Differences in timelines

[mlmeja]

Well, the past few days I've spent a lot of time on this site...obsessively almost! Although I have a whole list of wedding to dos to check off I can't stop thinking about the next step.
I've been reading over people's I601 timelines and I noticed that there is a lot of differences in time between different steps. I was just wondering from some of you who have completed this journey, or even those in the middle, are the differences due to processing times, how long you waited before sending things back or other factors? I just want to get an idea of what makes it take a year and what makes it take 3 years between sending in the first form and getting the appointment.
Thanks!!

[Adriane]

Processing times have varied enormously over the last few years. At one point the I-130 was taking well over a year to beapproved, then later it dropped to a few months. It can also vary as to where you live (some service centers process at different speeds), whether you filed an I-129f (which at some points has resulted in a quicker interview, but not always), how quickly you returned requested forms, if you got an RFE- Request For Evidence, and a lot of other factors. There's also justrandom luck- some I-130s have gotten approved in a few days and others in 13-14 months.

In the end it can be kind of up to luck- what/ where & when will you be filing? Some details might be able to help us predict your approximate timeline.

[J3NNI]

Our lawyer told us that after the I130 is approved we can take as long as we want to save money or we can go very quickly if we are ready. it just matters on you and also there is like 3 months to wait for your appointment date as far as i know.

[mlmeja]

Well, we get married on September 13...a little less than 4 months away. I plan on sending in the I-130 as soon as possible. I'm going to have it filled out and ready. I'll just need to get a copy of the marriage certificate. I live in WI. I'm not sure on where we file to and all of that yet. Does that help?

[Chapital]

My timeline is one of the long ones...We filed the I-130 in mid 2003 and did not have our first appt in CDJ until May 2007 and are still waiting for an answer on the 601...and we never intentially delayed anything. It took over a year for the I-130 to be approved and then 2 years to get our appt in CDJ. It seems that timelines have gotten much better in the last 12 months, but as mentioned before they can go back and forth, so it is a bit of timing and luck rolled up together! We found out at the 1st appt that there was a name match hit for my husband and so it is possible that also caused some of the additional delays at every step of the process....

[perez782]

On the application he will tell you were to file. If you look at my timeline it's being six months already and I'm just waiting for my last packets. I got approved in four months thru California center.

[adeildo]

My I130 was approved less than four months.

[Eddie & Angie]

I'm still not approved, but close to it I can feel it. I was touched again on Sunday?? My delay was caused by an RFE, otherwise I would have been approved in April.

[mlmeja]

Ok...two questions:
What does touched mean?
and
WHy did they have to requent further evidence or whatever RFE really means?

Sorry...still new to all of this!!

[perez782]

Touched means that they are working on your file. I believe RFE mean required further evidence.

[NYCwife]

In my case, and I beleive it is also true of Eddie & Angie, the RFE was for certified copies of my first marriage's divorce decree.

Good luck to you.

nycgrrl