JeremyR's US Immigration Timeline
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Petitioner's Name: Dee
Beneficiary's Name: Jeremy
VJ Member: JeremyR
Country: United Kingdom
Last Updated: 2012-02-26
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Immigration Checklist for Dee & Jeremy:
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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 : |
London, United Kingdom |
| I-129F Sent : |
2007-07-01 |
| I-129F NOA1 : |
2007-08-16 |
| I-129F RFE(s) : |
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| RFE Reply(s) : |
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| I-129F NOA2 : |
2007-11-29 |
| NVC Received : |
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| Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : |
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| NVC Left : |
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| Consulate Received : |
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| Packet 3 Received : |
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| Packet 3 Sent : |
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| Packet 4 Received : |
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| Interview Date : |
2008-04-07 |
| Interview Result : |
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Second Interview
(If Required): |
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| Second Interview Result: |
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| Visa Received : |
2008-04-29 |
| US Entry : |
2008-05-20 |
| Marriage : |
2008-07-18 |
| Comments : |
I129F processing was expedited due to family ill-health :( with help from my wife's Congressman's office
Embassy scheduled interview before we had indicated we were ready to be called (probably because due to the pressure from the Congressman's office!). We didn't have all the required documents so Visa issuance was held up until we sent in a AoS a week or so later. Apart from that, interview went without a hitch despite our prior concerns about age gap, etc. At the end, the IO said "Enjoy your time in the United States", which we took to be a good sign! Sure enough, we sent my passport and the AoS with the courier and the Visa came back a few days later. The courier was also first class. |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your I-129f was approved in 105 days from your NOA1 date.
Your interview took 235 days from your I-129F NOA1 date. |
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Port of Entry Review
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| Event |
Date |
| Port of Entry : |
Chicago |
| POE Date : |
2008-05-20 |
| Got EAD Stamp : |
No |
| Biometrics Taken : |
Yes |
| Harassment Level : |
0 |
| Comments : |
Hassle-free entry. Courteous, helpful and polite officer. 5 minutes at most, would have been even less if he wasn't explaining to a junior officer how to process K-1's. Customs decided to pick on someone else and let me straight though.
A total contrast to Philly a year and a bit earlier where they hauled me over the coals for booking an 89-day visit under the VWP ;) |
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Adjustment of Status
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Atlanta GA |
| Date Filed : |
2008-08-30 |
| NOA Date : |
2008-09-12 |
| RFE(s) : |
2008-09-25,2009-01-09 |
| Bio. Appt. : |
2008-10-08 |
| AOS Transfer** : |
2009-02-09 |
| Interview Date : |
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| Approval / Denial Date : |
2009-03-18 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
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| Greencard Received: |
2009-03-26 |
| Comments : |
Very nerve-wracking due to lack of info from USCIS and lack of case updates post 2nd RFE from CRIS but GC received in the mail just fine in the end (with no prior notice).
209 days from mailing to green card received. |
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Employment Authorization
Document
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Chicago National Office |
| Filing Method : |
Mail |
| Filing Instance : |
First |
| Date Filed : |
2008-09-08 |
| NOA Date : |
2008-09-12 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2008-10-08 |
| Approved Date : |
2009-01-23 |
| Date Card Received : |
2009-02-04 |
| Comments : |
Waiting impatiently! Approaching 120 days now.
Service request filed! - REJECTED 01/02/2009
Ombudsman notified!
Congressman notified!
Finally received after 146 days! |
Processing
Estimates/Stats : |
Your EAD was approved in 137 days. |
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Lifting Conditions
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| Event |
Date |
| CIS Office : |
Vermont Service Center |
| Date Filed : |
2011-02-14 |
| NOA Date : |
2011-03-03 |
| RFE(s) : |
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| Bio. Appt. : |
2011-04-04 |
| Interview Date : |
2011-11-29 |
| Approval / Denial Date : |
2011-11-29 |
| Approved : |
Yes |
| Got I551 Stamp : |
Yes |
| Green Card Received : |
2011-12-10 |
| Comments : |
Interview at Atlanta field office, apparently due to insufficient initial evidence. Easy interview, took plenty of additional evidence and were done quickly. |
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Member Reviews:
Consulate Review: London, United Kingdom
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
December 19, 2008 |
| Embassy Review : |
Arrived in ample time for a 9am interview. Had to waste some extra time before they would let me join the queue - there's a Starbucks 100yds from the Embassy gate, heading back towards Oxford St if you find yourself in a similar situation  .
I turned up in a shirt and tie which I thought was probably important beforehand. Very few others were smartly dressed but then most were there for tourist visas. If I were to do it again, I'd still wear a shirt and tie, impressions do count, officially or otherwise  .
There was some hassle at the first window because the Embassy scheduled my interview at very short notice and before we'd sent the final packet back indicating we were ready  and I didn't have an Affidavit of Support with me. That said, the man left it for the IO to deal with, sent me to pay (possible in USD or GBP - I paid in USD which seemed to surprise the woman) and sit back down. The waiting wasn't as I expected, sat their with my great big chest x-ray film on my lap waiting for my number to be called. It looked like there were complimentary drinks at the far end but to be honest, I was far to nervy to investigate  .
I was called back after what seemed like about 20 minutes to see the immigration officer, raise right-hand and swear to tell the truth, as you all know. He asked me some basic questions about how we met, really simple stuff and nothing to sweat about. He also asked why my fiancée hadn't been to the UK which I answered by explaining how she had a job to hold down, kids to look after and anyway, the way the economy was meant that it was not financially a good idea for her to visit me, the money was better saved for the wedding... He understood that.
Next we got on to the missing affidavit. He gave me a wry smile when I told him the Embassy had scheduled my appointment before they should have (I showed him the reply slip to demonstrate that I was telling the truth and really hadn't requested the interview). He said it was no problem and gave me the blue RFE paper and told me to just send it to the Embassy as soon as I had it (via SMS courier, you can't submit evidence by regular post) and that visa issuance would happen 5 working days from receipt. He ended the interview by telling me "Enjoy your time in the United States", which I took to be a good sign!
I submitted the affidavit of support a few days later and within a week I had my visa in hand. Booked a flight the following day and was in my new home with my future wife within a month
Rating 4, would have been a 5 if it wasn't for the scheduling before we had the documents ready thing. Can't fault the Embassy staff, they were friendly and polite and not half as intimidating as I was expecting. |
| Rating : |
Good |
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POE Review: Chicago
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| Event |
Description |
| Entry Date : |
2008-05-20 |
| Embassy Review : |
Entered with K1 visa. Extremely easy. No problems at all.
I was shepherded to the US Citizens area because of longer queues in the visitors gates. The officer at the gate didn't know how to deal with a K1 so he called his supervisor over who took over from there. He said they don't see many K1s there.
He opened the 'do not open' envelope, skimmed over the 'areas of concern' (age gap, etc) in my I129F petition and pointed each one out to the junior officer but didn't choose to ask me about any of them. Asked a few simple questions about where my fiancée lived (like I wouldn't know!), reminded me I had ninety days to marry and apply to adjust status then stamped my I94, inscribed it "to marry only" for some irrelevant reason I don't understand and then it was fingers and photo and on my way. Total time at the desk: <5 minutes. Half the time was spent explaining the process to the junior officer. I'd have been through in barely two minutes otherwise.
Customs weren't a problem either. The baggage area was heaving and they were letting the majority through without inspection. |
| Harassment Level : |
Low |
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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
