lilacvioletiris's US Immigration Timeline

Petitioner's Name: Carla Beneficiary's Name: Ronald VJ Member: lilacvioletiris Country: Canada Last Updated: 2014-08-25 Add Comment to Timeline Register or log in to follow this timeline

Immigration Checklist for Carla & Ronald:

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 : Montreal, Canada I-129F Sent : 2009-10-13 I-129F NOA1 : 2009-10-15 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2010-01-08 NVC Received : 2010-01-14 Date Case #, IIN, and BIN assigned : NVC Left : 2010-01-20 Consulate Received : 2010-01-22 Packet 3 Received : 2010-02-13 Packet 3 Sent : 2010-02-16 Packet 4 Received : 2010-03-26 Interview Date : 2010-05-03 Interview Result : Approved Second Interview (If Required): Second Interview Result: Visa Received : 2010-05-11 US Entry : 2010-06-30 Marriage : 2010-07-11 Comments : Hard copy NOA2 on 01-15-2010. NVC said petition was forward to consulate on Jan. 19. No DHL package that day to Montreal. There was package on Jan. 20 however. I hope it is mine and my fiance's! Called DOS on 02/12/2010 to find out if packet 3 had been mailed. DOS said it was mailed on 02/03/2010 but fiance' had not received it as of 02/11/2010. Packet 3 was in mailbox upon return from weekend to visit Battle Creek, MI. Arrived either Feb. 12 or 13. Assumed the later date, since fiance' wasn't there to receive it. ExpressPost tracking said the packet 3 package was sucessfully delivered in Montreal on 2-19-2010 at 7:14 a.m. Called DOS on 3-8-2010; told that MTL received forms on 3-1-2010 but they "weren't qualified yet" whatever that means and was told to call back later. Called on DOS on 3-19-2010 at 4 p.m. and learned that my fiance' has an interview scheduled for May 3! The appointment letter was dated 3-17-09, the postmark was 3-23-09, and my fiance' received the note in the mail on 3-26-09. The xpresspost envelope was finally mailed at 10:18 a.m. Monday, May 10 and it arrived a little bit before 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 11, 2010. Montreal is making my dreams true! Processing Estimates/Stats : Your I-129f was approved in 85 days from your NOA1 date. Your interview took 200 days from your I-129F NOA1 date.

Port of Entry Review Event Date Port of Entry : CDN-USA Border POE Date : 2010-06-30 Got EAD Stamp : No Biometrics Taken : Yes Harassment Level : 0 Comments : Blue Water Bridge was very busy in Port Huron today! My fiance' waited 30 minutes to be able to even talk with a guard about doing his paperwork, then it took an hour for the officer to process the paperwork for the K-1 and import my fiance's car (which wasn't paid off and still had a loan on it in Canada). Excellent entry but long wait because of the closeness to the July 1 Canada Day holiday and July 4 Independence Day holiday.

Adjustment of Status Event Date CIS Office : Detroit MI Date Filed : 2010-07-26 NOA Date : 2010-08-03 RFE(s) : Bio. Appt. : 2010-08-13 AOS Transfer** : Interview Date : 2010-10-04 Approval / Denial Date : 2010-10-04 Approved : Yes Got I551 Stamp : No Greencard Received: 2010-10-14 Comments : Sent the package originally on 7-12-2010 but put the wrong birth date on it and the package was returned for "incorrect fee amount". Ugh, just tell me the birth date is wrong, already. Used USPS.com. It didn't update until Friday (7/30/10) afternoon to tell us that our package had arrived on Wednesday (7/28/10). Somehow we got 12 emails on Aug. 3! Crazy! Received hard copies of NOA1's on Friday, Aug. 6. Received Biometrics letter on 8/12/10 after a touch on 8/9/10 Successfully did a walk in at the Grand Rapids Application Support Center on 8/13/10 when the original appointment was scheduled for 9/3/10. Touched on 8/16/10 presumable to put in biometrics information. On 8/30/10 we received a letter stating our AOS interview will be October 4, 2010! The letter was post-marked 8/26/10 but there was no update on the USCIS website. 10/4/2010 My husband was approved for his green card today! We arrived at the Detroit office at 10:10 for our 11:00 a.m. interview. We entered the office, went through security, and were told to go to window 8 and put our appointment letter in the box there. We went to the bathroom first, then went down the hall to the window number 8. There wasn't even a person at the window, just a box of other people's letters. We put ours on top and then sat down. I waited and watched until a human actually came to letters. One person got called back to the window because they were just there for finger prints, so that person was redirected. We sat on the chairs until 10:35 a.m. when an older man came to the door and called out my husband's name. We followed him down to his office. As we entered the man (Greg Gellert), said, "I think today is going to be a good day!" We sat down, he had us raise our right hands, and swear to tell the truth. Then he asked, "Do you have anything else that you would like me to add to our file?" I asked for clarification if he meant our "supporting evidence of our relationship." He responded, "Whatever you want to have added to your file to help me make the decision." I then handed him a copy of our car insurance listing our names both on the policy, then I gave him a copy of a letter from our bank stating that it was a joint account and a screen shot showing both my name and my husband's name and the fact that it was a joint account, and then two photos from our wedding that were printed on a 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of copy paper (in color) with captions (one was a photos of us and our wedding party and the other photo was a whole group photos of our extended family that came to the wedding). Then the IO went through the I-485 line by line to confirm my husband's name, our address, my name, his birthdate, his country of birth, and when he arrived in the U.S. Then he asked my husband what his parents names were. Then he asked what my birthday was. The IO asked if my husband had left the U.S. since he arrived (of course not!). Then the IO started going through the list "Have you ever been convicted of a crime, ever received public assistance, engaged in illegal gambling, assisted an alien to enter the U.S. illegally, etc" found on pages 3 and 4 of the application. The IO was circling in red the "No responses" as he went along. He offhandedly said, "I have to ask these things so they know I actually interviewed you." Then the IO asked my husband, "What are you wife's hobbies?" My husband responded, "Photography, scrapbooking, and cooking." Then the IO asked, "What did you eat for lunch yesterday." My husband responded, "Well my wife wasn't feeling well so we ate peanut butter toast with applesauce." The IO laughed. Then the IO asked me, "How did you meet your husband?" Then the IO asked me, "If I had ever met my husband's parents?" Then the IO asked me, "What do your husband's parents do for a living?" Then the IO asked my husband, "Do you plan to leave the U.S. in the next 2 weeks?" My husband said no. The IO said, "Good, otherwise we would need another picture and would have to do some special stamping so you could leave." Then the IO turned around, pulled a sheet of paper from a file folder, and said to us, "Today's a good day. You are approved." He then went over when we should apply for the I-751 and the fact that there is no "reminder" notice sent about filing for it. He wrote his name on the top of the form letter that my husband received and said that if we didn't get my husband's green card in 2 weeks, we should call the circled number, and ask to be transferred directly to Greg Gellert's office. Then the IO asked, "Do you have any other questions?" My husband asked about his EAD and whether it was still valid. The IO said it was valid until it expired but that once my husband has his green card he wouldn't need the EAD and that my husband could throw it away or keep it if my husband wanted to. Then the IO escorted us back out to the waiting room and it was over and we were back in the car by 10:50 a.m.! It was over so quick. The IO was very courteous and professional. Tonight at 8:18 p.m. we got an email saying that our green card production had been ordered. Yeah! Tomorrow my husband has a second interview so hopefully my husband will have a job offer by the end of tomorrow! My husband got a job offer 10/5/2010 and began work on 10/6/2010. My husband had his green card in hand on 10/14/2010. One year and a day from mailing off the I-129F to getting the green card. Ah sweet rest for 2 years. Getting ready to apply for ROC on July 11, 2012 - my two years have almost flown by!

Employment Authorization Document Event Date CIS Office : Chicago National Office Filing Method : Mail Filing Instance : First Date Filed : 2010-07-26 NOA Date : 2010-08-03 RFE(s) : Bio. Appt. : 2010-08-13 Approved Date : 2010-09-22 Date Card Received : 2010-09-30 Comments : Sent the package originally on 7-12-2010 but put the wrong birth date on it and the package was returned for "incorrect fee amount". Ugh, just tell me the birth date is wrong, already. Received hard copies of NOA1's on Friday, Aug. 6. Received Biometrics letter on 8/12/10 after a touch on 8/9/10 Touched on 8/16/10 presumable to put in biometrics information. Received email at 9:30 p.m. on 9/22/2010 that card production had been ordered. Wow, initial review to card production with no other touches inbetween. Touched again on 9/23/10. Received the actual card on September 30, 2010 after getting an email a couple days earlier that had gone back to post decision. Very weird but my husband has his card. Processing Estimates/Stats : Your EAD was approved in 58 days.

Advance Parole Event Date CIS Office : Chicago National Office Filing Method :   Filing Instance : First Date Filed : 2010-07-26 NOA Date : 2010-08-03 RFE(s) : Date Received : Comments : Received hard copies of NOA1's on Friday, Aug. 6. Received Biometrics letter on 8/12/10 after a touch on 8/9/10 Touched 9/22/10 and 9/23/10 after EAD was approved. Processing Estimates/Stats : There are not enough recent approvals in the timeline system to accurately approximate when your AP will be approved.

Lifting Conditions Event Date CIS Office : California Service Center Date Filed : 2012-07-27 NOA Date : 2012-07-31 RFE(s) : Bio. Appt. : 2012-09-07 Interview Date : Approval / Denial Date : 2012-12-10 Approved : Yes Got I551 Stamp : No Green Card Received : 2012-12-12 Comments : Wow, I didn't think the approval would come this fast! 12/12/12 was a great day!

Citizenship Event Date Service Center : Phoenix AZ Lockbox CIS Office : Detroit MI Date Filed : 2014-03-03 NOA Date : 2014-03-11 Bio. Appt. : 2014-04-04 Interview Date : 2014-09-24 Approved : Oath Ceremony : Comments : DH waited from 2014-04-08 until 2014-08-21 when he was finally scheduled. We received the letter on 2014-08-25 telling us the appointment was 2014-09-24.

Member Reviews:

Consulate Review: Montreal, Canada Review Topic: K1 Visa Event Description Review Date : May 4, 2010 Embassy Review : We arrived at the Montreal consulate at 6:30 a.m. We parked in the Safeway parking lot on the right hand side of the street just before the consulate and it cost $15 for the day. There was one couple with a little boy ahead of us. No one else arrived until 7 a.m. First a mom with 2 kids and then another married couple (I am assuming CR-1 since he said he was from Texas and she was from Toronto with a Philipino passport). The doors opened at 7:35 a.m. There was a glass company there to replace the doors actually so I think that is why security opened the doors so early. We got letter B as we went through security. Rom had some metal something that they needed to "wand" him for. We actually went down the stairs first to the waiting area for the elevator. The "A" couple came, then the married couple, and then another couple I didn't see outside when they let us in at 7:35 a.m. The security guard gave us a brown laminated sheet with instructions about what would happen today. We waited until 7:45 a.m. then the security guard that I will call "Gaston" called letters A to D. We got on the elevator. Ron and I were the only ones facing the back of the elevator. We learned that the husband from Texas and the Philipino wife from Toronto had been waiting 2 years for their interview. We sat down in the "U.S. citizens" waiting area facing window 5 and waited until about 8 a.m. when Ron was called first to window 11. The woman behind the glass told me to go pay the Machine Readable Visa fee at window 14 before the crowd comes. Just as I rounded the corner about 20 peple got off the elevator and turned to window 14. IMPORTANT NOTE: I shouldn't have waited in line with these people, instead I should have stood on the outside of the barrier and waited to be called to window 14. The teller chastised me for waiting in line because "I was holding up the interview process". I hadn't seen anything that would have told me to do that so just a heads up. Back at window 11, Ron was asked for his birth certificate and copy, his passport and copy, 1 original affidavit of support with list of my deposits to my bank account and the letter from my employer (they didn't want my IRS transcripts or my mortgage information), and the intent to marry letter that I wrote (they didn't want the intent to marry letter that Ron wrote). They never asked for the updates of travels for the DS-230 Part One or the DS-156 (but we had those typed up and ready too). They also didn't take any domicile information or any of the evidence of ongoing relationship although we had color pictures with us. Ron went back to sit down while I was still in line to pay for his MRV fee. I paid the bill and went to sit with him at 8:16 a.m. We then sat and waited until 8:40 a.m. when they called Ron back to window 11 to take his finger prints. Then we went back to sit. The fourth couple who came up on the elevator "Alea Ahmed" was called to room 7 for her interview (do they call by alphabetical order? maybe since my fiance with a last name beginning with B was called next). She left a few minutes later with her companion (I assume fiance' since they seemed to be carrying similar documents in a fed ex box like us but we never talked with them). They left smiling! Then we were called to room 7 at 9:10 a.m. Ron had to put his index finger on the red square then he and I swore to tell the truth - our first set of "I do's"! The woman asked Ron how we met, if we were still friends with the woman who introduced us, when he proposed (the woman was surprised he remembered the exact date and she was writing them down on a sheet of paper in his folder), then he was asked where he lived, the I was asked where I live, then we were asked how far apart we live, and Ron said 450 miles and I said 9 hours. She then asked us how often we see each other. She asked when I got to Montreal and how I was enjoying my visit. She then asked where I work and what I do. Then she asked me if I had health insurance. Then she turned to Ron and said as she closed her folder, "Based on the information you have provided, I am able to approve your visa." She slid a sheet of instructions under the window and explained that the K-1 visa is a one entry visa. Ron and I turned to each other and kissed each other in JOY! We picked up our things, walked out to the waiting room, waved at the 2 couples who were still there (both married, one didn't have their xpresspost envelope and they were unsure what would happen since the visa assistant had said they couldn't leave to go get one). We headed down the elevator, put all our stuff together in the fedex box the medical exam had come in because it was raining very hard outside, and we hugged each other and cried a little. We went out the security doors and there was an older woman that security kept telling to go back outside. There is a sign about standing in the doorway until you are called by security. It was raining very hard and the glass company was still replacing the doors to the consulate. We were back in our car by 9:22 a.m. It was an awesome experience. I will post our post-interview visits to an audio store and restaurant later. I am so thankful that we are approved. Montreal made my dreams come true. Now to wait for the visa package to come via Canada Post. Rating : Very 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.

** Not all cases are transfered

ver 5.0