US Immigration from Malaysia

We received our I-797 on 3/24 then heard back from the NVC on 7/3. We've received an email saying that our I-129F has been approved by the NVC/USCIS and that they will forward it to the local embassy of my fianc .

I was expecting some paper mail welcome packet that explains this process and a longer wait, but I guess we are past that? I thought the NVC portion of our journey would take longer.

It says that it will take several weeks for the local embassy to process the petition. I'm curious what kind of timeline others have seen from NVC approval to local embassy in contacting my fianc for the next step? And would the next step be the interview?

Appreciate a fellow VJ'er chiming in on the N400 earliest filing date calculation for an IR0 LPR (5 year normal requirement) based on several absences out of the US.

LPR Status Granted - 04/13/2020

2020- 202 days outside US due to having to care of family overseas & COVID travel restrictions (Apr 2020 departure, Oct 2020 US re-entry no issues)

2021- 354 days outside US on overseas job posting with non-US company (Jan 2021 departure, Dec 2021 US re-entry no issues)

2022- 0 days outside US

2023- 0 days outside US

2024- 0 days outside US

2025- 0 days outside US

For additional context-

• The LPR purchased and maintained a US house and US bank account statements since April 2020 continuously and filed US taxes continuously since 2020 tax year.
• Had the LPR not been outside the US in 2020 and 2021, the earliest filing date would have been 01/13/2025 taking advantage of the 90 calendar days early filing.

Questions-

• Given the greater than 6 months but less than 1 year absences, is it correct to say that the earliest filing date should be calculated as plus 4 years 1 day from his Dec 2021 latest US re-entry date (and not the full 5 years from the latest re-entry date)?
• The LPR cannot take advantage of the 90 day early filing anymore correct i.e. Dec 2021 latest re-entry date plus 4 years 1 day minus 90 days for early filing?

Thanks a million!

Did a search but couldn t find a recent post here on this topic- thanks for the patience!

Trying to see if we need to provide cash for our immigrating brother and sister in law for NAIA travel tax and terminal fee.

Doesn t NAIA no longer collects cash terminal fees as this is now bundled in airline ticket price?

As for the travel tax- will they get an exemption since they are holding a US immigrant visa and CFO certificate?

Thanks a mil

Sharing what I thought was a total impossibility but just happened- my brother s N400 case status changed to approved and scheduled for naturalization ceremony even though his I-751 interview has yet to be scheduled much less even approved.

On August 2021, my brother filed his I-751 to remove conditions on his 3 year conditional PR status.

On July 2022, he was eligible to file for N400.

On October 2022, due to the N400 USCIS transferred his I-751 case file to the Queens local field office (to prepare for what I was assuming a combo interview).

On Jan 2023, he was scheduled and attended his N400 interview. Anticipating a combo interview, he brought all I-751 evidence (photos, bank records of married life) but officer shockingly did not do a combo interview- recommending his N400 for approval pending a future scheduled I-751 interview decision.

On March 2023, he reached out to congressman to assist with moving his I-751 along since it was filled over 18 months ago and the paperwork has been sitting in the local FO at the time of his N400 interview and still remains there for 6 months now.

Today April 2023, USCIS Queens FO reviews the congressional inquiry and changes status of N400 case to recommended for approval in line for ceremony scheduling with no update/ waiver approval to the i-751.

Chatted with level 1 USCIS chat agent via Emma and agent states adamantly that N400 can be approved and naturalization can take place before I-751 approval which doesn t sound right.

I m going to advice my brother to ask the congressional liaison to send a followup message to the local Queens FO to approval the I-751 or schedule the I-751 if they require an interview because I m pretty sure my brother will be turned away at the N400 ceremony if the system hasn t have record of a i-751 approval.

Baffles me that a conditional resident can be scheduled for naturalization with 2 different USCIS staffers (field office plus chat agent level 1) not seeing this as a paradox?

My fiance resided in the Philippines for over six months many years ago. How can he get a certificate of good conduct that he needs for his interview? Can he just go to the Philippine embassy in his country?