zentaco's US Immigration Timeline
|
Petitioner's Name: Richard
Beneficiary's Name: Heather
VJ Member: zentaco
Country: Canada
Last Updated: 2024-03-03
|
|
|
Immigration Checklist for Richard & Heather:
|
USCIS I-129F Petition:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dept of State K1 Visa:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USCIS I-485 Petition:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USCIS I-765 Petition:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USCIS I-131 Petition:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USCIS I-751 Petition:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USCIS N-400 Petition:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
K1 Visa
|
| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
California Service Center |
| Transferred? |
No |
| Consulate : |
Vancouver, Canada |
| I-129F Sent : |
2011-10-24 |
| I-129F NOA1 : |
2011-10-25 |
| I-129F RFE(s) : |
|
| RFE Reply(s) : |
|
| I-129F NOA2 : |
2012-03-13 |
| NVC Received : |
2012-03-22 |
| Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : |
|
| NVC Left : |
|
| Consulate Received : |
2012-04-05 |
| Packet 3 Received : |
2012-04-19 |
| Packet 3 Sent : |
2012-05-22 |
| Packet 4 Received : |
2012-05-28 |
| Interview Date : |
2012-06-21 |
| Interview Result : |
Approved
|
Second Interview
(If Required): |
|
| Second Interview Result: |
|
| Visa Received : |
2012-06-27 |
| US Entry : |
2012-09-03 |
| Marriage : |
2012-10-07 |
| Comments : |
|
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-129f was approved in 140 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 240 days from your I-129F NOA1 date. |
|
Port of Entry Review
|
| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
San Francisco |
| POE Date : |
2012-09-03 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
No |
| Biometrics Taken : |
Yes |
| Harassment Level : |
0 |
| Comments : |
I used the Calgary International Airport as my point of entry. Was very smooth - the Customs officer asked me a couple of questions and had my fiance hold onto my luggage while I went into secondary. Secondary mostly consisted of waiting while other people went through the process (mostly school visa problems). After about an hour and a half I was called up and I filled out a form, part of which was used as the I-94 and stamped/signed. The officer working in secondary seemed a little confused about the process (nearly handed the paperwork in the sealed envelope back to me), but otherwise it only took about 15 minutes for them to actually get me through the actual processing. No questions were asked! |
|
Adjustment of Status
|
| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
San Francisco CA |
| Date Filed : |
2012-11-15 |
| NOA Date : |
2012-11-19 |
| RFE(s) : |
|
| Bio. Appt. : |
2012-12-19 |
| AOS Transfer** : |
|
| Interview Date : |
2013-02-06 |
| Approval / Denial Date : |
|
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
|
| Greencard Received: |
2013-02-14 |
| Comments : |
Going for my AOS interview ended up being a lot less intimidating than my K-1 Visa interview. There was a lineup outside the building that took a while to get through, and there is security immediately inside the building waiting to scan you and all your stuff, but they were a fairly friendly bunch. Once that was done, my husband and I were told to take the elevator to floor two. There we went to the receptionist, who took our interview letter and told us to wait in section B. After a relatively quick wait (maybe 10-15 minutes), we were called in for our interview. The interviewer ended up being a nice lady, who brought us to her office and we sat down and went over the paperwork I had submitted, making sure that everything was answered correctly. Then she asked for evidence that were were living together. I gave her my pile of stuff; she was probably most interested in the wedding photos, our lease agreement, the joint bank account, and maybe the giant bed (cali king) I'd purchased for the two of us. After going through the evidence pile she asked how we had met, and where we got married. She seemed fairly satisfied with what we showed and told us that everything looked good and that my green card was approved! We should receive it by March. |
|
Employment Authorization
Document
|
| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago National Office |
| Filing Method : |
Mail |
| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2012-11-15 |
| NOA Date : |
2012-11-19 |
| RFE(s) : |
|
| Bio. Appt. : |
2012-12-19 |
| Approved Date : |
2013-01-17 |
| Date Card Received : |
2013-01-26 |
| Comments : |
|
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your EAD was approved in 63 days. |
|
Lifting Conditions
|
| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
California Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2014-11-10 |
| NOA Date : |
|
| RFE(s) : |
|
| Bio. Appt. : |
2014-12-04 |
| Interview Date : |
|
| Approval / Denial Date : |
2015-04-16 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
Yes |
| Green Card Received : |
2015-04-24 |
| Comments : |
I didn't receive my NOA, so I got a stamp instead. |
|
Citizenship
|
| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Online |
| CIS Office : |
San Jose CA |
| Date Filed : |
2024-01-02 |
| NOA Date : |
2024-01-03 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
|
| Interview Date : |
2024-02-27 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Oath Ceremony : |
2024-03-15 |
| Comments : |
The interview went pretty smoothly. My interview was right before USCIS San Jose closed. The officer that spoke to me was very neutral - not overly nice but not intimidating either. He had me come to his office, where the first thing he had me do was raise my right hand and swear to tell the truth. Then we sat down and he asked for my letter and green card. Those ended up being the only pieces of documentation he needed to see. Then we got into the civics questions. I given some of the easier questions and answered the first 6 correctly, so we moved onto the written and spoken english portions. He had me write the written line onto a tablet screen. The capacitive function of the screen was touch and go so I had to correct the shape of some letters, but thankfully that didn't matter too much. The spoken english was one simple line. He then rattled off the standard "did you do X" questions which I could honestly answer "no" to all. Then the officer and I had a conversation for the next while (it felt like a long time but I was nervous!). We talked about how many people moved to California and about my hometown, which he had visited previously. He also took some pictures from my file of my husband and our outings (I misremembered the date of one but I don't think it mattered either). I forget if he asked about this before or at the end, but I also got the requirements questions such as whether I'd bear arms for the US. Interestingly, he didn't ask why I wanted to be a citizen, but maybe our earlier conversation answered that. At the end he approved my application and told me I'd hear back soon about the final approval and oath ceremony. I saw online the next day that my oath ceremony had been scheduled. |
|
Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: Vancouver, Canada
Review Topic: K1 Visa
|
| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
June 22, 2012 |
| Embassy Review : |
Today my fiancé and I went to the Vancouver US consulate for our K-1 visa interview, after waiting and sending paperwork for roughly 8 months (we applied near the end of October) and being together long-distance for years.
As you'd expect, we were pretty nervous. The interview was for 10:00am, and from what we had read, the consulate was very restrictive on what you could bring inside. I didn't really want to risk my fiancé being kicked out for having an electronic car key, so we took a cab and carried light besides our pile of paperwork and evidence. It turns out they have lockers of sorts near the entrance when they search your belongings the first time, so you could probably store such things there as long as they're small. The most intimidating part was the process of getting in the building and up to the floor with the interviews, as there is a lot of security. Fortunately the interview floor gives you a chance to sit and unwind as you have to wait with other people once you give them the documents that were asked for in packet 3.
The interview itself was quite brief. My number was called and we went up to the booth with the number. The interviewer said that it was okay that he was there but that only I could answer questions, so my fiancé went and sat down (the interviewer said he didn't have to hide :P). After a look through our original I-129F, I was told to raise my right hand and swear that I was telling the truth and that I would marry my fiancé in the timeframe allotted by the visa. Then he asked me some questions about the documentation to make sure that everything was correct. I quickly had a good feeling about how it was going to turn out because he seemed pretty satisfied with the (extensive) evidence that we had submitted - I never even had to show the additional evidence I brought with me. I did have to answer a few questions, such as where we worked, where I was from, where he was from, and commentary on our photos (the first had a custom cake and the interviewer said he wanted to get his wife something similar). It was more of a light discussion than anything.
Finally we were told that everything looked like it was in order and that we were approved for the visa! We were directed back to the booth where we had given then our packet 3 documentation and were able to get some final details and have some questions answered, before we happily left. They hold onto your passport but will mail it back to you with the visa itself. Vancouver's consulate is great besides the lack of locker/storage information on their website. |
| Rating : |
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.
** Not all cases are transfered
ver 5.0
