I am sure that many of you do not want to hear this. But it is the actual truth. There still is no special schedule for nurses, and the Schedule A is not included in the Visa Bulletin.
That the dates are current for the month of July does not state that it is over. There is a huge number of applicants waiting for the green card, in addition to nurses, and they have been waiting as well. Remember that most that came to the US under the H1-B visa, are also included with the EB-3 caseload. And many of their attorneys are much faster at getting things done. Example: When the window opened for petitions to be submitted in April for the October 2007 H1-B visas, there were more than a 150,000 submitted in less than one day. And they were gone.
Not trying to burst any bubble, but trying to be honest on this. There are only so many visas available per year, never unlimited number. And this Bulletin does not go into effect until July 1, 2007. And those dates are only for that month and if you notice there is also mention that if the visas get used up that are there, then the dates will not remain in effect all month.
For those of you that got stopped in the processing just before your interview, this will be very beneficial for you. If your DS-230 has been approved and accepted, then this can be beneficial to you. For those that are just starting the process, remember you at the mercy of your agency and attorney and how fast that they will do things. We have seen multiple posts over the years of mistakes made with petitions that delayed things for quite a period of time. There is also a considerable raise in immigration fees going into affect at the end of July that will delay things for some people as the agencies are going to be holding back on paying of fees.
Those that have been paying their own way will find that they may get thru faster.
So please, do not make final plans to leave for the US until you actually have an interview date given to you. We saw what happened last fall to quite a few of you here.
Until there is another Schedule in place for nurses, the retrogression will not be over. Just an open window in the scheme of things, but definitely not over. Look at what happened even last month when the dates were moved up for the PD, you did not see a significant movement of anything. When money is needed to be paid by the agencies, everything drops to a crawl.
Even retrogation is not over, my agent got the visa fee receipt and paid the visa fee. So can we expect the DS230 packet soon. EB3- nurse-My priority date is apr-2006. So any hope now. pls let me know.
It's great news for you. Althought the retro is not over we need to proceed as much as we can. I am sure that visas will become available again one way or the other.
I am still waiting for the NVC request for the fees.
It's great news for you. Althought the retro is not over we need to proceed as much as we can. I am sure that visas will become available again one way or the other.
I am still waiting for the NVC request for the fees.
Do you actually have approval of the I-140? And if so, when?
Do you actually have approval of the I-140? And if so, when?
YES, my I-140 was approved on July 9. I hope to get the fee bill soon and than the DS 230. How long does it take?
I understand that it's very long process and no visa is available right now and probably not for a few month or even a year/s. Just want to do everything that depends on me.
I actually thought for a few minutes about EB2 category because I do have Master's degree, but it seems very complicated and hardly possible. So I'm waiting in line....very very long line...
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
YES, my I-140 was approved on July 9. I hope to get the fee bill soon and than the DS 230. How long does it take?
I understand that it's very long process and no visa is available right now and probably not for a few month or even a year/s. Just want to do everything that depends on me.
I actually thought for a few minutes about EB2 category because I do have Master's degree, but it seems very complicated and hardly possible. So I'm waiting in line....very very long line...
If you only had your approval this July then you will have a bit of a wait as you are now stuck in retrogression. NVC will not request fee to be paid until they are ready. I am sure it is mainly 2005 and 2006 that have had their fes paid and DS230 requested. My approval was Aug 06 and my fees was only requested in May/June 07 and DS230 forms sent
If you only had your approval this July then you will have a bit of a wait as you are now stuck in retrogression. NVC will not request fee to be paid until they are ready.
Is it because of many backloged cases that they (NVC) can't advance to the Consulate? If (the big IF) retrogression is resolved they will ask for the fees pretty quickly?
My lawer says it takes only a few weeks-couple of months.
We have seen so many attorneys give false information, wish that I had a dollar for each thing that has come across to me and I could retire as a multi-millionaire.
To clear up a few things for you:\
There is a retrogression in place and all have been on hold since last October 31, that is for all nurses that wish to work in the US. And with you just getting thru with approval on the I-140, expect it to be months before they even send the bill. The I-140 is not under the retrogression, but everything to follow is. There are already hundreds of thousands ahead of you in the processing arena, and they are not going to push ahead with others before they go thru the ones that have been waiting the longest.
CIR is dead, there is not going to be any Comprehensive Reform Bill going thru. They are trying to resurrect something again that was shot down by all, and it is expected to happen again. And the CIR was set up for illegal immigrants, and temporary workers, you are not under that and do not want to be.
Recommend that you spend sometime reading up on the retrogression, there is much that is already posted here that you need to be aware of.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
If you only had your approval this July then you will have a bit of a wait as you are now stuck in retrogression. NVC will not request fee to be paid until they are ready.
Is it because of many backloged cases that they (NVC) can't advance to the Consulate? If (the big IF) retrogression is resolved they will ask for the fees pretty quickly?
My lawer says it takes only a few weeks-couple of months.
Once again I was too optimistic...
Thank you for your input
as Suzanne has said since last October visas have been in retrogression. Also around that time schedule A which expediated nurses was cancelled, nurses reverted back to EB3 and that covers a lot more than nurses ie H1b visas that are changing status to gc. Therefore the demand for visas has changed because the group is bigger but visa allocation isn't. All that can be done is wait. Your lawyer was probably thinking time wise of after visa fee bill is paid, that usually doesn't take long it is the wait to get to that stage which is going to take a while
You do not have a choice as to where the file goes to, the USCIS decides that. They are processed in both centers for the I-140, and that is the only step that is not under the retrogression. Everything beyond that is.
The waiting time on average, when there is no retrogression, is about 18 months. That is from when the I-140 is submitted until the nurse is actually in the US and ready to begin work. Nothing is instant.
hi Ms. Suzzane, my I-140 was approved last May 2007. Does it mean that I have to start counting the 18 months waiting time from May 2007? i'm confused, because I was thinking all the while, that the 18 months counting would start from the date of our Receipt Notice from USCIS which would be July 2006 in our case. Hope to hear from you soon.Thank you and God bless!
hi Ms. Suzzane, my I-140 was approved last May 2007. Does it mean that I have to start counting the 18 months waiting time from May 2007? i'm confused, because I was thinking all the while, that the 18 months counting would start from the date of our Receipt Notice from USCIS which would be July 2006 in our case. Hope to hear from you soon.Thank you and God bless!
No. What she meant was from the very beginning. You start the counting from when the I-140 was received by USCIS (notice of receipt) up until the nurse has successfully landed on US soils and also the 18 months she was talking about is only on average and there are many instances that some one who has a much later priority date can overtake some one if his lawyer or agency was very prompt on sending all the appropriate fees and documents. The opposite is true as well. If the lawyer or agency sits out sending the bills and documents then he may be very well be overtaken by some body else. I've heard about a nurse that was advised by his lawyer not to send the DS-230 forms yet for whatever lame reason even though NVC already requested them to send it in for further processing. Is she gonna be overtaken by some one else? You bet she will. NVC will not wait for them to respond before going to the other one next in line. They will continue processing all others behind her since they have the complete documents and fees and she do not.
hi Ms. Suzzane, my I-140 was approved last May 2007. Does it mean that I have to start counting the 18 months waiting time from May 2007? i'm confused, because I was thinking all the while, that the 18 months counting would start from the date of our Receipt Notice from USCIS which would be July 2006 in our case. Hope to hear from you soon.Thank you and God bless!
The 18 month time table does not exist, notice that I posted when there is no retrogression in place. There has been one in place since last October, the I-140 is not under it and that is why you got approval on that. But anything further is, and it is going to be some time before your employer actually gets the visa bill and you progress from there. The 18 months usually is from the PD date, but again, there are hundreds of thousands in line in front of you that are waiting for a green card. I do not seen things progressing for you for sometime.
Again, notice that the post stated when no retrogression is in effect.
could you pls tell me about the DS230 is updated or the last version is existing. the last version expiry date was July-31-2007. I could not find any latest in any of the sites.
i'm confused, because I was thinking all the while, that the 18 months counting would start from the date of our Receipt Notice from USCIS which would be July 2006 in our case. Hope to hear from you soon.Thank you and God bless!
tina05
13 Posts
It's great news for you. Althought the retro is not over we need to proceed as much as we can. I am sure that visas will become available again one way or the other.
I am still waiting for the NVC request for the fees.