AGL_OPS

I'm a UK citizen, my wife is a US citizen, we're currently in London and are planning to move to the States later this year. We are applying for a CR-1 spousal visa through the US Embassy in London. We filed the I-130 form 12th Oct and received the notice of approval (in title above) on 26th October and the letter said we would receive further notice within 5 weeks (my understanding is a case number) so we can proceed. We haven't heard anything yet 10 weeks later. My wife called the embassy helpline (for £1/minute) in order to get a passcode so we could email them to follow up a week ago. We received an autoreply email acknowledging that they'd received ours with the following text:

"Your message has been received by the Consular Information Unit. We are
currently averaging three to four days to answer routine email
correspondence and seven to ten days for all other email correspondence

There is no mechanism for "status checks" while a visa application is
being processed. Inquiries concerning cases which require
administrative processing or background checks, and which have been
pending less than 90 days, will not be answered."

Does anyone have a timeline for how long it took them to receive the next communication after the approval notice was received?

Any advice on next steps we can take to follow up to see if the application is lost somehow?

Noorah101

I'm not familiar with a 201(b) spousal visa. Is that a CR-1 or IR-1 Immigrant Visa?

Never mind, I found it here: http://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/S...0-0-0-914.html

We don't usually refer to it as a 201(b) visa, though. It's an Immigrant Visa, classed either CR-1 or IR-1.

Rene

p.s. - Sorry I can't help with the timing issue, but I'm guessing the holidays have slowed things down for now.

AGL_OPS

Hi Noorah,

Apologies, it'll be a CR-1 visa. We filed the I-130, which we received the approval notice for and are now waiting for further correspondence from the US Embassy in London for a case number (edited orig post above)

ian-mstm

To clarify... you're applying for an immigrant visa based on marriage to a USC under section 201(b) of the INA.


Don't try to micromanage the process... you can't! From start to finish, it'll take about 6 or so months from the time the I-130 is submitted until you receive the visa in your passport. Also, following other people's timelines is an exercise in futility.

I suggest, from my POV as a long-time member of this forum, that impatience is the #1 reason for anxiety... followed closely by #2: unrealistic expectations - which is the #1 reason for frustration.


It's not lost. The wheels of US immigration turn slowly, but they do turn. Your specific application process will take as long as it takes. You can't speed it up at all so sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Keep focussed on the destination... not the journey!

Ian

richbogle84

Hi AGL,

As Ian highlighted, others likely won't have much of an answer for you on this since each timeline is different.

If it's any consolation though, I'm in a similar position; UK husband of a USC, applying for a CR-1, and it's been six weeks without a squeak since receiving the I-130 Notice of Approval.

Did you receive any further response to the email you sent?

Unfortunately it seems there isn't much we can do other than sit and wait...

Rich.

nickbny

I have been waiting for about as long as you have, so I phoned the embassy today (being equally overdue) -- who claimed that they had sent it out on the 6th or 7th of December (I forgot which the chap said; with an approval dated the November 30th). Lost in the post or something I suppose.

By now it is definitely worth getting through on the phone, whatever the pain. I was given all the details I needed on the phone right then.

Nick

richbogle84

Hi Nick,

Thanks for your message; I had a similar experience

Not wanting to risk delaying the process on account of a letter having been lost in the mail, I called the information line and was told the case number I needed in order to proceed with the next steps. The next day though, the letter arrived in the post with all the details I was given on the phone! HaHa!

On the bright side, we're both on to the next stage; medical examination is booked, and DS forms are ready to go!

Rich.