irish1

NVC received all of my documents on Nov 11. The website and email notification said it would take 2-4 weeks, but when I called, every NVC agent said they were behind so the timeframe was 6 weeks.
 
After 9 weeks without any news, I called my Congressman's office. I went to the member of the House of Representatives for my district. I was pleasantly surprised to find out he has a staff member dedicated to assist with federal agencies. He was extremely helpful, you will have to sign and email back a release form stating the NVC can release information to the congressperson's office. He called me back a couple of hours later and said I'd hear back within 2 business days. Sure enough, got an email from NVC 2 days later!!
 
The bad news, we got a checklist for ONE missing document (court record for a minimal non-criminal issue because it appeared on the police cert). I mailed that in, NVC received it on Feb 1. I called NVC, they said it goes back to the end of the queue and we have to wait 6 weeks.
 
I called my old friend at the Congressman's office to confirm that was accurate, he called NVC and called me back and said yes, but that he is going to call the NVC for me on March 15th, which is the 6 week deadline. 
 
So, long story short, send your missing docs as soon as possible and once 6 weeks have passed, contact your Congressperson!! You can locate them here: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ Once you identify your Rep, go to their website and look for a section about assistance with federal agencies. The instructions and release form will be online, but also be sure to CALL vs email the office and ask for the main contact. At first, I emailed the office with my signed form and a short description of what I needed but I didn't hear back. I called a few days later and my email had never made it over to the right person. 

Contact your local Congressperson! Same thing happened to me, but I located the Representative for my district using the link below and then called his office. They have staff dedicated to helping out with this. Right now the NVC processing time is 6 weeks. Since you are well past that time, their office can help by calling the NVC on your behalf and getting your case in front of a supervisor. 
 
Good luck!!
 
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ 

Hello,
Please read the topic I posted yestersay entitled "NVC Expedite = It really works". I had the exact experience with a supervisor review but was able to move it out of NVC. I hope it helps you!

The NVC only wants photocopies - not the originals/certified copy - of all documents. You will need to set aside the originals and bring them to the interview.

National Visa Center Offers Insight Into Recent Delays in Case Processing
The National Visa Center (NVC) has offered some insight into the reasons for the recent delays we have seen in the time it takes to process an immigrant visa case through the NVC.
Over the past year, the NVC was inundated with immigrant visa cases from USCIS, as USCIS shifted its workload to focus on the backlog of stand-alone I-130 cases. The NVC used to receive approximately 8,000 cases per week. As USCIS continued to dig out of its backlog, the NVC began receiving around 25,000 cases per week. The NVC is now receiving a large increase in non-current cases as well. Over the past several months, much of the backlog was at the front end of the process – case creation. The case creation process was at 45 days over the summer. It is now at 12 days. At present, delays continue at the document review stage (55 days, down from 60 days). Staff are cross-trained and resources have been reallocated to document review to bring the backlog down. The NVC is hiring additional staff and looking at its internal processes and will continue to work on improvements. Without a doubt, we could add to this list the fact that the monumental forward movement of the EB-3 category for the Philippines has significantly increased the number of cases the NVC is receiving.
Hopefully the efforts the NVC has made toward reducing the delays will allow us to get back to the reasonable processing times we have seen in the past.

I didnt know... just got lucky! I got NOA2 late July and waited about three weeks to call, she said it had been designated the previous day... once ou get NOA2 wait a couple weeks and then start calling every other day

How to prepare for your call?
Before calling the NCSC please have available
- your receipt number:
- alien registration number:
- type of application filed:
- date filed:
- Online case status:
- Processing times applying to your case type
- Check your priority date (if applicable)
- Have all relevant correspondence with USCIS (NOA1)
How to talk to a live person at USCIS?
Contact the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283.
Call early in the morning (8.00 am)
Option 1: Then dial 1, 2, 6, 2, 4 (exact sequence). Use these options every time you are prompted.
(You can also try - 1 - 2 - 1 - Case Number - 1 - 3 - 3 or 4)
Option 2: Call USCIS and Do not press anything (don't choose a language). They will think you have a rotary phone and will transfer you directly to a live person.
Option 3: Don't don’t choose the number for “case status”, but do different ones instead (for example “RFE”; “expedite your case”, …)
Option 4: Military Help Line: 1-877-CIS-4MIL (1-877-247-4645); Members of the military and their families may call to receive assistance with immigration-related questions.
If they speak Spanish just say English please. Now you can ask what you want.
What to ask them?
During your call we recommend that you take note of the following information:
About them:
- The name of the NCSC representative:
- The id number of the NCSC representative:
- The date and time of the call:
- Any service request referral number, if a service referral on a pending case is taken:
About our case:
- When calling, ask them for a service request.


In case they refuse or tell you that they cannot answer your question, then ask to be transferred to a Tier 2 ISO (Immigration Service Officer) supervisor, who will have more privileges to access detailed information about your case. Once you get an ISO, be very polite, and take notes for your records. Ask them for their badge number. That way you can reference each conversation by date and the badge number of the ISO.
Also ask them to review case status - THEY can - it's on their screen.
If the NCSC doesn’t issue a service request, please make sure the NCSC representative tells you the reason why he did not issue the request. (This information you'll need to follow up)
- Some of the standard questions:
1) Name check Status?
2) Background Check Status?
3) Has it been assigned to an officer?
4) When can I expect to get some updates on my case?
5) Can you help me with a ball park date on when my case will be assigned to an officer?
6) What dates are they currently working on?
Of course, we are aware of the standard response we get.
http://www.dhs.gov/x...37986181.shtm#5
The NCSC operates on a two-tier model.
Tier 1 Customer Service Representatives (CSRs):
Can
• Relay basic immigration information to customers through scripts provided by USCIS
• Answer questions about USCIS forms
• Transfer calls to Tier 2 in certain circumstances
Cannot
• Answer specific questions about a case with the exception of information available through Case Status Online
• Transfer calls to local offices or service centers where cases are pending
• Provide legal advice
Tier 2 Immigration Service Officers (ISOs):
Can
• Review USCIS systems on your case
• Request that notices be re-issued
• Provide information that you may receive at an Infopass appointment
• Provide specialized assistance to dependents or active members of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Provide information on pending and adjudicated cases.
Cannot
• Review already issued Requests for Evidence (RFEs)
• Directly issue duplicate notices, receipt notices, RFE notices
• Transfer calls to local offices or service centers
• Provide legal advice
Service Requests
Both Tiers 1 and 2 can create a “service request” which is sent to service centers and local offices on matters such as expedite requests, change of address, appointment rescheduling, case processing delays which exceed the posted times, and other matters that may be unique to a specific case.

Remember that the Texas timelines here include the DCF people - not like for like.
There is a very simple reason that H1Bs and K-1s are faster than us....ours is a superior visa. Permanent residency from the minute our feet touch the ground at the airport. Work and travel rights immediately. Citizenship in 3 years. They don't hand that out like cake at a birthday party.
Even though other visa types are quicker, I wouldn't change my CR-1 for anything. No way would I be happy not being able to work or travel for months. I work for an airline! Travel is my life. And I love my job. Also, I want to arrive in country and be recognised as my husband's wife forever. Not a temporary worker. Not a girlfriend who might be a wife in 90 days.

Actually this could be a good thing for you. There have been several April filers who got transferred and already approved. My PD is April 13th and haven't heard anything yet.

You can do it via USCIS app, search around your number and add all cases from your date to the list. That's sounds crazy but I am tracking more than 1500 cases.

That's right, she travelled on the visa waiver program so she should answer no.

Yes, I was surprised and blessed they approve it so fast. I didn't actually call Nebraska service center, I just keep on checking my case status online. I'm done with my AOS and IV. Now, I'm waiting for cc and interview date. Hope I'll get schedule soon.
Tip: once your case approved, call NVC at least twice a week to get case number so you could start even without the actual approve letter. ??
God bless us all?

I thought I would write this up as I was successful in expediting my EAD.
Called USCIS on 1-800-375-5283 on 4 September.
Said 'I would like to expedite my EAD because I have been offered a job and cannot take it up until I have the right to work in the US'
I was given a list of reasons as to why my expedited EAD may be considered. These reasons are:
Severe financial loss to company or individual Extreme emergent situation Humanitarian situation Nonprofit status of requesting organization in furtherance of the cultural and social interests of the United States Department of Defense or National Interest Situation (Note: Request must come from official United States Government entity and state that delay will be detrimental to our Government) USCIS error Compelling interest of USCIS I selected 'severe financial loss'. I said that I had been unable to work due to waiting for the K1 process to finish - I was made redundant. I said that whether this could be consider severe or not was open to opinion.
The person at USCIS then read back to me what she had typed up and told me that someone would be in contact with 5 working days. She gave me a reference number for my request. She said there was no guarantee that my request would be granted.
On 9 September I received a letter from USCIS requesting that I fax them proof of my job offer, together with a reference number and also to fax their letter. I did that the same afternoon and also included the state exam and license I had taken in order to get the job offer. I also included a cover letter.
On 10 September I received an e-mail to tell me that my status had changed to 'card production' for my EAD. My AP was updated about 2 hours later.
I thought I would write this up as I've noticed a couple people saying that they've managed to expedite their EAD because of a job offer but did not explain how they did it.

Hi Lindsey,
My name is actually Lindsay as well and my fiance lives outside of Dublin. We've also been together nearly 3 years so your post hit close to home!
I've done extensive research on the visa options... we were first going to pursue the K-1 fiance visa, then decided to go with the spouse visa. I was in Ireland for Christmas and we'd planned to give the 3 month notice but then decided to get married in the U.S. instead because it was less expensive and less of a hassle. I live in Nashville and in TN you can apply for and receive a marriage license on the same day.
I spoke to a lawyer friend for about an hour this evening just to pick her brain on all the options. No matter which route any of us take, the unfortunate truth is that it's just not that easy to move to the U.S., even when you are married or related to someone here. It's a MINIMUM 9 months from when you file for a visa petition to when they get the paperwork confirming they can move to the U.S. This applies to both the fiance visa as well as the spouse.
My advice is to do a lot of research to determine the option best for you BEFORE you get married, whether it's the K-1 fiance visa or the CR-1 spouse visa. If I were you, I'd pursue the K-1 and bring him over as your fiance. It will take anywhere from 6-10 months from when you file the petition for a visa (aka Form I-129F) before he has the visa in hand and is able to move over. Once he gets the visa, he has up to 6 months to move. Since he's still in school, you can begin this NOW and it should be fairly painless. He'll be finishing school while the paperwork is in process.
One crucial thing to remember: once you file the I-129F, your fiance can't visit the U.S. at all (even on tourist visa aka visa waiver program) until he is moving over, visa in hand. Doing so will void the application and you'll have to start all over again with the filing fees and starting at the back of the application queue. You can, however, go visit him. I have a friend whose fiance (now husband) was a Canadian and this is what her lawyer advised.
I highly recommend this book for anyone trying to understand all the options and the red tape of the family visas. I checked it out from my local library more than once, I think it will answer all of your questions. It's a "dummies guide" type book, written by an immigration attorney. http://www.nolo.com/products/fiance-and-marriage-visas-imar.html
As others said on the forum, USCIS is unfortunately not the best resource for questions. Everyone you ask is likely to have a different answer, and they aren't personally liable for the accuracy of the information they provide. Best to do all your homework first, especially if you aren't working through a lawyer (we're not planning to hire one, either).
Good luck with everything, let me know if you have any questions and maybe I can help!
-Lindsay