RainbowDucks's US Immigration Timeline
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Petitioner's Name: G
Beneficiary's Name: K
VJ Member: RainbowDucks
Country: Australia
Last Updated: 2022-04-01
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Immigration Checklist for G & K:
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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 : |
Sydney, Australia |
| I-129F Sent : |
2011-06-27 |
| I-129F NOA1 : |
2011-07-05 |
| I-129F RFE(s) : |
None |
| RFE Reply(s) : |
None |
| I-129F NOA2 : |
2011-09-22 |
| NVC Received : |
2011-10-04 |
| Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : |
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| NVC Left : |
2011-10-13 |
| Consulate Received : |
2011-10-17 |
| Packet 3 Received : |
2011-10-19 |
| Packet 3 Sent : |
2011-11-08 |
| Packet 4 Received : |
2011-11-23 |
| Interview Date : |
2011-11-29 |
| Interview Result : |
Approved
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2011-12-01 |
| US Entry : |
2011-12-07 |
| Marriage : |
2012-02-01 |
| Comments : |
We did all the paperwork ourselves (did not use an immigration lawyer) with no issues at all.
The whole process was very quick for us, taking less than 6 months from lodging our 129F application to my visa being approved and landing at LAX to start our lives together.
It was a bit stressful making sure all the paperwork and proof etc was in order and getting our applications correct. Some parts were a little confusing as this was our first time doing anything like this.
Huge thank you to this visajourney community for helping us through that process!
The interview at Sydney Consulate was quick, easy and friendly (review posted in Sydney Consulate reviews thread) and I was approved on the day. A week later I had my passport back with the visa and was on a plane headed to the USA.
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Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-129f was approved in 79 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 147 days from your I-129F NOA1 date. |
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Port of Entry Review
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| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
Los Angeles |
| POE Date : |
2011-12-07 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
No |
| Biometrics Taken : |
No |
| Harassment Level : |
0 |
| Comments : |
POE - LAX (Los Angeles)
My first overseas flight, and I was scared about going through LAX, but it was a fairly good experience.
Immigration/Customs was busy, but still only took about an hour or so to get through it all.
Luggage trolleys are supplied free in the baggage area.
Bit of a walk between terminals for connecting flight, but not too bad. Security check lines were long at connecting flight, about half hour wait.
Overall though pretty painless. The staff were friendly and helpful in every section we went to through the process. |
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Adjustment of Status
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
San Antonio TX |
| Date Filed : |
2012-02-27 |
| NOA Date : |
2012-03-13 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2012-04-09 |
| AOS Transfer** : |
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| Interview Date : |
2012-05-18 |
| Approval / Denial Date : |
2012-05-18 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
Yes |
| Greencard Received: |
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| Comments : |
Biometrics appt was for the 9th in Austin TX. We were in Austin on the 6th, and had our paperwork with us, so we walked in and asked if it was possible to have it done early. They were really nice. As they were not really busy, they said that would be fine. We were in and done within 15 minutes. :)
AOS interview in San Antonio, Texas. Had a lovely lady officer who was very friendly. Was fairly quick and easy. Confirmed details on the paperwork they already had, showed evidence of our relationship and marriage, gave them our passports so they could remove the I-94 forms and that was pretty much it. She said we were now approved and conditional residents of the USA. She stamped out passports with the I-551 stamp and said congratulations. That was it. All in all a very positive experience. Very happy to be done with this part of our journey. No more paperwork for us for two years now. Just have to do this all over again when my daughter arrives (follow to join) in a few months. :)
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Employment Authorization
Document
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago National Office |
| Filing Method : |
Mail |
| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2012-02-27 |
| NOA Date : |
2012-03-13 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
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| Approved Date : |
2012-04-23 |
| Date Card Received : |
2012-04-30 |
| Comments : |
No problems at all. Was approved fairly quickly and sent out in the mail. Because we filed the EAD with our Adjustment of Status, the filing fee for the EAD was waived. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your EAD was approved in 56 days. |
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Lifting Conditions
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2014-03-29 |
| NOA Date : |
2014-04-03 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2014-05-13 |
| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2014-11-24 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
No |
| Green Card Received : |
2014-12-05 |
| Comments : |
Wasn't required to attend an interview. Called them as i was worried I hadn't received an interview date and was advised might not need one. Approval letter turned up in the mail 5 months after Bio appointment and Green card received less than two weeks after that. |
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Citizenship
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| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Lewisville TX Lockbox |
| CIS Office : |
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| Date Filed : |
2019-06-17 |
| NOA Date : |
2019-07-03 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2019-07-19 |
| Interview Date : |
2019-10-24 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Oath Ceremony : |
2019-12-19 |
| Comments : |
Process was pretty quick. Interview was not approved on the day due to additional information being required (Proof of child support paid for the past 12 months. Only found out this was required at interview).
Information was posted in to the office attended and once received my application was officially approved on the 12th of November. Letter for ceremony date and time came out later that month.
Ceremony was in San Antonio. They don't open the doors until right before the ceremony, and it took a while to get through and be seated (520 people in that ceremony). Family was sent upstairs, applicants downstairs. It took over 2 and a half hours! Ceremony itself was lovely, I enjoyed it. |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: Sydney, Australia
Review Topic: Direct Consular Filing
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
August 1, 2012 |
| Embassy Review : |
K-2 - FOLLOW TO JOIN INTERVIEW.
I have already filed a review for my interview last year. This review is for my daughter who was a follow to join.
Contacted Sydney Consulate directly to start the follow to join process for my 15 year old daughter. She was not included as a follow to join on our original application, but circumstances changed and she needed to come to live with me in the USA. I have already entered the USA, been married and adjusted my status, but as it was within the 12 month period allowed for follow to join we contact consulate directly and were given instructions for the process.
After all of her paperwork was received by the Sydney Consulate, they issued her with an interview date (which was 3 weeks after completed information was received by them).
She attended the interview with a family member, and he was allowed to go upstairs with her as she is a minor, but he did not attend her interview with her (by her choice).
Same security routine as my own interview.
Once she passed all the security checks and was inside the consulate she took a number to wait. The first person she saw took her paperwork (passport, platinum express envelope etc), took her fingerprints and instructed her to take a seat and wait for the interviewer to call her.
She was interviewed by the young man there who is very nice (he did my interview last year also.
She was asked the following questions:
What is your mother's fiance's/husbands name?
How long have you known your mother's fiance/husband?
Where will you be living in the USA?
Who will you be living with?
When did your mother and step-father get married?
What does your step-father do for work?
What high school will you be attending?
What happened at your medical? (She was told that it was a personal question that she did not have to answer if she did not want to).
Are you looking forward to seeing your mother, brother and step-father?
She was then told she was approved and wished all the best of luck in the USA.
The whole process from beginning to end was about half an hour.
At no point did my daughter feel uncomfortable. She was treated respectfully and everyone was very helpful and friendly to her.
Just thought the information might be helpful for other parents who have minor's attending interviews without them for follow to join. 
Sydney Consulate was great.
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| 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
