BrittanyB

OMG, just checked the processing times on the embassy website, and they are now on October 4 ! When I began this process, by looking at other people's timelines, it looked like I-130 approval took about 2-2.5 months. Now the time seems to have doubled! Ugh, at this rate it seems like I may as well have filed in the US. I'm guessing my husband certainly won't be getting his visa in that 5 month time period DCF used to follow

joannabanana

gahhhh! I wonder if there is normally a delay when holidays like christmas/new year occur?

BrittanyB

Yeah, I thought that, but between Jan 20th (last update) and now, I don't think there have been any holidays for them to take off! Unless they have off for MLK day, but I think even that is mid Jan. The week or so off for christmas and new years surely couldn't have cost them a month. Grrr.

katq

I remember the last time they updated it to 1 October was before or after Christmas, in any case last year: grrr...4 days in the last 5 weeks!

Shermeen.Adam

They do take of for MLK day. I'm not sure how many applications they receive and how long it takes to process each one, of course the online time scale doesn't seem realistic. And though it doesn't help, they will get to our applications when they get to them.
Has anyone seen a thread for DCF London October/November filers? Had a quick search but couldn't come up with anything. Maybe watching that might help those who filed in December. And since I filed in January, I'll be watching those of you from December.

BrittanyB

I don't think that they do have a timeline thread for November filers, they do fo Sept/October, so I will be keeping an eye on those. I just feel so frustrated, as I bought tickets to fly home to the USA so I can look for a job in March, when I thought we would only have about 2 2.5 months to be apart, but now it looks like we will be apart for 4 months or more : (

Shermeen.Adam

My husband left right after we filed so he could get work and get settled over there. I was hoping to be over there for July but now I'm not so sure. We shall see what happens, maybe they'll start moving really fast! xx

BrittanyB

I sure hope so...I wonder if things might speed up in around a month or so. They changed the fee I think on/about Nov 23, and I bet a lot of people sent in their applications with the wrong fee ( I almost did, as I was working off the 'pre-cost change' I-130 checklist), and so maybe there will be a dip in late Nov/early Dec filers, since perhaps many people had their forms sent back and had to re-file with the correct amount. So maybe people who filed w/the correct charge will get through a bit quicker. Ha what a mean thing for me to hope, shows how desperate I am!

ian-mstm

Y'know... people think I'm mean when I tell them that they shouldn't bother checking processing times or trying to compare their time line with someone else's. Now you know why! It's not good for your health. Stop it.

Ian

meauxna

I know, and this is a main reason we don't use 'timeline' threads here.

I-130s in London take 2 to 2.5 months. You have no idea what you're saving by not going through the NVC, too.

Calmase, everyone. It really will come along in its proper time.

EverettM

I know that's how it has worked out in the past..but unfortunatley it doesn't seem to be the case anymore...going by the Sept/Oct thread, many people who files in Oct have not gotten their approval yet, so that's more than 4 months for some of them : / I'll try not to go crazy over it though!

meauxna

What I should have added is, regardless of how long the I-130s take, the cases STILL come out at 5-6 months with the vast majority right on 5 months on the button.

Really, you're in THE fastest line in the whole USCIS, I hope you guys can relax over this.
Jump out into the main forum and see if there's anyone you can help.. that always makes people feel better.

shortperson

Hi all I started a thread for oct/nov mine was recieved 3rd nov. was hopeing to of herd something by now. hopeing the embassy soon pickup the pace.

ian-mstm

There is nothing you can do to change the speed at which things happen. Living day to day (or hour to hour in some cases) will do serious damage to your psyche!

Immigration is an adventure. If you treat it like that, things'll be fine. If you treat it as a burden... well, you'll end up stressed and anxious and you'll probably need Valium just to cope. That's no way to live.

You folks have no idea how lucky you are... on two counts! 1) As Meauxna says, you're already in the fastest line; and 2) you can, at least, track your progress. When the long-time members went through this process, there were no online updates... you submitted the paperwork and you waited. Y'know what? We survived! We did okay. Things worked out.

Most of you need to do one thing, and one thing only to preserve your sanity... step away from the computer!

Ian

Qube

I'm off to visit the in-laws tomorrow in New Hampshire for a week, hopefully we can do a few things in the trip to help (get wife a bank account, etc) and then when I get back can start preparing for the next stage, the last month has flown by! File 1-130 towards the end of December.