ppants's US Immigration Timeline
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Petitioner's Name: Nick
Beneficiary's Name: Stephanie
VJ Member: ppants
Country: Canada
Last Updated: 2017-12-18
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Immigration Checklist for Nick & Stephanie:
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USCIS I-129F Petition:
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Dept of State K1 Visa:
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USCIS I-485 Petition:
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USCIS I-765 Petition:
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USCIS I-131 Petition:
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USCIS I-751 Petition:
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USCIS N-400 Petition:
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K1 Visa
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| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Transferred? |
No |
| Consulate : |
Montreal, Canada |
| I-129F Sent : |
2012-11-09 |
| I-129F NOA1 : |
2012-11-15 |
| I-129F RFE(s) : |
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| RFE Reply(s) : |
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| I-129F NOA2 : |
2013-05-23 |
| NVC Received : |
2013-05-30 |
| Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : |
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| NVC Left : |
2013-06-06 |
| Consulate Received : |
2013-06-14 |
| Packet 3 Received : |
2013-06-21 |
| Packet 3 Sent : |
2013-06-26 |
| Packet 4 Received : |
2013-07-03 |
| Interview Date : |
2013-09-16 |
| Interview Result : |
Approved
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2013-09-18 |
| US Entry : |
2013-10-06 |
| Marriage : |
2013-10-13 |
| Comments : |
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Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-129f was approved in 189 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 305 days from your I-129F NOA1 date. |
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Port of Entry Review
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| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
Toronto |
| POE Date : |
2013-10-06 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
No |
| Biometrics Taken : |
No |
| Harassment Level : |
0 |
| Comments : |
I entered on a K1 Visa at Toronto Pearson Airport with no problems. I arrived 3 hours before my flight. It was a Sunday and the airport was fairly busy, I made it with plenty of time but was happy I had come early so I wasn't fretting in the line. I presented my sealed package to the officer, he asked me a few questions (when the wedding was, where, etc.) He stamped my US Visa page with a date that was 90 days from my entry, he told me I had 90 days to marry my fiance or I would have to leave the US and off I was. The officer was all business but pleasant at the same time. You spend more time waiting than actually talking, all in all it took about 20-25 additional minutes for the K1 to be processed at the airport. |
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Adjustment of Status
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Miami FL |
| Date Filed : |
2013-11-19 |
| NOA Date : |
2013-11-26 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2013-12-24 |
| AOS Transfer** : |
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| Interview Date : |
2014-06-30 |
| Approval / Denial Date : |
2014-09-19 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
No |
| Greencard Received: |
2014-09-26 |
| Comments : |
My husband and I went to my interview on June 30th. The officer that we met with was very nice, she asked us how we met, general questions about our relationship. She had our paperwork in front of her and was updating some information (like our new address) and making notes.
She said everything was fine, they were just missing a part of my medical, so they were going to send me an RFE in the mail in the next couple of weeks. Once I sent it back with what they needed, the green card application could be started on their end.
I waited patiently for this RFE in the mail... about a month passed, and then a month and a half... I was slightly relieved! Maybe they had found what they needed? But the more time went by, the more worried I got. So I set up an InfoPass appointment with the local office.
My InfoPass appointment was August 18th, roughly a month and a half from my original interview date. This appointment is not as intense as the 'official' interview. You speak to an officer at a kiosk while for the previous one, we were brought back into her office in the back area.
The officer was again very nice. I told him how I hadn't received an RFE in the mail, which I had been told I would, and was basically just checking up on my case. He went to get my file, and was gone for about... what seemed like 20 minutes (my husband and I were joking that I didn't exist). He came back and said that no RFE had been issued. He stated that they had been waiting on a part of my file to come from Montreal (where I had my K-1 interview) which had the medical part they needed. He said that the file from Montreal had arrived, but, word for word 'been put on the wrong shelf, so it hadn't been processed'. Now that they realized it had arrived, it could be processed and they would (hopefully!) have what they needed and my case could start moving forward. I should hear something in the mail in 2-3 weeks.
I honestly felt that if I hadn't made the InfoPass appointment, I would have been sitting at home, twiddling my thumbs worrying, while my file sat on a shelf collecting dust! I left feeling accomplished, albeit a bit annoyed, but was relieved that it seemed like now they had everything they needed.
A month and week passed, and I was THIS close to making another InfoPass appointment... and then I received my 2-Year Conditional Green Card in the mail. I was SO happy!!
Moral of the story - if you feel like something is taking WAY longer than it should, investigate. I'm so happy I made the InfoPass appointment, even though I felt like I was being crazy and overreacting a bit, it paid off. The reality of the matter is, these things do take time!! SO give USCIS the benefit of the doubt with timelines, but when something gets to be very, VERY overdue, I'd suggest making an InfoPass appointment to check-in :) |
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Employment Authorization
Document
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago IL |
| Filing Method : |
Mail |
| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2013-11-19 |
| NOA Date : |
2013-11-26 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
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| Approved Date : |
2014-01-24 |
| Date Card Received : |
2014-01-30 |
| Comments : |
I received the EAD and AP combo card. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your EAD was approved in 66 days. |
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Advance Parole
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago IL |
| Filing Method : |
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| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2013-11-19 |
| NOA Date : |
2013-11-26 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Date Received : |
2014-01-30 |
| Comments : |
I received the EAD and AP combo card. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your AP was approved in 66 days. |
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Lifting Conditions
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
California Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2016-06-20 |
| NOA Date : |
2016-07-01 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2016-07-27 |
| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2017-09-20 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
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| Green Card Received : |
2017-10-02 |
| Comments : |
I received a letter that my conditional status was extended for one year. As the expiration of that extension letter was approaching, I was unable to get any updates on my case. This made me a bit nervous as I travel a lot to Canada to visit family and didn’t want to get stuck with an expired extension letter while traveling, so I went to my local field office. They put a stamp in my passport that ‘extended’ my extension letter for another 3 months, which gave me piece of mind. I received my 10 year green card just under 2 weeks after my extension letter expired so it was cutting it close, but all is well now! |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: Montreal, Canada
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
September 17, 2013 |
| Embassy Review : |
I never believed other VJ members when they said the interview was the easiest part, but it truly, truly was.
You spend about 2 hours all in all waiting for about 15 minutes of interview. If you have all your documents in order like they ask, and no red flags, you have nothing to worry about.
They asked:
Where my fiance and I met...
When did we meet...
How often have we visited each other...
How do we stay in touch otherwise...
What my fiance does for a living....
Would his family be coming to wedding...
"Congratulations, I am approving this visa!"
Best advice: GO STAND IN LINE EARLY!!!!! My fiance and got to the doors at 6:30am and we were second in line. Doors open at 7:30am. We were seen at 8:15am and out the doors, approval in hand, by 8:45am. When we were leaving, the number of people in the waiting room had tripled so it is totally worth your while to stand outside in the cold for an hour 
Sidenote: Consulate staff were very friendly. For some reason I thought they were going to be dressed like border officers in uniform and be intimidating, but they were plain clothed employees and very kind! (The staff that do the security clearance are in uniform, but again, no complaint there, all very nice)
And now, a huge sigh of relief!
Stephanie |
| Rating : |
Very Good |
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Timeline Comments: None yet, be the first!
*Notice about estimates: The estimates are based off averages of other members recent experiences
(documented in their timelines) for the same benefit/petition/application at the same filing location.
Individual results may vary as every case is not always 'average'. Past performance does not necessarily
predict future results. The 'as early as date' may change over time based on current reported processing
times from members. There have historically been cases where a benefit/petition/application processing
briefly slows down or stops and this can not be predicted. Use these dates as reference only and do not
rely on them for planning. As always you should check the
USCIS processing times to see if your application
is past due.
** Not all cases are transfered
ver 5.0
