SkeletonNessa

For those of you have missed my posting of this information here it is again and it will try to answer "why are others before me are getting approved", " I just don’t understand what’s taking so long", "I don’t understand why they are approving cases of September if some cases of June, July and August still show as received; what’s the order?" etc. etc. etc.
 
WHY?
1. If you are really super curious about more details in the process check out this linked article that has a PDF with tons of detailed information regarding the background check process. It's quite fascinating and awesome, all the work law enforcement, DHS, DOS, NVC, USCIS does and there is literally nothing wrong with being curious about the work they do.  https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=8915 and PDF https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=8915
 
2. As part of its benefits adjudication process and as required by law, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducts background checks on petitioners and applicants who seek certain immigration benefits. These background checks consist of four separate checks against systems within Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In order to facilitate the collection and transmission of information necessary to complete background check processes, USCIS maintains five information technology electronic systems: the Fingerprint Masthead Notification System (FMNS), the Customer Identity Capture System (CICS), the FD-258 Tracking System - Mainframe (FD-258 MF), the Benefits Biometrics Support System (BBSS), and the Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) Manifest. USCIS is conducting this privacy impact assessment (PIA) because FMNS, CICS, FD-258 MF, BBSS, and IBIS Manifest collect, use, and share personally identifiable information (PII). This PIA replaces the previously published USCIS PIA for the "Background Check Service (BCS)" which describes planned background check-related systems that were never implemented. Upon publication of this PIA, the BCS PIA will be retired.
 
Additional screening and background checks based on country of birth, citizenship, or residency in the “State Sponsors of Terrorism” (T-7) list: Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Syria; or from the “List of 26”: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Yemen. This is a mandatory stop list and allegedly takes 2 to 4 days, thanks in part to the partially rolled out PATRIOT (Pre-Adjudicated Threat Recognition and Intelligence Operations Team) system managed by ICE, but often take 3 to 6 weeks and if there is a hit who knows how long.
 
3. From USCIS: USCIS is committed to adjudicating immigration benefits in a timely manner while also ensuring public safety and national security. A small percentage of applications and petitions have unresolved background check issues that temporarily delay adjudication. Although USCIS makes every effort to resolve such cases promptly, USCIS is unable to speculate when the background check will be completed. 
 
If a background check reveals an issue that may impact an applicant’s eligibility for the requested immigration benefit, further inquiry is needed. The inquiry may include an additional interview and/or contact with another agency for updates or more comprehensive information. Upon gathering and assessing all available information, USCIS will adjudicate the application as quickly as possible. 
 
USCIS realizes that the constituent may be frustrated by the progress of their case. However, the agency must balance individual inconvenience against broader issues of public safety and national security.
 
4. From the visa petition stage to post-entry applications for immigration benefits, USCIS works closely with the U.S. Department of State (DOS), other U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components, and other partners to ensure that those seeking to lawfully enter and remain in the United States are screened and vetted thoroughly at multiple points and by multiple agencies in accordance with laws and regulations.
 
Security and integrity are central to USCIS’ mission. In the course of applying to enter the United States, being admitted, and gaining lawful permanent resident status, the fiancé(e) of a U.S citizen will undergo four to five sets of comprehensive background and security checks. Each case is reviewed by multiple agencies. USCIS and our partners continually work together to enhance our tools and procedures for identifying those who threaten our homeland or attempt to gain benefits through fraud. For example, recognizing its potential value, USCIS is exploring an expansion of the use of social media as an additional vetting tool in the background and security check process.
 
From <https://www.uscis.gov/tools/resources-congress/testimonies-and-speeches/hearing-vows-visas-investigating-k-1-fiance-fraud-senate-committee-judiciary-march-15-2017>
 
https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/testimony/the-fbis-visa-name-check-process
 
Even thought this next information is rather old, it still gives you the proper outline on what takes place in background checks.
 
https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/privacy/privacy_pia_uscis_ibbcs.pdf
 
I know it really sucks to have waited so long, but the best way to get through this is to lower your expectations and try not to compare your timeline to anyone else's. Don't forget that the people here on Visa Journey represent a tiny percentage of all the petitions the CSC has to work through! When someone gets to your file you'll hear from them. Stay busy, talk a lot with your fiancé about non-visa stuff, don't forget to hang out with your friends, take up a new hobby, go to sporting events, and your time will come! Good luck

what's crazy is that we simultaneously see Jan/Feb/Mar approvals.
 
I really cannot see a reason for why would someone with Mar 14 NOA1 get approved and then have another person with Jan 9th date receive approval the same day while none of them had RFEs.
 
It's not even about countries...the same country can have many months of variation and as long as the documentation is provided and there is no RFE, I really cannot figure out how these guys work and manage those deadlines.
 
The only guess I have is that they don't give a damn and cases received from Mar or November 2018 get just mixed up on/at their workspace and they don't keep them orderly by the time it was submitted.

Wow it seems like alot of people are getting approved so fast . Congratulations for all of you 🥳🙏🙏 we get our noa1 February 22 and we still waiting I'm gonna tell my fiance to call them today to see if theres any update 

Yes Amen... I def cannot wait to share my own story on here too. Been reading others. 
My NOA1 was Feb 7.... 
The timeline on here said May 10-18th but it passed so I am still waiting on God.

Yes, but the embassy can extend the validity of the i-129f approval if you guys need more time. They can extend it with 4 months at a time, for up to a year.
 
They likely do this automatically, but I wouldn't take a chance if I were you. I would email the embassy and request an extension to be on the safe side.
 
It's at this stage you can "buy more time" if there are things you need to finish up in your home country before moving. Once the visa is issued it has to be used within 6 months from the date of the MEDICAL. So remember that if you try to buy more time - do NOT have your medical too soon, as that's the date your Visa expiration date will be based upon.
 
Let's say you do the medical on May 30, but only have your interview on October 10 and the visa is issued on October 15, that means your Visa will only be valid for about 2 weeks.

You sent your inquiries after less than two months of waiting. You knew there were people waiting in line. One thing is to be enraged at the government, but another is trying to jump the line, generating noise for the already clogged government response system, only to trigger their semi-robotic replies. Even if your approval was sped up by several days, it only happened at someone else's expense. Congratulations!

If you're a resident in one of the Nordic countries, you don't need a passport when you travel within the Nordic countries. A different form of ID is ok.

It isn't quite that simple.  First, there are always thousands and thousands people in line.......and there is a process.....  The immigration process demands a great deal of knowledge, planning, time, PATIENCE, and money......
 

No one enjoys the waiting....You rage in vain.........and it is not healthy to rage against something in which you have no control........

Does anybody know what to do for the travel home after your interview?
As i am aware that they take your passport and send it to you, but then how do you travel home?
Especially if it's with plane.

I have tried to patiently wait after seeing late February filers be approved! We were approved!
 
NOA 1: 2/5/2019
NOA 2: 5/15/2019
 
I didn’t receive an email or text. The new website updated but the old one still says received. 

Here is the inherit problem with the system and with the applicants. USCIS is entrusted with the need to make sure that the USA is safe from the "bad" people. To do that it takes time and resources. They are not only using their internal data bases to scour but also international and country specific. So not only do they have to wait for results from one source but many sources. Some country's are faster and more equipped to answer if requested, USCIS's inquiry. So you are from one country that might be slower then another that's why you are seeing some who have applied after you are moving on before you.
 
Now the applicant has this "idea" that this is a "wham bam thank you mam" process and it certainty is not. When I read that the adjudication timeline on USCIS website states 5.5 - 7 months then I am gong to stay busy, stay calm and stay off the phone. Funny thing is, they (USCIS) are looking at the same screen you are when you call so don't expect something different. JMHO.

Note that there are a lot of cases that don't show up on the "old" web site now (that's why no one does daily scans in the monthly threads anymore), and despite some people saying they've seen things on the app that weren't on that web site, I can't see anywhere else where an unofficial app (there are no official apps) could be getting its data from; the new web site has two-factor authentication which is tricky to navigate through in code and and USCIS does not have a public API for third-party apps as far as I know.
 
I believe there are 3,000 to 5,000 petitions filed every month, which would get 140-230 every business day by back of the envelope math (or a little more than that, because I'm not counting holidays).

I bet everyone is wide eyed awake now!!!! Here is wishing you all have a great new week with lots of approvals GO February filers!!!! I'm pulling for you all!!!!

I am also from February 25, thinking how fast they are going is fascinating, although I put my expectations for the end of July. But it would be very happy if it arrives earlier

Yaaaay!!! Congratulations!! I am so happy for you!! I hope we received our NOA2 very very soon. My NOA1 was received on Feb 4. Praying we get the approval til next week. Weeeew!!! 🙏🙏🙏