MattG's US Immigration Timeline
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Petitioner's Name: Amelia
Beneficiary's Name: Matthew
VJ Member: MattG
Country: United Kingdom
Last Updated: 2006-11-18
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Immigration Checklist for Amelia & Matthew:
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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 : |
London, United Kingdom |
| Marriage (if applicable): |
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| I-130 Sent : |
2006-06-01 |
| I-130 NOA1 : |
2006-06-13 |
| I-130 RFE : |
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| I-130 RFE Sent : |
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| I-130 Approved : |
2006-09-06 |
| NVC Received : |
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| Received DS-261 / AOS Bill : |
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| Pay AOS Bill : |
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| Receive I-864 Package : |
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| Send AOS Package : |
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| Submit DS-261 : |
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| Receive IV Bill : |
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| Pay IV Bill : |
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| Send IV Package : |
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| Receive Instruction and Interview appointment letter : |
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| Case Completed at NVC : |
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| NVC Left : |
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| Consulate Received : |
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| Packet 3 Received : |
2006-09-22 |
| Packet 3 Sent : |
2006-09-30 |
| Packet 4 Received : |
2006-11-01 |
| Interview Date : |
2006-11-09 |
| Interview Result : |
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2006-11-15 |
| US Entry : |
2006-12-20 |
| Comments : |
I deliberately asked for my visa not to be delivered until Wed 15th because we were going to be away from home for a few days to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary.
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Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-130 was approved in 85 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 149 days from your I-130 NOA1 date. |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: London, United Kingdom
Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
November 9, 2006 |
| Embassy Review : |
A very smooth experience, a lot less scary and taxing than I expected it to be.
I arrived about 09:20 ready for the 10:00 appointment specified in the letter I was sent from the embassy. I think this was about the right amount of time in advance to arrive. There was a woman outside the embassy in a fluorescent jacket organizing people into queues, and she put everyone whose appointment was within 10 to 15 time in one queue, and everyone else (the people who were super early) into another queue (which didn't move). As peoples' appointments got close, they were moved into the queue which actually moved. Though very slowly.
I eventually got into the embassy at 10:20, after waiting for an hour outside in the cold. I took the ticket from the guy who was managing the machine, and sat down to wait for the number on my ticket to be called. About 5 minutes later I was called to window 13 (!) where a guy who was new to the job gradually took all of my documents and forms off me. Another guy was stood behind him, training him to process my application properly. I had my fingerprints taken on the electronic machine, and was then told to go to another window to pay the visa fee. After I had paid this, I had to sit down again and wait to be called.
After about half an hour waiting, I was called to window 16 where a woman had my application in front of her. I got all my original documents back (birth, marriage and police certificates) and basically had to stand there while she went through my paperwork quite carefully. It didn't seem much like an interview - she didn't ask me many questions. The only problem I had was that my wife's IRS transcript was basically a list of 0.00 entries. It didn't show the foreign income that she had earned in the UK. Once I gave her a photocopy of the actual tax return that my wife filed (which DID show the foreign income earned) she was happy.
Fingerprints on my left hand were taken a second time for some reason. Then I had to hold up my right hand and swear that all the information I had provided was true to the best of my knowledge. Then I was told that everything was in order and that I should proceed to the "Secure Mail Services" desk to pay the courier to deliver my visa for me. I didn't get a "Welcome to America" from the consular officer. 
Since I was planning to be on holiday with my wife for the next few days in London (2nd wedding anniversary) I asked SMS to delay delivery of my visa until the day I knew I would be back. This is why my visa took longer than most immigrant visas to arrive (these generally arrive very quickly!)
Overall I was impressed with the organization of the embassy and the treatment I received. I was out of there by 11.45, so overall I was there for 2 hours and 25 mins, although an hour of that was waiting outside in the cold. I would have prefered the whole experience to be less impersonal and clinical, but... hey! At least I've been approved, and its over, and I was treated well. I shouldn't moan.  |
| 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
ver 5.0
