Questions regarding I-130 Approval / Next Steps

[CFCRICE 1]

Hi everyone and thanks in advance for any personal insight you can share. I’m looking for some guidance…

 

Really really appreciate you all 💙🙏🏼

 

So…here is a bit about our situation. 
 

My wife is English and currently lives in London. We got married in July and decided we would move her tonAmerica first for awhile before ultimately coming back to the UK in maybe 7-10 years to get my citizenship. 
 

We submitted her I-130 back on August 10th and are currently waiting for its approval. It has fluctuated a bit but it seems like it will be approved in June / July. 

 

Obviously with her being an immediate relative as my spouse and me being a US citizen, it is my understanding that she won’t have to wait for numbers to become available as the US doesn’t limit the amount of visas for immediate relatives like they do for the family preference category 

 

It’s also my understanding that upon approval of her I-130, bc she falls in the immediate relative category that she may be able to skip the line and apply straight anyway for her green card rather than waiting as if she was in the family preference category? 
 

Can you briefly just tell me what to expect once the form is approved (understanding that she is currently living in London) so would not be adjusting her status as she is not currently in America

 

Looking to understand what the next steps will obviously be if/when approved leading up to her interview etc? 
 

Will they automatically give her that date for the interview at the US Embassy / consulate in London when they approve the I-130? 
 

Or what should we expect?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated things at ton! 

[Timona 4,208]

When she gets her visa, she comes to the US. At POE, she'll get a stamp on her PP that is a temporary GC for one year. 

Her passing through POE triggers GC production. So she doesn't need to file anything for adjustment. With ther stamp, she can travel in and out of the country before the physical GC arrives.

 

Make sure you mark the option to get USCIS to ask SSO to automatically send SSN to her. That's your chance to get it with less hustle. Right now, most SSO are playing Russian roulette and getting an appointment is hectic. 

 

Just make sure to pay the $220 GC fee once her visa is approved. You can pay it immediately or after she gets to US. 

[CFCRICE 1]

Amazing. This is very helpful. 
 

So I guess where I am lost is what exactly to expect upon approval of the I-130? 
 

What sort of timeline will we be looking at before she has her interview at the US Embassy / Consulate in London? 
 

We are trying to get a timeline together so I can plan accordingly for her move, etc as her lease will be up in the flat in London and she will go to renting monthly until she is allowed to legally come to the US with us. 
 

it’s my understanding as I mentioned in my OP that upon approval, she would be issued an appointment time and date? Is that correct? 
 

If so, typically how long after are these appointment made? And then how long after the interview would she have to wait for approval? 
 

 

[Redro 4,611]

1 hour ago, CFCRICE said:

Amazing. This is very helpful. 
 

So I guess where I am lost is what exactly to expect upon approval of the I-130? 
 

What sort of timeline will we be looking at before she has her interview at the US Embassy / Consulate in London? 
 

We are trying to get a timeline together so I can plan accordingly for her move, etc as her lease will be up in the flat in London and she will go to renting monthly until she is allowed to legally come to the US with us. 
 

it’s my understanding as I mentioned in my OP that upon approval, she would be issued an appointment time and date? Is that correct? 
 

If so, typically how long after are these appointment made? And then how long after the interview would she have to wait for approval? 
 

 

After the I-130 is approved you'll move to the NVC. Your wife will have to fill out the DS260, and submit criminal record checks from all countries she's lived in for 12+ months. You'll have to fill out the I-864. 

That process is taking about 3 months. 

After you get DQed you'll receive an interview date and your wife will need to schedule her medical. 

Head on over to the UK forum to find out how long that process is taking:

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/99-united-kingdom/

 

[CFCRICE 1]

On 1/30/2022 at 9:30 PM, Kor2USA said:

After the I-130 is approved you'll move to the NVC. Your wife will have to fill out the DS260, and submit criminal record checks from all countries she's lived in for 12+ months. You'll have to fill out the I-864. 

That process is taking about 3 months. 

After you get DQed you'll receive an interview date and your wife will need to schedule her medical. 

Head on over to the UK forum to find out how long that process is taking:

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/99-united-kingdom/

 

Amazing. Thank you for the info. 

I will read up more on this today. 

Will she fill out the DS260 immediately once the I-130 is approved? And same with me the I-864?

"After you get DQed you'll receive an interview date and your wife will need to schedule her medical."
-So from start to finish (I.E. the interview we are looking at roughly another 3 months?)
 

[Redro 4,611]

10 minutes ago, CFCRICE said:

Amazing. Thank you for the info. 

I will read up more on this today. 

Will she fill out the DS260 immediately once the I-130 is approved? And same with me the I-864?

"After you get DQed you'll receive an interview date and your wife will need to schedule her medical."
-So from start to finish (I.E. the interview we are looking at roughly another 3 months?)
 

After the I-130 is approved. You will move to the NVC and pay a fee. Once the fee is paid your wife can fill out the DS260 and you complete the I-864. 

 

I have no idea how long it takes to receive an interview in the UK. 

You can read this thread for more information.

 

[CFCRICE 1]

1 minute ago, Kor2USA said:

After the I-130 is approved. You will move to the NVC and pay a fee. Once the fee is paid your wife can fill out the DS260 and you complete the I-864. 

 

I have no idea how long it takes to receive an interview in the UK. 

You can read this thread for more information.

 

You are very wise and your help is so appreciated. Thank you! I am going to read through it now. 

Do you know if there is anyway to figure out what processing center our I-130 was sent to as we did it all online?

[Redro 4,611]

8 minutes ago, CFCRICE said:

You are very wise and your help is so appreciated. Thank you! I am going to read through it now. 

Do you know if there is anyway to figure out what processing center our I-130 was sent to as we did it all online?

Not wise. Just going through the process right now. 

If you look at your receipt notice. You can check the service center at the bottom of the page.

Be aware! If you filed online your service center is most likely Nebraska (as that appears to be the default center for online filing). 

Most of us have since discovered we are actually at different service centers. 

The way to check it is to "Ask Emma"... you go to the uscis webpage and have a text chat with the bot. 

I think you ask for "live agent" to get a real person to reply to you. You can then ask them where your petition is. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by Kor2USA

[CFCRICE 1]

14 minutes ago, Kor2USA said:

Not wise. Just going through the process right now. 

If you look at your receipt notice. You can check the service center at the bottom of the page.

Be aware! If you filed online your service center is most likely Nebraska (as that appears to be the default center for online filing). 

Most of us have since discovered we are actually at different service centers. 

The way to check it is to "Ask Emma"... you go to the uscis webpage and have a text chat with the bot. 

I think you ask for "live agent" to get a real person to reply to you. You can then ask them where your petition is. 

I just logged in to check and I got this "update" where as before it just said case received. I take it this is a good sign? 

 

January 31, 2022

Case Is Being Actively Reviewed By USCIS

As of January 31, 2022, we are actively reviewing your Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, Receipt Number XXXXXXXXXX. Our records show nothing is outstanding at this time. We will let you know if we need anything from you. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

[CFCRICE 1]

Just confirmed we are at the Texas processing center (although the first live agent told me Vermont lol)