appleblossom

@Mike E predicts that all EB categories will have increased demand and therefore much longer wait times going forward. I'm hoping for every EB applicant's sake that he's wrong (sorry Mike!).

I know it might seem like common sense to you, but plenty of people who live outside the US decide to stay and apply via AOS whilst on a visit. They can't just assume that you weren't trying to do the same..

They’re not ‘magically’ eliminating them. They’re being eliminated because their PD has retrogressed, or their job offer has been pulled, or their sponsor has died etc, etc. Family based visas may not have retrogressed but employment based did, so that’s a big number suddenly not eligible for an interview and pulled from the queue.

t’s not 7% of 25,260, that is the 7% figure (total is 366,000). It’s up to each consulate how they choose to allocate visas and what IV categories to prioritise.

You’re looking at last months report, not the current one. The 275k figure mentioned is from this months. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/visas-backlog.html The backlog is clearing, albeit slowly. The problem is that it’s clearing immediate relatives, employment based IV’s etc. The other family categories just don’t have enough available visas compared to the number of applicants to make any meaningful progress with the backlog for their categories.

Islamabad is processing them, you can see that on the the monthly statistics. It’s just that far more people apply for them than there are visas available.

Table B applies to those applying via Consular Processing as well. They can also submit their documents, complete the DS-260, pay their fees etc, if their PD is before 01 Jan 2023. They just won’t be scheduled for an interview or be granted a visa if their PD isn’t current, same as those applying via AOS.

The good news is the October VB is out, the bad news is that unfortunately neither F1 nor F2B have moved at all.

OK, so the PD isn't current yet whichever category you're in - see the dates on the Visa Bulletin link above. No visa is available for your sister yet and no interview will be scheduled until it's current. As Boiler said, keep an eye out, the October bulletin should be released any day now. Good luck.

Yup, hopefully soon. If she's informed them she's a citizen and uploaded the cert can she still retain the current category or will she automatically be moved over now?

What's the Priority Date and which country? Unfortunately the wait for the child of a USC is currently longer than the wait for a child of a LPR, so your Mum probably should have waited to apply for citizenship. But it's done now, all you can do is look at the Visa Bulletin and see when the Priority Date becomes current. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2023/visa-bulletin-for-september-2023.html

I understand that, but you're likely to have a long time to wait still. Figure a year or so for approval whichever route you go down, and then more time before you actually have a visa (I don't know what the interview wait is like at Bogota). Having a plan is great, but I think you need to realise that immigration is unlikely to work to that plan, and you're going to have to juggle things. It may be that your process gets delayed if you are in the middle of a contract (i.e. if you get approval and then have to wait to do the NVC process as you can't risk an interview being given when you're at sea), or that you have to wait around not working in anticipation of the next step. I'd again point you to CC's list above, and one of the things for K-1 mentioned is 'Once an I-129F has been approved, delaying the case is difficult to impossible if the need arises'. If you are at sea and want to be able to slow things down with the interview etc for when you return, that would be another reason to go for the CR-1. It's going to make it trickier, most people have a 'normal' job that they can just take a day off to go to a medical or interview with, but that won't be the case with you. It will work out, but may just take longer than it would do for most people if you are at sea for large chunks of time during the process. Best of luck to you.

Still on board before you finish in March 2024? If so, you are very unlikely to still be on board when your I-129 gets approved - will usually take a lot longer.

Do you mean work in the US? That won’t happen by March 2024. See the comparison chart above from Crazy Cat, as she says the EAD alone takes 6-8 months and you can’t apply for that until you’re on the US on your K-1 - current processing times for that here. https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/ If being able to work continuously is important to you, I’d definitely look at the CR1 instead.

For timeline for the I-130 - https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/ Then add on time for the NVC/consulate side of the process. That could be as little as 3 months or as much as 2 years +, depending on the consulate and their interview wait time. HTH.

Yes, if it's been deleted then ignore it completely! As above, just tell the truth, and good luck.

Who's saying the truth would be bad? I can only see two responses here, both say to tell the truth?

Yes, that’s the Welcome Letter. You need to print the checklist and put it on the top of your documents when mailing your package. If you have an attorney then surely they’re advising you on all this? I’m afraid I’ve no idea which category you come under, but Chart B on the Visa Bulletin is what is relevant to you now - Chart A only becomes relevant when you’re DQ’ed and actually in line for an interview. And bear in mind with Canada’s lengthy interview wait it’ll be quite a wait either way. Good luck.

You can't upload them, EB applicants have to send them via mail, you should have had instructions in your Welcome Letter (together with a document checklist)?

I think the OP was asking about the expedited option you mentioned for any future children, not an expedite for the spouse.

(a) by service centre https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/. But the consulate will also have a bearing on it, as some have longer waits for interviews that others. By the time your fiancé is ready for an interview, those wait times are likely to have changed though. (b) and (c) your fiancé won't have a visa before you can apply for citizenship. The Visa Bulletin shows you that they're current processing those who applied in January 2018, nearly 6 years ago. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2023/visa-bulletin-for-september-2023.html (f) you could, but would risk you losing your LPR status, and also mean you may not have enough physical presence to apply for citizenship. So probably not a good idea if your long term aim is to stay in the US.

It'll depend on the consulate, can be as little as 3 months, or as much as 2 years plus. This thread is just for info, links to threads with timelines in, if there isn't one for your consulate then a search of the forum or members timelines may give you more info. Good luck.

Ah, ok. You can do that on the USCIS site then whilst CEAC isn't working (and it's always been more reliable than CEAC for me which didn't update!).

Immigrant visa for which family member, spouse? Are you trying to upload documents?

Approx 6 months it seems - Good luck.