▆ ▇ █ Visa Tutor █ ▇ ▆

  • START HERE
  • I-129F Petition
    • Step by Step Process
    • I-129F Instructions
    • Sample Form
    • Evidence of Meeting
    • Letter of Intent to Marry
    • Circumstances of meeting
    • Package Checklist
    • If you met Online
    • Proof of Relationship
  • K-1 Visa Guide
    • Checklist
    • Cost
    • K-2 Visa Process
    • Full Process Guide
    • Flowchart
    • Timeline
    • Red Flags
    • Adjustment of Status
  • K-1 Interview
    • K-1 Visa Medical Exam
    • Affidavit of Support (form I-134)
    • Police Certificates
    • DS-160 (step by step)
    • Interview Checklist
    • Interview questions
    • What happens at the Fiance K-1 Visa Interview?
  • Green Card
  • Blog
  • Donations
10
Jan

USCIS Lockbox delays Fiance I-129F petitions

Lockbox Facility delays receipt of I-129F petitions due to COVID-19 restrictions

.

On January 8th, 2021, the USCIS issued a notification regarding delays faced by the Lockbox facilities throughout the nation. The official notice is published here:

https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-lockbox-updates

All categories of immigration benefits, not just fiance I-129F, are being delayed for several weeks due to heightened restrictions placed for the safety of all workers in the Lockbox facilities as well as USCIS service centers.

Here’s what this means for fiance K visa applicants who’ve submitted (or will submit) their I-129F petitions:

.

▶ If you are going to submit your I-129F petition to the Dallas or Lewisville Lockbox, expect a delay of 4-6 weeks. Many are waiting even longer.

▶ If you have already submitted an I-129F but have not received a notice of receipt (NOA1) I-797c, you must allow 4-6 weeks to receive a response from the Lockbox facility with your receipt number. Some readers have already faced a 45-90 day delay in receiving their receipt numbers and confirmations. If you submitted a G-1145 for e-notification, you will receive an electronic notification when they accept your case. Otherwise, you must wait for the mail to arrive.

▶ If you have already received your notice of action and receipt,  the USCIS service center is processing your case.

According to reports from several sources, I-129F submitted in early November of 2020 are still not received or processed yet. If your case was postmarked in late 2020, you may not hear back until the middle or end of January 2021.

.

What can you do if you’re outside the “normal processing time”

If you’re outside the normal timeline, you may submit an online inquiry (by email) to the lockbox facility if it’s been over 30 days. See their contact information here: 

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/directorates-and-program-offices/management-directorate/office-of-intake-and-document-production 

Provide your case information, details, etc. so the staff can properly identify your case. Ask them to confirm whether they received your case or not.

If they confirm they’ve received your case but haven’t gotten around to inputting it yet, you will just have to be patient.

However, if they claim they cannot locate your case, it may mean one of two things: (1) they haven’t gotten to the exact batch of applications yet, or (2) your petition may be lost in the mail by the USPS, UPS, DHL, or any other service you used.

.

Why is this happening?

The USCIS is following safety protocols and limiting the number of operators / staff working in the Lockbox facilities. Of the 200 employees, many will be limited and working at a safe social distance. This severely limits the efficiency that the facility normally enjoys. 

On average, the Lockbox facility processes 80% of all applications within a 48 hour window. They receive tens of thousands of petitions daily. But due to COVID-19 restrictions, the processing speed is severely limited and the backlog is accelerating.

.

What does the Lockbox facility do? 

The Lockbox facility is an intermediate sorting/accepting facility for the US government. Most applications for immigration petitions are mailed directly to the lockbox facility where they are sorted out, checks are cashed and details are checked before being sent to the USCIS for processing.

For K visa petitions (I-129F), the Lockbox facility in Texas is only responsible to check for completeness, accept payment, and verify details before forwarding the packet to the USCIS service centers where an officer will adjudicate the case.

Due to a major spike in petitions (various immigration types, not just I-129F for fiances) and due to COVID-19 safety protocols, the lockbox facilities are facing huge delays. For more information on what the lockbox facilities does, see here: 

https://www.visatutor.com/i-mailed-my-i-129f-petition-whats-next/ 

Here's what you should read next...

Share on Facebook Share
Share on TwitterTweet
Share on Pinterest Share
Send email Mail
Print Print
  • 2

There are 2 comments so far

  • Angela
    1 year ago · Reply

    I just want to comment on the processing time for the I 129f. I mailed my application out on 11/10/20 and USPS confirmed that it was delivered in TX on 11/12/20. That was the only thing that I had to hold onto until TODAY (2/17/21) when I finally received my receipt notice. It’s a relief, for sure. I’m assuming that everything is just going to take a lot longer now, too.

  • Denisa
    1 year ago · Reply

    Hey Prem, first of all I want to thank you very much for all the help I found on your site. I want to share my story, we received NOA1 on May 29, 2020 and after exactly 8 months our petition was finally approved, NOA2 January 29, 2021. We are very happy and can’t wait to be together, the last time we saw each other was in November 2019 … Now we are waiting for the notification from NVC, I will come back with updates. Thank you again 🙂

Leave a Comment

Don't worry. We never use your email for spam.

Don't worry. We never use your email for spam.


Hi, I’m Prem…

Let me show you how to confidently get the Fiance Visa on your own.

Please note: I’m not a lawyer and cannot provide legal help. For that, you must seek a licensed professional.

Read about me

Join 2,200+ active couples in my free email list already getting news and updates.

Visa Tutor LLC BBB Business Review

What Fiance visa couples have asked me recently…

⇩

  • R R January 28, 2022 at 11:04 pm on Steps after I-129F Fiance Visa petition approvalDo you know what USCIS processing center processes the F-1 visa? On their website, they...[click to read more]
  • kadri January 27, 2022 at 1:04 pm on K-1 Visa: Adjustment of Status Checklist (with assembly guide)Hello Prem, We have our green card approved for two (2) years. How do we...[click to read more]
  • Carly January 24, 2022 at 1:19 pm on K-1 Fiance(e) Visa – Affidavit of Support (form I-134)So if we qualify with just our income we can leave blank or put N/A...[click to read more]

Looking for something?


  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • YouTube

  • Pinterest

Visa Tutor LLC (R) company is an accredited BBB and bonded Immigration Assistance Provider.

Visa Tutor LLC BBB Business Review

Disclaimer and Privacy Policy
Visa Tutor LLC provides information for entertainment and education only. It cannot be taken as legal advice nor guarantee results. Seek professionals for more information. See the full terms and Conditions.

Read full disclaimer, copyright, and privacy policy

Visa Tutor LLC
13201 Roosevelt Ave, PMB 818075
Flushing, New York 11354 USA

.

Disclaimer and Privacy Policy
Visa Tutor, LLC provides information for entertainment and education only. It cannot be taken as legal advice nor guarantee results. Seek professionals for more information. See the full terms and Conditions. Read full disclaimer ->

© 2019
Not legal advice...
Please note: Visa Tutor LLC is NOT a law firm and cannot provide Legal immigration advice. Everything on this website is our opinion. Please seek the help of a licensed professional if you need legal help. By continuing to use this website, you agree to the Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, and Cookies Policy. See here
Cookie settingsI Understand Visa Tutor Cannot Give Legal Advice
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
  Fiance Visa 2021 Guide
Visa Tutor - Fiance visa Guide for 2021
  Get Free Guide (PDF)
Join 2,200+ active couples in our email group getting free news and updates
×