bnm

Yes, There are many who get NOA1 who filed even in December. Either your lawyer missed it or something is wrong. You can see the uscis.gov web page for recent update on

Chicago Lockbox (as of 2/1/08)

Form Number Date Received

I-130 12/27/2007

All Other Forms Current

We finally received our NOA1 today -- took us 4 1/2 months to get NOA1.

So, for people that are filing well after August, (saaaay, January...) can we expect to wait about that long for a NOA1 also?

I dont think so january applicants have to wait that long. Possibly the longest wait is over. Because after July 30, 2007 most VSC and august 30, 2007 california, the issuing was halted. Now it resume and looks most of the backlog in N400 (naturalization) is getting back on track. The problem started by N400 applicants. SO we are hoping a faster finish. Anyway the time line will overall be affected comparing with pre-July 2007.

Congratulations and Happy Holidays. The best present you can wish for the holidays.

It looks the process is getting on track with NOA1, NOA2 being recived from some VJ friends.

Dear Evgeniya

, Would you mind if I ask why you were required to 2 year away. I didnot undertsand this point as your time line shows "08/27/2006 Left for Russia to fullfill 2 year stay home requirement"

I participated in a State Department program. And so I was on J-1 student visa in the U.S. This student visa requires to come back to a home country for 2 years before you can change your status to anything else. My two years are almost up now.

I got it.

BNM

Dear Evgeniya

, Would you mind if I ask why you were required to 2 year away. I didnot undertsand this point as your time line shows "08/27/2006 Left for Russia to fullfill 2 year stay home requirement"

So, according to this our petitions 'have been' forwarded to Chicago now. Lets see what that will bring. Still no check cashed on our end and still no sign that anything will be moving soon. Susie, I am sorry but I think your lawyer is wrong and just wants to calm things down. The question is how they will proceed once data entry is completed. But we will see. Good luck everyone and keep your patience. There is nothing we can do for now but pray and stay positive.

I guess germanchick is right on this. Since germanchick is the earliest filer we take her case as a reference. Please keep us posted Germanchick. I feel your receipt of anything is a signal that the I-130 is moving.

The city hall in our city in Japan wants a certificate of nationality, apparently my passport and birth certificate are not enough. I can't find any information about this on the US embassy's homepage... does anybody know about it, and how to get it? What forms do I need?

If you want to get married I guess you should get "Affidavit of Competency to Marry" from the US embassy (Tokyo, Osaka etc). http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7114a.html . Apart that your passport should be enough. You have to ask the US embassy to contact them by phone if possible in Japannes that no one is asked before. The "Affidavit of Competency to Marry" describes whichever information they need. They might need more information if they think you have a blood tie with your spouse evenif distance. If you have some Japannese name in your names they suspect that you might have blood tie. Since the Japannese family register details all relatives, the consider the Us system also do. But the US system didnot have that detail.

If you are in small city you better go to big cities like Tokyo, Osaka that they will process your case faster. Small cities gives you a hard time usually.

As we all know, below in italics are the instructions for filing the I-130, complete with a new address to mail it to for your state. Paul and I mailed our application package on Tuesday, and I am seeing here on the USPS tracking website that USPS is sending our package back to us because the "address was vacant"?? WHAT? We sent it to the exact "Chicago lockbox" we were supposed to for Ohio. Has this happened to anyone else? How come USPS thinks this address does not exist?

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is revising the locations for filing Form I-130 that are currently listed in the form's instructions posted on this website. Until new instructions are posted, the following information applies:

Effective December 3, 2007, all petitioners filing stand-alone Form I-130 are encouraged to submit their petitions to the Chicago Lockbox instead of a USCIS Service Center. I-130 petitions filed with the Chicago Lockbox will be routed to, and adjudicated at, the appropriate USCIS Service Center. This routing will be based on the petitioner's place of residence in the United States.

Petitioners who reside in AK, AZ, CA, CO, Guam, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MS, MT, Nebraska, NV, ND, OH, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, or WY are encouraged to file their stand-alone Form I-130s with the Lockbox using the following address:

USCIS

P.O. Box 804625

Chicago, IL 60680-1029

Dear lord, we haven't even been able to file yet and we're already running into bizarro problems! Who can explain this?

Very strange indeed. Many I-130 petitions are sent back to Chicago lockbox that includes the previous application dating back to August 30and July 30 from CSC and VSC respectively. The address must exist and you must call USPS say this might be a new lockbox. Possibly you are one of the earliest appicant. I am sure they will sort out by the time you call them. Anyway you might have a typo error in the parcel. wait until it is returned and you didnot make any mistake.

See why I refuse to be helpful to people on VJ, rebeccajo? It's much more satisfying to ridicule and torture them. They'll just jump all over you if they don't agree with your advice, so why even bother?

But then, your wait wasn't long enough so nothing you say carries any weight at all.....

If you follow prpoerly Rebecajo she was insisting I-130 was as late as the other cases. It was evidently the slowest and she still think it is still in an acceptable range. but for most of us is too much but evidently we can do nothing . But the idea of VJ is to share ideas based on reality. If she denies the reality she is not helping any body. I guess "germanchick2052" was referring that. SO "PlatyPius" dont confuse people. Help people in reality. I guess rebecajo is tired of explaing as her last post reminded us. She mentione about the realities of life after marriage bla bla. That is not the issue here. Here we are discussing Visa not marriage councling.

It becomes even more important to write the NVC case number at the top of each page when things are sent in. The more the package is handled, the more likely it is that something will get separated from the rest of the package.

I guess no need to mention case number as long as they did not ask for it. Just follow the instruction not your instinct

rebeca

I see the message about the I130's being sent to the Chicago lockbox for data entry. This still does not imply, to me, that entire files have been sitting there ignored.

Is it possible you may start seeing NOA1 followed almost immediately by NOA2? Did that happen with the K1 backlog?

I dont think you need more evidence that they moved those files from CSC and VSC to Chicago Lockbox. The dates didnot move at all at least for the last 2 months. Means they were never procssed, but we hope they will honor the date in which it is recieved.

For NOA1 to be followed by NOA2 is unlikely given the high backlog. But everybody is hoping that will happen. Time will tell when some VJ members get their NOA1 and NOA2. For many 4 months passed without NOA1. The usual processing time is 6 months. But VSC stopeed at May 15, 2007. It means it is getting 7 months for now. It might go up or down. Again time will tell.

I guess it is better that I-130 is being handled separately. Although they gave it the least priority as we have seen for the last couple of long months, one thing is sure i.e. it is currently being filled in the system. Most of us will get NOA1 soon. Although the NOA1 will come from CSC or VSC, it still means things are moving.Is it going to move fast after NOA1 or are they going to freeze it in CHICAGO? Time will tell. But, at least N-400 are officialy told they have to wait 16-18 months for naturalization. If I-130 was going to take more than N-400 or even closer to that they should announce like the N-400. N-400 is more politically senstive for election 2008 . Just my opinion and wishfull thinking.

Mao

I didnot ask when it will get started counting six months. But they honor the date of receiiving the package not the NOA1 date. Actually now things have changed in the backlog so they can say anything anytime.

BNM

Wishful thinking that they will get started soon. Now I am really wondering what is going to happen with I-130 applicants. It seems it is a completely forgotten case. Ever since I applied I didnot see a date moving in VSC. Now I am convinced they will process I-130 after all the backlog of N-400 is finished. Strange that a US citizen spouse or immediate relative is the least priority. Even Finacee is better. What is that? Is USCIS punishing for getting married? Sometimes I couldnot understand the so called "rules".

To Ash Habaibi

I guess you are being too unrealisic. Fisrt of all you are one of the Luckiy people to be approved fast despite the heavy backlog. People who sent on July 30, still didnot receive NOA1 let alone NOA2 and NVC. And you still hope you have applied to I-129F to make it faster. Of course everybody here wants his spouse to be here fast but when you start this process you should plan 8 months to one year. Stick to I-130 since you are approved. If you go to I-129F you might save very few weeks or months. But CR_1 gets you guys going to buiness once he arrives. I-129 F needs another long process after arrival.

Sorry to be blunt. I am one of the frustrated by the back logs.

To Izumosano,

I guess the FAQ from Tokyo will answer your question. In my opinion get married. I guess photgraphsa are not complex. You can have some photos with Kimono- well dressed/ May be at the city hall or you can take some of your friends and go to one Garden (I believe there are many in Japan) and take few photos.Since she is pregnant it is enough but they cannot see her for approving the petition (I-130). So photo will be helpful. Besides having apartments together okay.

You can apply for I-130 and get approved through the Embassy. Since you planned in August , I advice you to start soon. Once she get an immigrant Visa she will have six months to travel. Besides these days USCIS is slow with July and August back log.

Look this link. http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/visa/tvisa-ivfaq.html

FAQ

I am an American citizen resident in Japan with no intention of moving back to the U.S. anytime soon. Should I file an I-130 for my foreign born spouse anyway? Should we apply for an immigrant visa now?

We strongly encourage Americans and legal permanent residents based in Japan to file an immigrant visa petition for spouses and children if they think it is possible that they will want to reside in the U.S. in the future. The advantage is that if you are unexpectedly transferred or a family emergency requires you to return to the U.S., the petition is already on file and your spouse can stay behind and complete the immigrant visa application process without you.

Your spouse should NOT apply for an immigrant visa until you are ready to move back to the U.S. As the petitioner, you must complete an I-864 (affidavit of support) in order for your spouse to be able to apply for an immigrant visa. If you are not domiciled in the U.S. or qualified for one of the exemptions, you will have to demonstrate that you are in the process of transferring your domicile back to the U.S.

The following suggest it might take more than one year to be approved.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/23/us/23imm...?pagewanted=all

By JULIA PRESTON

Published: November 23, 2007

Immigration authorities are swamped in new bureaucratic backlogs resulting from an unanticipated flood last summer of applications for citizenship and for residence visas, officials said.

In July and August alone, the federal Citizenship and Immigration Services agency received 2.5 million applications, including petitions for naturalization as well as for the entire range of immigrant visas. That was more than double the total applications it received in the same two months in 2006, said a spokesman, Bill Wright.

In the 2007 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, the agency received 1.4 million petitions from legal immigrants to become United States citizens, about double the number of naturalization petitions in the 2006 fiscal year, Mr. Wright said.

The surge began after Jan. 31 when the immigration agency announced fee increases averaging 66 percent for most applications, official figures show. The increases went into effect July 30. The contentious tenor of the immigration debate also prompted legal immigrants to apply for citizenship. “We did our absolute best to foresee the surge we would have,†Mr. Wright said. “We certainly were surprised by such an immediate increase with such a volume.â€

The deluge has been so great that the agency is struggling to send out notices acknowledging it has received the applications. According to a special Web page the agency set up for applicants, as of Nov. 16 the agency’s processing center in Texas is sending out receipts for naturalization petitions that arrived by July 26. The processing center in Vermont is just now acknowledging naturalization petitions that came in by July 30.

Also contributing to the surge are about 300,000 applications in July and August for legal permanent resident visas, commonly known as green cards, from highly skilled immigrants. The jump in applications for the employment-based green cards resulted from the resolution of a mix-up in June between Immigration and Citizenship Services and the State Department, which is responsible for making visas available. The agencies had first invited the applications, then said they would not be accepted. They then reversed course, agreeing to accept them.

Immigration officials said it could take more than a year to decide many of the recent applications.

The processing backlogs are different from the visa backlogs that have burdened the United States immigration system for years. Because of annual limits on all green cards, immigrants from some countries like Mexico and the Philippines often have to wait decades for visas to become available. Now the agency has fallen behind on the bureaucratic work of logging in applications and deciding whether to grant visas or allow immigrants to become United States citizens.

In addition to the fee increase, the rush of naturalization requests was also prompted by anti-immigrant language in the debate over immigration policy this year, lawyers and advocates for immigrants said. Also, the immigration authorities had announced they were preparing a new, more difficult test for aspiring citizens, which they unveiled in September.

“People are scared,†said Ignacio Donoso, an immigration lawyer at the Monty Partners firm in Houston. “And they want to avoid the fees, and they do not want to face a more demanding test. So you are going to have people running like mad to apply, yet the government doesn’t hire any more staff to handle it.â€

Citizenship and Immigration Services is required by Congress to draw most of its operating budget from fees. When the agency head, Emilio T. Gonzalez, announced the fee increases in January, he pledged that the agency would become more efficient and reduce wait times for deciding applications. Fees for naturalization, for example, increased 66 percent, to $675 from $405.

The agency plans to use the higher revenues to hire 1,500 employees, an increase of about 10 percent over its current staff of 15,000, Mr. Wright said. For the time being, agency employees have volunteered to work overtime to help clear the backlog.

Much of the rush for naturalization came from legal Latino immigrants. Hispanic organizations, including the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund, and Univision, the Spanish-language television network, led a nationwide naturalization campaign this year in which hundreds of thousands of longtime legal immigrants signed up to become citizens.

Immigration officials said they would work to complete naturalization petitions in time for new citizens to vote in the elections next November. They strongly denied that the delays had any partisan political motivation.

“We know what this issue is,†Mr. Wright said, but he cautioned there were limits to how much the agency could expedite its procedures.

“We are not going to sacrifice quality or security to speed up just to get the numbers,†he said.

The USCIS have posted the following and they say Naturalization takes 16-18 months. Does it also affect I-130 applicants? Because I-130 and N 400 are still in JULY.

Processing Times and Case Status

Applications are processed in the order they are received by application type. The average processing times for all applications are posted on our website. Processing times are an estimate of how long it will take to complete your case. Each case is different; so some cases may take longer than others. You can use your receipt to check your case status on Case Status Online (See the "Related Links" section of this page). Please be advised that we will only research your case if it is beyond our posted processing times (You can also find a link to processing times in the Related Links section).

The processing times are for applications that have been just completed. If you have just filed your application, these timeframes may not reflect how long your application will take to be completed. We encourage you to check processing times before inquiring about your case. The processing times are updated monthly.

USCIS has received a significant increase in the number of applications filed. In July and August, nearly 2.5 million applications and petitions of all types were received. This compares to 1.2 million applications and petitions received in the same time period last year. This fiscal year, we received 1.4 million applications for naturalization; nearly double the volume we received the year before. The agency is working to improve processes and focus increased resources, including hiring approximately 1,500 new employees, to address this workload.

As a result, average processing times for certain application types may become longer. In particular, naturalization applications filed after June 1, 2007 may take approximately 16 - 18 months to process.

When your application is received by a USCIS Service Center or the National Benefits Center, we will mail you a receipt notice. The receipt notice will have all of the important information you need about your case. With your receipt number you can check the status of your case on our website and also register on our website for automatic case status updates as we process your case.

For more information about when and how to contact us, whether your case is outside our processing time, or if there are other issues, please see our customer guide Case Services - How Do I... know what kind of services are available to me after I file my application or petition? also available in the Related Links section of this page.

Can wife vist here on a visitor visa while I-130 is pending?

Theoretically yes, but practically it depends whether she can establish a reason to return while case is pending. So if spouse have a job, house etc they will give a visa otherwise just because she/he is a spouse of a USC , they will not grant Visa. They will scrutinize more since case is pending and he/she is intending immigrant.

Other problem is even if visa is granted at the airport she might be denied since they consider her as a intending immigrant. So during interview and entry she should come with NOA1 and NOA2 and other documents that she really will return back for case to be completed. She wil get difficulty especially if NOA2( approved) is not given, they might consider she will apply for AOS once arrived in USA. But if NOA2 (approved) I guess they will allow most people to travel.

People with VWP (Visa Waiver programs) will be asked more at the airport since they need not ask Visa at the embassies. Mostly people are not denied at the airport unless unlucky but always have many questions to answer.

in short your wife can be granted if she can establish a good reason to return while case is pending. So you can try it and and I think if you fail it willnot affect the whole process.

This is all my opinion and I am having similar thought like you but I will do it after few months.

I have made my own reserach and the follwing ling seems helpful.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...aveling+pending

Lets hope they will keep on forwards faster. It seems they want to stick with the 12 week for adjustment and 15 weeks for others. it would have been 15 weeks, had they not move to 29. they will inunduated with phone calls if they excced 15 weeks. So lets hope they will not increase to more than 15 weeks, the trend seems faster in all centers. Lets keep our fingers crossed .

I posted NOV 9 and NOV 16 updates for comparsion. I hope it helps

California Service Center

November 9, 2007

I-130 8/30/2007

N-400 8/09/2007

All Other Forms 10/25/2007

November 15, 2007

I-130 8/30/2007

N-400 9/03/2007

All Other Forms 10/28/2007

Nebraska Service Center

November 9, 2007

I-131 10/18/2007

I-140 10/18/2007

I-485 Employment Based 10/18/2007

I-485 Refugee 9/13/2007

I-765 10/18/2007

N-400 7/30/2007

All Other 11/1/2007

November 16, 2007

I-131 11/04/2007

I-140 11/04/2007

I-485 EmploymentBased 11/04/2007

I-485 Asylum 11/08/2007

I-485 Refugee 10/04/2007

I-765 11/04/2007

N-400 9/09/2007

All Other 11/12/2007

Texas Service Center

November 9, 2007

I-131 Current

I-140 Current

I-485 Employment Based 11/04/2007

I-765 Current

N-400 7/25/2007

All Other 10/04/2007

November 16, 2007

I-131 Current

I-140 Current

I-485 Employment Based 11/12/2007

I-765 Current

N-400 7/26/2007

All Other 11/12/2007

Vermont Service Center

November 9, 2007

I-130 7/24/2007

N-400 7/29/2007

All Other Forms 11/04/2007

November 16, 2007

I-130 7/29/2007

N-400 7/30/2007

All Other Forms 11/12/2007

USCIS Lockbox

November 9, 2007

TPS 10/17/2007

November 16, 2007

TPS 10/22/2007

Thanks for the explanation. Lets hope things will go smooth and they will not creat another error.

I think you are right. No quotas for family. This USCIS delay hopefully is temporary and will not affect the later processes. But what I am wondering is the dates in VSC for I-130 filers moved from 7/29/2007 to 7/22/2007. It is really frustrating. What is the logic? I dont understand is I-130 is the slowest of all. The problem didnot start because of I-130 filers. It started with other cases though I am not quiet sure what it is. 300000 applicants in July are not I-130 applicants. So why should I-130 applicants take the burden. Strange and unfair.