat surprised that the RFE was for the I-130 and not the "old I-129F". Good luck to all.

I have also signed up on the USCIS website to receive e-mail updates. However, I have never received any e-mails from them despite the fact that my case has been "touched". From what I understand this seems to be the case w/ some people. Meaning, some people do get notified by e-mail while others do not - it all seems to be luck of the draw. Remember it's the USCIS we're talking about - everything is chaotic. Good luck.

Congratulations. Hopefully the rest of the process will seem to go by quicker now.

Congratulations to the both of you. Also, thanks for sharing the interview experience with everyone. Hopefully your husband will be in the US soon. .

Congratulations to both you and your husband .

Wmhurd,

Thanks for the heads up . The "wait" continues, good luck to you.

I'm in the same boat as you. I sent my I-130 to TX but it was forwarded to CA. So, when you look at the online processing times you will need to look at CA for your I-130. You'll need to watch the Missouri National Benefits Center (NBC) for the processing times on your I-129f (K3) application.

Hello everyone,

Thanks to everyone for their responses and good luck to ya ! BTW, checked case status online and, as some of you have already mentioned about recent *touches*, my case was touched on 5-06-2006 . Hoping and praying for everyone to be with their loved ones soon.

Hello everyone,

Based on what I said earlier, is my service center going to be Texas or California? I filed my I-130 (for a K3 visa) w/ TSC, but it was forwarded to the CSC (b/c I received the NOA1 from CSC). I know that TSC is not processing I-130s, what I would like to know if i should watch my case status at either TSC or CSC? In other words, will the remaining portion of the process be handled by TSC? Please help, as I am still relatively new at all this. Thanks and good luck to all.

The type of form that needs to completed (as affidavit of financial support) will depend upon what the US embassy/consulate abroad requires. I called USCIS for this very same reason and I was told that it's at the discretion of the embassy. For example I contacted the US embassy where my wife will have her interview, and I was told that they would require the I-134. Good luck you are almost there .

Tempeck

Hello everyone,

I have a rather redundant, and somewhat obvious, question to ask but I am still uncertain. I have registered on the USCIS website in order to receive e-mail updates (Case Status and Processing Dates). I do check it from time to time but I have noticed that there has been no activity whatsoever - even with my I-130. I have already received the NOA1 for both I-130 and I-129F, and the only dates available on my account (where it mentions "Last Updated") are the dates that I, myself, entered the NOA receipt numbers (meaning when I had actually received the NOAs' in the mail). As most of you are aware, USCIS has not updated any info since April, 21 - also I am assuming that when a case gets "touched", that the "Last Updated" section of the portfolio is the one that changes (to a newer date) to indicate that the case has in fact been looked at and therefore "touched".

So my question is am I doing something wrong, or looking in the wrong place for my case to be "touched"? Or is it just that I will just have to wait around until they eventually get to my case due to the backlog from previous applications? I am sure this question has been asked several times before, and I do apologize in advance but I would really appreciate replies to this. Also, I know that the I-130s are being processed in California, eventhough I filed at the TSC. So does this mean that the rest of my K3 will be handled by TSC (that is except the portion that is to be processed by the NBC and later the NVS) or has the CSC now become my default service center? Good luck to you all and thanks.

Tempeck

hello everybody

we sent our I-130 package (K-3) to Texas on the 17th of april. we got the UPS delivery confirmation but not yet the NOA1 letter

we start to worry. How long "normally" does it take to get the NOA1 letter??

By the way, people usually use the term of "touched"... i did a research to understand what this word mean... can anybody give me a short explanation, plz?

thank you for your answer

Hello. From the current trends I have seen I would have to agree with the others that the NOA1 should be mailed in about 2 weeks, that is unless they require an RFE (request for evidence) but this also should arrive relatively soon. The term "touched" basically means that USCIS has touched your file to work on it. Good luck to you.

Tempeck

I sent our K-1 application over 2 weeks ago. I haven't received an NOA1 in the mail and the check has not been cashed yet. We are going through the Nebraska Center. Is this unusual for Nebraska?

Brenda & Khalid

Although I didn't file for a K1 I can tell you that I became apprehensive when my NOA1 (which was filed for 129F) didn't arrive within the usual 2 week period from the Chicago office, so I called USCIS. However, their response was that as long as its been under 30 days (from date of submission) that they would do nothing . So I was told to wait for a month even though most applicants were receiving their NOA1 in under 2 weeks. So hopefully you will receive it soon. I can truly empathize with you, I realize it's tough to be patient. Good luck to you and everyone else on VJ.

Tempeck

Congrats. I know the feeling of having to wait around for the arrival of the NOA - it can be a bit unnerving. Good luck to you.

Tempeck

I just looked at the online status of my case and it was touched again as of today that makes three touches in a row, minus the weekend. I really hope this means something good is coming my way, everybody send me some good mojo this way.....

Thanks Stacey

Stacey,

Seems to be a good sign that your case is being "touched", hopefully USCIS is expediting things. Good luck to you .

Tempeck

Congratulations to you and yours. Godspeed with the rest of the process!

Have they cashed the check for the petition yet? It took a few days fot them to cash my check and alomost 2 weeks for me to get the NOA1 in the mail.

The Chicago service center had cashed the check on April 21st, so it's been about a week or so. It's just that it seemed as though most applicants were getting the NOA1 for 129F rather quickly, so I was a bit concerned. Even on your time line it appears as though you had received your NOA1 in less than a week. Also, I have created an online account with USCIS to check the status of my file, but nowhere does it say that anything has been "touched", and it also says that these types of visas (K3) are taking anywhere between 990 and 999 days (based on submission of NOA1 for the I-130), which I am sure cannot be right. Thanks for the replies and good luck to you all .

Hello everyone,

This if my first post but I have been reading this forum for some time and it has provided some valuable insight to the whole K3 process. I had filed the I-130 with the TSC and received the NOA1 for it relatively quickly. However, the Chicago service center received the I-129F on April 13, 2006. So it has been just over 2 weeks and nothing yet, but I noticed that most people were getting their NOA1, or at least a RFE, within a week or so. I spoke to the NSC and was told that nothing can be done unless it's been over 30 days . Can anyone please let me know what the usual turn around is on getting the NOA1 for I-129F or at least even a RFE?? At least this way i know that the process is being expedited. Thanks.