My wife did the I130 6 years ago. They kept her passport and put the visa in there. It took about 10 days to receive it back. We had to leave Thailand to the USA within 90 days.
I had the same journey with my thai wife. It's a waiting game. All you can do is wait they are back logged. Not all immigration offices are that bad it depends on where you file. Ours was through Cleveland Ohio.
I can do 90 days without an extension. Leave the country and come back in on a 60 day. Entry stamp? And I won't have to get an extension for a 60 day. I need about a 155 days. I also would like to get my 2nd 5 year Driver's license and I don't know if that I can renew for another 5 years without having some type of long stay Visa.
I used a vpn for you tube TV. I used it on a firestick. Sometimes I had to change locations on the VPN then it worked again. I used it this year in Thailand.
This is not an issue. You can get an electronic Visa in America. It is not that hard to do. All of the requirements are listed and it is not that difficult.