How the Lockbox and USCIS process your I-129F fiance visa petition

Once you mail out your paperwork, the Lockbox facility and the USCIS review your case. Let’s talk about the entire process and what you can do while waiting.

Curious what happens after you mail out your I-129F petition for your fiance? Where does it end up? Why does it take so long? And what can you do while you wait?

In the past few weeks (or even months) you’ve toiled over putting together the I-129F fiance visa petition paperwork — filling out forms, selecting photos, printing them, and triple checking everything before heading over to the local post office to mail.

For Kevin, it was an intense experience and it’s a relief to finally have it off his hands:

He knows the “next big challenge is waiting”. But what exactly happens to our paperwork while we’re waiting? And importantly can we help in the meantime?

We’re curious…

➤ What does the Lockbox facility do?

➤ How does the USCIS check your I-129F forms?

➤ How long does it take?

➤ Is there anything you can do to help while waiting?

➤ How can you make sure you get approved quickly?

So, let’s take a look at what exactly happens to your case after you mail it out. And in addition, what can you do in the meantime to help your own case other than just wait for an approval letter to show up in the mail?

Mail your I-129F Petition for a Fiance to the Lockbox Facility (intake)

You might’ve noticed that you don’t mail your finished I-129F packet directly to the USCIS Service Center. Instead, I-129F forms petitions are sent to particular Lockbox Facilities. Currently it’s the one in Dallas, Texas.

Every I-129f goes to the same place regardless from where in the world you mailed it  (even if you live outside the US, you still mail it here).

Apparently, we’re not special. There are 40+ types of petitions they receive and review. Ranging from employment, Green Cards, spousal… from which our fiance visa petition is just one of them. And they see millions of cases every year. Just take a quick look at what kind of forms are processed at the Lockbox facility.

Now, here’s the incredible part — 80% of petitions are processed within 48 hours. Which means they intake and review tens of thousands of petitions DAILY. With an average rejection rate of only 10% (according to official USCIS report & statistics).

Why do Lockbox facilities check our I-129F?

The USCIS receives six million cases every year. The lockbox facilities sort most of these incoming mail for all kinds of cases — work authorizations, spousal visas, family based immigration, and of course… I-129F fiance visa petitions.  

Instead of overwhelming Service Centers with all it, the Lockbox facility will get them ready for review. Makes sense, right? Otherwise, the USCIS Service Center will be a mess and slower than it already is.

Think of it like going through airport scanning. The security personnel scan you, check you head to toe, and verify details. Only then they’ll let you into the terminal. And if there’s a big problem — like showing up at the airport on the wrong date — then they’ll turn you back.

Just like that, the Lockbox Facility performs some basic functions before they pass them onto the Service Centers.  And if they spot big problems, they’ll send you the petition back to fix.

Speaking of which… what do they check anyway?

What does the Lockbox Facility do to your I-129F petition?

Again, the lockbox facility is a sorting facility. They simply handle I-129F cases — they don’t approve / deny petitions. However, they can reject petitions if certain things aren’t right with your I-129F — for example, if you’ve included the wrong filing fee.

Think of them like a big post office. They take incoming mail, review it, and send it to its destination. But it’s a bit more complicated because they perform some basic functions as well.

Note that they’re not the USCIS — they simply work for them to capture the data on forms (scanning of documents) and then checking for items. Here are some of the basic functions of the Lockbox facility:

1. They scan for general form completeness (like names, class of petition) and check signatures on the I-129F form.

2. Then they make sure the correct fee payment is included. And if all looks good, they’ll cash the check or charge your credit card.

3. Then they determine which Service Center has jurisdiction over your case.

4. Following which, they’ll sort your pages in order, and scan them to input your information into the USCIS system. That way, the USCIS has a digital and hard copy.

And keep in mind, they check for basic eligibility only (for instance, are you even a US citizen? If not, you cannot file for the I-129F).

(By the way, the lockbox facility performs tons of other functions, but we won’t get into that)

As efficient and robotic as the Lockbox facility sounds with tens of thousands of cases coming in daily, they still appreciate help from you. They recommend you sort your I-129F packet in a specific order to make it easier for them to accept and approve it.

In fact, they have form filing tips you can follow to make their work easy — and you processed quicker. That way you won’t get denied or rejected because of a messy petition packet or missing documents.

What kind of problems can your I-129F have during the Lockbox Facility review?

Which brings us to…What if there’s a problem?

Even if you triple-checked your forms and made sure you signed everything, what if something is wrong in your case? What happens?

Like I’ve mentioned, the facility only checks your I-129F for certain things — signatures, payment, expired forms, etc. Then they scan you into their systems and verify the information. It’s very quick.

Now, if there’s a problem with your case — like the wrong fee amount (the # 1 reason for rejection)– then you will quickly find out.  

Usually, you can tell something is wrong if they haven’t cashed your check or charged your credit card for several days after submission. That’s because they only accept payment if everything is good and they’re ready to forward your case.

I-129F Rejection by the Lockbox Facility may mean one of several (typical) things

● Incorrect payment for fee (# 1 reason for rejection)

● Missing signatures or using expired forms

● Others…

If you’re rejected they mail it back and ask you to resubmit. And the fix can be as simple as rewriting the check with the correct fee. Or it can be as complicated as redoing your entire I-129F.

Now, let’s assume there’s no rejection because they’ve already cashed your check. Does this mean your case is good for approval?

Well, not really. Remember, the Lockbox facility only checks certain things. To them, your case is acceptable to hand over to the USCIS Service Center. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re I-129F fiance visa petition is going to be approved. Keep that important distinction in mind.

As a side note, if you send paperwork to the wrong lockbox facility altogether, it’s usually not automatically rejected. Instead they try to send it to the correct one on their own. Life savers, huh?

How long does the Lockbox Facility take to review your I-129F?

The whole point was to be efficient, right?

So, how long does it take for the lockbox facility to process I-129F petitions? Again, according to USCIS statistics, they process 80% of the tens of thousands of petitions within 48 hours. This includes all types of petitions — not just fiance visa ones.

Generally they accept, scan, review, cash check, and forward your I-129F case within 1-2 weeks after they get it. In other words, about 1-2 weeks after you mail your paperwork in, you should hear back from them that the USCIS has received it.

And I say 1-2 weeks because it takes…

● 2-3 days to mail to the Lockbox facility (longer for snail mail)

● 2-5 days processing at Lockbox facility

● 2-4 days for mail to the USCIS (delivery time)

Which means you should be getting the Notice Of Action 1 (NOA1) form I-797c for your I-129F in the same time span, roughly 1-2 weeks.

Alright, what if there’s a problem with your paperwork, how long does it take then? If your case has been rejected, then you will get your paperwork back in a few weeks.

But, if it’s been more than 30 days since you’ve sent in your paperwork and haven’t heard from them, then you have to contact the Lockbox facility and inquire. It might be lost in the mail or they may have rejected it and you didn’t even know. Keep in mind, the rule is to wait 30 days before contacting them.

Surprisingly, it might’ve been lost/delayed in the mail and never made it to them. Which is why you should make a copy of the entire I-129f packet before mailing it out.

Lockbox sends Approved I-129F petitions to a USCIS  Service Center?

So, assuming that the Lockbox facility got your paperwork in tact, they cashed your check, looked it over and gave it a thumbs up, they’ll send your case to the USCIS service Center.

I know I’ve mentioned this 10x already, but this facility only checks for basic things– such as payment, signatures and complete forms. They don’t approve or deny cases.

And once it passes their basic test, they’re done with your case forever. They don’t have responsibility anymore.

Everything from now on like — eligibility (approval / denial / RFE ) of your I-129F fiance visa petition case– will be handled by the USCIS Service Center.

The last thing that the Lockbox facility does is to send you the Notice of Action (Receipt) I-797c (NOA1) for your I-129F. In which it has your information and your receipt number. Which you use to track of your case processing timeline and status.

Just receiving the I-797c (NOA1) doesn’t mean your case is approved. It just means your case has passed the basic checks and it’s now waiting for adjudication by the USCIS officer.

What does a USCIS Service Center do to your I-129F fiance visa petition?

Alright, now let’s talk about the main phase of your I-129F processing and what a USCIS Service Center is.

The USCIS Service Center is the actual place where your I-129F gets reviewed and evaluated by an USCIS adjudicator. The USCIS adjudicator is a federal officer responsible for your entire case while it’s in the USCIS. He/She reviews, evaluates and makes a decision on your case.

Just like the Lockbox facility, only certain USCIS Service Centers process I-129F for fiance visas because they have jurisdiction over certain petitions. Here’s a list of all the different categories of petitions that each one adjudicates.

So, apparently as of right now, 4 of the 5 Service Centers process I-129F petitions for a fiance K-1 visa.

● California Service Center
(Receipt # starts with WAC or CSC)

● Potomac Service Center
(Receipt # starts with YSC)

● Texas Service Center
(Receipt # starts with SRC or TSC)

● Vermont Service Center
(Receipt # starts with EAC or VSC)

Your case will be sent to one of these. And all you have to do is look at your I-797c to see which Service Center you went to.

Remember the six million cases per year I mentioned earlier? Most of them get handed to the USCIS for review. Speaking of which… what exactly do the USCIS Service Centers do with all those petitions?

How do USCIS Service Centers evaluate I-129F fiance visa petitions?

As a general practice, the USCIS processes I-129F petitions in the order that they’re received. So, in theory, the sooner you submit it, the sooner you get processed.

But then again…the benefit of a family-based petition (like the I-129F) is that it is processed rather quicker than the other types because it’s a high-priority application.

Here’s what happens when your case reaches them.

➣ Your case is placed in a ‘queue’ while background checks are being performed. There’s a lot that goes behind the scenes such as a variety of database scans, name searches, and other procedures. We’ll talk later (in a different article) about the security protocols for I-129F petitions.

➣ When the USCIS adjudicator finally gets around to your case (several months later) they determine if you two are eligible for a K-1 visa. Are you legally free to marry? A US Citizen? Are your documents all available? Any indication of a fraud relationship? Are your proofs enough? All that hard work you put into your I-129F shows up now.

Interestingly, you can see exactly the procedure they follow and what kind of rules/guides they have to abide by. That’s because the particular manual they follow (USCIS Policy Manual) is available for the public to see.

Here’s where it gets more interesting. This Manual is often vague and some laws are open to interpretation. That’s why it’s possible to see different outcomes for similar Fiance visa cases —  depending on how the adjudicator interprets laws. Or, quite frankly, how convincing your case is.

And that’s one of the big reasons why I stress that you have to be very persuasive in your paperwork. Because a lot is up to YOU to convince them that you’re a legitimate couple. In fact, in my I-129F step by step course, I show exactly what kind of statements / proof work best and what the USCIS adjudicators are looking for.

One final interesting situation is: Case Expedite, where the USCIS allows immediate processing for some petitions (even I-129F) if you prove that your case is urgent. Most of the time they only do this for extreme cases.

So for most applicants, I would say don’t bother trying. They’ll most likely deny your request. Unless you happen to be a military personnel — in which case, you may qualify for expedite processing.

Also there’s no “premium processing” for I-129F petitions for fiance. Which means you cannot pay to have faster processing. Everyone’s got to wait just like the rest of us.

Problems with your I-129F Fiance Visa Petition during USCIS Service Center adjudication

So, we know we have to wait in line for processing. A lot can happen while our case is being reviewed. Let’s talk a bit about the typical problems with I-129F petitions while being evaluated by USCIS Service Centers.

✦ Mistake in your forms. If you spot a typographic error in your I-797c, then you must report it immediately. Head over online and submit an online report. If you uncover an error in your I-129F forms or statements, then you may have to wait until the USCIS sends you an RFE regarding any mistakes or errors.

✦ Biometrics appointment – Rarely, the USCIS calls you in for a biometrics appointment. This is especially true if a US petitioner has lots of “issues” (such as criminal convictions, identity, multiple filings, etc.). This is actually written in the I-129F instructions (see photo below).

✦ Request for Evidence (RFE) – When the USCIS officer picks up your files (months down the line) and starts to actively review your case, they may have a question / concern. Maybe you forgot to check a box, include correct evidence, or if they’re not sure you qualify. Read about I-129F RFEs and how to respond to them. If you get an RFE, it’s just a matter of putting together what they’re asking for and mailing it back. And it’s a small reason to be optimistic — because now they’re actively reviewing your case and hopefully approval will follow soon.

✦ Fraud detection – In rare cases, USCIS officers flag you as suspicious. Where your I-129F fiance visa petition may be sent to the Fraud Detection and National Security unit. This unit checks backgrounds via public and government information (including social media) to verify if you’re a legitimate couple or you qualify. They may do on-site visits — which means they may unexpectedly drop by your home. However, their time is most served vetting out security threats and repeated immigration petition abuse. For example, did you file the I-129F repeatedly? Most of the time, fiance visa petitions don’t see this side of the processing. If the FDNS gives their “OK” for your case, then the USCIS will continue processing your case as normal. Otherwise, they may deny your case and in rarer cases initiate criminal (fraud) charges against you.

✦ Refusal – Notice of intent to Deny (NOID) – The USICS can send you a denial letter when they don’t believe you qualify for a K-1 visa or they’ve found evidence that you don’t have a bona fide relationship. In general, the # 1 reason for denial is failure to meet within the last 2 years (and not providing evidence for it), missing documents for support, and nowadays it’s due to criminal backgrounds of US petitioners. In terms of numbers, you can see I-129F statistics for approval and denial of I-129F petitions. In 2018, the refusal rate is 25% for all incoming petitions. These denial rates have skyrocketed in recent years after Trump’s election. And if your case is denied, you may have the opportunity to appeal a I-129F denial with the Administrative Appeals Office. This branch is in charge of reviewing denied cases.

How long does the USCIS Service Center take to review I-129F petitions?

That’s the million dollar question: How long does this take?

There were over 40,000 Fiance visa I-129F petitions filed in 2017. And there were millions of other types of petitions filed. Since the K-1 visa is a family based petition, it’s processed quicker than other types and there aren’t any numerical limits on the number of visas that can be issued.

But still, it usually takes 1-6 months for the USCIS to get to your case. All that time, it’s sitting in a pile along with other cases. And it’s why you won’t see RFEs or updates for several months — simply because no one’s gotten to it yet.

Which makes it easy to get angry with the delay. I remember being furious with the my I-129F processing time. My case took 8 months by the USCIS and then another 2 months with the NVC and US Embassy. I couldn’t believe how something so simple could take so long. I thought they just didn’t care about us.

I pictured the USCIS was lazy and that their officers would casually stroll in late to the office, play solitaire and maybe (if they’re feeling up to it) look at a few cases.

But now, after researching on what they do, I don’t complain anymore. The fact is that your paperwork exchange many hands and go through many scans, during which time the USCIS looks at millions of other cases (not all of them fiance visas, of course).

TIMELINE

So, how long does it take? Generally I-129F petitions processing take anywhere from 1 month to 8 months to get the USCIS approval. You can read my in-depth review of the processing time by clicking above. In fact, drop by there and tell us how long you’ve been waiting. And see how other readers deal with it.

Historically, in the best years — the i-129F was submitted and approved within 1 month.

The worst years saw 8-10 months of processing. It depends on the backlog of the USCIS and on the political climate.

For instance, Trump has tightened the USCIS and mandated more security checking without actually adding more workers to review cases. That means the USCIS is currently understaffed from what I can see.

So, if your case is taking longer than the tables show in the USCIS processing charts, then you can submit an inquiry. Keep in mind that unless your I-129F is taking longer than what the charts show, you can’t submit inquiries or else they won’t respond.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I’ve noticed certain trends that repeat yearly. It’s actually better to file your fiance visa paperwork in the winter months rather than the summer months for faster processing.  Who knew there was actually a best time to file the I-129F for a quicker approval? You can read my full analysis by clicking above.

WORKLOAD TRANSFER

The USCIS tries to get you approved as quickly as possible. So, they can try to rebalance the workload so your I-129F can be processed faster by sending it to a different Service Center that’s meeting processing goals.

And if your case gets transferred, it doesn’t affect you negatively. It just means you should get processed quicker. You will get a mail notification I-797c saying your case has been transferred.

You won’t have to do anything on your part.

The USCIS approves your I-129F petition and sends an I-797 Approval Notice (NOA1)

Once the USCIS is done reviewing and they find you eligible for a fiance k-1 visa, they send you an approval letter I-797 (NOA2) which says your approved I-129F is being sent to the NVC with a 4-month validity.

Your case status will also update to show the “approved” notice.

You will shed tears of joy when you hold this letter in your hand. Because the waiting time is so long and nerve-racking, you’re relieved to have it finally over. Especially after reading horror stories online and constantly wondering “what’s taking so long?”

From now on, the USCIS transfers jurisdiction over to the Department of State. In which the NVC and the US Embassy have the authority to grant visas.

You won’t get your original I-129F back. It gets forwarded on and on until you get to the Embassy interview stage.

So, that does it for our in-depth look at the I-129F and USCIS review process. If you’re curious, you can read my guide on what happens after I-129F approval.

But for now, let’s take a step back and think about something really important. Remember that we’ve been waiting several months for the USCIS to stop playing solitaire and approve our case?

Well, is there anything we can do in the meantime to help or improve our case? Anything at all? Besides twiddling our thumbs?

What you should do while waiting for I-129F processing

Now you know exactly what happens when the paperwork leaves your hands. There are several months of waiting after this point, but there’s still a lot you can do while waiting. Let’s talk about that.

★ Review your I-129F. You’ve made a scan copy of your final packet, right? Remember things get lost in the mail. And if you did make a copy, then go back and check your  I-129F petition packet for any mistakes, issues, questions or concerns. Review it with your fiance to verify the details. If you realize you’ve made a mistake, then you can even prepare for any RFEs if you suspect you will get them. For example the two most common ones are for passport photos and divorce documents. If you think you’ll get slapped with an RFE in the future, then don’t wait for it, prepare for it right now. Read my guide on ways to prevent getting I-129F RFEs. I also show you the ways to prevent delays, denials and RFEs within my I-129F step by step course.

★ Sign up for updates. Keep up to date on USCIS processing times and sign up for updates and for case-status email notifications. And please… don’t worry if your case is one day over the processing time that the USCIS has listed. Delays happen. It doesn’t mean they forgot about you. You will hear back from them, just be patient.

★ Circumstances Change. If you have an address change or you’ve moved recently – you can update your address with the USCIS online easily. The same doesn’t apply for chances such as change of job, work, employment, schooling, it’s not necessary to inform the USCIS right away. In fact, for the fiance visa process, you’re not required to inform them of any changes until you get to the DS-160 part and the interview portion. So, keep that in mind and be sure to update your information then. Now, what if you really got impatient with the waiting time and decided to get married before K-1 approval? That’s not a wise move, because it’ll void your entire K-1 visa process and you will have to start over again with a new spousal petition.

★ Prepare for the K-1 interview. This is the biggest piece of advice while waiting to hear back from the USCIS. You should jump ahead and read the USEmbassy.gov website and familiarize yourself with their requirements and rules. Make sure you’ve got the financials I-134 all figured out because this is one of the biggest hurdles couples run into. The beneficiary can get his/her official documents if not already there. For example, you should get a passport unless he/she has it already. Some documents you shouldn’t bother getting now. For instance, you don’t get the PCC now because it’ll expire by the time you have an interview, and you’ll have to get a fresh one anyway.

★ Budget money for upcoming expenses. This K-1 visa is an expensive process. You must set aside money for unexpected costs. There’s going to be money on travel, hotels, medical exams, The Police Clearance (PCC), MSR Visa fee, etc. So, have a budget or decide to split the cost with your fiance.

★ Gather more proof of bona fide relationship. Here’s the second biggest advice I give while waiting for I-129F processing. You must keep gathering proof of a bona fide relationship. Keep visiting, chatting, planning, etc.. The more you visit, it’s generally considered better for your proof of relationship. And as you go along, make sure to compile evidence so you’re not behind when it’s time for the interview.

★ Keep communicating with one another on a daily basis. Do you know why? Lots of reasons. But, I’ll give you an example: You will inevitably discover some hidden problems or hurdles along the way. For instance, did you beneficiary realize that she had actually temporarily lived in another country for a while after age 16? Guess what? She’s going to need a police clearance report from this country by the time the visa interview comes around. Isn’t it better to prepare for that now, rather than the last minute before the interview?

Send in the perfect I-129F so the USCIS gives you a quick approval

The biggest thing that sticks in my mind is that there are six million petitions filed every year to the USCIS. And the I-129F petition for an alien fiance is just one of them which only accounts for 40,000+ cases yearly. That puts things into perspective.

That’s not to say we don’t matter. But, it becomes easier to swallow the fact that the long processing times is because of backlogs, delays, processing and background checks.

Look, I admit it. There’s not a lot to do to make the approval notice appear in the mail any faster. Things happen behind closed doors. So, it looks like your life is standing still. And, It could be months before you hear back from the USCIS.

A lot of times, there’s nothing more to do other than wait. Just know there will be an answer one day very soon. But there’s a lot you can do to your I-129F so that the moment the USCIS officer picks up your case, he/she is instantly convinced of your approval.

I’m familiar with what exactly they’re looking for in cases for a solid approval. I also know what the US Embassy looks for in strong cases. That’s why I’ve made the I-129 step by step course. You should use this course to make a strong case that gets approved quickly and makes your K-1 interview easy.

But for now…

tell me what surprises you learning about this entire I-129F review process. Are you more patient with the I-129F processing time? How are you improving your case while waiting?