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KodiakBehr

One month down, ten to go.

By KodiakBehr in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

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KodiakBehr Rookie

KodiakBehr   2

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

Just wanted to reach out and say "Hi" to everyone else going through this process.

We're one of the lucky ones that live geographically close enough that we can drive to visit every weekend. It's still heartbreaking to say goodbye, and that we still have to live separate lives for another year (and in my case, live a life on-hold), but compared to most CR-1 situations, we have less reason to complain.

Our of curiosity, does anyone know if government security clearances have ever played a role in expediting application turnaround time?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it made no difference at all, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Edited by KodiakBehr
Marriage: 2014-01-10

I-130 Sent : 2014-01-22

I-130 NOA1 Hardcopy : 2014-01-27

I-130 NOA2 Hardcopy : 2014-07-22


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Dualie Rising Star

Dualie   185

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Hi there. I am one of the lucky ones also, who lives close enough to my USC husband that I can visit on weekends. Just mailed out our first packet this week. I don't have any idea whether security clearances would make a difference in processing. It would be great if it did, as I have clearances from working at an airport, but I really doubt it. Maybe someone here will know more. Good luck on your journey!

ROC

01/18/2017   Sent in I-751

01/26/2017   Check cashed

01/28/2017   Received NOA dated 01/20/2017

02/16/2017   Biometrics done

10/24/2017   Traveled to Minneapolis for I551 stamp

02/26/2018     Case received by Field Office - S. Paul

05/012018     Case transferred to another USCIS office for processing 

N-400

02/02/2018    Filed N-400 online

02/05/2018    NOA online - NOA letter 02/09/2018

02/21/2018     Biometrics walk-in

 

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sheeshkabelle Proficient

sheeshkabelle   153

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Are you meaning, that one of you have a government job and have been vetted that way? Or that you both have NEXUS cards and the background checks done in that way?

Either way, nope, doesn't make one iota of difference.

At the time we went through, I had a job with the State and a NEXUS card; our process took a year from NOA1 to interview. At that time we were one of the longest wait times, because USCIS lost the I-130 package.

USCIS- 260 Days

6/8/11~ Mailed I-130 Application, withdrew Canadian PR application
6/16/11~ NOA1 email and text message Case routed to CSC (Priority Date)
7/12/11~ The 'Money Order' Incident/Returned to Tennessee
8/03/11~ TOUCHED!
3/2/12~ APPROVED! NOA2!

NVC Electronic Processing- Montreal- 19 Days

3/21/12~ Received case number & IIN 20 Days after NOA2
3/21/12~ Sent in opt-in email
3/22/12~ Opt-in accepted
3/23/12~ DS-261 Submitted, never accepted
3/29/12~ AOS bill invoiced and paid
3/30/12~ AOS shows PAID- AOS Package emailed/received, DS-3032 emailed/accepted
4/2/12~ IV bill invoiced and paid
4/3/12~ AOS Checklist documents emailed(first time)
4/4/12~ IV shows PAID- DS-260 submitted/ IV Package emailed/received
4/4/12~ AOS Checklist documents sent again for CYA (second time)
4/5/12~ IV package accepted! No Checklists!
4/6/12~ AOS Checklist emailed(third time)
4/9/12~ AOS packet accepted (finally)
CASE COMPLETE!!

Interview 354 days from NOA1/ 362 days from initial filing date
5/29/12~ Medical@ Medisys, Montreal
6/4/12~ Interview APPROVED!!!
08/07/2012~ POE Emerson, MB/Pembina, ND by land
08/09/2012~ HOME!! 424 days from initial filing date!
08/14/2012~ SSN Received
09/10/2012~ Received Green Card

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KodiakBehr Rookie

KodiakBehr   2

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Thanks for the feedback. I'm currently with DFATD and was daydreaming that it might actually assist me, but it's a big boat and we're all in it.

If they lost your I-130 package, did you have to start over, or did they eventually "find" it?

Does lawyering-up ever help speed things along?

Edited by KodiakBehr
Marriage: 2014-01-10

I-130 Sent : 2014-01-22

I-130 NOA1 Hardcopy : 2014-01-27

I-130 NOA2 Hardcopy : 2014-07-22


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sheeshkabelle Proficient

sheeshkabelle   153

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Thanks for the feedback. I'm currently with DFATD and was daydreaming that it might actually assist me, but it's a big boat and we're all in it.

If they lost your I-130 package, did you have to start over, or did they eventually "find" it?

Does lawyering-up ever help speed things along?

We didn't have to start over, but it took from June to March for them to do anything.

In February I called my congressman, who happened to be on the immigration reform commitee.

His aid called me to get more information and said he'd call me back after he heard from USCIS.

USCIS told them they were within normal processing limits and the congressman's office called them out on their BS. Then they said we'd have an answer in 45 days, the congressman told them to have an answer in 15. About a week later his aid called me back and said the I-130 was approved. I got the NOA2 letter about a week after that. I then got an email from my congressman explaining that his file was originally sent to the Vermont service center, then sent to California, and got lost some where along the way. The package was amazingly ''found'' with in that 15 days.

Because of this they offered to expedite our case through NVC, by that time we didn't want it expedited, they toook so long we wanted to wait closer to our two year anniversary for the IR-1 Visa. So we did NVC the regular way and that ate up enough time the interview was 6 days before our two year anniversary. We activated his Visa in August (well after our anniversary) and he received an IR-1 green card.

The cool thing, a week after our interview we got an email from the congressman congratulating us. When we got back to Tennessee we had a letter in the mail, hand written, from the congressman welcoming my husband to America and Tennessee.

Lawyering up does nothing. There's no need for an attorney if neither of you have criminal backgrounds, were held in detention, or deported. If anything an attorney slows things down. All your documents go to them instead of you and it can take forever to get through the NVC process that way.

USCIS- 260 Days

6/8/11~ Mailed I-130 Application, withdrew Canadian PR application
6/16/11~ NOA1 email and text message Case routed to CSC (Priority Date)
7/12/11~ The 'Money Order' Incident/Returned to Tennessee
8/03/11~ TOUCHED!
3/2/12~ APPROVED! NOA2!

NVC Electronic Processing- Montreal- 19 Days

3/21/12~ Received case number & IIN 20 Days after NOA2
3/21/12~ Sent in opt-in email
3/22/12~ Opt-in accepted
3/23/12~ DS-261 Submitted, never accepted
3/29/12~ AOS bill invoiced and paid
3/30/12~ AOS shows PAID- AOS Package emailed/received, DS-3032 emailed/accepted
4/2/12~ IV bill invoiced and paid
4/3/12~ AOS Checklist documents emailed(first time)
4/4/12~ IV shows PAID- DS-260 submitted/ IV Package emailed/received
4/4/12~ AOS Checklist documents sent again for CYA (second time)
4/5/12~ IV package accepted! No Checklists!
4/6/12~ AOS Checklist emailed(third time)
4/9/12~ AOS packet accepted (finally)
CASE COMPLETE!!

Interview 354 days from NOA1/ 362 days from initial filing date
5/29/12~ Medical@ Medisys, Montreal
6/4/12~ Interview APPROVED!!!
08/07/2012~ POE Emerson, MB/Pembina, ND by land
08/09/2012~ HOME!! 424 days from initial filing date!
08/14/2012~ SSN Received
09/10/2012~ Received Green Card

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KodiakBehr Rookie

KodiakBehr   2

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Great tips. Thank you for all this.

Marriage: 2014-01-10

I-130 Sent : 2014-01-22

I-130 NOA1 Hardcopy : 2014-01-27

I-130 NOA2 Hardcopy : 2014-07-22


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