PerthtoMass's US Immigration Timeline

Petitioner's Name: Rob Beneficiary's Name: Gab VJ Member: PerthtoMass Country: Australia Last Updated: 2013-05-10 Add Comment to Timeline Register or log in to follow this timeline

Immigration Checklist for Rob & Gab:

USCIS DCF 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 : National Benefits Center Transferred? No Consulate : Sydney, Australia Marriage (if applicable): 2012-09-15 I-130 Sent : 2012-10-02 I-130 NOA1 : 2012-10-09 I-130 RFE : I-130 RFE Sent : I-130 Approved : 2012-12-14 NVC Received : 2013-01-04 Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : 2013-01-19 Pay AOS Bill : 2013-01-27 Receive I-864 Package : 2013-01-19 Send AOS Package : 2013-02-21 Submit DS-261 : 2013-01-26 Receive IV Bill : 2013-02-07 Pay IV Bill : 2013-02-08 Send IV Package : Receive Instruction and Interview appointment letter : 2013-03-06 Case Completed at NVC : 2013-02-28 NVC Left : Consulate Received : Packet 3 Received : Packet 3 Sent : Packet 4 Received : 2013-04-08 Interview Date : 2013-04-16 Interview Result : Approved Second Interview (If Required): Second Interview Result: Visa Received : 2013-04-19 US Entry : 2013-05-08 Comments : See my review Processing Estimates/Stats : Your I-130 was approved in 66 days from your NOA1 date. Your interview took 189 days from your I-130 NOA1 date.

Port of Entry Review Event Date Port of Entry : Honolulu POE Date : 2013-05-08 Got EAD Stamp : Yes,Passport Stamp Biometrics Taken : Yes Harassment Level : 0 Comments : See my review

Member Reviews:

Consulate Review: Sydney, Australia Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Event Description Review Date : April 20, 2013 Embassy Review : The interview was smooth: My interview was conducted on the 16th of April, 2013 at 9 AM and it was an enjoyable experience. The staff are all professional, kind, and friendly. I travelled from Perth the day before, so I made sure I checked out exactly where I needed to be as soon as I arrived in Sydney. I went to the MLC Centre around 8.45am.After we got up to the tenth floor, the consulate doors opened and I was the second one through. At reception staff checked my passport and placed a tick next to my name on the master list. I then placed all of my things on the security screening belt. I had to take any electronic devices out of my bag. I passed through security and deposited my excess gear, but took my paperwork with me. I sat waiting until called to take the lift up to the 59th floor to my interview conducted. I took the relevant immigrant visa ticket from the ticket machine and sat. It was tense in the waiting room and each and every child present could feel it, and were naturally confused and misbehaving. My number was called and I went up to window number 4. A woman took my passport, the platinum envelope, and my visa photographs and my medical envelope. My number was called and I went up to window number 4, again – I can’t remember why but when finished was told to take a seat again to await the final visa interview. I stayed very busy chatting with a diversity lottery winner to stay distracted and as calm as possible… I was then called to window 1 (my interview window) and the consular officer inside was a truly nice and kind woman. She asked some general admin questions, took my fingerprints, and then asked me to swear an oath that everything I say is true to the best of my knowledge She then proceeded to ask me these questions while looking through my file: Have you been to the USA before? How many times? How long was your longest stay? Have you ever had any issues with USA immigration? Have you ever been arrested? She looked through my proof of no criminal record carefully, then asked: Have you ever resided in another country for longer than 6 months? Were you born in Australia? When did you immigrate here? Have you ever been married? Any children? Has your husband ever been married? When was he divorced, Any children? What does your husband do – what will he do in the US What work do I plan to do in the US – She smiled broadly when I said ‘entry level anything’ She looked at my proof of no criminal record overseas and my citizenship certificate, flipped through my file again. I felt very comfortable as the officer was smiling the whole time. This made me comfortable enough to supply a lot of extra information and I talked freely. As we had already provided the affidavit and supporting documents in our petition, looked again at the petition files, compared them to the information in my file and said after a while "Everything looks fine here." Then she handed me a small white slip that said "Congratulations your visa has been approved!" A very insubstantial tiny little document to record such a monumental life changing outcome – I nearly laughed She then told me that the following steps are: I will receive a sealed envelope with my visa, which I will have to hand carry with my chest X-ray to customs when I arrive in America. I will be taken aside to secondary and the officers will open the documents there. She was very thorough and informative. When I walked out of the building I felt weird, so much time was spent getting to this point... I just desperately wanted my family with me to share the moment; instead I called my husband to tell him the good news. I couldn’t wait to get back on the plane to my husband and our daughter. When I arrived at Perth airport I could see our daughter jumping up and down with joy, I doubt I will ever forget that moment… Rating : Very Good

POE Review: Honolulu Event Description Entry Date : 2013-05-08 Embassy Review : After exiting the airplane we walked for what seemed a very long hallway until we finally reached the customs hall. On our way there many people were joining us from other planes and buses so by the time we reached customs the room was half full. We made our way to the USC line and were redirected to the new immigrant desk at the far end of the hall. We sat down and waited as per instruction and giggled a little as the hall was filling up with ever more people and we were the only people at the immigration desk, with no staff in the vicinity. We figured we may have to queietly wait until the several hundred people in the visitor queue had been processed. It all seemed quite comical to us in our overtired state. Happily within a few minutes a female officer came over to us asked my husband and daughter to take a seat and she began processing my package. She was kind, helpful and had a sense of humour, what more could I ask? She did not keep my x-rays as we were only visiting Hawaii for a few days before we travel on to Massachusetts, so I will hand them in to the department of health there. My (now) legal husband and I had been in a defacto relationship for almost 14 years. Defacto relationships are very common in Australia and New Zealand and treated in law as a legal marriage; even our Prime Minister is in a defacto relationship. As we had only legally married in September 2012, I researched our situation and hoped that our ongoing relationship would be recognised by the US authorities and I might receive an IR1 Visa. It had been suggested that I speak to the CBP officer, which I did but was informed that no, as the embassy were aware of our long term relationship and had indicated CRI, I was only eligible for CR1. I had hoped to avoid more paperwork and very probably more fees – oh well. As I plan to apply for citizenship as soon as I am eligible, I guess there is still plenty of paperwork ahead of me anyway. After completing biometrics the officer asked why after all the time we had been together in Australia we had decided to move to USA. I replied that after visiting Massachusetts for the first time in 2012 our daughter and I both loved it, as the contrasts between Massachusetts and Western Australia are striking to say the least. My husband had always hoped to return to live there some day. As my parents have both passed, and his are still alive I have long been keen for him to spend as much time with them as possible; so here we are… The officer then explained the visa was for those wishing to live permanently in the USA, what was required of me with regards ROC, and had me sign and keep a copy of a document attesting to this discussion. She completed my husband and daughter's processing, welcomed me to the USA and directed us to the exit. We headed to Waikiki 4 days before heading to main land USA. Harassment Level : Low

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