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GF1804's US Immigration Timeline

  Petitioner's Name: Christopher
Beneficiary's Name: Gary
VJ Member: GF1804
Country: United Kingdom

Last Updated: 2017-12-02
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Immigration Checklist for Christopher & Gary:

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 : Texas Service Center
Transferred? No
Consulate : London, United Kingdom
Marriage (if applicable): 2013-10-13
I-130 Sent : 2013-11-05
I-130 NOA1 : 2013-11-07
I-130 RFE :
I-130 RFE Sent :
I-130 Approved : 2013-11-29
NVC Received :
Received DS-261 / AOS Bill :
Pay AOS Bill :
Receive I-864 Package :
Send AOS Package :
Submit DS-261 :
Receive IV Bill :
Pay IV Bill :
Send IV Package :
Receive Instruction and Interview appointment letter :
Case Completed at NVC :
NVC Left :
Consulate Received :
Packet 3 Received : 2014-01-04
Packet 3 Sent : 2014-01-05
Packet 4 Received : 2014-04-17
Interview Date : 2014-05-12
Interview Result : Approved
Second Interview
(If Required):
Second Interview Result:
Visa Received : 2014-05-16
US Entry : 2014-07-01
Comments : Preclearance through Dublin (JFK)
Processing
Estimates/Stats :
Your I-130 was approved in 22 days from your NOA1 date.

Your interview took 186 days from your I-130 NOA1 date.


Lifting Conditions
Event Date
CIS Office : California Service Center
Date Filed : 2016-04-04
NOA Date : 2016-04-07
RFE(s) :
Bio. Appt. : 2016-05-05
Interview Date :
Approval / Denial Date : 2016-11-30
Approved : Yes
Got I551 Stamp : No
Green Card Received : 2016-12-08
Comments :


Citizenship
Event Date
Service Center : Lewisville TX Lockbox
CIS Office : San Antonio TX
Date Filed : 2017-04-04
NOA Date : 2017-04-15
Bio. Appt. : 2017-05-19
Interview Date : 2017-10-12
Approved : Yes
Oath Ceremony : 2017-12-14
Comments :

Member Reviews:

Consulate Review: London, United Kingdom
Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Event Description
Review Date : May 14, 2014
Embassy Review : Here is my review of my recent interview for CR-1 DCF at London.
I attended my interview on the 12 May 2014 my interview was scheduled for 08:00 AM. We stayed the night before in London at MyHotel Bloomsbury (10 mins away from the Embassy by Taxi) so it was a relaxed start to what could be a stressful day.
We arrived outside the embassy at 07:20 AM and already there were 20+ people standing in line waiting, I wasn’t too worried as great advice on here stated that not everyone queuing (or waiting in line – practicing my American) was for an immigrant Visa. Some are visitor or other types of visa.
There was some issue with partners gaining entry and those couples waiting to go through security to enter the Embassy were pulled to one side whilst their identification was checked and they were added to the list. I followed great advice from here and added my husband to the list by email a week before and even received a confirmation that he was on the list. Turns out this information didn’t filer to the gate so we were pulled out of line and made to wait whilst the long cue now in excess of 50= people snaked its way into security.
Eventually the girl who worked for the outsourced security organisation took my husband and I and two other couples to the front of the line and we were whisked through security. (TIP: We all know it’s a stress full time but for the employees working at the embassy it’s just another day at the office, so smile, swallow your stress and eventually it will all be AOK).
Once through security we were faced with a small reception desk where a friendly woman gave us our IXXX number. We then entered the waiting room. At the front of the waiting room is a huge digital screen that bleeps every 15 seconds advising on which number goes to which counter. Its easy to work the system out here. The ‘I’ numbers go much slower than the other types of visa applicants so be patient. Eventually our number was display after about 35 mins and we walked nervously to the appointed window.
At the window sat the now infamous friendly African American lady. Cracking jokes and putting us at ease she took us through the process asking for our documents one at a time, checking them against the photocopy we also gave her, she then stamped them and places the originals into a clear plastic wallet. She took my finger prints electronically and then advised me to pay my Visa fee and bring her back the receipt.
I paid for the visa fee in cash (£136) then took the receipt back to the window. The smiling lady advised that she had all she needed, wanted final confirmation that we had pre-paid the courier service for the safe return of my passport and we had completed the first stage. We returned back to waiting room as instructed and were advised to listen out for the same I XXX number, when called it would be time for our interview.
We waited about 45 mins and eventually we were called to another window. At the window a polite African American consular officer, smiled and was already reading our file. As she spoke to me she was typing and reading her desktop screen. She was very friendly and professional and for those same sex couples out there she was incredibly polite, even referring to my husband as my husband which was reassuring. I’m sure we were just one in hundreds of same sex couples that are going through this process. She treated us no different to any other couple, in fact she was so friendly and put us at ease so much it was really reassuring.
That said she has a job to do so whilst we maintained light conversation she dropped into the dialogue a few questions. “How did you two meet?” “When did you get married?” “How long have you been together?” she seemed reassured by our answered, her gaze accessed our responses and comfortable she returned back to her screen to read the display. She then advised “I’m going to recommend that I approve your Visa” my husband and I looked at each other not quite hearing what she said. My partner turned to me and asked what did she say? So I asked her if she wouldn’t mind repeating what she said in case we heard it wrong. She laughed, carried on typing into her computer and laughed “I am approving your Visa!”. Thrilled we thanked her whilst she told us my passport would be kept for the visa issuance and would be returned to me within 7 to 10 days.
We left the consular hall in a daze, followed the Exit signs out of the building once outside in the fresh sunny morning air we hugged and said “WTF” it was such a relief and kind of anticlimactic. We returned back to our hotel had a late brunch, clinked glasses and celebrated.
Leaving London that night when we returned home I couldn’t resist checking our CEAC status. It had changed from ‘Ready’ to Administrative Processing. I tried not to panic and remembered the great advice from VJ that this was just so they could print the visa and get the passport ready. 24 hours later my status was updated to ‘Issued’.
Hope this helps good luck to everyone who goes through this journey, try stay calm and research as much as you can.
Rating : Very Good


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*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

vjTimeline ver 5.0




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