suzukiwookie's US Immigration Timeline
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Petitioner's Name: Kiki
Beneficiary's Name: Chris
VJ Member: suzukiwookie
Country: Canada
Last Updated: 2014-03-12
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Immigration Checklist for Kiki & Chris:
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USCIS I-129F Petition:
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Dept of State K1 Visa:
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USCIS I-485 Petition:
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USCIS I-765 Petition:
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USCIS I-131 Petition:
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USCIS I-751 Petition:
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USCIS N-400 Petition:
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K1 Visa
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| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Transferred? |
No |
| Consulate : |
Montreal, Canada |
| I-129F Sent : |
2008-03-25 |
| I-129F NOA1 : |
2008-03-31 |
| I-129F RFE(s) : |
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| RFE Reply(s) : |
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| I-129F NOA2 : |
2008-06-25 |
| NVC Received : |
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| Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : |
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| NVC Left : |
2008-07-11 |
| Consulate Received : |
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| Packet 3 Received : |
2008-07-14 |
| Packet 3 Sent : |
2008-07-21 |
| Packet 4 Received : |
2008-09-18 |
| Interview Date : |
2008-10-14 |
| Interview Result : |
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2008-10-17 |
| US Entry : |
2009-03-17 |
| Marriage : |
2009-04-11 |
| Comments : |
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Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-129f was approved in 86 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 197 days from your I-129F NOA1 date. |
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Port of Entry Review
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| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
CDN-USA Border |
| POE Date : |
2009-03-17 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
No |
| Biometrics Taken : |
Yes |
| Harassment Level : |
5 |
| Comments : |
We arrived at Fort Erie at 1:30pm and expected the whole thing to take less than an hour.
We pulled up to the guy in the booth and told him we were activating a K-1. He told us to park by the building and go in door 2. Here was a waiting room full of people and we had to wait 40 minutes for our names to be called.
We went up to booth 7 and the officer started asking pointless, antagonistic questions. But we did not let her get us down and answered her like we could not be more disinterested in the rudeness. This made the officer quit being antagonistic, and then she became more social and started chit-chatting with us while processing the visa. The actual K-1 processing was done quite quickly by her. But when it came time to import my car, she had no clue how to do it. So she said "I don't know how to do this, I'll let the guys do it." and handed it off to a group of frat-boy-officers. I call them this because they sat around joking with each other like a bunch of frat boys. Zero professionalism. They looked at the forms, couldn't figure out how to process them, and then ignored them and walked away from them and left them there!! They just walked away because they didn't want to deal with them. So we basically sat there for about an hour (watching everyone avoid our forms) waiting for someone to finish up our forms so we could get out of there. Finally I lost my cool and walked up to the forbidden desk and demanded that someone finish my forms. They looked at me like I was a pauper asking a king to finish my forms. The place was so disorganized, it seems like no one was in charge and no one wanted to do any work. And worse, no one really knew how to fill out the forms. Finally the supervisor finished our forms and we got out of there.
We wasted 2 hours, when it could have been done in 15 minutes. I was not impressed with their lack of professionalism and organization.
But I am happy that I got into the US lawfully and am now happily living with my wife-to-be!!! |
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Adjustment of Status
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Tampa FL |
| Date Filed : |
2009-04-30 |
| NOA Date : |
2009-05-07 |
| RFE(s) : |
2009-05-26 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2009-05-30 |
| AOS Transfer** : |
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| Interview Date : |
2009-08-06 |
| Approval / Denial Date : |
2009-08-06 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
Yes |
| Greencard Received: |
2009-08-19 |
| Comments : |
Our appointment was at 10am today. We arrived at 9:30. The guard at the building door took my appointment letter and sent us to a rickity trailer/portable building to wait for our names to be called. Inside the trailers there were rows of seats and a scrolling LED sign on the front wall where they played Citizenship Test Q&A's. This was kind of fun and made waiting easy. There were already people in there, but after about 15 minutes our names were called over a loud speaker.
We went back to the main building where the guard let us in, did the basic security check and sent us down a corridor to a waiting area. The waiting area was full! There was not a single seat empty. So we thought we were going to have to wait for a long time. But somehow, after only 5 minutes, we were called up ahead of all other people (I'm not sure why, but I didn't argue).
The immigration officer led us to an office through a set of doors, we were sworn in and were seated.
The interview was conducted in a very efficient, and professional manner. We were asked questions, and we answered most of them with "yes." and "no." unless more information was asked of us. We brought an 8Lb stack of papers, but were only asked for our photographs, marriage certificate, passports, and my birth certificate. He found our answers satisfactory and stamped my passport with the I-155 stamp!! Then told us that we would have to petition for the permanent green card in 18 months, and congratulated us. The interview took 10 minutes.
I am very happy with the speed and efficiency of this office and with the results! |
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Employment Authorization
Document
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago IL |
| Filing Method : |
Mail |
| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2009-04-30 |
| NOA Date : |
2009-05-07 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2009-05-30 |
| Approved Date : |
2009-07-07 |
| Date Card Received : |
2009-07-10 |
| Comments : |
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Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your EAD was approved in 68 days. |
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Advance Parole
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago IL |
| Filing Method : |
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| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2009-04-30 |
| NOA Date : |
2009-05-07 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Date Received : |
2009-07-09 |
| Comments : |
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Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your AP was approved in 61 days. |
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Lifting Conditions
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2011-05-13 |
| NOA Date : |
2011-05-17 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2011-06-21 |
| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2012-01-04 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
No |
| Green Card Received : |
2012-01-12 |
| Comments : |
I got approved without an interview. Letter of approval was received on Jan 9, 2012.
Received greencard on Jan 12, 2012 |
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Citizenship
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| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Lewisville TX Lockbox |
| CIS Office : |
Tampa FL |
| Date Filed : |
2013-10-29 |
| NOA Date : |
2013-11-06 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2013-12-05 |
| Interview Date : |
2014-02-25 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Oath Ceremony : |
2014-03-07 |
| Comments : |
I'm American! Whoo hoo!! |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: Montreal, Canada
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
October 15, 2008 |
| Embassy Review : |
This interview was such a pleasant experience! We were all worried for nothing.
Arrived there at 7:15am. Were second in line. Guard let us in at 7:30am. We went through security and were given a card with letter "A" on it. We then went downstairs to a waiting room. At 7:45am a guard came down the elevator and called up "everyone who has cards A,B,C and D, come with me." We took the elevator up to the embassy floor.
At the embassy we were told to go into the main waiting room (which has a spectacular view of Montreal!) and wait for our names to be called. We were the first to be called up. Went to window 9 where a nice man took all our papers and asked us some questions while we did this. We then went to another window to pay, and then we had a seat. 15 mins later I was called up to do finger prints at the same window 9. After a few tries, the machine finally read my prints and the man joked with me that "If you're a Chef, you should wash your hands more often!". We then went back to have a seat.
We were called up for our interview a few minutes later. By this time the waiting room was getting full of people, and there were even some line ups in front of certain windows (but I don't think they were K-visa-related).
The actual interview was really easy and pleasant, this was a different man and he was very nice too. He was very interested in what I did for a living and we talked about some of the good restaurants in the Montreal area. The K-related questions asked were very basic and easy. "I'm going to sign this and i would like to congratulate you on your approval!"
We were in and out in less than two hours (we were walking up st catharine's street when the clock struck 9am!)
HINTS and TIPS:
- Arrive at 7:15am
- Do not bring anything except for your wallet (no purses) clothes and papers. The security people will turn you away if you bring anything else.
- Bring your papers in a really well organized folder with sub-folders and tags. The embassy people like efficiency and they don't want to have to sort your papers for you. The man appreciated our organized papers.
- Remember that passport photos are supposed to be in color (Not black and white like a young lady that got sent away to go get colour photos. We felt bad for her)
- Bring a 12 X 15 pre paid Xpresspost envelope
- Bring your fiancee (this is the best proof you can bring!)
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| Rating : |
Very Good |
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Local US CIS Office Review: Tampa FL
Review Topic: cis_topic
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
August 6, 2009 |
| Embassy Review : |
Our appointment was at 10am today. We arrived at 9:30. The guard at the building door took my appointment letter and sent us to a rickity trailer/portable building to wait for our names to be called. Inside the trailers there were rows of seats and a scrolling LED sign on the front wall where they played Citizenship Test Q&A's. This was kind of fun and made waiting easy. There were already people in there, but after about 15 minutes our names were called over a loud speaker.
We went back to the main building where the guard let us in, did the basic security check and sent us down a corridor to a waiting area. The waiting area was full! There was not a single seat empty. So we thought we were going to have to wait for a long time. But somehow, after only 5 minutes, we were called up ahead of all other people (I'm not sure why, but I didn't argue).
The immigration officer led us to an office through a set of doors, we were sworn in and were seated.
The interview was conducted in a very efficient, and professional manner. We were asked questions, and we answered most of them with "yes." and "no." unless more information was asked of us. We brought an 8Lb stack of papers, but were only asked for our photographs, marriage certificate, passports, and my birth certificate. He found our answers satisfactory and stamped my passport with the I-155 stamp!! Then told us that we would have to petition for the permanent green card in 18 months, and congratulated us. The interview took 10 minutes.
I am very happy with the speed and efficiency of this office and with the results! |
| Harassment Level : |
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
