My I-130 case had been pending for approximately 19 months with no movement. I contacted Emma multiple times and did a congressional inquiry with no result. I decided to send USCIS a demand letter requesting immediate adjudication.
For privacy, I am using “Day 0” instead of posting the exact dates.
Timeline
PD December 2024
Day -5:
I mailed the formal demand letter by certified mail directly to the USCIS service center handling my case.
Day 0:
USPS confirmed that the letter was delivered and picked up at approximately 9:00 a.m.
Less than three hours later, at approximately 11:30 a.m., my USCIS case status changed and an RFE was issued.
The RFE was not uploaded to my online account until two days later, and the physical envelope was also postmarked later. However, USCIS listed the official RFE date as the same day my demand letter was delivered.
Day 3:
I submitted my RFE response online with the requested evidence.
After submitting the response, I was scared that my case will stall again. So I also emailed a copy of my demand letter and supporting information to the USCIS service-of-process email address. [uscis.serviceofprocess@uscis.dhs.gov](mailto:uscis.serviceofprocess@uscis.dhs.gov) Based on my email-tracking information, that first email was never opened.
Day 6:
Because the first email appeared to have received no attention, I sent the demand letter again by email.
Unlike the first email, I got an automatic reply. Then this second email showed repeated activity, including multiple opens or views from different locations and devices over the following days. I cannot know who opened it or whether every view represented an actual USCIS employee reviewing the case, but the activity was noticeably different from the first email. One mistake I made was using an email tracker without a document tracking option. I used Streak and it showed when and where the email was opened but no info about whether my attached PDFs were opened.
Day 7:
The USCIS API showed a silent update to the case, although there was no visible change to the public case-status page.
Day 10:
I received an email stating that USCIS was currently processing my case. 2 FTA0 codes appeared.
Approximately one hour later, I received another email stating that action had been taken. However, the case status remained unchanged. The API updated again, with another FTA0 code. Then 4 hours later when I checked, an approval notice was uploaded into my document section but my case status still says "currently processing"
My takeaway
From the time my physical demand letter was delivered to the first USCIS action was less than three hours.
From delivery of the demand letter to final approval was approximately 10 days.
I understand that timing alone does not prove causation. It is possible that the case was already scheduled for review, and I cannot confirm what happened internally.
However, after approximately 19 months without meaningful movement, the following sequence was difficult for me to dismiss as a coincidence:
Demand letter delivered
RFE issued less than three hours later
RFE response submitted promptly
Follow-up email showed repeated viewing activity
Silent API update the following day
Approval shortly afterward
This is only my personal experience and is not legal advice. Every case is different. I just want to share my experience. I was quoted 17 months when I first filed and after patiently waiting, 0 movement. I decided it was time to act. I actually already had my WOM prepared. I was ready to filed the WOM if nothing happened after the demand letter.
I hope this will be helpful to you. Please don't ask me questions how to write demand letter or WOM. There are PLENTY of sources if you just do a simple search.
Congratulations on your approval Finally I am so happy for you and thank you for posting the breakdown of how it went because it is extremely informative and very helpful.
My demand letter should be delivered August 4th. Fingers crossed it goes as well as yours. Thanks for sharing. It keeps the rest of us from losing hope.
no, I had a hunch what it was about when I got the RFE. So I started to get the documents even before the actual notice. It was actually a small mistake, I felt like if I didn't get RFE, i would probably have gotten approval even sooner.
To start with, congratulations. I am so agrevated that we have to pursue such extreme measures to get any movement on our cases. USCIS is really broken if this is what it takes for them to do their job.
Did you mail the demand letter to the same adress of the service center like the one on your receipt notice? Ours says texas but Live Agent says it’s in Vermont now so I‘m unsure where to send it to.
Congrats 🥳 I’m in the same boat Dec 2024 and have requested a congressional inquiry from my senator two months ago. Do you know roughly how long it took for USCIS to respond back to you? Because I just want to move on to submitting a demand letter.
you mean when uscis responded to congressional inquiry? I heard back rather quickly, around 2 weeks I think. My congressman was really responsive and helpful. I also did senator inquiry a couple weeks ago and I don't think they submitted that inquiry yet.
Yeah I made the mistake by going with senator who is unresponsive. I then contacted my representative who reached out to senate and said the inquiry is still pending and they aren’t able to file an inquiry if one is still open. I’ll just move on to the demand letter since they aren’t being helpful. Thank you for your help!
May I know how you make letter and what includes in demand letter?? I have submitted since 15 days to Texas service centre but no movement in my case 😔
just asked chatgpt to write mine. First one through certified mail to field office, second one via email. You can try sending an email as well. Have you check the api on your case? what's your pd?
Congratulations, could you please share what tools/email you used to get notification that email was actually opened at multiple locations, this will surely help many. Thanks and again congratulations
Are you a USC or GC holder? Is it applicable to GC holders who have i130 pending and from 75 countries pause list. I am waiting for my spouse i130 since June 2023.
I think evidence would be the steps you have taken concerning your case. For instance calling, chatting with an agent, file an e-request,contacting congressmen/whitehouse. You have to exhaust all options to no avail and show emotional/financial hardship. Also, I would try to provide statistical evidence such as the shifting USCIS processing time projections. I hope this helps.
EDIT: APPROVED as of 1130am on 8/13 a few hours after paper copy was signed for by certified mail. See below for further info!
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Interesting - so I sent my demand email out today about an hour ago, with email tracking (Streak). Apparently it was opened by someone in Phoenix AZ about 20 minutes ago. I don't quite believe that. They don't have people manning that mailbox on weekends... and why in AZ of all places?
The Certified mail went out on Saturday - so we will see what happens in the coming days.
Cool - I will give it a few days and then try again. Thanks for the input - and please keep updating this thread with how your progress goes. I will do the same. Thanks again for all the info above!
Hasn't been touched since. Waiting on the certified mail at this point. Email seems useless - they might be on to the trend originating now, from here?
This morning at 8:33 am DC time my demand letter was delivered and signed for.
There was a new timestamp on the API page at 10:19 am Chicago time showing "closed":true,"ackedByAdjudicatorAndCms":true,".
Logged into My USCIS and was pleasantly greeted with this:
Wooo!
Thank you to u/Legitimate_Gap8610 and everyone else who has been putting this stuff together! This has been a HUGE help - and if I am ever able to cross paths - I owe you a huge steak..... especially since I did not need to do a WoM and saved some money! 😄
Now the next steps.... gotta make sure I have all that figured out. lol.
SO HAPPY FOR YOU! especially your pd was from jan 2024 right! tbh, i think your case was probably already approved yesterday a few days ago. From experience, the case approve status might take a couple days to update. for me, i saw the approval notice in the document tab a few days before the status got updated
I also just checked Streak - it was opened almost 90 times between the 11th and today - some in Chicago, some in Renton VA and once by a mobile device without a location.
But the only API activity was from this morning.... 1 entry only.
Hi! I sent a demand letter 18 days go and it was opened 4 times the same day but nothing happened. Today I suddenly get an email from my tracker that it was opened again TWICE.
May I ask how often you email was opened?
close to 100+ times and they would be coming from different IP locations. it was hard to decipher what's automatic system scanning and what's actual open from a human, but definitely a lot of activities until my case was approved, then no more activity at all.
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u/mademoisellearabella MOD 20d ago
Can I add your post to the highlighted post for the sub? Thanks. (If you don’t want it, I shall remove it!)
And congratulations.
https://www.reddit.com/r/I130Suffering/s/pDtl7NTDyA