Electronic processing...

Just wanted to give a quick update. As I said in my last posts, I've been checking the USCIS site every single day to see if there's an update. The last update in the system on our file was September 3rd. Nothing since then.

A couple of days ago, I found an interesting thread on VisaJourney. It was about electronic processing in the second step of our visa process. Once our I-130 gets approved by USCIS, it gets sent to the National Visa Center (NVC). Before I read this thread, we would send in all the forms needed at this step by mail. I soon found out there might be an easier/faster way than regular mail. Electronic processing was introduced in 2009, but only for those with consulates in Guangzhou, China and Montreal, Canada, and only specific visas at that. I checked further and for those applying for CR-1 visas in Canada, they can opt-in for electronic processing! It's not required, but is an optional method than sending forms by mail. Basically, instead of sending the forms in by mail, you attach everything in an email and send it off to the appropriate NVC email address. It's a bit more complicated than that, but that's the simple version.

I was reading a related thread in the Canada forum on VisaJourney on electronic processing. I found out all the information I could and begin writing up notes in NotePad. ^_^ There hasn't been anything posted in that thread since April/May, so I don't know if the electronic processing has sped up or improved since then, but I think Ben and I are going to give it a try. I think that if we do everything right and don't get an RFE (request for more evidence), then we can go through the NVC stage quickly.

Unfortunately, I was also reading that Montreal has been on a backlog for quite awhile on handing out interviews. It's been a 4-5 month wait from a case complete in NVC to an actual interview. I'm really hoping this speeds up soon.

Anyways, on to more waiting!

~Lindsay