Big Baby's US Immigration Timeline
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Petitioner's Name: Rod
Beneficiary's Name: Li
VJ Member: Big Baby
Country: China
Last Updated: 2016-07-28
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Immigration Checklist for Rod & Li:
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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 : |
Guangzhou, China |
| I-129F Sent : |
2011-07-27 |
| I-129F NOA1 : |
2011-08-03 |
| I-129F RFE(s) : |
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| RFE Reply(s) : |
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| I-129F NOA2 : |
2011-12-15 |
| NVC Received : |
2011-12-17 |
| Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : |
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| NVC Left : |
2011-12-20 |
| Consulate Received : |
2012-01-09 |
| Packet 3 Received : |
2012-01-21 |
| Packet 3 Sent : |
2012-01-31 |
| Packet 4 Received : |
2012-02-27 |
| Interview Date : |
2012-03-19 |
| Interview Result : |
Administrative Review
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2012-10-20 |
| US Entry : |
2012-11-02 |
| Marriage : |
2012-11-07 |
| Comments : |
3-20-2012: Li received white slip "approval" in GUZ after interview.
3-31-2012: Li told to fly back home.
4-4-2012: Li received 221g blue slip back home in Chengdu. No documents requested. No boxes checked.
6-28-2012: 100 days of AP end. Will never know why it began.
7-3-2012: GUZ mails "approval" "final processing" ltr (1st) to P.O. in Guangdong; Postmaster told Li to fly there to pick up or lose it. Ltr said to submit passport with updated background check (due to expire following month b/c of 100 days AP).
7-4-12: Li's purse is stolen; she has to apply for new passport.
7-15-12: Li's new passport arrives; passport mailed to GUZ.
8-11-12: Another 221g blue slip received from GUZ (more AP, again no boxes checked, no reason given).
8-23-12: GUZ "approval" "final processing" ltr received (2nd). Ltr did not request medical exam, so medical clinic will not conduct without box checked.
8-24-12: Passport mailed back.
9-19-12: Another 221g blue slip received from GUZ (medical exam due to expire next month).
9-22-12: Li flew back (3rd time) to Guangzhou, completed 2nd medical exam. GUZ did not allow her to deliver passport & exam to Embassy but made her mail it from P.O. 3 blocks away.
9-30-12 thru 10-8-12: GUZ took 10 day holiday for Mid-autumn Festival (China), National "Day" (all week long in China), and Columbus Day (US).
10-20-2012: Li received passport w/ K1 visa stamp in mail. Total time for GUZ: 10 mos. Total time for USCIS: 5 mos. Total time overall: 15 mos. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-129f was approved in 134 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 229 days from your I-129F NOA1 date. |
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Port of Entry Review
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| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
Washington DC |
| POE Date : |
2012-11-02 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
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| Biometrics Taken : |
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| Harassment Level : |
0 |
| Comments : |
AFTER WAITING THROUGH IMMIGRATION LINE AT DULLES WITH SEALED K-1 PACKET, CBP AGENT AT POE INSTRUCTED FIANCEE TO GO TO ANOTHER LINE AND WAIT AGAIN. ONCE UP, CBP AGENT DID NOT ASK FOR THE SEALED K1 PACKET IN HER HAND, BUT INSTEAD WROTE B2 ON THE I-94 ARRIVAL CARD. SHE THOUGHT THE SLOPPY WRITING WAS HIS INITIALS, AS DID I. SHE, LIKE MANY, WAS AFRAID TO CHALLENGE THE CBP AGENT FOR FEAR OF BEING DEPORTED. MISMATCHED DOCUMENTS ERROR WAS CAUGHT AT SSA OFFICE AFTER MARRIAGE WEEKS LATER. SSA REFERRED US TO IMMIGRATION; NVC REFERRED US TO USCIS WHO REFERRED US TO CBP WHO GOT BACK TO US A WEEK LATER. A NEW I-94 WAS ISSUED, BUT IT TOOK 7 WEEKS FOR IT TO REGISTER IN COMPUTER FOR SSA TO ISSUE SSN. SSA AGENT LOWER LEVEL WAS UNAWARE OF IMMIGRATION POLICY. OFFICIAL SSA LETTERHEAD ISSUED BY GUZ LISTS INCORRECT NATIONAL SSA TOLL-FREE PHONE # (DYSLEXIC, 2 DIGITS INTERCHANGED, CALLED WRONG NUMBER FOR 2 WEEKS, THEN DID INTERNET SEARCH, FOUND RIGHT NUMBER, TO BE TOLD THAT THE SSA PACKET COMPLETED IN GUZ IS ENTIRELY WORTHLESS & ONLY GOING TO LOCAL SSA OFFICE CAN ASSIST. |
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Adjustment of Status
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Norfolk VA |
| Date Filed : |
2013-01-21 |
| NOA Date : |
2013-01-24 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2013-02-18 |
| AOS Transfer** : |
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| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2013-08-26 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
No |
| Greencard Received: |
2013-09-03 |
| Comments : |
Painless. No interview required. Only problems we had came from GUZ and from CBP @ POE. Now, with the "kinder, gentler" GUZ, I don't see near as many AR/RFEs. |
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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 : |
2013-01-21 |
| NOA Date : |
2013-01-24 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2013-02-18 |
| Approved Date : |
2013-03-15 |
| Date Card Received : |
2013-03-20 |
| Comments : |
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Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your EAD was approved in 53 days. |
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Advance Parole
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago National Office |
| Filing Method : |
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| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2013-01-21 |
| NOA Date : |
2013-01-24 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Date Received : |
2013-03-20 |
| Comments : |
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Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your AP was approved in 53 days. |
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Lifting Conditions
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2015-05-26 |
| NOA Date : |
2015-06-03 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2016-06-23 |
| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2016-07-21 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
No |
| Green Card Received : |
2016-07-28 |
| Comments : |
The 1 yr extension letter worked for travel back to China. I-751 approved 1 month before expiration of letter & driver's license/ID etc. Don't understand why so long. |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: Guangzhou, China
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
July 11, 2012 |
| Embassy Review : |
Here is my fiancee Li's GUZ rating of 3/19 & 3/20 intake/interview:
3/19 - Arrived prior to line-up at 12:30pm. Left 2 hours later. Number plates issued similar to airport lines. Waited for number to be called up to window for fingerprinting. Officials took DS-156 pg1/2, DS-156K, DS-157, physical exam, & 4 visa photos. Submitted additional job/educational resume but official handed it back. Staff very polite. Only 1 question asked: fiance's name.
3/20 - Arrived before 7:30am line-up. Received no. 32. Left at 10am.
Attitude of visa officer (a woman) was very good.
Ten (10) questions asked:
1. Name of your fiance.
2. How did you come to know fiance.
3. Status of my marriage to former wife? widow
4. How wife died: cancer
5. Status of her marriage to former husband? divorce. When? 2008 Why? ...
6. Do you intend to work in the United States? Maybe, first study English more
7. Have you been abroad? Yes, only once for 2 weeks to Singapore/Malaysia
8. Have you applied for US Visa before? Yes, tourist visa, 4 yrs ago (denied)
9. When are you going to US? After you approve, go to US to marry in 90 days
10. Why do you like him?
-Questions asked in English
-No strange or difficult questions asked
-Rating: 4 stars.
Outcome: Informed interview was approved. Given approval notice (white slip). Filled out EMS Waybill, asked for passport, rqstd to pick up visa at Guangzhou post office around the corner, was told normal wait was 2 to 7 days.
7 days later: no visa despite going to post office daily. Calls to Consulate phone listed answered by Shanghai operator, rudely, told must use website only.
day 8 & 9: I messaged Embassy via website.
day 11: Embassy finally responded via e-mail. Told me to tell Li to go home. She will get a "blue slip" after all.
day 12: Arrived back home in Chengdu after nearly 2 weeks of hotel fees, food, taxi rides, touring sites (very expensive).
One week later: 221g blue slip arrives via snail mail.
Apr 10-20 - Cancelled plane tickets, wedding, and flew back to Chengdu to give Li moral support & follow up on AP reply. Embassy first said they never received reply back. Sent them time/date stamped documents. Next, Embassy admitted they received documents, but would not say how long AP would take or what problem was. Li did not understand why 221g asked for job resume/educational history which she submitted at intake & they gave back.
June 27 - after many messages & 2 Senator follow-ups later: AP ended.
July 3 - called by GUZ Chun post office; told Li she would not get her letter of notification unless she flew there and picked it up in person.
July 4 - several hundred $$ round trip flight same day for notification.
Notification said to repeat background check because it expired during long AP.
Also said to submit passport for visa stamp and complete new EMS Waybill.
July 5 - paperwork obtained.
July 6 - purse with paperwork, passport, driver's license, cell phone, $$ stolen while in line at Chengdu post office.
July 9 - applied for expedited passport. As notification letter said it must be included for visa issuance, also requested another notification letter. One week later, Embassy responded and said they would send another.
Hoping to receive passport/letter by 7/20, receipt by GUZ by 7/30, & visa issuance by 8/10. We'll see! Application process started last July.
Post GUZ interview experience: 2 stars. Positive: staff polite but not very informative. Negative: poor communication (1) given white slip first, then mailed blue slip after $2,000 in travel costs. (2) would not say why AP wait necessary or how long to expect it would take. (3) mailed letter of notification of AP end to wrong address...don't know if this was done on purpose due to irritation with petitioner e-mails, or due to administrative error or indifference. Overall: 4 (fiancee) + 2 (fiance) / 2 = 3 stars
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| Rating : |
Moderate |
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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
