JD2

Our I-130 was approved freakishly fast. Some just are. No idea what causes it. But, many people would love to be in your position. You are very lucky.

You can both make Advance Directives listing each other as health care agents. Your local hospital chain probably has a form to make it easy for you and will file it for y'all with the national registry.

Looks like you were right. 3 business days still nothing. I saw a number of people on various social media reporting similar things recently.

It just appeared in the Documents section and you happened to check? Or, did you get another email or SMS?

Bummer. I was hoping we were one of a lucky NBC.

My wife got an email "We have taken an action on your case." but when she logs into myUSCIS, there's no update and no new document under "Documents." Is this a glitch or how long does it take to get an update on myUSCIS?

Clean up your timeline. It says you filed I-751 after N-400

What about a Returning Resident Visa? https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/returning-resident.html#1 https://in.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/returning-resident-visa/

Maybe this is a dumb question but how will they know it's the same person? Won't the passport number be different in the new passport?

the beneficiary should have received an email from NVC

There was a Jan. 2025 filer who got approved on Feb. 28th. National Benefits Center. They didn't clarify if they were military or not. If not military, then that's crazy fast.

Are y'all military?

Oh shoot. Sorry. Ignore my post OP.

Wouldn't the original I-130 filed still be good? I thought only I-485s are abandoned if you leave before advance parole??

If you applied for AOS in Aug. 2024, wouldn't you have filed an I-130? That I-130 is still good I believe. I think only the I-485 is abandoned.

After USCIS approves the I-130, the case is sent to the NVC. After you're Documentarily Qualified at NVC, the case will be sent to the Consulate in Cuidad Juarez for interview. The Consulate can't issue the visa until the ban is over. So, you can go to the interview under 5 years, get denied, then try for a waiver. Or, say it takes 1.5 years at USCIS for the I-130 approval. Then, you can keep the case active at NVC like @pushbrk said by contacting them at least once a year, then as you approach your 5 year mark, submit your documents and get Documentarily Qualified which will then send your case to the consulate. I think Juarez is one of the longest waits for an interview (like 1 year) so you may not want to bother with the waiver.

I think you pretty much got everything covered in terms of marrying in the US (highly recommend) and starting the I-130 while still here (good idea, why waste time?). One optional tip, citizens of Japan with ESTA can apply for Global Entry. It'll make your spouse's visits to the US far easier. My wife had Global Entry with her B1/B2 and visiting was a breeze.

The I-129F instructions do have a waiver for the 2 year meeting requirement. I don't know how hard it is to get. "You must request a waiver and demonstrate that meeting in person would have posed an extreme hardship on you or violated strict and long-established customs of your fiancé(e)’s foreign culture or social practice, and that any and all aspects of the traditional arrangements have been or will be met in accordance with the custom or practice. Include evidence to support your claim. Evidence may include things like medical records, statements from religious leaders, or evidence of immediate danger. " The juice may not be worth the squeeze. I would probably spend the money to meet in the 3rd country rather than gamble on this waiver.

Yes, just filed for removal of conditions. You can see someone's timeline by clicking timeline under their username. Our I-130 got approved freakishly fast so our timeline is not a realistic example. But to look at USCIS processing times and click "Immigration Timelines" at the top of this website.

We shipped it the day after we got the marriage certificate in our hands.

We filed right away after marrying. Lot's of people do that. As long as you file with good evidence, you will be fine.

You may want to look up the vaccine schedule on the CDC website. Go to CVS or Walgreens or Rite Aid or whichever Aetna covers. Get the vaccines there beforehand and take the proof of vaccination to the Civil Surgeon appointment. That way, even if the doc isn't in network, at least you only have to pay for the visit not the vaccines.

You can do that every 5 years I believe. I always put it off or forget or slack off but do as I say not as I do. 🫣

In Virginia, if you have a foreign license, you are exempted from certain requirements. Also in VA, some countries, you could "transfer" (i.e. just fill form no new test etc.) but it was a very limited number of countries. You could have gotten an international license from UK before coming to hold you over until you got the new license. My wife did that. Technically you are not supposed to use an international license if you are living in a country, but police never had an issue. My wife and sister-in-law both did that.

My coworker got her interview: 12/27/24 NOA1 1/17/25 Biometrics Reuse & Active Review 1/27/25 Interview Scheduled 3/4/25 Interview Date