wac-02-219 - pls help I-130

[lizl]

any wac-02-XX out there?
I am waiting for my petition I-130 family based 3rd preference.
The receipt date is 26.June.2002

filed in California which is currently processing 06.April.2001.

Does this mean -

it will be another year and a bit, before approval ?

The visa bulletin shows priority date as of 15.Sept.1997

is my priority date 26.June.2002?

then will I be waiting another 5 year for the priority date to become current?

So is it another 6 to 7 years from now?

Just wondering if there are anyone out there in same situation as me..

I am currently not in US so am I not allowed to even visit the country now that my I-130 is pending ?

[mgh2001]

Your priority date is the filing date which in your case would be 26.June.2002, so the 5-7 year wait is approximately correct. Also, having an I-130 approved will not confer any special status - the key date is the priority date that the state dept. publishes in the visa bulletin.

Unless you are a citizen of a country with a visa waiver program, a visitor/student (b1/f1) visa is likely to be denied as those require non-immigrant intent.

[lizl]

thanks for the response !

I am an Australian citizen, I don't think we need visa to go to USA for 3 months, does this mean that I can still visit the country in the meanwhile ?

[mgh2001]

Based on your Australian citizenship, you should be able to travel for periods less than 90 days under the visa waiver program (VWP).