John & Mary's US Immigration Timeline
Immigration Checklist for Mary & John:
|
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 : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Transferred? |
No |
| Consulate : |
London, United Kingdom |
| I-129F Sent : |
2008-12-09 |
| I-129F NOA1 : |
2008-12-15 |
| I-129F RFE(s) : |
|
| RFE Reply(s) : |
|
| I-129F NOA2 : |
2009-04-22 |
| NVC Received : |
2009-04-30 |
| Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : |
|
| NVC Left : |
2009-05-04 |
| Consulate Received : |
2009-05-06 |
| Packet 3 Received : |
2009-05-16 |
| Packet 3 Sent : |
2009-05-18 |
| Packet 4 Received : |
2009-06-06 |
| Interview Date : |
2009-06-23 |
| Interview Result : |
Approved
|
Second Interview
(If Required): |
|
| Second Interview Result: |
|
| Visa Received : |
2009-06-25 |
| US Entry : |
2009-06-27 |
| Marriage : |
2009-08-14 |
| Comments : |
Touched 12/16/08 |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-129f was approved in 128 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 190 days from your I-129F NOA1 date. |
|
Port of Entry Review
|
| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
Cincinnati |
| POE Date : |
2009-06-27 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
No |
| Biometrics Taken : |
Yes |
| Harassment Level : |
0 |
| Comments : |
See POE review. |
|
Adjustment of Status
|
| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Atlanta GA |
| Date Filed : |
2009-08-17 |
| NOA Date : |
2009-08-28 |
| RFE(s) : |
|
| Bio. Appt. : |
2009-09-23 |
| AOS Transfer** : |
2009-09-08 |
| Interview Date : |
|
| Approval / Denial Date : |
2009-12-15 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
No |
| Greencard Received: |
2009-12-21 |
| Comments : |
|
|
Employment Authorization
Document
|
| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago National Office |
| Filing Method : |
Mail |
| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2009-08-17 |
| NOA Date : |
2009-08-28 |
| RFE(s) : |
|
| Bio. Appt. : |
2009-09-23 |
| Approved Date : |
2009-10-23 |
| Date Card Received : |
2009-10-31 |
| Comments : |
|
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your EAD was approved in 67 days. |
|
Advance Parole
|
| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago National Office |
| Filing Method : |
|
| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2009-08-17 |
| NOA Date : |
2009-08-28 |
| RFE(s) : |
|
| Date Received : |
2009-10-31 |
| Comments : |
|
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your AP was approved in 67 days. |
|
Lifting Conditions
|
| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2011-09-12 |
| NOA Date : |
2011-09-16 |
| RFE(s) : |
2012-09-10 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2011-10-26 |
| Interview Date : |
|
| Approval / Denial Date : |
2012-10-16 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
|
| Green Card Received : |
2012-10-22 |
| Comments : |
Early walk-in biometrics on 10/12. We did not receive an RFE until approximately 2 weeks after getting our senator involved; by that time we were six weeks outside the processing date. Approval came exactly four weeks after USCIS received our response to the RFE. |
|
Citizenship
|
| Event |
Date |
| Service Center : |
Lewisville TX Lockbox |
| CIS Office : |
Atlanta GA |
| Date Filed : |
2013-10-29 |
| NOA Date : |
2013-11-09 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2013-12-03 |
| Interview Date : |
2014-03-06 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Oath Ceremony : |
2014-03-21 |
| Comments : |
We completed our journey at the USCIS office in Atlanta this morning! We arrived slightly before 8AM as the oath ceremony letter instructed, and then participants were directed to a waiting room on the 2nd floor while friends and family were directed to a waiting room on the 3rd floor. We waited for a little over an hour before the ceremony could begin because of a software glitch that USCIS had been furiously trying to repair since the night before. At one point, they suggested to my husband that the whole ceremony could be cancelled, but thankfully that was not the case. They finally called us all into the ceremony room, and I sat about three rows back behind my husband, between friends and family members of other new citizens from Scotland and Jamaica. We watched a video with images of immigrants over the last hundred or so years, and then we were welcomed by a local official. She called the name of each country represented that day (54, I think) and asked each participant to stand as his or her country's name was called. Then she administered the oath, we listened to "The Star Spangled Banner", we said the Pledge of Allegiance, watched a welcome video from President Obama, and watched a music video for Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA". As the ceremony concluded, each row of participants (there were probably close to 100) was called to a window and issued their certificates of naturalization. Then it was over! The League of Women Voters was there to help new citizens register to vote, and everyone was free to take pictures with their friends and family. We were out by 10:30AM. |
|
Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: London, United Kingdom
Review Topic: K1 Visa
|
| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
June 23, 2009 |
| Embassy Review : |
It was no problem at all for me (Mary, the USC) to attend John's K-1 interview with him at the London embassy. They merely looked at my passport in the security line, and then wrote my name on his interview letter.
We were issued our appointment number at 7:38AM for an 8:00AM appointment. Apparently, the immigrant visa issue numbers have changed; they're no longer the 5000 series. We were assigned I854 and there were three others ahead of us, the first being I851. (Non-immigrant visa applications all had numbers that started with N, the first of the day being N100. There were a few other applicants who had numbers that began with E or D, but I have no idea what kinds of visas those were.)
We were there early enough to see them opening up for the business day, starting up the monitors, raising the window shades, etc. During the two hours we were there, they called over 100 non-immigrant visa applicants to the windows, so they were definitely busy.
After about 45 minutes, we were called to Window 1 and surrendered the appropriate documents to the older Asian woman whom others have described. (I believe her last name was Lei.) She did NOT like/appreciate the passport photos that John had made at Snappy Snaps; she said that the paper they used was inferior, and it made it difficult (perhaps impossible) for her to photograph the photos on a little tripod setup she had on the desk. She told us that Snappy Snaps was "BAD" in no uncertain terms. John was all prepared to go around the corner and take some new photos in the booth there in the embassy, but she didn't ask us to do that, so he didn't. I guess she made do with the photos somehow.
I had piles of evidence to give over re: the I-134, but all she took was my 2008 tax return and an employment verification letter from my employer (she did NOT want the original copies of my W2 forms). She also took John's birth certificate (plus copy) and police certificate (plus copy). After John went and paid for the visa and brought back his receipt, she gave him his x-ray folder and the pink courier form to fill out and sent us back to our seats.
We sat for about an hour before we were called back to the interview with the CO at Window 16. My stomach was in knots and I couldn't concentrate on my book at all, but John was the epitome of the cool-cucumber-Englishman. When our number was called (and it was out of order-- they called I855 before us!), I felt for sure that I was going to faint as we walked to the window. (I'm a fainter by nature.)
However, once we got to the window, I was able to lean on the counter and I recovered my stability as the CO began asking questions of John. We were lucky and got the young American man so many others have cheerily described. He was affable and quick. He asked the following questions of John:
* Have you lived in any other countries than the UK?
* Have you ever had any trouble with the police?
* What happened when you were denied entry in October?
* How/When did you meet Mary?
* Where did you propose?
* Did she say 'yes' the first time you asked?
* When are you planning to go to the US?/get married?
Then he asked me:
* Are you working in the US right now?
* How long have you worked at your current location?
He then said, "Well, it all looks good here," but then spent an inexorably long time looking at his computer screen and typing. Finally he said we were done and approved! I'm not sure he even heard my thank you as he turned to go about his business. So funny-- the slightest moment in his morning made up one of the biggest days of John's and my life together.
Then John paid the courier at exactly 10AM, and out into the great, green Grosvenor Square we went... a very happy couple. |
| Rating : |
Very Good |
|
POE Review: Cincinnati
|
| Event |
Description |
| Entry Date : |
2009-06-27 |
| Embassy Review : |
Cincinnati was a small and FAST POE! We were not even sent into secondary. The CBP officer stamped John's visa, stamped his I-94 and stapled it into his passport, reminded us to get married, opened the package and looked at one page (not sure which one-- maybe the medical), and then sent us on our way. He asked one question about the "trouble with immigration" John had when he was denied entry last year, and John merely stated that he hadn't been able to demonstrate sufficiently strong ties to the UK, and that was that. Another customs officer yelled, "You better love her!" as we walked away from the booth. All in all, VERY easy and done in 5 minutes max. |
| Harassment Level : |
Low |
|
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
