Turns out I was approved for an IR-2 visa 15 years ago

[Todd&Paije 0]

In going through paperwork that my mom gave to me, I came across Packet 3 for for an IR-2 visa. My mom's an American citizen and was sending me off to join my two sisters in Hawaii, so she sponsored me for a visa for the child of a US citizen. Due to a situation that arose, I ended up not completing the final step and actually getting my visa, but I just discovered that I have another case number for the NVC from 15 years ago, and all of this information was sent off to the Vancouver consulate.

So. When the Montreal consulate finally swings into action and I head there for my CR1 interview sometime next year (hopefully it's next year - although at the rate they're going, who knows any more?) should I bring the documentation showing my previous approval? I imagine that this would be on file, so despite the fact that I've been approved (again) at the NVC, would this be a red flag to the person interviewing me?

As an aside, I just about cried when I found the letter and saw how quickly everything had been processed. Oh, the things you take for granted as a teenager

[aleful 1,905]

In going through paperwork that my mom gave to me, I came across Packet 3 for for an IR-2 visa. My mom's an American citizen and was sending me off to join my two sisters in Hawaii, so she sponsored me for a visa for the child of a US citizen. Due to a situation that arose, I ended up not completing the final step and actually getting my visa, but I just discovered that I have another case number for the NVC from 15 years ago, and all of this information was sent off to the Vancouver consulate.

So. When the Montreal consulate finally swings into action and I head there for my CR1 interview sometime next year (hopefully it's next year - although at the rate they're going, who knows any more?) should I bring the documentation showing my previous approval? I imagine that this would be on file, so despite the fact that I've been approved (again) at the NVC, would this be a red flag to the person interviewing me?

As an aside, I just about cried when I found the letter and saw how quickly everything had been processed. Oh, the things you take for granted as a teenager

you don't need to. It has nothing to do with your current petition.

It's a closed case. if they ever ask you, just say what you said

here, you don't need to present any documentation. Just say that

your mom filed a petition for you and that it never went through.

[Todd&Paije 0]

Awesome. Thank you!

[Krikit 1,164]

Moving from the Canada Forum to General Immigration Discussion.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

An approved I-130 does not expire. NVC usually gives the beneficiary one year to respond. If they don't then the approved I-130 is returned to USCIS for storage. It can usually be resurrected by resuming the visa application process, which usually begins with submitting a new I-864.

There is no rule against having multiple approved I-130's. Technically, you could apply for a visa based on either of them. However, applying for a visa now based on the first approved I-130 would take a long time because USCIS would have to retrieve the I-130 from 'cold storage' and send it back to the NVC.

The consulate may ask why you didn't pursue a visa based on the first approved I-130. The only way I could see this being a factor at all is if the consulate suspected you married a US citizen because, for some reason, you couldn't pursue a visa based on the first approved I-130. I can't imagine them suspecting this after 15 years, though. I doubt it will be a problem.