TGregorio's US Immigration Timeline

Petitioner's Name: Greg Beneficiary's Name: Maribel VJ Member: TGregorio Country: Dominican Republic Last Updated: 2024-03-08 Add Comment to Timeline Register or log in to follow this timeline

Immigration Checklist for Greg & Maribel:

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 : Dominican Republic I-129F Sent : 2018-06-19 I-129F NOA1 : 2018-06-21 I-129F RFE(s) : NONE RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2018-12-11 NVC Received : 2018-12-28 Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : 2019-01-03 NVC Left : 2019-01-22 Consulate Received : 2019-01-24 Packet 3 Received : Packet 3 Sent : Packet 4 Received : Interview Date : 2019-02-19 Interview Result : Administrative Review Second Interview (If Required): Second Interview Result: Approved Visa Received : 2019-03-28 US Entry : 2019-04-03 Marriage : 2019-05-08 Comments : Processing Estimates/Stats : Your I-129f was approved in 173 days from your NOA1 date. Your interview took 243 days from your I-129F NOA1 date.

Port of Entry Review Event Date Port of Entry : Washington DC POE Date : 2019-04-03 Got EAD Stamp : Yes,EAD Card Biometrics Taken : Yes Harassment Level : 0 Comments : My wife, step-daughter and I entered the Dulles International airport in Virginia, and the CBP officer that checked us in was very pleasant, as well as another officer. We were out within 40 minutes.

Adjustment of Status Event Date CIS Office : Washington DC Date Filed : 2019-06-18 NOA Date : 2019-06-25 RFE(s) : Bio. Appt. : 2019-07-26 AOS Transfer** : Interview Date : 2020-10-16 Approval / Denial Date : 2020-10-20 Approved : Yes Got I551 Stamp : No Greencard Received: 2020-10-26 Comments : Received letter from USCIS, 04/03/2020, cancelling the interview scheduled for 04/13/2020 due to COVID-19. We attended rescheduled AOS interview on 10/16/2020 @ 8:40 AM. We arrived at the USCIS building on Prosperity Avenue for the interview in Fairfax, Virginia (Washington, DC office), 20 minutes early. By the time we walked across the street to wait in line and pass through security, it was already past our interview time. When we checked in on the second floor, we waited maybe 10 more minutes before the USCIS officer called our name. It was approximately 9:10 AM when the USCIS officer swore us in. The Officer dialed up our Spanish interpreter for my wife and step-daughter. The USCIS officer was very pleasant and very professional. The interview went very well and lasted about 25 minutes. Most of the questions asked where for my wife, with the standard questions coming from the I-485. The USCIS officer asked my wife my birthday, and she almost got it wrong, but self corrected and the officer appeared to smile underneath her mask. My wife was a little nervous. The officer asked if we had any updates to the I-485 and I provided the changes associated with the birth of our son, born 02/14/2020. The officer said, "Oh" and appeared to smile again underneath her mask. The Officer asked me, the husband how Maribel and I met, and when I told her that we met 14 years ago, she said "Wow!" The officer then ask if we had anything else to give her, and I said no, but then she changed the question to specifically ask for joint utility bills, bank statements, credit card statements, etc., with both my wife and my name. I then gave her a binder (2-1/2" thick) of additional evidence. We also provided the sealed medical envelops (I-693) for my wife and step-daughter. We also provided original documents/copies of birth certificates, pass ports, and marriage certificates. The Officer then said, that she's seen all that she needed to see and proceeded to hand my wife and step-daughter "Notice of Interview Results," stating that their case was under review. The Officer then proceeded to tell us that she will make a decision in two weeks. The interview went very well and lasted about 25 minutes. Although the officer did not tell us that we were approved after the interview, I sensed that we would be approved based upon all the new evidence provided, and a slight head nod from the Officer. My wife and I agree that our AOS experience was much more pleasant in comparison to the U.S. Consulate interview.

Employment Authorization Document Event Date CIS Office : Chicago National Office Filing Method : Mail Filing Instance : First Date Filed : 2019-06-18 NOA Date : 2019-06-25 RFE(s) : Bio. Appt. : 2019-07-26 Approved Date : 2020-02-04 Date Card Received : 2020-02-08 Comments : EAD and AP card were combined onto single card. Processing Estimates/Stats : Your EAD was approved in 231 days.

Advance Parole Event Date CIS Office : Chicago National Office Filing Method :   Filing Instance : First Date Filed : 2019-06-18 NOA Date : 2019-06-25 RFE(s) : Date Received : 2020-02-08 Comments : Processing Estimates/Stats : Your AP was approved in 231 days.

Lifting Conditions Event Date CIS Office : Potomac Service Center Date Filed : 2022-07-22 NOA Date : RFE(s) : Bio. Appt. : 2022-08-10 Interview Date : Approval / Denial Date : 2023-11-15 Approved : Yes Got I551 Stamp : No Green Card Received : Comments : Biometrics reused. Received 48 month extension dated March 8, 2023, received March 13, 2023. I-751 transferred from Potomac Station to NBC on November 06, 2023 to speed up processing. No interview for I-751 ROC. I-797 NOA states that USCIS also approved N-400. USCIS also will not mail a 10 Year Permanent Resident Card, due to imminent receipt of Naturalization Certificate.

Citizenship Event Date Service Center : Online CIS Office : Washington DC Date Filed : 2023-08-02 NOA Date : 2023-08-03 Bio. Appt. : Interview Date : 2023-11-03 Approved : Yes Oath Ceremony : 2024-01-06 Comments : On December 22, 2023, USCIS replied to inquiry regarding "Non-receipt of Oath Ceremony letter." Ceremony letter downloaded December 22, 2023. Maribel & family attended Oath Ceremony on January 6, 2024. The appointment time was scheduled at 11:15 AM. We arrived 25 minutes early, but there was a long line of applicants waiting to enter the building, the 11:00 AM applicants and families were also waiting because USCIS scheduling the oath ceremony in 15 minute intervals. It was freezing that day. Maribel completed the oath ceremony @ 12:48 AM. Well done!

Member Reviews:

Consulate Review: Dominican Republic Review Topic: General Review Event Description Review Date : April 19, 2019 Embassy Review : We arrived 15 minutes early for our 7:00 am appointment as requested, and was immediately moved into a shorter line, then proceeded through security. After security we were seated in an outdoor waiting area for approximately 15 minutes and then directed into the consulate where we waited in line to give requested documents. We were told to have a seat and await for our interview. This was probably the last most pleasant experience with the interview process on that day. Our number was called and we were very excited that our ordeal would be over shortly and that we would be together soon. The Consulate Officer (CO) began speaking and asked which language did we each prefer, and naturally, as I speak English much better than Spanish, I told him English, and my fianceé said Spanish. We told the truth, so the consulate officer said that he would like to see additional evidence regarding how we communicated. I did not front load the petition with endless documentation of our conversation, but if that was a problem, I would have preferred a RFE during the petition process instead at the interview. The CO also asked what I did for work, how/where did we meet, and how many trips that I've had to the DR before we decided to get engaged. The CO asked my fiancee if I lived alone, and a few other basic questions. He asked to see her engagement ring, which is part of what I used to prove that we had a bonafide relationship. My fiancee also has a 19 year old daughter that was included on the petition, but she later decided that she did not want to go to the U.S. Although, we could not remove her from the petition, and did not prepare a DS-160 for her, the consulate asked my fiancee if the 19 year would like to accompany her at a later date, and my fianceé said yes. The CO then said he needed her original birth certificate, marriage/divorce certificates if applicable. The other evidence requested was for documents regarding her 14 year old daughter to prove that my fianceé was the sole parent of her daughter. The final evidence requested was to see more photos of me with her family. Upon completion of the interview that lasted only 15 minutes, the passports were returned to my fianceé and daughter, and we left the building with the infamous white paper. I knew that we weren't denied, but I also knew that if this consulate had properly reviewed our case and prepared their letter for my fiancee on what documents to prepare for the interview, we could have easily brought all the evidence to the interview, and possibly been approved that same day. I should also mention that our petition was in a red folder (red flag perhaps) when the first person was checking for documents before the interview. It appears to me that this embassy has become lazy and probably overworked with cases, and that they stopped sending out packets or interview letters tailored to each case. At present, for couples, it is much easier for approval based upon the generic items required for the interview and is not geared towards the beneficiary with accompanying children to the U.S. It is clear to me that this consulate knew before the interview that they would place my fianceé in AP. There is no doubt in my mind! Rating : Poor

Timeline Comments: 14



*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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