sylcar

Correct.
A standalone I-212 may be filed beforehand, but an I-601 needs to be filed after otherwise being determined eligible for the visa. This only occurs at some point after the interview.

Yes you will pay for the waiver but I did not pay a lawyer to help out with the filing and was what I meant when I said I spent $0.....
 
As per you calling the immigration officers handling the cases bastards, that is not fair these people are doing their job just like anyone else. I guess you do not know how long it takes for a background check to be done that is why you are raining insults on them.
 
Trust me when I say I know how tedious it is to do a background check for someone who is a USC not to talk about someone who is born outside of the U.S and not a USC. I work for DHS and my spouse is going through the process like anyone else.
 
I think you need to calm down and pray you get approved instead ranting!!!!!

This reply is for Snurok...
 
I seen your post in my email, and had to reply. I haven't been on this site since 2016 when my husband finally was allowed to return home. We too were placed on hold while USCIS reassigned our case to a different site and gave a second review. I copied & pasted the story below from my timeline in 2016...hope you find it helpful...
 
I have removed timeline dates for our 601a wavier. The 601a wavier was approved about 6 or 7 months after submitting to USCIS. My husband interviewed with US Consulate in October 2015, but was denied re-entry to the US because of a DUI in 2008 that was discussed during medical exam. My husband is in Mexico with a 1 year bar from United States. We mailed off our next 601 wavier on 03/10/2016; USCIS received wavier packet on 3/14/2016.
 
April 8, 2016 we received the following from USCIS...
 
"Your Case Status: Initial Review 
 
On April 8, 2016, we requested another non-USCIS advisory opinion for your Form I601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, Receipt Number LIN1690505762. Processing of your case will resume when we receive the response. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address. 
 
During this step, USCIS initiates the background checks of the applicant/petitioner and identifies issues that may need to be addressed either during an interview or by asking the applicant/petitioner to submit additional information or documentation. USCIS reviews the applicant's/petitioner's criminal history, determines if there are national security concerns that need to be addressed, and reviews the application/petition for fraud indicators. If you have filed an I-485, I-589, I-751, N-400, I-90, I-821, I-131 or I-765, you can expect to receive an appointment notice to appear at an Application Support Center to have your fingerprints and/or photographs taken. The timing of your appointment is determined by the number of applicants ahead of you that also need a bio-metric appointment. We try to schedule bio-metric appointments as quickly as possible and in most cases you will receive your appointment notice within 30 days of submitting your application. We will send your appointment notice approximately 14 days ahead of your scheduled appointment. It is important that you keep this appointment. If absolutely necessary, you can request that your appointment be rescheduled however, please be aware that rescheduling may delay the processing of your application. Please follow the instructions on your appointment notice if you need to reschedule. Occasionally, you may receive an appointment notice to appear at an Application Support Center to have your fingerprints taken when you have filed a form other than those listed above. In these situations, you may receive your appointment notice more than 30 days after submitting your application or petition."
 
I am not sure what this mean exactly, and this is the first our attorney has heard of anything like it. My husband completed his second medical exam in Juarez, and now we are waiting for the outcome of those results and the 601 wavier. Husband's wavier approved on 10/24/16 (posted on website as approved on 10/25/16). Husband's interview was at 7:45 am on 12/02/16...he received visa and passport from DHL on 12/09/16...and returned to the States on 12/10/16!!!!!
 
Snurok, I hope that helps you have some faith that things will work out. I will be praying for you. I will look for your post in my inbox, and reply if necessary. Good luck!

I'm not exactly sure where to post this since it might apply to everyone on VJ.  We just met with an immig attorney today. She told us that as of yesterday it's officer discretion whether an incomplete application and packet will get an RFE or be rejected in total.  Therefore, if your whole packet gets returned to you, you need to start over and pay the fee again.  In addition, if it's close to your deadline for applying (such as the 90 day time frame for ROC) you might find yourself "out of status" .  So a wrong fee, an incomplete form, or maybe incomplete supporting documents could be a cause for rejection .
 
This is all the information I have. I'm assuming it applies to all aspects of immigration where an officer views your packet-but am not totally sure of that.
 
If anyone has more information please post.  Maybe something more official can be a sticky. 

@Shalom12528 thank you for the update!!! Congratulations!!!!!😁

Yesterday I went to Juarez, CDJ Consulate,  for my  interview which was  scheduled for 9:15 a.m.  
I got there a bit early at 7:30. They were letting all hours in so I went in with just my papers and a lipstick. Nowadays they do not let
you in with anything except for your papers, folders and wallet. Do not bring any electronics, cell phone, pen drive etc they did though let me enter with the medical CD.
The Plaza Consulado which is to the right of the consulate, about a block down, has lockers that you pay $30 pesos to use. To the left of the consulate there is a kiosk store named Extra and there they will also hold your stuff
for a small fee but they do not have lockers.
After being let in and going for the first screening window where they make sure you have your photos, documents etc they send you to pay $325 within the consulate for the official interview. They do not except  payment coming from different cards or currencies. It either as to come from one credit/or debit card in your name or from one currency in cash. No mixed payment forms, like they accept at the medical appointment. This threw me off so I was back outside trying to get my payment coming in neatly from one currency and source. And hour and a half later I get back in and the consulate was just about empty. I waited at the place to pay for about 45 minutes till someone showed. I was a little nervous while waiting thinking I had lost my opportunity, that things had already started to shut down. But I was told that once let in they won't send you out if you haven't been processed, it does not matter how long it takes. Apparently, I    re showed when they were taking their lunch hour. 
After making my payment I went back to the same area where I had originally spoke to an official behind a glass. Place was empty, except for the guards, who were gracious  I waited for about 1 hour. Then the official who was to give me my interview showed. My case was an I-601, DS 260 waiver that I had waited about 13 months to come through. He asked very simple questions, how long we've been married, how many kids birthdays...etc. Then had me sit and wait some more. Then showed again and told me my immigrant visa  was approved! He gave me a green slip of paper saying my visa has been approved with instructions for it being mailed to me. The officer said I should receive my visa within two weeks.
I was so sick all day from the tension that I couldn't even form a prayer... but God is faithful.
Attached are some files that helped me be ready for the interview. 
 
CDJ_Ciudad-Juarez Interveiw Checklist.pdf
appt letter_checklist for interview.pdf

Very happy for you!! Congrats on your visa journey completion!

when I started reading this my mind went on you, I said to myself go an look at the name who post this lol. I laugh and said oh this my friend lol I am so happy for you. I wish you and your husband all the best.
 
Don't forget our group chat please lol

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!

We are all so very happy for you two!  Congratulations and welcome to America!  

Congratulations! And thank you for sharing!!! it's encouraging!!

My friend just went in March and it took her 5 days to get the e-mail but because Thurs. and Friday was semana santa and they were closed, other wise she said it would have just taken like 2 or 3days. Good luck!

Oh that is really difficult! But lets have positive hopes that everything will turn out okay. The wait will be all worth it in the end! 

It's all in the attitude. She can't hold on to things from back home. Now she's in America and she has to embrace the culture and atmosphere over here. I've lived in several countries all over the world and the people who have the hardest time adjusting are the ones that cling on to things from back home; food, culture, language etc. 
 
I immigrated to the US in April 2016 with my husband in prison. I had to find a place to live, get furniture for the apartment, buy a car, get a Texas driver's license, get insurance etc etc etc all by myself. Within a month of moving here, I had a home, new friends, a job, a car and everything in place. I literally picked up from Sweden, moved halfway around the world and continued my normal life in the US with little disruption. I was able to do this because before moving here, my husband and I had a long discussion and decided together that me moving to the US was the best decision for us at the time. I then decided to keep an open mind, be positive and do the best of our decision. One year and five months after immigrating to the US, I'm now at the top of my career and my husband and I are building our dream home.
 
Again, it's all in the attitude. Sitting at home feeling sorry for herself and thinking about back home all the time is not gonna help. She needs to focus on the good things over here and all the things she can accomplish here. I always tell my husband that it doesn't matter where we are in the world, as long as we're together, we create our own sunshine. 

Oh that is good! I hope our goes just as fast! May I ask what date exactly did they receive your waiver?