K-1, K-3, I-130 Processing Times

[KWG17]

According to the USCIS website processing times for the K-1, K-3, and I-130 are all 5 months. Anyone know if the times always been this low or has there always been a variance between what is posted on the web and what is reality?

I'd love to hear from those who have recently gone through the process for any of these three and how long it took you from submission of documents to having the visa in hand.

Thanks!

[tuss]

I submitted our paperwork 10/5/2010, did not hear anything until April 2011. I went through the Vermont location, they were behind due to bad winter weather.

[barbarajlw]

If they are on schedule they will say 5 months if they are taking longer then there should be a date there. We filed Feb 2010 but were approved June 2010 this year I have seen a lot of Vermont filers taking a long time due to bad weather over Christmas and they are way behind but have also seen a lot of people getting approvals now and Cal have slowed down.

[nichole]

Don't be mislead by the USCIS processing times. Approval of the petition isn't a visa in hand. The case then goes to National Visa Center and then to the consulate for an interview. That can add another 2-3 months. Times vary with the service center processing the petition and the consulate issuing the visa. Our visa was in hand in 4.5 months, but the super fastest most perfect petition/visa application would probably take 7-8 months today if you knew all the shortcuts to take and had no glitches. Most probably tend to take longer. I wouldn't bother with a K3. Those are kinda old news since the CR1 visa for spouses process much quicker than they used to. USCIS will close the K3 in favor of the CR1.

[rtagoai]

New to this...applying for K-1 for fiance in Ethiopia

I just wanted to say thanks to you Nichole!! I'm new to this forum/site just registered, but like everyone else here..I'm needing help with the I-129f application too...i read some other posts where you replied, and it helped!! so thanks..I emailed you some of my questions..thanks!! Rasela

[sacredceasar]

i-130 approval time/visa issuance

hi everyone, am new here and i will be glad to know how long it takes for an i130 to be approved and the visa issued, some people are saying it takes up to 18 months is this true? plz reply. tnx

[barbarajlw]

hi everyone, am new here and i will be glad to know how long it takes for an i130 to be approved and the visa issued, some people are saying it takes up to 18 months is this true? plz reply. tnx

Depends on circumstances. No2 applications are the same.

[KWG17]

@barbarajlw, @nichole, thank you so much with your quick, insightful replies. Its a blessing for all the rest of us who are trying to plan out our lives!

Nichole, quick followup question. What visa took you 4.5 months to get in hand? And if I may ask, what country was your fiance from? I am guessing some countries (maybe in Europe) have faster processing times than others (India)...

[barbarajlw]

@barbarajlw, @nichole, thank you so much with your quick, insightful replies. Its a blessing for all the rest of us who are trying to plan out our lives!

Nichole, quick followup question. What visa took you 4.5 months to get in hand? And if I may ask, what country was your fiance from? I am guessing some countries (maybe in Europe) have faster processing times than others (India)...

Just to let you know I am from Australia and we were approved in 4 months (Feb-June) and got visa Sept so 7 months all up . I think Nicole visa was from UK . I did k1 fiance visa.

[arzoo]

Any time Frame for K1 visa

My fiance was interivew on May 6,2011 in pakistan but since then the case is in Administrative process.? All the documents were provided. Any idea how long will AP will take for K1 visa?
Is there any way to get it moving faster?

[nichole]

@barbarajlw, @nichole, thank you so much with your quick, insightful replies. Its a blessing for all the rest of us who are trying to plan out our lives!

Nichole, quick followup question. What visa took you 4.5 months to get in hand? And if I may ask, what country was your fiance from? I am guessing some countries (maybe in Europe) have faster processing times than others (India)...

Sorry, I haven't been on here much lately. In March 2008 our K1 I-129F petition was approved in fifty-something days at VSC. I thought that was slow because I had been looking at Feb filers who got approved on 2 weeks to a month. April took at least 80 and May filers took even longer like 100 days, so it quickly crept up. London took a couple of months to do the paperwork and give an interview appointment. We actually asked for a delayed interview or our time would have been just under 4 months for everything. But you know it's taking many 5-6 months to get the petition approved at VSC now and then add on NVC and your embassy. It goes up and down like a roller coaster and that why nobody can give a good answer. I was going by the previous month when I was waiting on petition approval but the roller coaster was in a steep climb.

There's too many factors..which service center, if you make a mistake and they have you re-do something, if the NVC holds you up, or how long your embassy is taking. Don't plan a wedding based on timelines. It's totally unpredictable.

[rylin2010]

well i think it depends on the service center from which you filed or submit your petition.. 5 months is the maximum for the visa processing time.
ours just took 102 days we filed it in texas service center coz someone advised us to send it there coz among all the service center texas is not the busiest center compared to others so theres a possibility that your papers will be reviewed early than what you expected..

[barbarajlw]

well i think it depends on the service center from which you filed or submit your petition.. 5 months is the maximum for the visa processing time.
ours just took 102 days we filed it in texas service center coz someone advised us to send it there coz among all the service center texas is not the busiest center compared to others so theres a possibility that your papers will be reviewed early than what you expected..

All 129f petitions go to Texas service centre and then are sent on to the applicable service centre for your state. So it could be Vermont or California.

[promixmanny]

All 129f petitions go to Texas service centre and then are sent on to the applicable service centre for your state. So it could be Vermont or California.

Since I live in Texas, Will my application be sent to Texas Service Center when I file??? Someone please tell me...

[barbarajlw]

Since I live in Texas, Will my application be sent to Texas Service Center when I file??? Someone please tell me...

When you file your petition yes you send it to Texas but does not get processed there it will be sent to Vermont or California