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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Greece
Timeline
Posted

Hey everyone!!

My N-400 interview is in 2 days.

I am so nervous!!

Nothing weird about my case. No criminal record, just a straight laced gal, worked hard, nothing funky in my past ever.

 

Any last words of advice??

Do's and don't?

Anything you wished someone had told YOU?

 

Tia!!!

 

Click "spoiler" below for a detailed account of our journey to a CR1 visa via DCF in Athens, Greece.

 

2011 - Met hubby online and became friends
Early 2013 - Confessed our love for each other * Late 2013 - I got pregnant with our daughter
2014 - Our baby was born in Athens, Greece and completed our family. We now have two boys and a girl!! 2013 - 2015 - Looking for jobs in Greece, none were available (due to socioeconomic crisis) 2015 - Decided only way to feed our family was to immigrate and started the process December 2015 - Got married (Greece has a LOT of red tape for foreigners marrying Greeks)
January 2016 - Finished gathering all documents and getting them translated
* * DCF in Athens, Greece * *

28th January 2016 - Finally filed I-130s
29th June - ISSUED!!!!!!1st July - Visa packages and passports delivered to DHL.4th July - Visas in hand! CU in two weeks USA!!
19th July- POE Detroit. All went well!! (excluding our screaming, jet lagged toddler!!)

 

After Arrival in the US

September 2016 - Hubby is diagnosed with congestive heart failure
October - February 2016 - Battle with drug use, overdosing, bringing home a tiny paycheck

March - July 2017 - I am working 80 hr weeks to make ends meet. Discovered hubby's affair. Still overdoses and is hospitalized. Has quit working all together.
July - October 2017 - Marriage counseling. Revealed hubby has "several" mental conditions. Is started on several mental meds.

October 2017 - Got accepted for a college course. Got better job to help raise my kids.

October 2017 - March 2018 - Situation at home is toxic. He files for divorce.

July 2018 - Divorce is final. I have full custody of our daughter.

 

ROC (GC expires July 19th 2018)

July 16th - Package for ROC is delivered to the CA service center (divorce waiver).

August 30th - NOA1 received with 18 month extension (fee waiver approved).

March 28th 2019 - Biometrics

August 8th 2019 - Case Approved No RFE No Interview - 10 year GC in production

N400 (Online - Detroit, MI office)
June 6th 2023 - Applied for naturalization under 5 year rule.
June 7th 2023 - Application received/Biometric will be reused.
June 16th - Interview scheduled.
July 27th - Upcoming interview.



**Our DCF journey to an IV took 5 months and 1 day from turning in the I-130 to getting "Issued"**


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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Taiwan
Timeline
Posted (edited)

Don't worry.  Wife said it was easy.  If you know the 100 questions, you will be fine.  Congratulations!!!   This is a great, great achievement!!!  Escaping the grasp of USCIS is wonderful!!

Edited by Crazy Cat

"The US immigration process requires a great deal of knowledge, planning, time, patience, and a significant amount of money.  It is quite a journey!"

- Some old child of the 50's & 60's on his laptop 

 

Senior Master Sergeant, US Air Force- Retired (after 20+ years)- Missile Systems Maintenance & Titan 2 ICBM Launch Crew Duty (200+ Alert tours)

Registered Nurse- Retired- I practiced in the areas of Labor & Delivery, Home Health, Adolescent Psych, & Adult Psych.

IT Professional- Retired- Web Site Design, Hardware Maintenance, Compound Pharmacy Software Trainer, On-site go live support, Database Manager, App Designer.

______________________________________

In summary, it took 13 months for approval of the CR-1.  It took 44 months for approval of the I-751.  It took 4 months for approval of the N-400.   It took 172 days from N-400 application to Oath Ceremony.   It took 6 weeks for Passport, then 7 additional weeks for return of wife's Naturalization Certificate.. 
 

Posted

Don’t overthink! This is my advice.

Mine was like a conversation. I didn’t notice when he was asking me the questions haha I answered like was a friend asking me about the US.

 

Be calm and remember that this is the end of this loooong journey!! Uhuuuullll yaaayy 🎉

 

Good Luck

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Morocco
Timeline
Posted

if spouse based 3 year,  take proof of any new documents u signed together  after the visa was issued like a lease or loan on a car

probably not needed but its further proof 

 

otherwise relax and congratulations just for getting to this point 

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Greece
Timeline
Posted (edited)

Thanks everyone!!

I forgot to add, I did not file under the 3 year rule. I have been here 7 years, so it is filed under being here for over 5 years :)

Edited by Marrienne

Click "spoiler" below for a detailed account of our journey to a CR1 visa via DCF in Athens, Greece.

 

2011 - Met hubby online and became friends
Early 2013 - Confessed our love for each other * Late 2013 - I got pregnant with our daughter
2014 - Our baby was born in Athens, Greece and completed our family. We now have two boys and a girl!! 2013 - 2015 - Looking for jobs in Greece, none were available (due to socioeconomic crisis) 2015 - Decided only way to feed our family was to immigrate and started the process December 2015 - Got married (Greece has a LOT of red tape for foreigners marrying Greeks)
January 2016 - Finished gathering all documents and getting them translated
* * DCF in Athens, Greece * *

28th January 2016 - Finally filed I-130s
29th June - ISSUED!!!!!!1st July - Visa packages and passports delivered to DHL.4th July - Visas in hand! CU in two weeks USA!!
19th July- POE Detroit. All went well!! (excluding our screaming, jet lagged toddler!!)

 

After Arrival in the US

September 2016 - Hubby is diagnosed with congestive heart failure
October - February 2016 - Battle with drug use, overdosing, bringing home a tiny paycheck

March - July 2017 - I am working 80 hr weeks to make ends meet. Discovered hubby's affair. Still overdoses and is hospitalized. Has quit working all together.
July - October 2017 - Marriage counseling. Revealed hubby has "several" mental conditions. Is started on several mental meds.

October 2017 - Got accepted for a college course. Got better job to help raise my kids.

October 2017 - March 2018 - Situation at home is toxic. He files for divorce.

July 2018 - Divorce is final. I have full custody of our daughter.

 

ROC (GC expires July 19th 2018)

July 16th - Package for ROC is delivered to the CA service center (divorce waiver).

August 30th - NOA1 received with 18 month extension (fee waiver approved).

March 28th 2019 - Biometrics

August 8th 2019 - Case Approved No RFE No Interview - 10 year GC in production

N400 (Online - Detroit, MI office)
June 6th 2023 - Applied for naturalization under 5 year rule.
June 7th 2023 - Application received/Biometric will be reused.
June 16th - Interview scheduled.
July 27th - Upcoming interview.



**Our DCF journey to an IV took 5 months and 1 day from turning in the I-130 to getting "Issued"**


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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Kenya
Timeline
Posted

Don't forget your American Flag clothes. 

5 years...you should be good. 

Immigration journey is not: fast, for the faint at heart, easy, cheap, for the impatient nor right away. If more than 50% of this applies to you, best get off the bus.

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Greece
Timeline
Posted
1 hour ago, Loren Y said:

If you know the questions, it's easy according to my wife. Passed in March of this year. IO started with the questions, and she said she was " In the Zone". We had studied the questions so much she was cranking out answers faster than he could begin the questions. Before she knew it he said " Congratulations" . She was like congratulations what?, he said you passed the test. She didn't even know she hit the first six right off. Only thing she had a little problem with was on the tablet she had to write out the word "senator" as part of a answer, and she had a little issue with the spelling, but IO was cool about it, and just laughed and said, no worries, your good. She said they spent most of the time talking about her son, and how he is here now, and how does she like it in Las Vegas. I hope you get a good IO like she did. She was nervous also, but said it was not as bad as she thought it would be. And like @Crazy Cat has said, being done with USCIS is worth every minute of the interview. I think I was happier she passed then she was knowing no more forms and waiting. She now has her " Coveted" Blue book, and we actually got her Naturalization certificate back in a reasonable time.

I really hope I get a good IO.

I am not too worried about the Civics test or the language exam as I was raised bilingual (Greek/English). I am worried about oh... missing a paper or something. I read somewhere here, someone was asked for the lifting of conditions paper and for the life of me I can't find it anywhere. We had a flooded basement a few years back and I lost a lot of paperwork :( must have been one of them that was completely ruined. And there is no copy of it in my online account, only case updates as I had filled via snail mail. Eeek!!

Click "spoiler" below for a detailed account of our journey to a CR1 visa via DCF in Athens, Greece.

 

2011 - Met hubby online and became friends
Early 2013 - Confessed our love for each other * Late 2013 - I got pregnant with our daughter
2014 - Our baby was born in Athens, Greece and completed our family. We now have two boys and a girl!! 2013 - 2015 - Looking for jobs in Greece, none were available (due to socioeconomic crisis) 2015 - Decided only way to feed our family was to immigrate and started the process December 2015 - Got married (Greece has a LOT of red tape for foreigners marrying Greeks)
January 2016 - Finished gathering all documents and getting them translated
* * DCF in Athens, Greece * *

28th January 2016 - Finally filed I-130s
29th June - ISSUED!!!!!!1st July - Visa packages and passports delivered to DHL.4th July - Visas in hand! CU in two weeks USA!!
19th July- POE Detroit. All went well!! (excluding our screaming, jet lagged toddler!!)

 

After Arrival in the US

September 2016 - Hubby is diagnosed with congestive heart failure
October - February 2016 - Battle with drug use, overdosing, bringing home a tiny paycheck

March - July 2017 - I am working 80 hr weeks to make ends meet. Discovered hubby's affair. Still overdoses and is hospitalized. Has quit working all together.
July - October 2017 - Marriage counseling. Revealed hubby has "several" mental conditions. Is started on several mental meds.

October 2017 - Got accepted for a college course. Got better job to help raise my kids.

October 2017 - March 2018 - Situation at home is toxic. He files for divorce.

July 2018 - Divorce is final. I have full custody of our daughter.

 

ROC (GC expires July 19th 2018)

July 16th - Package for ROC is delivered to the CA service center (divorce waiver).

August 30th - NOA1 received with 18 month extension (fee waiver approved).

March 28th 2019 - Biometrics

August 8th 2019 - Case Approved No RFE No Interview - 10 year GC in production

N400 (Online - Detroit, MI office)
June 6th 2023 - Applied for naturalization under 5 year rule.
June 7th 2023 - Application received/Biometric will be reused.
June 16th - Interview scheduled.
July 27th - Upcoming interview.



**Our DCF journey to an IV took 5 months and 1 day from turning in the I-130 to getting "Issued"**


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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Greece
Timeline
Posted
7 minutes ago, Timona said:

Don't forget your American Flag clothes. 

5 years...you should be good. 

Hahahaha... I was planning on a dress and my cowboy boots ;)

Click "spoiler" below for a detailed account of our journey to a CR1 visa via DCF in Athens, Greece.

 

2011 - Met hubby online and became friends
Early 2013 - Confessed our love for each other * Late 2013 - I got pregnant with our daughter
2014 - Our baby was born in Athens, Greece and completed our family. We now have two boys and a girl!! 2013 - 2015 - Looking for jobs in Greece, none were available (due to socioeconomic crisis) 2015 - Decided only way to feed our family was to immigrate and started the process December 2015 - Got married (Greece has a LOT of red tape for foreigners marrying Greeks)
January 2016 - Finished gathering all documents and getting them translated
* * DCF in Athens, Greece * *

28th January 2016 - Finally filed I-130s
29th June - ISSUED!!!!!!1st July - Visa packages and passports delivered to DHL.4th July - Visas in hand! CU in two weeks USA!!
19th July- POE Detroit. All went well!! (excluding our screaming, jet lagged toddler!!)

 

After Arrival in the US

September 2016 - Hubby is diagnosed with congestive heart failure
October - February 2016 - Battle with drug use, overdosing, bringing home a tiny paycheck

March - July 2017 - I am working 80 hr weeks to make ends meet. Discovered hubby's affair. Still overdoses and is hospitalized. Has quit working all together.
July - October 2017 - Marriage counseling. Revealed hubby has "several" mental conditions. Is started on several mental meds.

October 2017 - Got accepted for a college course. Got better job to help raise my kids.

October 2017 - March 2018 - Situation at home is toxic. He files for divorce.

July 2018 - Divorce is final. I have full custody of our daughter.

 

ROC (GC expires July 19th 2018)

July 16th - Package for ROC is delivered to the CA service center (divorce waiver).

August 30th - NOA1 received with 18 month extension (fee waiver approved).

March 28th 2019 - Biometrics

August 8th 2019 - Case Approved No RFE No Interview - 10 year GC in production

N400 (Online - Detroit, MI office)
June 6th 2023 - Applied for naturalization under 5 year rule.
June 7th 2023 - Application received/Biometric will be reused.
June 16th - Interview scheduled.
July 27th - Upcoming interview.



**Our DCF journey to an IV took 5 months and 1 day from turning in the I-130 to getting "Issued"**


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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Indonesia
Timeline
Posted

Good luck! 5 years should be straightforward, plus you probably fall in one of the safest buckets when it comes to suspicion of fraud! (Anecdotally, my wife and I interviewed on the same day, same ethnicity and country of origin, and she got out in 10 mins and I in 30. My IO was nice but very thorough, hers was just super nice).

If you ever owe money to the IRS, even if you pay it off immediately (no payment plan), bring the account transcript for the current year showing you have no balance due. If you have a payment plan, bring the payment plan. Apart from that.. any moving traffic violation, bring evidence of payment just in case, and yeah ... if you're good with the questions, you should be good to go!

@TBoneTX can tell you that his wife passed in six straight question after sweating over learning the questions - and my wife also passed in six after initially getting all the politicians' names mixed up (in practice they seem to go for the easier ones - I get 'who is the president right now' - but she was ready to answer who's the Speaker of the House and our US Rep just in case).

US entry :

GC issued :
CIS Office :

2016 (me, H-1B) / 2017 (her, H-4)

2018-06-20

Chicago IL

Date Filed : 2023-03-22

NOA Date :

Bio. Appt. Notice :

2023-03-22

2023-03-24

Bio. Appt. :

2023-04-13

Interview Notice :

Interview Date :

Oath Ceremony :

2023-05-24

2023-07-13 (approved)

TBD

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Greece
Timeline
Posted

Thank you!!! Nope, not even a parking ticket :)

Click "spoiler" below for a detailed account of our journey to a CR1 visa via DCF in Athens, Greece.

 

2011 - Met hubby online and became friends
Early 2013 - Confessed our love for each other * Late 2013 - I got pregnant with our daughter
2014 - Our baby was born in Athens, Greece and completed our family. We now have two boys and a girl!! 2013 - 2015 - Looking for jobs in Greece, none were available (due to socioeconomic crisis) 2015 - Decided only way to feed our family was to immigrate and started the process December 2015 - Got married (Greece has a LOT of red tape for foreigners marrying Greeks)
January 2016 - Finished gathering all documents and getting them translated
* * DCF in Athens, Greece * *

28th January 2016 - Finally filed I-130s
29th June - ISSUED!!!!!!1st July - Visa packages and passports delivered to DHL.4th July - Visas in hand! CU in two weeks USA!!
19th July- POE Detroit. All went well!! (excluding our screaming, jet lagged toddler!!)

 

After Arrival in the US

September 2016 - Hubby is diagnosed with congestive heart failure
October - February 2016 - Battle with drug use, overdosing, bringing home a tiny paycheck

March - July 2017 - I am working 80 hr weeks to make ends meet. Discovered hubby's affair. Still overdoses and is hospitalized. Has quit working all together.
July - October 2017 - Marriage counseling. Revealed hubby has "several" mental conditions. Is started on several mental meds.

October 2017 - Got accepted for a college course. Got better job to help raise my kids.

October 2017 - March 2018 - Situation at home is toxic. He files for divorce.

July 2018 - Divorce is final. I have full custody of our daughter.

 

ROC (GC expires July 19th 2018)

July 16th - Package for ROC is delivered to the CA service center (divorce waiver).

August 30th - NOA1 received with 18 month extension (fee waiver approved).

March 28th 2019 - Biometrics

August 8th 2019 - Case Approved No RFE No Interview - 10 year GC in production

N400 (Online - Detroit, MI office)
June 6th 2023 - Applied for naturalization under 5 year rule.
June 7th 2023 - Application received/Biometric will be reused.
June 16th - Interview scheduled.
July 27th - Upcoming interview.



**Our DCF journey to an IV took 5 months and 1 day from turning in the I-130 to getting "Issued"**


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Posted

Five year rule, provided you did nothing dodgy at any point, is a walk in the park. I had my interview five days ago and I'd gotten divorced a month prior to filing the N-400. All they wanted to talk about with that was just clarifying the date it was finalized. It really is just a performative event for the majority of people. I think I had more difficulty getting there than I did at the actual appointment.

ROC from CR-1 visa (Green Card expiration date was Nov 24th 2016)

 

Link to the evidence I submitted. Be sure to send evidence spanning your entire marriage (especially for K-1) or as far back as you can. Just one or two bank statements will not cut it. I primarily focused on the two years of living here since I came in on a CR-1. If you don't have the fundamentals (i.e. joint accounts/policies), you can explain why in the covering letter. E.g. "While we do not have joint utilities, we both contribute to them from our joint bank account".

 

September 26th 2016: I-751 package sent to CSC

September 28th 2016: Package delivered
September 30th 2016: Check cashed
October 3rd 2016: NOA1 received with receipt date of 09/28/16
November 3rd 2016: Biometrics received with appointment date of 11/14/16.
November 14th 2016: Attended biometrics appointment
October 30th 2017: Infopass appointment to get I-551 stamp
February 26th 2018: I-751 case number (aka the NOA1 receipt number) becomes trackable
March 14th 2018: Submitted service request due to being outside of processing time.

March 15th 2018: ROC approved. 535 days (1 year, 5 months and 17 days)

March 29th 2018: Card being produced

April 4th 2018: Card mailed out

April 6th 2018: Card in hand. Has incorrect "resident since" date. Submitted service request on I-751 case (typographical error on permanent resident card) and an I-90 online.

April 2018 - August 7th 2018: Tons of service requests, emails and now senator involvement to get my corrected green card back because what the heck, USCIS. Also some time in May I sent a letter to Potomac telling them I want to withdraw my I-90 since CSC were handling it.

August 8th 2018: Card in production thanks to the direct involvement of Senator Sherrod Brown's team

August 13th 2018: Card mailed

August 15th 2018: Card in hand with correct date. :joy:

October 31st 2018: Potomac sends out a notice stating they have closed out my I-90 per my request. Yay for no duplicate card drama.

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Croatia
Timeline
Posted
11 hours ago, Marrienne said:

Hey everyone!!

My N-400 interview is in 2 days.

I am so nervous!!

Nothing weird about my case. No criminal record, just a straight laced white gal, worked hard, nothing funky in my past ever.

 

Any last words of advice??

Do's and don't?

Anything you wished someone had told YOU?

 

Tia!!!

 

Don’t overthink it girl! It’s an in and out thing, especially if you’re comfortable with the civics test and the case is straightforward…

good luck 🍀 

 

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Romania
Timeline
Posted (edited)

Know your answers for the 100 questions.

Not sure if you practiced them by somebody reading them to you and you answering or you read out loud for yourself and answered it but that might help if you didn't do that since you hear the question but you can't see the it.

 

The tablet and pen sometimes is strange. I wanted to write an s and it ended up looking like a strange c. I told the officer that my s is looks like a c and she told me to cross out the word and write that word again,  then I continued with my sentence. In retrospect I would try to write slower and make sure to press the pen against a screen. it is on tablet holder so it is strange to write like that. It is almost like writing on a chalkboard.

 

My advice is always if something is not clear, ask!

Edited by ineedadisplayname
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Romania
Timeline
Posted
11 hours ago, Marrienne said:

Hey everyone!!

My N-400 interview is in 2 days.

I am so nervous!!

Nothing weird about my case. No criminal record, just a straight laced white gal, worked hard, nothing funky in my past ever.

 

Any last words of advice??

Do's and don't?

Anything you wished someone had told YOU?

 

Tia!!!

 

Good luck and hope you don't need to travel in the next 3 months or so. Apply for a passport as soon as possible because unfortunately it takes around 3 months with regular processing. Emergency passport is a hit or miss, sometimes there are no appointment event for emergency as far as I read so it's not a 100% that you will get a passport a couple of days before your travel date.

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

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