Vicky and Larry's US Immigration Timeline
Immigration Checklist for Larry & Vicky:
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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 : |
California Service Center |
| Transferred? |
No |
| Consulate : |
London, United Kingdom |
| I-129F Sent : |
2011-06-10 |
| I-129F NOA1 : |
2011-06-15 |
| I-129F RFE(s) : |
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| RFE Reply(s) : |
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| I-129F NOA2 : |
2011-10-22 |
| NVC Received : |
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| Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : |
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| NVC Left : |
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| Consulate Received : |
2011-11-09 |
| Packet 3 Received : |
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| Packet 3 Sent : |
2011-12-17 |
| Packet 4 Received : |
2012-02-01 |
| Interview Date : |
2012-02-15 |
| Interview Result : |
Approved
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2012-02-23 |
| US Entry : |
2012-02-24 |
| Marriage : |
2012-03-07 |
| Comments : |
Easy smooth process. Made sure both my sons and my envelope were safe and not torn for the whole journey by keeping them inside the plastic bag they arrived in. POE was very busy - waited 2 hours in line. Once we were there it took about 20-30 minutes and then we were on our way. Yay! |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-129f was approved in 129 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 245 days from your I-129F NOA1 date. |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: London, United Kingdom
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
February 17, 2012 |
| Embassy Review : |
Okay, here goes.
I am going to include the minutest of details, because I know when I have read consulate/embassy reviews the more information provided the less unknowns I felt I had to face.
I prepared all our interview documents well in advance and made copies of the originals (I had 4 envelopes, one with my original documents in it, one with the copies of those and the same again for my son).
I had the Visa Fee Application Receipt ready at hand upon entry to the Embassy and you should also include your interview invitation (we had not received ours, but I will go into that as I type).
Our appointment was set for 8am on Wednesday the 15th of February 2012. I printed out a map of the location of the Embassy, which includes how to reach them by various modes of transport.
We arrived at 7.20 am and joined a small que that had all ready formed. Just before 8am a woman security guard came to the head of the que and ticked people off a sheet she had as they showed their interview letters. We did not receive our interview letter for some reason, but I had called the embassy and they had informed me that as long as I had all my other documents that it would not cause a problem.
When she got to us she asked for the interview letter and I explained the situation and pointed out that I was there for a K1 Visa. She checked our names and passports and let us through to the next que.
The que we were now in was for entry to the compounds of the embassy. Another guard came over and asked for our interview letter (same explanation) and then he asked us to wait until the security guard in a small building adjacent to the compounds of the embassy called us in.
This is where they scan your belongings, the same as they do at the airport, and told us about no electronics being allowed past that point, including car keys that have the electronic fob etc etc. I had all ready researched this and saw that it's pretty much the same rules as the airport, so I left my smart phone and make-up and any liquids at home. I just carried a bag with my purse in it and my travel pass and held my documents in the envelopes in my hands. (There is a chemist down the road from the embassy where you can leave any belongings that you are not allowed to take in with you for a small fee if you wish). We were asked what we were there for, and then asked to walk through the metal detector. Once that was complete we walked through a doorway that led us outside to the perimeter of the embassy compounds. The guards told us what direction to go in and we made our way to reception.
Once inside the building we joined a small que to be checked in by a young lady at reception. She asked for our interview letter and our Visa Application Fee Receipt. She then printed off a ticket and stuck it onto the front of the Visa Fee Application receipt. She showed us which part was our actual number.
Once we entered the waiting room we could see about 18 windowed booths, two sides of seating with tv screens either side up above - this is where you will see your number as well as hearing it over a speaker system. At the back of the room there is a very small area where you can purchase extremely over-priced drinks and snacks and on the other end of the room (as you enter after leaving reception) there is an area where the courier thedX staff sit. There is also a photo-booth to the right as you enter, which accepts coins only and costs 5.00 pounds for two U.S sized photo's.
We sat in a very empty waiting area for not more than 20 minutes until our number was called. Booth 13, I remarked to my son, "unlucky for some, but lucky for other's". Booth 13 is off the main waiting area round to the left from where we were sitting (with our backs to the shop area). Funnily enough, there was a picture of the St.Louis arch above window 13 which is where my fiance' lives - I thought this was a good omen.
The lady at booth 13 was very friendly and warm, and I tend to be that way too, so we had a good time at her booth. We joked in between serious affairs and asked her about the famous people she had served. She was lovely and really made an effort to make us feel less nervous than we were. I promised her that I would include this in my review as she said so many people write negative things about the process.
She asked to see our Visa Application Fee Receipt and then went off and got out file - a big pink file with all our documents in it collected along the way from the start of the process. She then went through a process of asking us for all the original documents and copies for those things that we wished to be returned at the end of the day. It was a very painless easy process. She handed over two c.d's and explained that we would need to give these to the border patrol officer's as they have our chest X ray and medical results on them. She also went through the 90 days to get married part and that AOS was totally down to us, so we needed to make sure we did that as they would not prompt us at any time. We had to provide our fingerprints via a fingerprint machine the same as you find at the POE in America. Left hand first, then right hand and then both thumbs together. She gave us a pink slip to fill out which was the thedX information and said we could fill it out while we waited - it asked for an address to send the documents, telephone and cell number, and listed documents/i.d they would ask to see upon receipt of the package.
She took our passports and explained that all the information she had just gathered along with the file would be handed over to the interview officer who would be making the final decision on our application. She said we should not be waiting more than 30 minutes and that we would be called to booth 15 0r 16 two booths away from her.
She wished us luck and we went back into the waiting room.
By this time the waiting room was filling up. We only waited another 20 minutes until we were called to booth 16 - the final part of the process.
As we approached the young American woman asked us to confirm our names - we did so. She then faced our file in our direction and slowly flicked through and asked us to confirm whether that was our file. We were asked to give our fingerprints from our left hand only. We then had to raise our right hands and swear an oath that all the information we had provided was correct and true- we did so.
She then looked at different parts of our file and began with questions:
How did we meet?
How many times have we visited each other?
How was Larry able to visit on the dates he had?
Did my son get along with Larry?
What did my son think about moving out there?
What Larry's occupation is?
Did Larry have children?
Was I aware that he was married before?
Who were the two children in one of the photo's of Larry and I?
She noted that we had recently returned from a 3 month visit with Larry and wanted to know why we had gone and what Jack did over there for the 3 months.
After answering all the questions she then said " I am very pleased to inform you that your application has been APPROVED" at which point I spun around in a circle and jumped in the air, ha, ha.
She informed us that our passports would contain our visas which would be included in a package with two envelopes that we were not to open and avoid tearing. If they are slightly torn she said that the border patrol officer can refuse us. She said all the documents would arrive in a large plastic envelope that would be couriered to us.
She then told us to take the pink slip to the thedX representatives.
As we walked passed booth 13 the lady looked passed a customer she had and smile and put her thumb in the air. I nodded and put my thumb up to let her know we had been approved. What a lovely lady.
ThedX only accept credit cards, except American Express, but the young lady who served us said she would accept cash as I did not have any cards with me - very helpful. We were given a tracking number and told it would take 5-15 days for the documents to reach us, they would text us the day before on the number I had provided to let us know they would be arriving.
And that was our Embassy interview experience.
I think if you go in there knowing you are as prepared as possible and have absolutely everything they have requested plus a little more that your experience needn't be any different.
Now we are moving onto the next stages, but the biggest hurdle has been overcome. I love the feeling knowing that we can now be together - no more goodbyes or packing suitcases and no more wondering whether we are going to be allowed to be a family.
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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
