Jason and May

We’re CR1, DQ 08/24/23. No IL. No CEAC update. I’m sure we will continue waiting until at least next month, if not longer. I predicted about 12 months, give or take, from DQ until IL, and probably not an interview until fall. I was hoping I was wrong, but that would fit the 30 month or so time frame from petition to visa, and our case seems to have been stagnated at about that pace. I’ve seen one post from a CR1 with DQ in early August. The rest I have seen posting that received ILs were IR5s. So, it seems like less CR1 movement and more working on the backlog of IRs, frankly. But as you said, who knows? 🤷🏽‍♂️

I was hoping with regular interview letters going out last month to cases DQ through July for CR1s that maybe we'd see my wife's IL in May. Looks like that might not happen, as it's been radio silence. She was DQ August '23. Who knows, though. USEM has been sending out ILs kind of sporadically, and there's a lot of May left. So, I guess we'll see. At this point, I no longer hold my breath. She could get an interview letter tomorrow, or not until December. Nothing makes any sense. Nothing at all.

I appreciate you answering. Thank you. We have tried to put together a comprehensive packet, so to speak. I’ve been to visit 5 times over just about 2 years. Lots of pictures together, with her family, evidence of the travel and so on. I think we may be well covered in the bonafides. The lack of comprehensive evidence and official explanation for her deportation has always concerned me a little, though. I’m glad there’s evidence of no criminal conviction in the country, but, holy cow, trying to get any kind of report to provide an official explanation and documentation was like turning water into wine. Thanks again for answering! 🤙🏾

Were you able to obtain an actual police report? My wife was detained and eventually deported from Jordan. We were able to obtain a Certificate of No Criminal Conviction, but we were unable to obtain a police report or any report at all. I’m a bit concerned about this come interview time, but we’re also just rolling with this and will address it if it needs addressed. Though, I’m curious about your situation.

CR versus IR has never mattered to me. I understand the dynamics, and everyone's perspectives and personal feelings on how they choose to approach their journeys, I can absolutely respect. In our situation, we prefer being together. The additional hassles and expenses should she have immigrated sooner was, in our situation, of zero consequence. That said, at this point, the only positive I can ferret out of this mess in Manila is that we're obviously going to end up bypassing that, however unintentionally. I appreciate your advice, nonetheless.

We're CR1, going on 8 months since DQ. Given the IR expedites that just happened, we expect another 3 to 6 months, at minimum, for my wife to receive an interview letter while USEM works through the IR interviews, unless they substantially increase the number of CR interviews they do monthly. We will convert to IR1 on June 3.

I have flown back and forth to Phils many times. I flew EVA once, and I never used them again. I will always, without hesitation, pay more for Korean Air or ANA. The entire flight experience, from the seating to the storage to food to the flight paths are just--leagues--better. In my opinion. To your question: I did not experience and have not heard of EVA gate agents being any more or less versed in entry and exit requirements than any other airline. In that respect, they in fact seemed very on task and knowledgable.

It's certainly easy enough to look up visa statistics and compare issuances of certain visa types, as another poster did. Once you do that, the reality is stark: The K3's not dead, but it's not really alive either. Viability is there. As CCat mentioned, there's no harm in filing. If it's approved and that's what you wanted, awesome. If not, there's no negative effect on processing either.

In all the various groups, I’ve seen only IRs posting they received notice of expedite. I suspect USEM is working through the IR backlog. Which is bad news for CRs. Because, given the wildly low ratio of IR/CR interviews monthly compared to B, F, E, and even H categories, it will likely be another 3 to 6 months before anyone starts seeing ILs in numbers of any consequence, as USEM works its way through this current en masse request. I guess the good news is twofold: i) the backlog will be reduced slightly, and ii) those of us weeks away from IR conversion will be IR by the next time they request en masse, if they do so again.

Moving forward for some. Peeps who will IR1 in 2 weeks or 2 months will still be waiting another 2,4,6 months to get an interview letter. But at least this will move the queue forward. There is that. And on the unselfish side, it’s good for those who have been waiting years to be together at home.

Would be great if they did another mass of auto expedites, but I wonder why you received this and all these other cases from May forward are waiting in queue. I wonder if it is the IR2. Or maybe we’ll start seeing a number of posts the next couple of days or weeks similar to yours. Weird. Weird but awesome for you guys! Congratulations! 🥳🤙🏾

I would absolutely upload to CEAC and have the beneficiary take the most current tax year information. Prior to the tax filing deadline the IO might or might not request it; however, USEM does explicitly state, “…a photocopy of the sponsor’s most recent IRS transcript, or most recent tax return and any relevant W-2s, if the transcript is unavailable.” It would be very unfortunate to have any further delay due to unpreparedness. As mentioned in USEM’s interview information quoted above, photocopies of these documents are acceptable. No wet signature is necessary.

We’re only at 7 months post DQ. I fully expect she will not be in the U.S. until at least winter 2025. Unreasonable delay at 1 year or more post DQ? Interesting quandary, maybe, given the flexibility of TRAC criteria combined with the Department of State mandating embassies and consulates worldwide to prioritize non-immigrant visas. Welcome to the United States. (But are you really welcome, tho…?)

I saw those tourist visa stats. After I read your post I went to check the nonimmigrant stats just to see. The Department of State sure is proud to be reuniting families, they say. 🙄

Nothing to be concerned or infuriated about here. 😑 I’ve come to a point where I’ve decided I prefer not to spend 4k or more a retainer and writ, and so I’m (at my own discretion in some ways) powerless over this issue. And so I just wait. Until 2025, it appears. 🤷🏽‍♂️