J&R05/25/13's US Immigration Timeline
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Petitioner's Name: Johalmy
Beneficiary's Name: Rafael
VJ Member: J&R05/25/13
Country: Dominican Republic
Last Updated: 2015-08-21
** This timeline is also linked with a second member. **
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Immigration Checklist for Johalmy & Rafael:
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USCIS DCF I-130 Petition:
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Dept of State IR-1/CR-1 Visa:
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USCIS I-751 Petition:
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USCIS N-400 Petition:
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IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Texas Service Center |
| Transferred? |
No |
| Consulate : |
Dominican Republic |
| Marriage (if applicable): |
2013-05-25 |
| I-130 Sent : |
2014-07-08 |
| I-130 NOA1 : |
2014-07-14 |
| I-130 RFE : |
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| I-130 RFE Sent : |
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| I-130 Approved : |
2014-12-15 |
| NVC Received : |
2014-12-15 |
| Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : |
2015-02-11 |
| Pay AOS Bill : |
2015-02-12 |
| Receive I-864 Package : |
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| Send AOS Package : |
2015-03-06 |
| Submit DS-261 : |
2015-02-12 |
| Receive IV Bill : |
2015-03-03 |
| Pay IV Bill : |
2015-03-11 |
| Send IV Package : |
2015-03-06 |
| Receive Instruction and Interview appointment letter : |
2015-06-29 |
| Case Completed at NVC : |
2015-06-25 |
| NVC Left : |
2015-06-27 |
| Consulate Received : |
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| Packet 3 Received : |
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| Packet 3 Sent : |
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| Packet 4 Received : |
2015-06-29 |
| Interview Date : |
2015-08-19 |
| Interview Result : |
Approved
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2015-08-21 |
| US Entry : |
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| Comments : |
We received a checklist on 04-06-2015 stating that the birth and marriage certificates were not in the correct format. I double checked the copies I kept and they were exactly how the should have been. I resent the originals and they received them on 04-10-2015.
We received a second checklist on 05-07-2015 again stating that the birth and marriage certificates were incorrect. My husband went a obtained new ones and even had them apostilled at MIREX, we sent them back to the NVC with a detailed explanation and were received on 05-22-15.
Our interview date was scheduled on 06-29-2015 for 08-05-2015 @ 8:00am. We received an email on 07-29-2015 stating that our appointment was rescheduled to 08-19-2015 @ 7:00am.
APPOINTMENT UPDATE: 8-19-2015 VISA APPROVED!!!
TOTAL TIME SPENT @ EMBASSY: 2 Hours, from 7am-9am.
IMMIGRANT VISA STATUS CHECK: ISSUED, updated 8-19-2015. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-130 was approved in 154 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 401 days from your I-130 NOA1 date. |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: Dominican Republic
Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
August 20, 2015 |
| Embassy Review : |
Our visa appointment was originally from August 5th to August 19th javascript:emoticon(' '), after numerous calls and emails pleading for them to change the appointment date back to when we had it we received a final email stating that we had to keep that new date. This meant changing my flight for a closer date in order to be with the hubby for the interview. This was the only inconvenience we had with the US Embassy in Santo Domingo.
As for the interview in itself. IT WAS AWESOME javascript:emoticon(' ')!!! Seriously. We were scheduled for 7:00am and we were out before 9:00am. Here is our interview timeline:
3:00am - Wake up (We were driving from Santiago)
4:00am - Leave the house (Google GPS works great in DR)
6:00am - Arrive at the US Embassy in Santo Domingo
6:10am - We parked at a car wash place 3mins away from the Embassy ($20O)
(We had some time still, so I fixed my face a bit we drank coffee and smoked before getting in line)
6:30am - We got into the "Resident Visa" line (last priority = no kids)
6:45am - The line started moving, reviewed original & changed appt letters
6:50am - We were sent through security (x-ray and metal detector)
6:55am - We were in the Embassy, they gave us our number #310.
7:00am - We sat (they call all cases with minors/children first)
7:50am - We were sent to Window 15, the very nice lady started reviewing all our paperwork, asked us for:
> Police Certificate
> Medical Exam Package
> Passport
She was very kind and flirty and put us both at ease. She returned a bunch of repeated papers she had (we were sent 2 checklists), confirmed our names, hubby's parents names on BCert, addresses, phone #'s & emails and asked if we had a recent 2x2 picture (hubby had a low hair cut in the first one), we gave her 2 new 2x2 pictures. She had some trouble locating my 2014 taxes, I was about to give her my extra copy when she found it. She organized everything and told us to take a seat.
8:10am - We sat down
8:40am - We were called to Window 14, another very nice lady (with an awesome haircut) she spoke Spanish and so did we, never asked if we preferred English. She swore us both in (not really sure if I had to but I did it anyways and she didn't correct me). She asked us the following:
> How long have you've been together? (We both answered - 4 & 4.5 yrs)
> Where did you meet? (We both answered - at work)
At this point she looks at the 10 pictures we had sent to the USCIS a year ago with the original I-130 petition (I had more, she didn't ask)
> Did you marry through the Church? (We both answered - yes)
> Do you have children in common? (We both answered - no, not yet)
> When did you come to the Dominican Republic? (I answered - 2006 for Uni)
> When did you go back to the USA? (I answered - 2014 to start the petition)
> Have you ever traveled to another country? (Hubby - No)
> Have you ever applied for an Resident Visa? (Hubby - No)
> What are you doing now? Work? Study? (Hubby - Studying online)
> Where are you living? (Hubby - with parents)
> Have you ever applied for a Resident Visa *Repeated* (Hubby - No)
> Have you ever applied for a Tourist Visa (Hubby - yes)
He explained that his parents had petition for a tourist visa twice when he was a kid, but these were denied.
At some point between all the questions
*She takes his fingerprints into the little device*
*She gives the hubby some paper to sign*
She looks down, reviews everything, types for a while, looks up, smiles, and says "Congratulations, your visa has been approved!"
We stood there in shock for like a minute while she kept talking and gives us a piece of paper.
We smile and laugh, I ask her for the time-frame on the passport, she looks apologetic when she replies " about 2-3 weeks" (I am still hoping for 1 week).
We say thanks and leave.
We were not asked any personal questions in regards to our relationship/marriage other than the 4 I mentioned above. We were not asked to provide any additional proof of relationship. The only documents we had to provide were exactly the documents that the appointment letter stated we needed (even though I took a huge portfolio full of stuff - just in case).
We just went into the CEAC website to check our status and it says: "ISSUED" last updated 8/19, same day as the appointment. We were not sent to AP, so hopefully that means that we will get the Visa sooner than the 3 weeks. We selected to pick it up in Santo Domingo @ the VAC, figured it will be faster to pick it up than having to wait for it to arrive in Santiago.
Overall a long stressful journey, but a wonderfully smooth ending, with the best of results.
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| Rating : |
Very Good |
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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
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