choochoo

Hi KipandSarahJane,

I just want to tell you this is really great what you have started. I am sure it has already helped so many of us here on VJ!!

I know i just filed but my husband and I really want to be together fast as so does everyone else here. My question is do i have any chances of getting an expedite if the spouse lives in Pakistan? i googled some info and this is just a little glimpse of what i found. Please give me your input, if you think these are good bases or not?

"Karachi faces challenges that are central to many developing metropolises including overcrowding, traffic, pollution, poverty and street crimes. These problems continue to earn Karachi low rankings in livability comparisons: The Economist ranked Karachi fourth least livable city amongst the 132 cities surveyed[41] and Business Week ranked it 175 out of 215 in livability(2007), down from 170 in 2006. The level of air pollution in Karachi is estimated to be 20 times higher than World Health Organization .

Also, with the all the danger recently happening so much because of the former prime minister passing away, its can get really dangerous at times.

please let me know what you guys think...

thanks for all your help!

Hi,

great job on the spreadsheet! I actually sent my I-130 on April 29 but they received it on the 1st. So i dont know which date you would prefer to put on there? And then i received my NOA1 in the mail on May 10th. thanks alot!

hi all! just wna post something i made.. hope i did it right.. please let me know if i made mistakes so that i can update it.. gotta run!

SPREADSHEET TRACKER for APRIL/MAY FILERS

For some reason they want all the I-130s sent to the chicago lockbox and then they forward it to the correct service center. Most probably your service center will be Vermont but what i did was go on USCIS and then click on the instructions for the I-129F. It tells you that if you are in this particular state then send your application to this service center. Even though this form is I-129F, this is usually the service center where they forward your case.

How can you tell which service center you got cause I sent my to chicago. and even though vermont is only a 2 hours away from me the immigration center here in Maine told me to mail it to Chicago. so I am a little confused why chicago instead of Vermont.

oh, nevermind about the DCF. I think you meant the Direct Consular Filing. I heard for my country they do not allow that anymore. Not sure about Philippines.

Hi Chev&Danica,

None of us can really pinpoint when these I-130s get approved. There are so many dates that i have heard too! But the one that i have heard the most and from the lawyer too is 6-10 months. Could i ask you what a DFC is and what are the qualifications?

thanks

HI everyone Me too I have sent my I-130 May 13 2008 and someone received it on May 14 around 12:00 pm. just wanted to add my self to the list. as of now i have not received any type of receipt for my NOA1 nor have they cashed my check... Does any one know how long it takes for this thing to get approved i've heard so many stories. 6-10 month sometimes 10-15 months. I've been told i could be qualified for a DFC and hearing rumors that it can take up to 3 month for my wife to come straight over is that true? I am currently going to school in the Philippines and this is my last and final year i graduate in April so I don't know if that makes me qualified or not. i would appreciate the feedback.

Hi Chev&Danica,

None of us can really pinpoint when these I-130s get approved. There are so many dates that i have heard too! But the one that i have heard the most and from the lawyer too is 6-10 months. Could i ask you what a DFC is and what are the qualifications?

thanks

HI everyone Me too I have sent my I-130 May 13 2008 and someone received it on May 14 around 12:00 pm. just wanted to add my self to the list. as of now i have not received any type of receipt for my NOA1 nor have they cashed my check... Does any one know how long it takes for this thing to get approved i've heard so many stories. 6-10 month sometimes 10-15 months. I've been told i could be qualified for a DFC and hearing rumors that it can take up to 3 month for my wife to come straight over is that true? I am currently going to school in the Philippines and this is my last and final year i graduate in April so I don't know if that makes me qualified or not. i would appreciate the feedback.

Yea you are right i forgot about the holiday.

I just hope we all get as fast approvals as CSC!!

ahh, you'll get it this week. I've been watching the dates for the noa1 and its about 2 weeks to the day.

you'll get it this week, i bet.

dont forget the holiday in there....

its the noa2 thats the b*tch.....

Vermont received my I-129F on the 14th and still no NOA1 . I was hoping i would get this receipt in 10 days, as i got the NOA1 in 10 days for the I-130. i hope it comes soon. Vermont really needs to pick up the pace...

yea it looks like the Manila Embassy is going pretty fast. So in your case it might be better to go with the CR1, so you dont have to go through the hassle of the AOS. Me on the other hand could not do the CR1 since Pakistan is really backlogged for CR1 interviews. But then the issue might be here since my case is at VSC and they are really really slow! The dates on the USCIS bulletin honestly dont mean a single thing. There are so many people that are getting processed sooner or later from that date. There was just one person that was approved from CSC in just 16 days!!! anyways its a tough call but you should do whatever is best for your situation! good luck!

Found something: MANILA EMBASSY WAITING PERIODS FOR VISA INTERVIEWS

*When the Embassy receives an approved petition from the State Department’s National Visa Center, the beneficiary has to be queued for a visa interview. The Embassy will send the beneficiary an information packet, which will include the medical and visa interview appointments.

The following are average waiting times for the various immigrant visa categories before an applicant is interviewed, once the Embassy receives the approved petition:*

Immediate relatives : 70-80 days

Conditional relatives (CR1) : 70-80 days

Fiance (K1) : 70-80 days

Spouse (K3) : 70-80 days

so it looks like they are all about within the same time frame, where interview times are concerned. from other spreadsheets, it looks like about 80-90 days between NOA1 to NOA2 with CSC CR1 cases. tough call...

Hi,

Yes the updated May 14 date means it was touched. Any time you basically have a new date on when you check your status that means it was touched.

Well you want your process done fast then i would go with k3. especially with CSC being your service center and they are pushing those out soooo fast. I would do some research on the ur countries embassy as well. I actually just generally asked the laywer a question on how fast the CR1 are being processed. she said they are going fast here in US but the embassy my case will go through which is Pakistan is really backlogged for and could take upto 10 months to get an interview. so i would definitely find out about that too. Good lukc, keep us posted on what u decide

hi all! quite new here.. i'm just going to add myself this list. I sent the I-130 April 30, but wasn't received till May 8 in Chicago. Since then, i have checked online to see if my check has been cashed. Sure enough, on May 15, check cashed. But i still haven't received my NOA1. So i waited and waited. Finally, May 19, i got it in the mail.. Said that the Received date was May 8, Notice date was May 13. It took 5 days to get to me? CSC is in southern california, where i'm from.. sheeesh.. I then signed up online on the USCIS website. Said there that my petition was updated May 14. That means "touched," right? i'm so clueless..

now i'm deliberating on whether to go ahead and file for a K3 or stick with this CR1.. don't understand too much of the CSC timeline and the Manila consular office.. any advise out there pls? thanks...

Hi,

I also filed in May and paid the same as you of 355.00. Dont worry it should be okay.

hi all! quite new here.. i'm just going to add myself this list. I sent the I-130 April 30, but wasn't received till May 8 in Chicago. Since then, i have checked online to see if my check has been cashed. Sure enough, on May 15, check cashed. But i still haven't received my NOA1. So i waited and waited. Finally, May 19, i got it in the mail.. Said that the Received date was May 8, Notice date was May 13. It took 5 days to get to me? CSC is in southern california, where i'm from.. sheeesh.. I then signed up online on the USCIS website. Said there that my petition was updated May 14. That means "touched," right? i'm so clueless..

now i'm deliberating on whether to go ahead and file for a K3 or stick with this CR1.. don't understand too much of the CSC timeline and the Manila consular office.. any advise out there pls? thanks...

HI TO ALL MAY 08 FILERS!

Just want to ask how much you guys paid for I-130? coz we issued $355 but i heard latelt it went up to $377 is it true? im really worried now

My God!! Thats so ridiculous. I am so soorry that you are having to wait this long. I really hope you case gets approved any day now and you can give us all the good news!!

You're right about that, but i just wanted to see what they update it to since they are not even abiding by it.

The last bulletin for processing dates was updated on April 15. Does anyone know when the next bulletin goes up on the USCIS?

it doesn't really matter since they don't abide by these processing dates.

sorry i'm angry.

i know. i apologize again. the dates will probably be updated within a week or two.

i have been waiting over 300 days, so i know from experience that these dates mean NOTHING.

i hope i am approved before these dates are updated or i really may lose it. i'm close to it already.

You're right about that, but i just wanted to see what they update it to since they are not even abiding by it.

The last bulletin for processing dates was updated on April 15. Does anyone know when the next bulletin goes up on the USCIS?

it doesn't really matter since they don't abide by these processing dates.

sorry i'm angry.

The last bulletin for processing dates was updated on April 15. Does anyone know when the next bulletin goes up on the USCIS?

Hi Birch Beer,

I see your case is also at Vermont Service Center. You are about 2 weeks ahead of me for the I-129F. Please keep us posted on your progess since we are at the same service center. I been reading so much bad stuff about VSC here that i am getting nervous. Keep in touch and good luck

I sent ours in on April 30 and just got the NOA1 for the I-129f today

.....And dated for May 12th....about a 2 week from out of hand to in-hand.

same same for the I-130.......about 2 week wait period....

LizScott,

Yes, patience is something we really need for this visa process! I hope you get your NOA1 today!

WHsoulmates,

Chicago Lockbox received my I-130 on May 3rd and I received my NOA1 on the 13th. So they took about 10 days. Hopefully that will be the same for you and LizScott too.

LizScott,

You still havent received your NOA1 yet? i was thinking you should get yours by today...

What day did the Chicago Lockbox receive it?

Dont worry, hopefully you should get it by tomorrow.

thanks alot!!!

If you already registered on the USCIS web page, your petition should have a date on it. Every time that date changes it means that the service center has touched your petition. If it doesn't change, then it hasn't been touched.

Diana

Hello,

On alot of peoples timelines, i see they wrote "Touched" on several different dates. Where do you see if you case was touched? Is it on uscis.gov where you check the status of your case? Becasue if it is on uscis.gov all i see is that that they received it and it is pending??? Do i need to check it daily if it was touched on that day?

Hi Kevin and Tuyen,

I was reading your timeline, and so you are sending your I-130 for a second time around??? What happened to the first one after your interview? What does a blue slip mean?

I sent mine yesterday, 5/7/08.

Yes, i am also filing for k3. So even i am just waiting and waiting for this NOA1 so i can send off the I-129F right away!!

They also received mine on May 1, 2008. I havent heard anything yet either. I wouldnt worry yet as they are taking about 2 weeks for the NOA1. It could be sooner as i noticed on some people's timelines. I can keep you posted on when I receive mine.

Thanks choochoo! One and counting! Are u also filing for K3? Goodluck to all of us!

They also received mine on May 1, 2008. I havent heard anything yet either. I wouldnt worry yet as they are taking about 2 weeks for the NOA1. It could be sooner as i noticed on some people's timelines. I can keep you posted on when I receive mine.

i am confused...

At what point of the K3 visa application process, do i fill out a DS-230 form?

wow!!! this is sooo crazy and overwhelming! I guess it is better to be safe than sorry. thanks all for your help!

thanks so much!

thanks pushbrk! So just to make sure, i will just send the marriage certificate and the G-325a for both of us with the passport pictures, my naturalization certificate, and the NOA1 and thats it?

You seem to be the one that answers most of my questions (lol), so if you dont mind can i ask you another one?

You might have seen my other post but I only got one reply and it didnt answer my second question. Do i have to wait for both the transfer notice and the NOA1 to be able to send the I-129F?

You're a great help, once a again thanks alot!!

Hello,

Quick question - Should I send the same supporting documents again from the I-130 for the I-129F? For example, all the emails, phone cards, wedding pictures?

thanks

No, not any of the examples you mention above are needed with the I-129F. Send the supporting documentation shown in the I-129F instructions for a spouse, even if it duplicates what you sent with the I-130.

Hello,

Quick question - Should I send the same supporting documents again from the I-130 for the I-129F? For example, all the emails, phone cards, wedding pictures?

thanks