oldgreg

5 hours ago, Fr8dog said:

recommend 4 hrs (as most here).

 

If you get unlucky you drop in at the same time as a bunch of other international flights and then the line to the first desk can easily be an hour. Then it's of to secondary where it all depends on how many are in front of you, why they got sent to secondary and how understaffed they are.

Once you get to the actual desk it will take minutes.

 

If your plane is the only international flight (unlikely in ATL) and you are one of the first ones of the plane. You can be done with the whole things in 5 minutes.

 

I know what you are saying. Experience this every time I go to Costa Rica rica. I swear four planes arrive right before we do and it takes forever to clear customs. 

To your second point, I booked the seats right by the door so we will be first off the plane. 

Thank you for the response.

4 minutes ago, mam521 said:

Any reason you have to fly Delta?  I get it if it's points/loyalty dollars and a significant cost reduction.  But, United and AA also fly into St. George so there's potential options.  

I am platinum with delta. Upgrades, Lounge, free luggage, using points for flights. Vegas is an easy two hr ride. 

15 minutes ago, mam521 said:

This is what I was thinking.  Even in September, it's still hurricane season and depending where the storms land, they often drag across GA.  

I was hoping to have a layover in LA but Delta only runs through Atlanta this time of year.

Thank you for the feedback, you guys are the best  I found a flight with a 4 hr layover. If all goes smoothly I can spoil the wife in the airport lounge.  

Good morning all, 

I am looking at booking a flight for my wife to enter the US in Sept. I am trying to gauge how long of a layover we will need coming in. I have asked various CBP officers and some say it takes ten minutes for the first entry and others say an hour and change. What say you? 

I would be flying with my wife and right now the flight I normally take is a little over a two hr layover in Atlanta.

We talked this through and will wait the extra six weeks. Thank you all for your input.

4 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

The correct answer is the date the marriage is considered legal.  In some countries, it is when the marriage paperwork is signed.  In other countries, it is when the marriage is registered with local officials. 

Example:  Wife and I had our "ceremony" on July 27th.  My wife, the two required witnesses, and I signed our marriage contract on that day.  However, we registered our marriage with our local Household Registration Office on July 30.  By Taiwanese law, July 30th is our official date of marriage. 

I just looked at the marriage certificate and it says Sept 16. I know it took a while for it to get filed, so I wasn't sure which date it was. Thank you for the feedback.

Interview is July 9th. Tentative plan is for her to fly back to the states with me August 2nd if all goes according to plan.

Signed paperwork for our civil marriage Sept 16, 2023. I talked with the wifey and she said she doesn't want to wait and we can do paperwork in two years if all goes according to plans.

Got word today that my wife's interview got pushed back three weeks. It got me to thinking about the CR1 vs IR1. I understand that the IR1 is granted if you enter after your two yr anniversary. My question is this, we signed marital paperwork on Sept 16. Our paperwork was filed and received with USCIS a month and a half later. Would they use the November date or the Sept date? 

6 minutes ago, Cas090502 said:

Oh Okay, how long did it take to get an interview scheduled? Looks like there is not much of a wait time.

DQ April 3 at NVC. Interview scheduled today. A week. Freaky fast.

Just now, Cas090502 said:

My husband is from Costa Rica too. We are waiting on the DQ from NVC and then interview in Costa Rica. You waited 16 months for the interview notice after DQ? I was hoping he would have his interview this summer... I didn't know Costa Rica was taking so long.

16 months for i130. Got approved for that in March. 

Just got our interview date for the embassy in Costa Rica, June 26. Went from absolutely nothing happening for 16 months to things flying now. We are super excited. Best of luck to all of you waiting.

Just checked documents, approved. Best part is I am down in Costa Rica with the wife. Ecstatic.

Email this morning, we have taken action on your case. USCIS website says it is being actively reviewed as of March 4th now, not November anymore. Something might actually be happening. Holy cow.

10 hours ago, GEOntificator said:

 

Wait, so you can mail the actual tax paperwork 1040 and also W-7 all at once and they accept it?

Yes

I was going through old emails. There was one from March of last year from visa journey and it said estimated approval, Oct 14th. The email they sent yesterday said February 16th. VJ is about as accurate as the USCIS website. 

11 hours ago, miha25 said:

This doesn't apply to me because I'm self-employed and purchase my own insurance from the marketplace, but my concern with what your enrollment person said is, what happens if your spouse has a medical emergency before they complete enrollment. Given their answer, what is the precise day he/she/they would be covered? I personally wouldn't risk my spouse being in the US for a day without coverage. A simple ER visit could cost thousands, let alone a more serious emergency.

I went years without coverage and survived. She is 34, knock on wood, if something happened in this period, I would have to open up the check book. 

One can only hope. I asked Santa for an approval and not a RFE. Hope he delivers. Lol

We had open enrollment and I called and inquired about signing my wife up. I figured I had to get her insurance during this period but I was wrong. They said when she gets here, call them and they will be able to add her to my policy. Saves me from paying for her for a few months.

Nov '23 filer. Case is at CSC and crickets still. 

1 hour ago, ChelseaW said:

GUYS! 

Approved today, consular processing, NOA 1 2023-11-20. 

 

I'm over the moon right now!

And I know some people way before Nov 2023 are still waiting.. 

Don't give up hope. Hang in. It's happening. 

Let's go!!!!!!

We started ours in November, a month before you. We went in thinking 18 months. Have patience, it is tough. It will be worth it.

Good luck. I am dealing with the IRS now. Submitted taxes and had my wife down with my last name. After a long process they rejected everything. Come to find out because the passport has her maiden name on it and we put my last name on the taxes. Just a heads up. Not sure if they have it out for me or this is SOP. We are resubmitting everything with her maiden name.

Waiting and keep getting the emails from VJ with the estimated approval times creeping back. Not very reassuring.