[arrowleaf]

What is the typical wait time for appointments when going to consular processing route? My brief searches say anywhere from 2-9 months. 60-90 day NVC review phase, 60-120 day interview scheduling, and then 1-2 weeks once you have the interview. Are you saying that the 120-210 day wait time can happen while you're still in the US?

[freediddy]

Yes, the wait time is in the US. You just leave the country for the appointment.

All this FUD in this entire post is disheartening.

[mothballed]

A crazy number of people adjusting status, most notably DACA recipients, are adjusting in the USA (despite the much longer wait) because leaving the country may trigger a very long re-entry ban. This can be avoided through advance parole, but turns out, there are a limited number of things for which that's granted like employment and education and US consular visits don't appear to be on the list. So "just leaving the country" is a guarantee of your own banishment. In fact that's probably part of the reason why they picked this policy in the first place.

[arrowleaf]

For F-1/OPT there is no 'pending immigrant visa case' status that lets them remain in-country after OPT expires.

[blindriver]

F-1/OPT are not eligible for Green Card in the first place so it doesn't matter.