Kat2011's US Immigration Timeline

Petitioner's Name: Katie Beneficiary's Name: Eugene VJ Member: Kat2011 Country: Canada Last Updated: 2015-03-07 Add Comment to Timeline Register or log in to follow this timeline

Immigration Checklist for Katie & Eugene:

USCIS I-130 Petition:       Dept of State IR-1/CR-1 Visa:     USCIS I-751 Petition:   USCIS N-400 Petition:

IR-1/CR-1 Visa Event Date Service Center : California Service Center Transferred? No Consulate : Montreal, Canada Marriage (if applicable): 2011-06-18 I-130 Sent : 2011-09-12 I-130 NOA1 : 2011-09-14 I-130 RFE : I-130 RFE Sent : I-130 Approved : 2012-05-14 NVC Received : 2012-05-14 Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : 2012-05-16 Pay AOS Bill : 2012-05-16 Receive I-864 Package : Send AOS Package : 2012-05-21 Submit DS-261 : 2012-05-25 Receive IV Bill : 2012-06-06 Pay IV Bill : 2012-06-06 Send IV Package : Receive Instruction and Interview appointment letter : 2012-06-25 Case Completed at NVC : 2012-06-15 NVC Left : 2012-06-26 Consulate Received : 2012-06-28 Packet 3 Received : Packet 3 Sent : Packet 4 Received : 2012-06-25 Interview Date : 2012-08-02 Interview Result : Approved Second Interview (If Required): Second Interview Result: Visa Received : 2012-08-10 US Entry : 2012-09-04 Comments : After my 3rd phone call to the USCIS, they put in a service request at the end of April. I didn't hear anything until I received my NVC letter and number at the same time on May 14th. The NVC letter stated that my case was already there and to pay the AOS bill on 5/16/2012. Hubby then completed medical and and had his interview on August 2nd. My case was not initially updated online (not until June 7th), and I never officially received my NOA2 in the mail. Processing Estimates/Stats : Your I-130 was approved in 243 days from your NOA1 date. Your interview took 323 days from your I-130 NOA1 date.

Port of Entry Review Event Date Port of Entry : CDN-USA Border POE Date : 2012-09-04 Got EAD Stamp : Biometrics Taken : Yes Harassment Level : 0 Comments : My husband and I drove from Ontario to the Lewiston, New York border. My husband told the border officer that he wanted to activate his visa, so then we parked and went inside. We waited about 20 minutes and then he was called. He signed some papers, gave fingerprints, and then was given his CR-1 stamp in his passport. Very easy and now he's home!

Lifting Conditions Event Date CIS Office : Vermont Service Center Date Filed : 2014-06-12 NOA Date : 2014-06-13 RFE(s) : Bio. Appt. : 2014-07-21 Interview Date : Approval / Denial Date : 2015-02-24 Approved : Yes Got I551 Stamp : No Green Card Received : 2015-03-04 Comments : Transferred to CSC from VSC - 11/18/2014 2nd Bio - 01/05/2015

Member Reviews:

Consulate Review: Montreal, Canada Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Event Description Review Date : August 7, 2012 Embassy Review : My husband picked me up from the Buffalo airport early on August 1st. We drove through New York and up into Ontario, and finally Quebec. Our timing was really good and we arrived in Montreal at the Marriott Hotel Champlain around 4:30 in the afternoon. That hotel is a bit more pricey, but we were splurging a little, and it was pretty close to the Consulate. He and I took a short rest from our trip and then went out to eat at St. Hubert's before walking all around Montreal. That night I prepped him on everything I knew about the process and showed him all the documents I had put together all neatly in expanding files. I had one huge evidence expanding file and another smaller file with the documents we had filed or obtained throughout the immigration process starting with a copy of our I-130 at the USCIS. Because of VJ, I was well prepared to go to the Consulate. The next morning, on August 2nd, hubby and I woke early and left the hotel around 6:35 AM. We walked the 15 minutes down the street and got to the Consulate at 6:50. I knew what it looked like from pictures and the fact that people were already gathered outside. About 11 people were in front of us, three of them children and being in a family of five. While we waited, my hubby read the paper and explained to me again how the Canadian government works and discussed other Canadian or American issues while we were waiting for them to open the doors. Other started to gather behind us (though not too bad of a line), and I could tell it was going to be another hot day. As others have noted, there were men and women with big bags and briefcases who were not allowed in with them. I hadn't taken any chances and left everything else at the hotel. They finally opened the door at 7:30 and we filed in (some not going through due to their big bags). Hubby showed them his DHL paper, interview letter, and passport, and I showed them my passport. Security was a breeze and we then headed down the stairs towards the elevator. People had already started sitting to the left of the elevator, so I picked the seat closest to it to the right, my husband beside me. We waited for about 15 or 20 minutes and then someone came over and took the rope away from the elevator so that we could get on. Hubby and I were on the first load and faced towards the back. I noticed others were facing the front. We waited our turn and then got off, grabbing C10 from the first woman we met. I knew from other reviews that they didn't go in order, and were they right. I believe they started with C6 and we were called fairly early, around 8:45. Hubby and I went up and gave them my I-864EZ, his police reports, medical, 2 photos, birth certificate, and marriage license. Then he took his digital fingerprints. It was fairly easy, and the woman taking the documents was very nice. After the document intake was finished, we sat down towards the back of the room and admired the view of Montreal. During the time we waited, I was observing everything, and it did seem to me that people were called in order for the interview. My husband tried to read a book to me, which we do a lot, but I was distracted. I noticed this one little boy who would get up and press the elevator button every few minutes. His parents would call him back every time, but he couldn't stop pressing it for a while. Other children played in the play area. At 9:45, about an hour after we had been called up the first time, we were called to booth 8. The nice girl with the deadlocks everyone mentions was the there, and my husband read the oath about telling the truth. He gave her more fingerprints and then over the next several minutes, she preceded to ask when we had met, where, when did we get married, what did I do, and she asked him to explain what exactly I do at my job (which can seem kind of complicated). My poor hubby told her that we met online in 2010 instead of 2009 and the girl said she must have mixed up the dates because something was off. I then realized he meant 2009 and he corrected himself. She just typed into the computer the whole time and didn't seem to mind that he had mixed up the dates (being nervous and everything). I just hoped that everything would turn out okay even with my husband's mix up in dates. He had gotten the other dates down precisely, even to the date. It didn't seem to matter - she said very nonchalantly that we were approved! Then she handed hubby the Welcome to America sheet of paper and told him he was going to get his passport back within a week. He also has until January 2013 to immigrate, but of course it will be way before then in September. I was almost in disbelief that we were finished. She smiled and said to have a good day. She hadn't even looked at the huge evidence file that I had brought. Feeling relief that it was over, and also a bit giddy, we walked out hand in hand and then kissed briefly. I caught a look at the others waiting and then glanced at the clock. It was 10:00. My husband and I went down the elevator, up the stairs, and out the door. We had a very fulfilling breakfast afterwards and ended our Montreal adventure a few hours later. Everyone had been so courteous to us and everything went well. It has been 11 months since I filed, and only POE is left. What a wonderful experience at the Consulate! Rating : Very Good

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.

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