miker32us

David, Are you getting your P1->P2->P3->P4->P5 dates from CFL members? Could some of these delays be explained by the petitioner not sending in the requested information? Are these all waiting for an interview at a US Embassy in China or elsewhere in the Asian world? I am just trying to understand these stats better.

Is it standard for the embassy performing the interview to ask the immigrant applicant to bring in the petitioner's tax returns? I thought these were sent into NVC for the I-864 proof. I have always kept copies of mine and can send them to my wife for her interview if needed. I was just wondering....

I just renewed mine and they sent back the old one. The instructions indicate that is the norm.

I am completing the DS-230, Application for Immigrant Visa. On part II, lines 26-28 ask for the full name of the person applying for immigration, then on line 29 it asks for the name and address of the Petitioner. I assume I am the petitioner and my wife is the applicant?

Members are encouraged to go to the USCIS Case Status website: https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/jsps/NBCprocesstimes.jsp? to track the processing dates for I-130 or I-129 submissions. Those sites clearly show that packages received on a certain date are scheduled to be processed at a certain future date. I was basing my assumption that my I-129F would be processed today on the fact that I-129F packages received March 5, 2006 were scheduled to be processed on May 22, 2006. So it seems logical that packages received 2 weeks later would be processed 2 weeks from May 22....And it was!!! The fact that my I-130 was processed on this date and not my I-129F led me to believe my I-129F had been forwarded to California where my I-130 has been sitting since March. No one really knows do they? Some people here tend to be a lot more negative than others but that is just the general nature of people anyhow.

David, Since my wife is Taiwanese and Taiwan is not one of the countries with a visa quota will this have any bearing on the NVC processing time? I do not understand this process of issuing a visa to someone from a country with quotas and someone to a country w/o quotas. Mike

Your I-130 has been approved. You've been told repeatedly that there is no reliable way to predict the date of a petition's approval. Perhaps now this event will get your attention. My I-130 was approved 5 days after my I-129F. I consider this a coincidence, not a prediction of what will happen with other petitions. Both petitions were approve far sooner than your predition method would have told you. Each petition, whether I-130 or I-129 is reviewed multiple times on multiple days. Your predictions are based on incorrect assumptions. I don't know how to state this more clearly for you. We (CFL) have seen ZERO K visa related petitions approved, that were received by USCIS after March 5, 2006. Actually my own, submitted in January was the most recent one reported here as approved. 222978[/snapback] I certainly wasnt complaining, I just could not figure out why the I-130 leapfrogged the I-129f. Lets be positive here!!!

Ok now I am completely stumped. I submitted my I-130 in Feb/06 to TSC and it was forwarded to CalSC and the I-129F March 13/06 to Chicago and was expecting the I-129F to be approved today. I had estimated based on the processing dates today would be the day my I-129f would be reviewed but the e-mail notice I just received indicates the I-130 has been approved. How can this be? I am hoping this is not a typo!!! I have not received any notificaiton that my I-129f was sent to Calif Service Center where my I-130 is waiting for processing. *** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL *** The following is the latest information on your case status Receipt Number: Application Type: I130 , IMMIGRANT PETITION FOR RELATIVE, FIANCE(E), OR ORPHAN Current Status: This case has been approved. On June 8, 2006, an approval notice was mailed. If 30 days have passed and you have not received this notice, you may wish to verify or update your address. To update your address, please speak to an Immigration Information Officer during business hours. If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision or advice from USCIS within the projected processing time frame*, please contact the National Customer Service Center. National Customer Service Center (800) 375-5283. *The projected processing time frame can be found on the receipt notice that you received from the USCIS. *** Please do not respond to this e-mail message. Sincerely, The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

I will say that a few USCs that I talked to, who shot through the process had a special background clearance... I will say that this can be completely coincidental and should not be construed as implying that was the 'pushing factor'... It's best to just look at the years cases... K3 averages show below. The first line is all cases, the second is a 'best case' where outliers were removed. The numbers are in "Days / Months" for Sub (submission) to P2, P3, P4 and IV (interview). VISA........Sub-P2 (D/M).......Sub-P3 (D/M)......Sub-P4 (D/M)......Sub-IV (D/M) K3 (all).....75.6 / 2.5........163.8 / 5.5.......258.5 / 8.6.......315.5 / 10.5 K3 (adj).....51.2 / 1.7........117.1 / 3.9.......191.8 / 86.3......266.6 / 8.8 The fastest K3 in this group was under 7 months; the slowest almost 17 months. 220668[/snapback] David, If the time from receipt of NOA to processing is P2 then I am at 71 days and counting already. Is P3 the date the package is sent to NVC and P4 the date the package is sent to the embassy?

I was using the dates shown in the Case Status Search and arrived at the August date based on the fact they are now processing applications submitted 11/16/05 whereas ours was files 3/15/06 so I added 3 months. I hope the IR-1 does get processed sooner. I did send copies of the divorce agreements along with the I-130 but did not make copies for the I-129f. What is with these centers anyhow, I sent my I-130 to Texas and it was forwarded to California, I sent my I-129 to Chicago and it was forwarded to Kansas. I have my timeline on my signature: 2004 Met on Yahoo 02/05 First actual meeting in Hawaii 04/05 In Taiwan for 2 weeks, meet parents 10-05 Married in Taiwan 02/06 In Taipei for Chinese New Year, AIT translations 02/27/06 Filed CR-1, I-130 thru TSC 03/14/06 $190 check cashed 03/16/06 NOA1 for I-130 received 03/18/06 Submitted I-129f to Chicago office 03/27/06 $170 check cashed 03/27/06 NOA1 for I-129f received 220597[/snapback] There is no Chicago Processing Center. All 129F for K3 are processed at NBC, which is not actually listed as one of the processing centers. Texas and Nebraska have been transferring a lot of cases to California for a while. This could change without notice, so USCIS doesn't change their instructions for mailing. Many cases sent to Nebraska and Texas are processed there but lately not Fiance or Spouse cases. You do not have an IR1 case. Yours is CR1. Yes? I take it the interview in your case will be in Taiwan, not Guangzhou. 220600[/snapback] Since we have been married less than 2 years ours will be "conditional"...correct? Since she will be here on the I-129f I assume we will adjust status in the US, probably Charlotte since I am in NC. 220602[/snapback] If the K3 wins the race, then yes, you'll adjust status in the US. 220605[/snapback] Does anyone know what will happen after the Service Center starts processing our I-129f. My wife has a US visa and has been to the US 3 times so I hope the processing goes quickly. I have worked for the Federal govt almost 30 years so they know my history too. 220612[/snapback] They'll do whatever they do. If they need more information they'll ask for it. If not, they'll send you notice of approval on the same kind of form you got your CR1 NOA1. Upon approval, your file is sent to NVC "National Visa Center". Generally a few days later it is sent to the Consulate. A "quick" time between NOA1 and NOA2 on a K3 is 30 days. A slow time is 90. Petitions with issues can be delayed for quite some time. I don't know of a way to predict where a petition will fall within that range. 220625[/snapback] OK so hopefully next Friday they will start processing our I-129f and send me another NOA that either says they need more info or that it has been approved. Then on to NVC where a Non-immigrant visa number is issued then on to AIT in Taipei...Correct? 220629[/snapback] Whoa. I don't know where you're pulling these dates from. Is it a hat or and imagination? As far as I know, when your case file gets to Chicago they date stamp it and forward it to NBC. NBC will send you an NOA1. From that point it is anybody's guess. Your file goes in a pile and somebody checks fairly soon to see if they have everything they need and they take whatever steps they take from there. You can be sure that most of the time your file is in a pile somewhere waiting for whatever the next step may be. When they are finished, they'll notify you as previously explained. You said you worked for the Government. If you worked in a sensitive security area, that could delay your process. There are just too many unknowns to be talking about what USCIS will do next Friday. 220635[/snapback] Nope nothing sensitive or secure here, National Institutes of Health although all of us now have to have security clearances. I received the NOA1 March 27, 2006 and based on the NBC Case Status processing estimates from May 22 our application should be processed next Friday. https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/jsps/NBCprocesstimes.jsp?

I was using the dates shown in the Case Status Search and arrived at the August date based on the fact they are now processing applications submitted 11/16/05 whereas ours was files 3/15/06 so I added 3 months. I hope the IR-1 does get processed sooner. I did send copies of the divorce agreements along with the I-130 but did not make copies for the I-129f. What is with these centers anyhow, I sent my I-130 to Texas and it was forwarded to California, I sent my I-129 to Chicago and it was forwarded to Kansas. I have my timeline on my signature: 2004 Met on Yahoo 02/05 First actual meeting in Hawaii 04/05 In Taiwan for 2 weeks, meet parents 10-05 Married in Taiwan 02/06 In Taipei for Chinese New Year, AIT translations 02/27/06 Filed CR-1, I-130 thru TSC 03/14/06 $190 check cashed 03/16/06 NOA1 for I-130 received 03/18/06 Submitted I-129f to Chicago office 03/27/06 $170 check cashed 03/27/06 NOA1 for I-129f received 220597[/snapback] There is no Chicago Processing Center. All 129F for K3 are processed at NBC, which is not actually listed as one of the processing centers. Texas and Nebraska have been transferring a lot of cases to California for a while. This could change without notice, so USCIS doesn't change their instructions for mailing. Many cases sent to Nebraska and Texas are processed there but lately not Fiance or Spouse cases. You do not have an IR1 case. Yours is CR1. Yes? I take it the interview in your case will be in Taiwan, not Guangzhou. 220600[/snapback] Since we have been married less than 2 years ours will be "conditional"...correct? Since she will be here on the I-129f I assume we will adjust status in the US, probably Charlotte since I am in NC. 220602[/snapback] If the K3 wins the race, then yes, you'll adjust status in the US. 220605[/snapback] Does anyone know what will happen after the Service Center starts processing our I-129f. My wife has a US visa and has been to the US 3 times so I hope the processing goes quickly. I have worked for the Federal govt almost 30 years so they know my history too. 220612[/snapback] I don't understand, you say you have worked for the federal government for almost 30 years but here you are trying to predict what they will do with your case in the future? Seems like you should know better, it is an exercise in futility! Sorta like barking at the moon! 220633[/snapback] Travellers, Don't quite know how to answer except all branches of the government are not alike. I am trying to predict because my wife is renting an apartment and the landlord has repeatedly asked her when she will move tot he US. So she asks me and I am trying to gather facts or fiction, whatever you want to call it.

I was using the dates shown in the Case Status Search and arrived at the August date based on the fact they are now processing applications submitted 11/16/05 whereas ours was files 3/15/06 so I added 3 months. I hope the IR-1 does get processed sooner. I did send copies of the divorce agreements along with the I-130 but did not make copies for the I-129f. What is with these centers anyhow, I sent my I-130 to Texas and it was forwarded to California, I sent my I-129 to Chicago and it was forwarded to Kansas. I have my timeline on my signature: 2004 Met on Yahoo 02/05 First actual meeting in Hawaii 04/05 In Taiwan for 2 weeks, meet parents 10-05 Married in Taiwan 02/06 In Taipei for Chinese New Year, AIT translations 02/27/06 Filed CR-1, I-130 thru TSC 03/14/06 $190 check cashed 03/16/06 NOA1 for I-130 received 03/18/06 Submitted I-129f to Chicago office 03/27/06 $170 check cashed 03/27/06 NOA1 for I-129f received 220597[/snapback] There is no Chicago Processing Center. All 129F for K3 are processed at NBC, which is not actually listed as one of the processing centers. Texas and Nebraska have been transferring a lot of cases to California for a while. This could change without notice, so USCIS doesn't change their instructions for mailing. Many cases sent to Nebraska and Texas are processed there but lately not Fiance or Spouse cases. You do not have an IR1 case. Yours is CR1. Yes? I take it the interview in your case will be in Taiwan, not Guangzhou. 220600[/snapback] Since we have been married less than 2 years ours will be "conditional"...correct? Since she will be here on the I-129f I assume we will adjust status in the US, probably Charlotte since I am in NC. 220602[/snapback] If the K3 wins the race, then yes, you'll adjust status in the US. 220605[/snapback] Does anyone know what will happen after the Service Center starts processing our I-129f. My wife has a US visa and has been to the US 3 times so I hope the processing goes quickly. I have worked for the Federal govt almost 30 years so they know my history too. 220612[/snapback] They'll do whatever they do. If they need more information they'll ask for it. If not, they'll send you notice of approval on the same kind of form you got your CR1 NOA1. Upon approval, your file is sent to NVC "National Visa Center". Generally a few days later it is sent to the Consulate. A "quick" time between NOA1 and NOA2 on a K3 is 30 days. A slow time is 90. Petitions with issues can be delayed for quite some time. I don't know of a way to predict where a petition will fall within that range. 220625[/snapback] OK so hopefully next Friday they will start processing our I-129f and send me another NOA that either says they need more info or that it has been approved. Then on to NVC where a Non-immigrant visa number is issued then on to AIT in Taipei...Correct?

I was using the dates shown in the Case Status Search and arrived at the August date based on the fact they are now processing applications submitted 11/16/05 whereas ours was files 3/15/06 so I added 3 months. I hope the IR-1 does get processed sooner. I did send copies of the divorce agreements along with the I-130 but did not make copies for the I-129f. What is with these centers anyhow, I sent my I-130 to Texas and it was forwarded to California, I sent my I-129 to Chicago and it was forwarded to Kansas. I have my timeline on my signature: 2004 Met on Yahoo 02/05 First actual meeting in Hawaii 04/05 In Taiwan for 2 weeks, meet parents 10-05 Married in Taiwan 02/06 In Taipei for Chinese New Year, AIT translations 02/27/06 Filed CR-1, I-130 thru TSC 03/14/06 $190 check cashed 03/16/06 NOA1 for I-130 received 03/18/06 Submitted I-129f to Chicago office 03/27/06 $170 check cashed 03/27/06 NOA1 for I-129f received 220597[/snapback] There is no Chicago Processing Center. All 129F for K3 are processed at NBC, which is not actually listed as one of the processing centers. Texas and Nebraska have been transferring a lot of cases to California for a while. This could change without notice, so USCIS doesn't change their instructions for mailing. Many cases sent to Nebraska and Texas are processed there but lately not Fiance or Spouse cases. You do not have an IR1 case. Yours is CR1. Yes? I take it the interview in your case will be in Taiwan, not Guangzhou. 220600[/snapback] Since we have been married less than 2 years ours will be "conditional"...correct? Since she will be here on the I-129f I assume we will adjust status in the US, probably Charlotte since I am in NC. 220602[/snapback] If the K3 wins the race, then yes, you'll adjust status in the US. 220605[/snapback] Does anyone know what will happen after the Service Center starts processing our I-129f. My wife has a US visa and has been to the US 3 times so I hope the processing goes quickly. I have worked for the Federal govt almost 30 years so they know my history too.

I was using the dates shown in the Case Status Search and arrived at the August date based on the fact they are now processing applications submitted 11/16/05 whereas ours was files 3/15/06 so I added 3 months. I hope the IR-1 does get processed sooner. I did send copies of the divorce agreements along with the I-130 but did not make copies for the I-129f. What is with these centers anyhow, I sent my I-130 to Texas and it was forwarded to California, I sent my I-129 to Chicago and it was forwarded to Kansas. I have my timeline on my signature: 2004 Met on Yahoo 02/05 First actual meeting in Hawaii 04/05 In Taiwan for 2 weeks, meet parents 10-05 Married in Taiwan 02/06 In Taipei for Chinese New Year, AIT translations 02/27/06 Filed CR-1, I-130 thru TSC 03/14/06 $190 check cashed 03/16/06 NOA1 for I-130 received 03/18/06 Submitted I-129f to Chicago office 03/27/06 $170 check cashed 03/27/06 NOA1 for I-129f received 220597[/snapback] There is no Chicago Processing Center. All 129F for K3 are processed at NBC, which is not actually listed as one of the processing centers. Texas and Nebraska have been transferring a lot of cases to California for a while. This could change without notice, so USCIS doesn't change their instructions for mailing. Many cases sent to Nebraska and Texas are processed there but lately not Fiance or Spouse cases. You do not have an IR1 case. Yours is CR1. Yes? I take it the interview in your case will be in Taiwan, not Guangzhou. 220600[/snapback] Since we have been married less than 2 years ours will be "conditional"...correct? Since she will be here on the I-129f I assume we will adjust status in the US, probably Charlotte since I am in NC.

I was using the dates shown in the Case Status Search and arrived at the August date based on the fact they are now processing applications submitted 11/16/05 whereas ours was files 3/15/06 so I added 3 months. I hope the IR-1 does get processed sooner. I did send copies of the divorce agreements along with the I-130 but did not make copies for the I-129f. What is with these centers anyhow, I sent my I-130 to Texas and it was forwarded to California, I sent my I-129 to Chicago and it was forwarded to Kansas. I have my timeline on my signature: 2004 Met on Yahoo 02/05 First actual meeting in Hawaii 04/05 In Taiwan for 2 weeks, meet parents 10-05 Married in Taiwan 02/06 In Taipei for Chinese New Year, AIT translations 02/27/06 Filed CR-1, I-130 thru TSC 03/14/06 $190 check cashed 03/16/06 NOA1 for I-130 received 03/18/06 Submitted I-129f to Chicago office 03/27/06 $170 check cashed 03/27/06 NOA1 for I-129f received 220597[/snapback] Sorry for the poor math, I added 4 months thinking if Calif. was processing Nov 16 now it would be May, June, July, August.

I was using the dates shown in the Case Status Search and arrived at the August date based on the fact they are now processing applications submitted 11/16/05 whereas ours was files 3/15/06 so I added 3 months. I hope the IR-1 does get processed sooner. I did send copies of the divorce agreements along with the I-130 but did not make copies for the I-129f. What is with these centers anyhow, I sent my I-130 to Texas and it was forwarded to California, I sent my I-129 to Chicago and it was forwarded to Kansas. I have my timeline on my signature: 2004 Met on Yahoo 02/05 First actual meeting in Hawaii 04/05 In Taiwan for 2 weeks, meet parents 10-05 Married in Taiwan 02/06 In Taipei for Chinese New Year, AIT translations 02/27/06 Filed CR-1, I-130 thru TSC 03/14/06 $190 check cashed 03/16/06 NOA1 for I-130 received 03/18/06 Submitted I-129f to Chicago office 03/27/06 $170 check cashed 03/27/06 NOA1 for I-129f received

I submitted the I-130 and when I got the receipt I submitted the I-129f package. The I-130 will be processed in late August at Cal Service Center while the I-129f will begin processing next week in Chicago. My question is: In the I-130 package I had to make copies of previous divorce agreements and other things. On the I-129F I had to list previous marriages but the instructions indivate you do not have to prepare copies of the divorce agreements. How can the Chicao service center process the I-129F and agree to allow my wife into the country without copies of these previous divorce agreements? Do they contact the California service center where my I-130 is located to get copies of these previous divorce agreements or is that something that is taken care of during Adjustment of Status here int he US? I guess what I am asking is this I-129F process just to get your wife into the country and the actual processing is done later?

My wife is Taiwanese and has had a B-2 visa for 2 years and has used it for 2 trips we made to meet in Hawaii. I filed the I-130 in February and when I received the NOA from it I filed the I-129f March 13, 2006. Neither of these is being processed yet but the I-129f is getting close. My wife is coming to visit me next week and to attend my daughters college graduation and both she and I will be going back to Taiwan 10 days later. I have already purchased both round trip tickets, one for her from Taiwan here to the US and the other for me from here to Taiwan and back. Another post I can not find now suggests that once the CR-1 or K-3 processes are in motion the US customs will generally not allow a spouse in the US on a tourist visa. Maybe I did not read that post thoroughly but I am wondering if this only applies AFTER USCIS begins processing the forms. In other words should I worry about the customs holding my wife when she arrives on her B-2 visa and if her having a return ticket AND a copy of my e-ticket will be enough to persuade customs to let her continue on. Perhaps this earlier post indicated a spouse can not apply for a B-2 visa after these other 2 processes are in motion but mine already has one. Thanks.

Is it ONLY necessary for the Chinese partner to get their divorce documents authenticated and translated to English for our USCIS submissions? I am a US citizen and recently submitted copies of my divorce papers in the I-130 packet but I did not get them notarized, I did not see any wording to that effect on the I-130 instructions and since the divorce papers them selves are signed by a judge I did not see any reason for this.

I just completed this whole process in the end of February and have already received the refund. Fortunately I was in Taiwan for Chinese New Years and knew I was going to have to get copies of my wife's passport notarized/certified so I had it done at AIT in Taipei and I had our marriage certificate and MY passport certified here at a local bank. I shipped all of the forms to the IRS office and they processed them, sent me my wife's new taxpayer ID number and I got the refund a few days later. Very painless except for the $30 I had to pay AIT which is the US State Department for a notary fee.

Thank you Joanne I did not realize a CR-1 allowed her to travel, I thought I needed a K-3 for travel and with the CR-1 it was considered abandonment of status and she would have to apply for re-entry. I have read so many of thee posts on this and the China/US Yahoo site my mind is getting clouded. That is a key point, I think we both would rather she wait out the CR-1 in Taiwan and get one medical exam and interview, then come here.

Ah some very good points here. I was not planning to abandon the I-130 until we got the I-129F approval. The one thing I wanted to determine was how much time she will be given to complete the K-3 process. I thought if the I-130 was approved and she did the medical and then came to the US she would have to stay here or petition for parole to travel back to Taiwan.

I have a question about these two types of visas. I married a Taiwanese national in October, filed the I-130 in February got the NOA and filed the I-129f in March. So we have two applications in process at this time. When the I-129f is approved and we abandon the I-130 can my wife come to the US and then go back to Taiwan to complete some business there or does she have to stay here in the US as she would have to on the CR-1. In other words, on a K-3 visa does she have more freedom to travel than on a CR-1?

If it ain't broke don't fix it. 201961[/snapback] Can't agree with you more. This is a visa process and names are very important to be consistant with the passport. Those who deal with China understand the problems and issues that come up with no middle name, so problems can be overcome but why if you can avoid them in the first place. GUZ has lots of experience with this issue, doesn't surprise me they have listed the name correct, no matter how they received it on the app. 201989[/snapback] It gets even more complicated when the SO takes an English name as a lot of women in Taiwan have done. Some even have these names on their passports in (). When booking airline tickets they always tell me to use my wife's full Chinese name and not her English name.

Anytime a visa is used for any purpose other than that for which it was issued is visa fraud. If the interviewing officer does not believe that she came here on legitimate business then decided to marry after she was here it could result in a denial and her being banned from entering the US for up to 10 years. Chances are that wouldn't happen but the risk is real. 184376[/snapback] Thank you all for the wonderful posts. FYI, She has had her B-2 via for over a year and obtained it so we could meet in Hawaii last year. I went to Taiwan twice last year and we got married during the 2nd visit in October. This past December we again met in Hawaii. So she has used her tourist visa twice. Her intent was to purchase a round trip ticket and come here in May and make the application. I have since talked to the USCIS and they suggest I file the I-130 and when I am notified it has been received she can get a K-3 visa from AIT in Taiwan and turn in her B-2 visa. The USCIS told me once she gets her K-3 visa I can file an I-129F which will will allow her to come to the US immediately and apply for a change of status