WIL&LB

Well, they approved us back on May 16th. On 15 June, they sent NOA2s for both the I-130 and the I-129F. Then, on 26 June, they sent another NOA2 for the I-130. I read both notices carefully. They are identical, except for the Notice Date.

My, aren't they goofy!

I received a second NOA2 for my 129F a few days ago. This is after NOT receiving my first one until six weeks after my petition was approved. goofy? more like idiotic!

Today I finally received our interview date. The Moscow embassy Visa Support Services asked me last week if I wanted to submit an inquiry about my case. Today they finally got a response and informed me my fiance's interview date is August 22nd. Our case took longer than any others approved in the last few months: almost a month between leaving the NVC and getting an interview date assigned. I am wondering if it had anything to do with the CSC computer glitch that delayed my NOA2 approval notices. Oh well, I am just relieved!

Regarding how much time it is currently taking between NOA2s and interview dates, my case is one data point that it may be taking more than 104 days. My NOA2 was May 3rd. My case was sent by the NVC to the embassy on May 23rd. Today I called the Moscow Embassy Visa Information Service, and was informed that my case had not yet been received by the embassy. They asked if I wanted to perform an "inquiry," I said yes, and they told me that they would get a response from the embassy on Monday. I know that interviews have been scheduled through August 16th, according to the embassy web site that was updated today, and that I do not have an interview scheduled before then. Thus, the time between my NOA2 and my interview will be at least 104 days. I was hoping for a much shorter duration, based on Wisooner's experience. Now I don't know whether to be worried that my case is an anomaly because of some problem or that things are now taking longer for some reason (summer, glut of current cases, etc.) I need some advice/consolation from my fellow experienced VJers! Thanks

Today was the first time since the USCIS received my petition in January, that my "Case Status Service Online" has been updated. Even though my petition was approved on May 3rd, I never received any of the three possible notifications: online status update, email notification or hard copy. Today I received an email stating "Approval notice sent" and my online status was similarly updated. This only happened because I called them two weeks ago (30 days after my case was approved) to inform them I never received a notice of approval.

In order to talk to someone at the CSC, you need to call the same customer service number but enter prompts as if you need help with an RFE. This will result in your call being transferred to the CSC, where they can see the actual status of your case on their computers. My petition was approved on May 3rd, approved by the NVC on May 23rd, and sent to the embassy already but the USCIS customer service people still can only see that my petition is pending. My USCIS online service account still shows my case as pending and I never received an email or a hard copy of my NOA2. When I called the USCIS customer service people, they said the only thing they could do is tell me to fill out another form requesting a duplicate hardcopy of my NOA2 (someone said this costs $200!) I refused and then called back and followed the RFE prompts, talked to a CSC customer service rep and was promised that a hardcopy NOA2 would be put in the mail the next day.

When I called the NVC, the customer service rep told me that all cases are considered in "Administrative review" until they are approved. Your timeline shows they just received your case on May 29. If you look at the Immigration timelines of VJ members with petitions for Russian citizens, you will see that usually it takes between 2 to 5 days before they are sent to the embassy. Mine took 7 days (yes I was scared). Thus, I would not start to worry until after at least 7 days.

Did you guys see the article in today's paper that said the U.S. is increasing immigration fees? The increases will take effect at the end of July. Here's the incredible part: "the cost of bringing a foreign fiance will jump to $455 from $170" and "the price tag for a green card, or permanent resident visa, will rise to $930 from $325, and the cost of citizenship papers will increase to $675 from $330." Cha-ching! Ouch! Why not pay more, we get such outstanding service from the CSC.

Our petition was also approved on May 3rd and already entered and exited the NVC. We have received neither an NOA2 hardcopy, an email notification or even a USCIS online account update indicating our petition was approved. If it weren't for the NVC, I still wouldn't be convinced our petition was ever approved. Could you just imagine if the NVC was as screwed up as the CSC?

Hello fellow VJ-ers,

This is my first post. I just found out, after waiting in agony for two weeks after my first post NOA1 touch, that my petition was actually approved, sent to and received by the NVC. While elated at the news, I am fuming over our Governments inability to notify me by any of THREE possible methods. They still have not updated my on-line status, sent me a confirmation email or a hard copy. Only by calling another US agency, the NVC, can I confirm that the CSC did in fact approve my petition; totally lame and unacceptable! Thank goodness for the VJ website and the power of people and information!