CambodiaLove's US Immigration Timeline

Petitioner's Name: Rachel Beneficiary's Name: Samath VJ Member: CambodiaLove Country: Cambodia Last Updated: 2021-08-17 Add Comment to Timeline Register or log in to follow this timeline

Immigration Checklist for Rachel & Samath:

USCIS I-129F Petition:       Dept of State K1 Visa:     USCIS I-485 Petition:   USCIS I-765 Petition:       USCIS I-131 Petition:       USCIS I-751 Petition:   USCIS N-400 Petition:

K1 Visa Event Date Service Center : California Service Center Transferred? No Consulate : Cambodia I-129F Sent : 2018-08-21 I-129F NOA1 : 2018-08-23 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2019-01-10 NVC Received : Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : NVC Left : 2019-02-19 Consulate Received : Packet 3 Received : Packet 3 Sent : 2019-03-06 Packet 4 Received : 2019-03-06 Interview Date : 2019-05-09 Interview Result : Approved Second Interview (If Required): Second Interview Result: Visa Received : 2019-05-17 US Entry : 2019-05-18 Marriage : 2019-07-14 Comments : Processing Estimates/Stats : Your I-129f was approved in 140 days from your NOA1 date. Your interview took 259 days from your I-129F NOA1 date.

Adjustment of Status Event Date CIS Office : Seattle WA Date Filed : 2019-08-24 NOA Date : 2019-08-29 RFE(s) : Bio. Appt. : 2019-09-16 AOS Transfer** : Interview Date : 2021-08-16 Approval / Denial Date : 2021-08-16 Approved : Yes Got I551 Stamp : No Greencard Received: Comments : We were married for over 2 years when we attended the interview, so the 10 year green card was issued.

Employment Authorization Document Event Date CIS Office : Chicago National Office Filing Method : Mail Filing Instance : First Date Filed : 2019-08-24 NOA Date : 2019-08-29 RFE(s) : Bio. Appt. : Approved Date : 2020-01-21 Date Card Received : 2020-01-29 Comments : We filed for EAD renewal on 11/20/2020. We received NOA on 12/01/2020. Processing Estimates/Stats : Your EAD was approved in 150 days.

Advance Parole Event Date CIS Office : Chicago National Office Filing Method :   Filing Instance : First Date Filed : 2019-08-24 NOA Date : 2019-08-29 RFE(s) : Date Received : 2020-01-29 Comments : We filed for AP renewal on 11/20/2020. We received NOA on 12/01/2020. Processing Estimates/Stats : Your AP was approved in 150 days.

Member Reviews:

Consulate Review: Cambodia Review Topic: K1 Visa Event Description Review Date : June 30, 2019 Embassy Review : I traveled to Cambodia to attend my fiance's interview on May 9, 2019. I arrived several days early to get settled. *I would HIGHLY recommend attending the interview as the USC if possible* We arrived 30 minutes early and needed to wait until 10 minutes before the interview. Those 20 minutes were excruciating! My fiance (Cambodian) told the security officer at the gate that he was attending a K-1 visa interview. They looked at their roster and confirmed his name. I (USC) handed them my passport and they allowed me inside the embassy. We went to the first security check point and left our bags with the officers. The USC NEEDS to bring their driver's license to leave it with the security officers at the 1st checkpoint. We then went to the 2nd checkpoint and walked into the waiting room. We went to window 7 to get our number. We then waited about 10 minutes until we were called to another window to present our documents. They only took the ones listed in the interview packet on their website even though I brought a significant amount of supporting documents. They then asked my fiance to wash his hands and give his fingerprints at a different window. We then waited about an hour for our number to be called for the interview. There were a few girls ahead of us who were approved even though their fiance's were not present, but the officer sounded hesitant from what I overheard. When our number was called I waited in the seating area while my fiance went to the window. The officer asked my fiance if I was present and when he confirmed that I was present the officer called me up to join the interview. The bulk of the questions were directed to me. They were in this approximate order. How did you meet? Who were you volunteering with? What is the name of the organization? What college did you go to? The officer then turned to my fiance and stated "I am very confused." He then asked my fiance questions. Are you Christian? What is your family's religion? How did you become Christian? Did you become a Christian because of your fiance? What university did you attend? How do you communicate with your fiance? The officer then directed more questions to me. Can you speak khmer? How many people were in the English class where you met your fiance? What happened after you met? Do you have the original Facebook messages from when you first communicated? I told him it was all in our initial application packet. The officer then looked at our packet from the I129f and took note of my visas entering and leaving Cambodia over a 3 year span. He then also noticed the copies of my Cambodian work permits. You lived in Cambodia? What was your job? Where did you work? What was your salary? He also noticed our house lease. Did you live together? Do you have a physical relationship? He looked at our engagement rings receipt. Are you both wearing your rings? Who paid for them? Why was his more expensive? (To my fiance) What is your job and salary? (Back to me) Do you have any wedding plans? How much was your dress? Where will you have the wedding? How many people will attend? Why will his parents not attend? He then looked over a few more papers and told us he was granting the visa. He pulled out the blue slip, filled it out, and gave it to us. He took my fiance's passport and told us we have 90 days to get married, but there is no harm done if things don't work out because he can always just return to Cambodia. Then the interview was finished. It took about 15 minutes and the questions were very rapid fire. I feel like he was not convinced until he saw that I lived in Cambodia for a year. It was very nerve racking to have our lives picked apart by a stranger. We returned to the embassy on May 17, 2019 (the following Friday) to pick up the visa. We only needed to bring the blue slip. The gate officers allowed me to go into the embassy and we went through the same security process. We did not need to go to window 7 to get a number, we just waited with a group of other people picking up their visas by window 1. The interview officer called the group forward to window 1 and explained how to enter the US at a Port of Entry. He also touched on domestic violence and the resources available in the US. They then called the names of each person and handed out the packets with the passports. Do NOT open the packet! (It is only for the Port of Entry officer to open). The group was then congratulated and we were let out. The entire experience with the embassy was smooth and pleasant. The staff were helpful and kind. I was so nervous about the whole process, but everything went perfectly. My advice is to just come overly prepared and answer the questions truthfully, even if they are awkward. Rating : Very Good

POE Review: Seattle Event Description Entry Date : 2019-05-18 Embassy Review : I attended my fiance's interview in Cambodia, so we flew together to the US. When we arrived in Seattle I stayed with him through the foreign passport line. (I did not go through the typical US citizen passport line). The line was long, but it moved fairly quickly. When it was our turn the officer called us forward and asked for the K-1 packet from the embassy. There was a few minutes of confusion and panic on my part because the officer had a hard time finding the medical information at the back of the packet. He located it and everything went smoothly after that. The officer was very friendly! He told us about his travels to Cambodia and he seemed genuinely happy for us to be getting married soon. He put the stamp in my fiance's passport and welcomed him to the US. We then went toward the escalator to get our bags when he called to us because we had forgotten our customs paper on the counter. We continued to the baggage claim and we went through the customs line with no problems. I was so happy and relieved with our pleasant experience! Harassment Level : Low

Local US CIS Office Review: Seattle WA Review Topic: cis_topic Event Description Review Date : August 17, 2021 Embassy Review : Green Card Interview experience: Our interview was scheduled for 10:15 am. We were let through security at 10:00am due to COVID restrictions. We then waited for approximately 35-45 minutes for our number to be called. The interview itself lasted 15-20 minutes. -The officer had us swear to tell the truth. -He asked for our IDs and passports. -He asked for our marriage certificate and our son's birth certificate (Our son was just born a month prior to this interview). -He then went through the I-485 paperwork with my husband (intending immigrant) to verify the information and add changes, such as his new job and our son's birth. -The final step was for the officer to go through several pages of questions with my husband related to national security and if my husband is a terrorist or criminal. -The officer then said that’s all he needed. -I asked if he needed my husband's official medical exam (I-693) and he said it wasn’t necessary for K-1 applicants (there went $400 for nothing 🥲) but he took it out of pity and said he would add it to the file. I feel jipped! 😝😝 He didn’t ask for any of our photos or the numerous documents I had prepared! We received the email approving out case and the production of the green card at 8:45pm that night. Everyone at the office was very polite. Harassment Level : Good

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.

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