ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNVC Filers - February 2014

Calling NVC as we speak and it's either ringing without anyone picking up... Or a busy signal.  (Update: The main message says "Assistance regarding an immigrant visa is not available at this time.")  Someone buy those people a decent computer system, please.  (Are they running Win98?!?) 


I pray to god we get it next week. NVC received it on 1/16

 

Between the snow days and the holidays, I'm no longer expecting it next week. I'm hoping for the last week in Feb. 


Edited by Kaylara, 14 February 2014 - 10:13 AM.


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-14 10:11:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNVC Filers - February 2014

Just called NVC and they couldn't provide me with any info, because their computer systems are down. Just for those of you who like to call late. smile.png I was also on hold for about 30 minutes, which is way longer than I've ever waited in the middle of the day. 


just called NVC and got my case number, IIN and beneficiary id. the guy told me to wait (AGAIN?!) for 20 business days JUST TO get an email... sad.png
please can anyone tell me what i can do now just to save time? all these waiting kills us already sad.png

Have you read posts 1 & 2? 


Edited by Kaylara, 10 February 2014 - 10:45 PM.


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-10 22:40:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNVC Filers - February 2014

Pardon.I'm at work and I use all caps.....Any other unspoken vj rules I should know about?

That's not an unspoken VJ rule. That's a common understanding of conduct all over the internet, and it's been around for decades. If you're typing in all caps anywhere, people will think that you're screaming at them.  :) 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-06 13:50:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNVC Filers - February 2014

Thanks for your response. I just googled and found a notary public near my place. Do they ask to show passport or proof of these people giving affidavit?

They didn't for us. I think they only asked for a driver's license. A few people got them done at work, so they were already known to the notaries. I'm guessing that they didn't require proof of identity from them. :) 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-05 11:12:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNVC Filers - February 2014

I'm not sure how it would work in India. I know that here in the US, you find a notary public, and present them with the letter. Then you swear in front of them that the statement is true. They stamp it.  You might have to pay them a small fee for the service. Similar in the Netherlands, as well. Except that they charge at least 30 euros per affidavit. 


 People should be thankful instead of complaining so much IMHO. smile.png

You would hate the Netherlands. Complaining is their national past time. :P


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-05 10:57:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNVC Filers - February 2014

Why do you think they dont need to prove their current income like everyone else?
Best person to ask this of is pushbrk. Go get it!

No, I know that they'll need to prove their income. We already have that information. I have my Dutch Tax returns, which I'll be adding in to prove that I had been living and working in the Netherlands up until I moved back. I'm just concerned that we're going to get it kicked back for not being the correct form for whatever reason. I am confident that we will not need to show their assets due to my grandmother's high income. But yes, obviously we will be submitting the information about her pension and my grandfathers investments along with their tax transcripts. 


Edited by Kaylara, 05 February 2014 - 10:51 AM.

KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-05 10:50:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNVC Filers - February 2014

affidavits are some of the lowest forms of evidence you can send. It doesn't matter if they're from a USC or not. I assume you mean to send them with the IV package.

I sent around 15 notarized affidavits from family members and friends, all of whom were USC's when I sent in my I130 package. One was from an attorney, one from a current warrant officer in the US army, and one from a retired US air force officer. I don't know if it helped, but I never got an RFE. We didn't get affidavits from Dutch people who knew us as married because we wanted them to be notarized, and that's ridiculously expensive over there. I don't think that it would be weighed more just because they were a USC if there's good reason for you to have a lot of foreign contacts who know that you're married. But that's just conjecture on my part, I don't know anywhere that it specifically states that one is better than another.


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-05 10:43:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNVC Filers - February 2014

Remember because they claim you and your child dependents the household count goes up.

Do either of them still work? They will still have to provide proof of current income or assets as well. I think you should think about that it may be easier to send an I-864 and I-864a (especially since you dont work, you have no income to combine with theirs.) This may be easier than all the birth and marriage certificates trying to prove relationships with your grandparents.

Personally that is the route I would go.



No, they don't. My grandmother receives a pension and my grandfather gets something from investments. But even with our household size being 6, my grandmother by herself makes several times the federal poverty limit. We won't need to report assets unless they specifically ask for them. I already have all the marriage and birth certificates on hand, so that's not really a problem. But you think that having them being Joint Sponsors instead of a Household Member would work better?  I'm worried that it will get kicked back to me with a checklist if I do that.


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-05 10:23:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNVC Filers - February 2014

Ok, I know that you've probably answered this, and I'm sorry if you have to repeat yourself. But I've read and re-read the threads and especially posts 1 & 2, and have a few questions for my particular case.

 

I live with my grandparents. I don't have a job because I have no one to watch my kids and child care is too expensive here. My grandparents could not claim me and the kids on their taxes for 2012 as we were still living in the Netherlands but they will be for 2013. I had them both fill out an I864A (ahead of time to make things easier later) as household members. I filled out the I864. In order to prove our relationship, I have a copy of my mother's birth certificate and her marriage certificate, and then I'll have them include a copy of their birth certificates (for their citizenship proof) and their marriage certificate. 

 

Did I screw up here? I keep checking, and rechecking, and I'm still uncertain. It's not an emergency now, as I don't even have a case number yet, but if any of you who've gone through it could give me some clarity on this, I'd really appreciate it. 

 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-04 23:44:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNVC Filers - February 2014

No case # yet.


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-04 13:56:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsRecent Vermont Transfers

As of December, Vermont had over 18,000 I130's and managed to complete just 800.  

 

So then the other question is whether you got transferred to Vermont as part of the workload transfer or because you have AWA type hits (or have a name close to someone who has AWA offenses.)  Because I would think that if regular files are being sent there that they probably will not be mixed with the AWA files. (Whom, I have a feeling, sit there a very, very long time.) 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-03-05 17:11:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny I-130 case here got transfer to Nebraska Service Center

No transfers to NSC on those sheets as of now for August.


Edited by Kaylara, 16 January 2014 - 04:31 AM.

KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-01-16 04:31:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny I-130 case here got transfer to Nebraska Service Center

My PD is 3/20/2013 Originally I was at Lee's Summit NBC.

Transferred 11/5/2013 (date of the first notice.)

NOA2 Jan. 3, 2014.

 

 

A spreadsheet for this purpose may be more effective at keeping track of things. We may even be able to pull the information you're looking for out of the existing spreadsheets. smile.png

 


Edited by Kaylara, 16 January 2014 - 02:55 AM.

KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-01-16 02:55:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny I-130 case here got transfer to Nebraska Service Center

Big, fat nothing here so far? Anyone else? 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-01-02 05:22:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny I-130 case here got transfer to Nebraska Service Center

I hear that! 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-29 23:33:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny I-130 case here got transfer to Nebraska Service Center

You should be fine. You have a Philippine beneficiary. They seem to be pulling and processing all of those at a much faster rate than the rest of us.  


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-29 11:12:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny I-130 case here got transfer to Nebraska Service Center

Yeah, it's such bullcrap. 


 you can consult or hire an atty. it'll be a big help..best of luck

At this point, I don't think it'll be a big help. But I'm seriously considering doing at least a consultation. 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-28 10:38:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny I-130 case here got transfer to Nebraska Service Center

Well, they only have a few more days before I hit the 60 day mark and start calling/writing/bothering people again. So let's hope that they get on it soon. 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-28 01:14:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny I-130 case here got transfer to Nebraska Service Center

They probably self reported in their monthly threads.


Does any one know what the PD and approval date are from the last case that got an NOA2 from Nebraska? Are they only working on the cases like 3 days a month or something?


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-04 14:47:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny I-130 case here got transfer to Nebraska Service Center

I hear ya, I've been waiting since March 20th. ranting33va.gif


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-02 22:51:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAny I-130 case here got transfer to Nebraska Service Center

That's crazy, you are way outside of normal processing times. Call and ask for a tier 2 and get a service request AT THE VERY LEAST.  


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-02 10:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsReceived AOS B

I didn't get a case number or IIN email.


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-03-11 11:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsOmbudsman/Public Affairs Stakeholder Teleconference

I just got the following email:

 


 

Dear Stakeholder,
 
Please join the Ombudsman for a teleconference discussion with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Customer Service & Public Engagement Directorate to learn about USCIS customer assistance options and to share your feedback.
 
When: Thursday, March 20, 2014
           1:30 - 2:30 P.M. Eastern Time
 
Please RSVP by Tuesday, March 18 to CISOmbudsman.PublicAffairs@hq.dhs.gov.
 
Teleconference call-in information will be provided.
 
The Ombudsman hosts a monthly public teleconference series to share information about relevant topics and provide an opportunity to hear feedback from the community about issues related to the delivery of immigration benefits and services.
 
Sincerely,
Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
www.dhs.gov/cisombudsman 
















 

 

Anyone want to get in on this?


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-03-12 08:56:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsI-130 visa...How long does it take?

See my timeline. I'm still not through the NVC at just about 1 year after submitting. It was 9 1/2 months before my I130 approval. Some people are waiting much longer, and some have waited much less. It's kind of a ####### shoot.


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-03-12 09:36:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNvc Case number.

Been calling every day. Still no case # for us.  NVC Received the case on Jan. 21. :) 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-04 22:28:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsFebruary 2013 I-130 Filers

Ok, well if you haven't gotten an answer back, and have your service request #, you can email the service center now. If you've already done that and haven't gotten an answer, you can now escalate it to the HQ email.  

 

You also now have the option of getting the Ombudsman involved and actually have them look at your case.  (In fact, I suggest everyone who is waiting from March and before do so.) Your congressperson and/or senator should also now actually be able do something. 

 

Them moving the date to beyond your processing date is a good thing for you. Even if you did all this before, (and I'm truly sorry that you have and are still waiting.) having this processing date change can make it so that someone can get some answers for you finally.  


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-01-22 02:12:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsFebruary 2013 I-130 Filers

They changed the processing dates today. If you're from Feb. And still waiting then call and put in a service request!


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-01-21 14:35:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsFebruary 2013 I-130 Filers

YAY! Congrats!


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-01-07 00:46:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsFebruary 2013 I-130 Filers

Congrats! It's about time!


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-01-02 21:38:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsFebruary 2013 I-130 Filers

Omg, I remember, the Dutch IND (equivalent of USCIS) had my original birth certificate, and it said on all of my documents that my birthplace was "Unknown, USA".  I think that it was just because some Dutch person didn't want to try to copy over the name of the city or state.  At the time, my mother-in-law worked for the IND, and told me that it was more trouble than it was worth to try to fix it. 

 

Did your copies also have an apostille? I made sure to send those in with the international versions, because I know that sometimes foreign countries won't accept the documents are real without them.  


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-22 10:57:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsFebruary 2013 I-130 Filers

The Dutch do that as well. They have an international copy of the documents that has translations into multiple languages, including English. I got copies of those for a bunch of my kids and husband's documents and sent them in with the original application. smile.png


Edited by Kaylara, 21 December 2013 - 11:42 PM.

KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-21 23:41:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsFebruary 2013 I-130 Filers

Yesterday called and got a service request for expedited service.  Got approved today.  No idea what the cause was, but you do not have to get transferred to get approved apparently.  I am SOOOO hopeful that you others get approved soon, it has been way to long for all of us.

 

Bill

Probably because your  SO is in the Philippines.


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-11-22 10:15:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports2014 NVC Filing Process for CR-1 Spouse Visa

When you call the NVC, you can press 1 to wait for a customer service rep. 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-03-15 09:04:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsMy case I-130 changed what is this?!!!!!!:O

I applied in Oct 2012 when I was green card holder but by the time I got transfer I am US citizen but now I called them yesterday they said we not gona take by last year we update your case on Oct 11 2013 so u r Oct 2013 filler not 2012 filler I just can't get this so its mean its just waste of time for me bcoz I applied last year.

That's a load of garbage. Either call and escalate to a Tier 2 supervisor, or go to an infopass appointment, and talk to a supervisor there. And then write the Ombudsman OLUInquiries@dhs.gov  Tell them what's going on and what you were told. They *should* be able to help you.  


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-03 21:42:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsMy case I-130 changed what is this?!!!!!!:O

I got transfer from vermont service center to Nebraska service center in Aug 2013 since that nothing happen when I called them that said have patience keep waiting.

Call them again, get transferred to a Tier 2, and ask them to open a service request as you are WAY outside of normal processing time. Do not accept "have patience" as an answer. You've waited more than long enough. The processing date in the system is Feb. 2, 2012. You can also email the service center directly. nscfollowup.nsc@uscis.dhs.gov  I would also contact: SCOPSSCATA@dhs.gov and tell them what's going on with your case.  


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2013-12-03 21:35:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsCould use some assistance!

July is not going to happen without an expedite. 


After your I130 approval, you have to go through the NVC and then wait for your interview. I filed March 2013, and am in the middle of my time at the NVC. I'm not expecting him to have his visa in hand until June or July of this year. If it happens before then, I will be truly and honestly shocked. 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-03-19 10:55:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsNebraska Service Center

 

Unfortunately, for this group of filers, it seems to be pretty "normal." (Nothing is normal about that kind of a wait!)

 

It seems like what has happenned is that everybody was  backed up like this, and all the offices were slowly slogging through the backlog. NSC got a ton of the early transfers, and maybe was not as experienced in processing this kind of files (it seems as though they weren't processing them at all before) and got REALLY bogged down.

 

Then early this year, it looks like they changed the gameplan. NSC and TSC (who had the majority of the remainder of the backlog) kept working on the older files, at their glacial pace, and CSC started getting new petitions and processing them right away.

 

So what we have now is one office working ahead (and I'm sure that has nothing to do with improving their average times) and the other two offices working to catch up. But they're still pretty slow. Picking up speed, but still slow.

 

It has caught Apr/May/June filers in the middle, still waiting while July and Aug filers are being approved. It really sucks, and as much as I personally (October filer) will probably get some advantage from this (heck, they might actually be caught up by the time they get to me) - I can't imagine how frustrating it is for the early filers still languishing away in NSC/TSC with no relief in sight.

 

Big virtual hugs to all of you and hopes for speedy approvals and flying through NVC and Embassy stages!!!

This is not entirely accurate. I'll see if I can find the timeline explanation someone gave before about what has happened. Sorry, it's nearly 4am and I'm pretty incoherent atm. :P 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-12 03:47:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsUSCIS has turned my marriage into a joke...

 

+100.

 

While I agree that the USCIS is not the easiest agency to deal with, I find it ludicrous that some should presume to blame the US government for their bad or hurried decisions.

 

People don't realize that the immigration service of any country - not the US alone - will not cater to their designs or desires.  That is the nature of the beast and something to be considered before entering into a long distance relationship.

Bad or hurried decisions? We planned on immigrating nearly a full year before I came back here. We spent the time doing research, watching the trends with the IR/CR visas, tying up loose ends for me and the kids, and disposing of, donating, or shipping our possessions here to the states. This was not a rushed decision in any sense of the term. There was no way that we could have known that the USCIS was going to stop processing I130's at all. 

 

I'm no new comer to immigration headaches. I already went through the Dutch immigration system, where it took me 2 years to get my residency permit. Happily, during that time I could stay in the Netherlands with my husband, and in fact that is exactly how they prefer you immigrate. Unfortunately, witch though I am, I didn't have enough clairvoyance 10 years ago when I got involved with my husband to know that we would wind up in our current situation. I didn't fall in love with my husband because he was a foreigner. I fell in love with him for who he was.  We had considered that we'd need to deal with immigration in one of our countries once we decided that we wanted to be together. But immigration issues never were a driving force in our relationship. How foolish of us to think that we'd have a fairly easy freedom of movement, especially reading all of the material the USCIS puts out about immediately available visas for Spouses of US Citizens.  

 

We're not newlyweds. We've been married for 8 years. We've been together for 10. Perhaps your advice would have been better received back then. I hadn't planned on falling in love with an incredibly inconvenient person. But I wouldn't give up a second of our time together just because he was from the Netherlands. I love him even more today than the day I married him, and I'd already given up my career and everything I'd worked years for here by then. 

 

That doesn't mean that waiting is any easier. Or pleasant. It means that half of my heart is living in another country, and I feel that loss every minute of every day that we're apart. People who trivialize it don't impress me with how profound their truths are. They just show an impressive lack of empathy and sympathy for others. Perhaps they feel better or more superior because they're kicking people who are already down. I don't know. I don't particularly care, either. I just think it's obnoxious.  Because if you really, truly were that bothered by people complaining about their dealings with immigration, you probably wouldn't come into threads where people were complaining about their dealings with immigration on a regular basis. 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-24 17:48:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsUSCIS has turned my marriage into a joke...

Sorry but I have to be honest here, 90% per cent of you here made a decision to get in a foreign web site and find someone abroad,or had arranged marriage with people living abroad or by "accident" met the guy/girl online, whatever?  others met their partners when travelling abroad or studying here,then why all this complain come from?. We  are our choices, you made a choice to have a long distance relationship or started a relationship when living here and not being a GC holder yet, and  USCIS has anything to do with that, they have to scrutinize everyone entering in this Country t's their job. Let's stop with the bs  about talking of illegal people, they are here over 20 years without status and any amnesty, then they are not taking your place with USCIS. 

 

 

I met my husband online 11 years ago on a completely non-related to immigration site. Tomorrow is our 10 year anniversary of being together. We made life plans based on our situation, which included me moving over there. If we'd have any inkling of the separation that we'd be going through due to the USCIS, we would have made different plans. Our desire to do everything the "right" way has resulted in our current separation. We accepted that we'd need to be separated for several months. Never did we think we'd be still sitting here a year later. 

 

Why all this complaining? Because our immigration issues never took precedence over our relationship. And now, immigration has been the defining factor of our relationship for a year. Because my children cry to me every day that they miss their daddy. Because I actually miss my husband. It's because the USCIS continues to state that they're having delays, but has shown no actual sign of fixing the problem. Because the NVC is unprepared to deal with things like federal holidays or winter in New Hampshire, which happen every year. Their inability to deal with reality or February is once again delaying our process. Are you suggesting that I should be super happy that we may be delayed several more months?

 

Well, I'm not. Nor am I blaming the DACA filers or illegal aliens. I actually support amnesty and DACA, with the caveat that the entire immigration system should be overhauled to avoid these problems in the future. I believe that people who follow the laws should come first. That doesn't mean that I don't think others shouldn't be serviced, just that they shouldn't be given preference.

 

And I can, and will complain all I want. If you don't like reading complaints, then stop coming into threads where it's obvious there's going to be a lot of complaining. The other people on this site are some of the few people out there who can commiserate and truly understand what I'm going through.That can be the difference between a good day, and a laying curled up in a dark room crying day. 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-24 11:09:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsUSCIS has turned my marriage into a joke...

These are the stories that need to be published in the New York Times!  I wonder if anyone could figure out a way to copy this forum and get it to the author of the article?  Kaylara, you were interviewed.  Is there anyway to contact <I forgot her name> and get her to read these?

 

Sukie

I can point her here. :) I'd rather not post her contact info here because I'm afraid that she'd be inundated. 


KaylaraFemaleNetherlands2014-02-24 10:39:00