chask

hi meauxna, has anyone been able to get an idea as to why processing seems to be taking longer since end of last year?

The embassy website now says that you should allow 10 months (http://london.usembassy.gov/dhs/uscis/i130filing.html). We seem to be stuck in this timescale as well at present. Ugh....

LadyElysium

That is really weird! I've not heard of them doing that at all

meauxna

London is a sub-office to Rome. If London is sending petitions to Rome, that indicates to me that they have a shortage of staff in London for some reason. There's no technical reason they have to go through Rome.

It will be interesting to know what Rome USCIS tells you (make sure you contact them & not the Consular staff!).. I hope you will post back about what they tell you.


As to processing, Rome is doing its own processing, the dates are nothing to do with London other than it is a part of London's timeline, if you see what I mean. It could be that this is part of the consolidation or future move to have all petitions adjudicated in the US instead? Don't know, just making guesses.
I have not heard a reason for this, or the new "10 months" processing estimate. Maybe they are just getting too many cases through London now. At one point, they cut off nearly everyone filing there, to slow the case rate down. (USCs can always petition through the US Service Center).

meauxna

I started one for you, you can be the first!
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9408137

joannabanana

My door bell just rang and I now have my visa in hand! and the (ridiculously large) mysterious brown envelope. So all in all, the process took 5 months and 25 days! (but would have taken probably another 6 weeks ifI hadn't hustled it along )
June 23rd, here we come!!!
Now, any advice for travelling with myself, a five year old, 4 large suitcases and a car seat?!!

LadyElysium

Whoo! Well done! I'm hoping to be as speedy as you with this process.

shadowmeister

Wow, I am still waiting on hearing back from our RFE and you have your visa in hand.. that is something! That's great!

So check in all you luggage, dont carry any more than you have to. Always board the plane first as they usually ask for people with small children, if they dont then ask them, Dont wear high heels or boots or anything metal like a belt and try to relax.

Shermeen.Adam

Well, the USCIS officer in London was very friendly and gave us an email address for Rome. We sent one over yesterday but haven't heard anything. It is def for USCIS Rome but we didn't receive an automated response (which is apparently normal because offices differ) like when we email London.

The London officer said Rome would snail mail a response over to us and then send the case back to London for the next stage (assuming we're approved). I think we're just supposed to watch the mail and hope we hear something in the coming weeks

It was certainly a surprise to hear our petition is in Rome...perhaps if we're filed a week earlier it wouldn't be. But I agree the most likely reason is because London were overwhelmed with the number of petitions they received. According to the website Rome deal with applications filed in a lot of other countries. Back to waiting I guess.

joannabanana

Thanks, I hope the process goes more speedily for you.
Yep, thanks for the advice. I can't wait till we are on the plane and then I can relax! Best of luck to everyone to get through the maze that is immigration....

shadowmeister

Well I broke down and emailed them. They responded right away saying
...
We have received your response and your I-130 will be completed within the next week.....

I sure hope that means it will be approved.

oliver22

Hello,

My I 130 was filled January 14th and I haven't heard anything back so today called the US embassy in London and they told me my visa was in Rome, I understand they are the parent embassy for London but does this mean my visa will be slowed down? Has anyone else heard they are in the same boat?

meauxna

Someone just above you posted that they are in the same situation.

Shermeen.Adam

Oh dear! We're Jan 21st and if you haven't heard anything from Rome yet, I doubt we will. London can't provide any information except to say that Rome is processing them. They have informed me that we'll hear from Rome before they do. Of course, I've emailed Rome twice and received nothing back from them. I think I'm gonna give it until Friday and give them a call if I still don't hear anything. Apparently the processing dates on the London website include what Rome is doing for them (which might explain why they jumped so fast the last few weeks) but we do have to wait for Rome to send us the result of the I-130. And of course, they need to send the petition back to London to move on to the next stage.

Doesn't necessarily mean the petitions have been "slowed down", but your approval, RFE or denial, will have further to travel in the mail xx

meauxna

Please remember that the Embassyin London DID tell people to expect 10 months processing time for IV cases petitioned in London.
This diversion to Rome is nothing you can control and I'm not sure what you think calling there will do.

If you have evidence of people who filed well after you being approved, you have something to chase up. Otherwise, it's just the way things are.

Shermeen.Adam

It does say 10 months on the website. But it didn't say that when we originally filed the petition. Had we known to expect that my husband wouldn't have agreed to start his job so soon.

I'm sure everyone who goes through this process comes to discover that there is nothing to control. I would simply like to know whether I can expect an email or a letter and if they are indeed processing at the dates the London website says. Whilst I've not read of anyone after my filing date being approved, those a little before me were able to call/email the embassy and get the outcome of the I-130 before the official letter.

In all honesty, I just want to know where I stand in this current process. Their emailing me back wouldn't change the speed in which anything moved because of course, I can't do anything else until they send the file back and I get a case number. But it would sure make me feel better